It's rare that I DNF a book. It has to be really bad, or just doesn't hold my attention for me to actually give up. For this book, it was the latter.
A little summary: 
It sounded great and had been on my TBR for a VERY long time. I even had to wait months on Libby to get ahold of it. But when it came to reading it....I just couldn't get in to it.
Olivia was born on a night of an infamous murder at a small town camp. Add on a newly discovered family drama, she wants answers, fast. Reagan lives on the road...since her mother is the suspect in the aforementioned murder, forcing them to keep on the run. But Reagan is done running, and determined to prove her mother is innocent. This brings both girls back to Camp Lost Lake, and into each other's lives. 
Sounds great, right? It probably is. But for some reason, I just couldn't get in to it. Every night I would plan to read, but just never had the pull to open the app and fall into the world. Eventually my hold ran out, and the book went back into the Libby stratosphere. 
It probably is good, but I can't say. Maybe I'll try it again one day, but for now, it was a DNF. 

Sometimes when I find an author I like, I fall down the rabbit hole of their backlist. So when I finished The Grandest Game, and realized I had to wait for-ev-er for the next book, I decided to try another of her series. 
Another unique premise, of teens naturally gifted with insight and talents in profiling, statistics, emotions and fallacy, partnered with the FBI to solve cold cases. As if that wasnt cool enough, throw 4 teens in a house, add some serial killers, personal stakes, and sparks will fly!
Cassie is relatable, and a little vulnerable, even as she has the power of insight and profiling most of us would love to have...catching those red flags early? Yes please! Add in sarcastic, privileged Michael, quiet and reclusive Dean, math whiz Sloan and pot stirring Leah, you've got a cast that will keep you turning the page. 
When a cold case from Cassie's own past comes back to the surface, they are thrown into a case that tests their talents, and unravels their secrets, right to the end.
I can't wait to read the next one! Definitely worth picking up. 

Sometimes, you just want a good YA angst story with high stakes, and this hit all the boxes. When you've done all the wrong things, what will it take to make things right?
Rob's dad stole millions...then tried to take his life to hide from the consequences. But when it only landed him in a vegetative state, with Rob and his mom having to pick up the pieces and live with the shame, Rob goes from being top of the class, to social outcast. 
Maegan did the unthinkable...by cheating on the SATs and forcing half the class scores to be thrown out because of it, she is on a mission to stay on the straight and narrow, and keep her head down. When her sister returns from college with a secret, she struggles with having to keep another thing from her parents. 
When the two are matched up for a school project, they are hesitant to let people know the other side of each other they are discovering. And when Rob reveals how he is trying to make things right, it might destroy more than just their blooming friendship.
Definitely a fun read that kept me turning the page. 

The Inheritance Games was easily one of my favorite trilogies in ages, so when I saw that a new spin off series was coming out, I knew I had to read it. With a new cast of characters, but appearances by our familiar favorites, this is quintessential JLB brain teasing fun.
The story brings an unexpected mix of people into a game that Tobias Hawthorne would be proud of...solve the puzzles, win the game, win $27,000,000. For each contestant, that money could change their worlds, and they will do anything to win it. 
The games are created by Avery and Jameson, with Xander adding his typical humor, and Grayson finding himself in an unexpected position...as a contestant. The multiple POV is done masterfully, each having their own distinct voice, motives and conflicts. It is hard to choose a favorite (although, admittedly, I have a least favorite), and as the book ended on a cliffhanger, I cant wait for the next.
​If you like mystery, brain teasers, and unlikely partnerships, this is one for you.

This is one of those books that I kept hearing about, but that kept falling lower on my TBR. Eventually, I decided to try to finish up some books that had been on the TBR a little too long, and gave this one a try.
Based on Chinese mythology, the premise echos a read from last year, Lies We Sing to the Sea, where a girl is sacrificed to the sea to appease the sea gods. In this tale, it is the most beautiful girl who is sacrificed, but this year, the girl is the love of Mina's brother, and in order to save her brother from heartache, Mina sacrifices herself instead. Casting herself into the sea, she finds herself in a fantastical world of magic, myth and the unimaginable. 
It was a fun read, where you find yourself hoping Mina chooses to stay in the sea gods realm, while also trying to solve the mystery of the sea gods curse. It can seem a but confusing at times, a lot happening all at once, but the imagery is stunning, the characters relatable and diverse, the love story bringing a longing you didn't expect.
A great read that brings Chinese mythology to a new group a readers. 

I've been on a real thriller, mystery kick lately, and this one has been on my TBR for a LONG time. When it was on sale on Google Books, I figured now was the time.
The premise is definitely fun: influencers, social media stars, jilted ex's, crazy stans and more all join together in a massive game of tag throughout London in pursuit of a cash prize. Only each is also there for reasons beyond just the money, and each is a suspect in the murder of a girl connected to the game master. 
Beyond the tech heavy game of tag and the influsion of a strange Pokemon Go type of ghost hunting game, there are challenges to gain additional points. The game itself is the backdrop, but its the tension and clues between the characters that make it interesting. Erin wants to escape her narcissistic mother, Grayson wants revenge on the guy he blames for his girlfriend leaving him, Charlotte wants to win the game masters love, and Emma wants a story worthy of her journalistic ambitions. Each character interacts with the others in a strange hate vs collaborate web, and it does leave you wondering who the murderer is until the end. 
While I did figure out the person beyond the 'ghost' pretty early, I'll admit I didn't look too closely at the person who did turn out to be the killer. It made sense in the end, but I think any of them could have been guilty.
Overall, a pretty good read. A little juvenile, even for YA, but easy to read. 

I love twisty murder mysteries, and this one had been on my Goodreads TBR for ages. When I saw that it was at my local library, I knew my time had come!
Lauren is escaping a tragic past, and ends up in Happy Valley (hate the name!), a town with it's own list of tragedies. Two dead girls, both in mysterious ways, and a pair of brothers each haunted by gossip of being guilty. 
Of course, Lauren knows none of this when she starts hooking up with the older brother Robbie. When she finds out, she intends to break it off, but of course everything begins to unravel when yet another tragedy hits....
Now, Lauren, Robbie and his best friend seek to solve the murder of three classmates, while dodging threats, friend drama, and their pasts. 
I'll admit, the murderer was on my maybe list pretty early, but Lundy did a good job leaving you guessing and questioning yourself throughout. But when it came to the reveal...it fell flat. There was no clear motivation, and it felt way too rushed. Hundreds of pages of 'who did it and why' only to end in, like, 2 chapters. Very anticlimactic for all the build up. And the romance between Lauren and Robbie felt unrealistic, and the trauma Lauren was running from could have been solved with a single conversation. 
It was good, but could have been better. 

Diana Urban is another one of my must read authors. After reading All Your Twisted Secrets, I stalk everything she writes. In line with Karen McManus, she is able to write twisty thrillers in unique settings that leave you on the edge of your seat. This latest one, set in the Paris Catacombs, was one I had been waiting for since it's announcement. And I loved it!
If you've ever been to the catacombs, you know the setting...dark, chilled, with thousands of eyes of the dead watching your every move. It is the perfect setting for a thriller, and when a group of teens find themselves trapped, the stakes are massive. The tension between each of the characters was great, each with their own secrets and motivations that add depth to the plot beyond just survival and escape. Ruby is relatable, Sean is a golden retriever who won't give up on her. The supporting cast is well rounded and each pull their own weight in the plot. 
The one thing I didn't jive with was what I suppose was meant to be the 'villains'. But it felt...unnecessary. There was enough motivation and conflict within the cast within the inclusion of *no spoilers* so I just kind of rolled my eyes when the villains were revealed...along with their strange motivation. 
Overall, I enjoyed the read, and would love to read more in this setting. 

This is another I had heard about over and over again, particularly on TikTok with women having their hockey men reading certain....spicy scenes. Eventually, I wanted to find out what all the hype was about.
Anastasia is a pairs figure skater with Olympic dreams and a horrible partner/friend in Aaron. Nate is a hockey star determined to keep his team out of trouble. Of course, trouble happens, throwing them into having to share a rink, constantly crossing paths, with sparks and fists flying.
It gave very 'The Cutting Edge' feels, with a ton of smut. Admittedly, I couldn't understand why Nate liked Anastasia....she wasn't a nice person, so his pursuit of her didn't make sense to me. Nate was a big Golden Retriever, and I loved him. Aaron was just a horrible human, with NO redeeming qualities. The rest of the supporting cast were what made this book for me, to be honest. Henry, JJ, Lola were great. 
There was a lack of real conflict other than Aaron's mere existence, and Nate's motivation was absent other than wanting Anastasia. And while I do enjoy spice, I need more than endless sex scenes to make a book a good read. 
Overall, this one was ok. 

I had heard so much hype about this book both before and after its release. It was one of the ones that kept coming across my screen, and when I came across a copy with STUNNING sprayed edges at my local Indigo, I decided to give it a shot. And it was definitely worth it.
This is a chosen one, forced proximity type tale, with Freya's magic being discovered by men who wish to use her to rule. She is 'fated' to bring the one who controls her fate to power, so of course, men assume they are the one meant to control her. It is so patriarchal it made me grind my teeth, especially when most of her actions were motivated by attempts to protect her horrible family, who most definitely did NOT deserve her protection. 
* Side note: I've read a few books lately with this plot thread of ungrateful, awful families, and it is definitely one that gets under my skin...people don't deserve your loyalty just because they are family!
Okay, rant aside, Freya finds herself tied to her second awful husband, but at least this one has a hot Viking son who is 'fated' to protect her. Their banter is hilarious, Freya's determination to fulfil her fate while also hating it at the same time is relatable and empowering. I figured one a twist about 2/3 of the way through, so wasn't too surprised when it was revealed near the end, but it definitely made me excited for the next book.
I loved this Scandinavian fantasy, the incredible world building and beautiful writing drawing you into the world. And of course, Bjorn.