4-Star Archives - Page 2 of 8

Book Review:: Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes | Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Readers, we have a new amateur sleuth to enjoy! Sapphire (Savvy) Summers is a small town cafe owner thrown into a murder mystery when a man drops dead in her establishment. Along with a small group of other characters interested in digging into the truth, Savvy is determined to get to the bottom of what happened after the dead man ate of her famous sweet potato pie.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku Book Cover

I really appreciate Savvy as a lead character. Her storied past lent a lot towards my interest in this story. She’s been married twice, and death seems to be a phenomenon that haunts her. It’s the little details of character that really make them robust, and I really felt that with Savvy.

This book just impressed me more than many other cozy mysteries I’ve picked up. Maybe this isn’t even technically a cozy mystery? Maybe this is more of a contemporary mystery? I’m no expert, but this book had just enough whimsy and soul to balance the technical details of the mystery to make this quite an enjoyable read.

It looks like this is the first of a series of books, and I am certainly interested in continuing to read what Savvy gets up to next!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes (Savvy Summers #1)
Author:: Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Genre:: Cozy Mystery
Publisher:: Minotaur Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 36m
Audiobook Narrator:: Karen Chilton
Published:: July 29th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame | Olivia Ford
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It | Elle Cosimano
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murders | Jesse Q. Sutanto

Book Review:: Not Quite Dead Yet | Holly Jackson

What do you do with the time you have left after you find out a traumatic brain injury will kill you within days? For Jet, it is catching the one who did this to her. Solving her own murder.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson Book Cover

After a vicious attack that left her for dead, Jet is determined, despite objections from her family, to refuse surgery that will almost certainly kill her, to unravel the mystery of her attack. With the help of her oldest friend, Billy, they track down every lead and analyze every lie until they get to the truth. Jet’s injury informs the urgency of their search. Finding her killer is her dying wish and last request, and Billy would do anything for her.

Wow – what a ride. A seemingly normal cuburb family is surprisingly dark and twisted, and history is never erased, only buried, ready to be uncovered again someday.

This story is exciting and tragic, and I couldn’t stop turning pages. Jet’s fate is sealed, but that doesn’t make her story any less interesting. In fact, it maybe makes it more interesting. If it weren’t for her insistence and knowledge of those around her, who knows if the case would ever be solved? No one cares more about a crime than the victim herself, right?

Readers of crime mysteries will love this unique take on a murder investigation. Slam dunk, Jackson.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Not Quite Dead Yet
Author:: Holly Jackson
Genre:: Mystery Thriller
Publisher:: Bantam
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 13h
Audiobook Narrator:: Alex McKenna
Published:: July 22nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Ghostwriter | Julie Clark
Closer Than You Know | Debra Webb
Famous Last Words | Gillian McAllister
A Sea of Unspoken Things | Adrienne Young

Book Review:: Greenwich | Kate Broad

Greenwich is a bit of an odd book that isn’t easy to slot into conventional genre conventions. As a millennial, it’s hard for me to call this historical fiction, as it takes place in 1999, but take that as you will. There is a heavy dose of suspense, as we know the summer ends in tragedy from the beginning with no idea of what it might be. But more than anything, this is a coming-of-age story.

It’s a difficult time for Rachel, and for the summer her parents ship her off to live with her aunt, uncle, and 3-year-old cousin in Greenwich. She’s not a babysitter, but she’s also not not a babysitter (even though they technically have one of those, too). Their posh lifestyle is a bit of a shock to Rachel’s system, and she’s left feeling like she doesn’t exactly fit anywhere, an echo of her problems back home. She’s also exposed to new things there that pique her curiosity.

I felt a little unsettled reading this book. The focus was unsure, the pacing was quite slow and exploratory, and it didn’t end when I expected it to. It stretched on quite a bit longer than I’d have guessed, in fact. I’m not sure how Kate Broad evoked that same feeling that lived inside Rachel that summer as a reader in this story, but actually it’s quite brilliant in retrospect.

A lot of this story is very dark. It’s not something to read to feel good or when you need a pick-me-up. There are drugs, pornography, allusions to illegal practices…it’s also a reminder that young folk (it feels strange calling an 18 year old a kid) notice everything, and are constantly forming their opinions about things they’re exposed to.

The feeling of suspense was quite high as I read. Knowing that something big was coming, something that would change everything, was always in the back of my mind, and not knowing what it might be had my mind on over-drive through everything.

My instincts tell me to rate this at three stars because that suspenseful feeling wasn’t very comfy and that’s not exactly my taste, but I recognize the brilliance of this novel, and kudos where kudos are due.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Greenwich
Author:: Kate Broad
Genre:: Historical(ish) Suspense
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Press
Length:: 304 pages
Published:: July 22nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Greatest Possible Good | Ben Brooks
The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo

Book Review:: Bitter Sweet | Hattie Williams

Bitter Sweet is the story of a damaged young girl during a year of bad choices that includes an illicit affair that will change her life forever. It is somber and bleak and hard to look away from, but ultimately a story many might see themselves in in some way or another. It is a very human story about growing up and showing up.

Charlie’s mother died unexpectedly when Charlie was a teenager, leaving her primary guardian her step-father, a man she’s not even related to. This trauma informs a lot of the way Charlie thinks of herself, leaving her with low-self-esteem and a deep sense of not belonging. During the hard years she found refuge in the novels of Richard Aveling, and when she meets him as part of her job in publishing, they share a special moment. A moment turns to an evening, then into a clandestine affair that swallows her whole.

Charlie’s story teaches us about friendship and obsession and the stories we tell ourselves and how they shape our actions. It’s about betrayal and depression and being chased by a nameless darkness. It’s about all the hard parts of growing up and realizing we’re responsible for the choices we make. It’s a sad story, but an important one.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Bitter Sweet
Author:: Hattie Williams
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Ballantine Books
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: July 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Thank You for Listening | Julia Whelan
Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood
Malibu Rising | Taylor Jenkins Reid

Book Review:: Sounds Like Trouble | Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith

Sounds Like Trouble is the second book in a fun contemporary mystery series co-written by Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith. Jackson and Mackenzie are back at it, this time officially partners in a joint PI firm, and there is just as much drama this time around.

Their last case caught the attention of some very intimidating crime lords, who “ask” Jackson and Mackenzie for some help with a little problem they have. There’s a package they need tracked down – discreetly.

This pair is electric. They’re sassy, capable, and oh-so-compatible. The level of action and danger is just as high as it was in book one. It’s a breakneck pace that will keep you flying through the pages!

I hope this is just the latest in a looong list of installments in this series, because it is such a breath of fresh air. If you’re looking for a fun and refreshing read this summer, please don’t sleep on this series!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Sounds Like Trouble (Sounds Like A Plan #2)
Author:: Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith
Genre:: Contemporary Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 256 pages
Audio Length:: 6h
Audiobook Narrator:: Jaime Lincoln Smith & Angel Pean
Published:: July 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Sounds Like A Plan | Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It | Elle Cosimano
All the Missing Pieces | Catherine Cowles

Book Review:: The Spirit of Love | Lauren Kate

A vacation fling, a workplace rival, two very different love connections. The Spirit of Love is a new novel by Lauren Kate that will have you leaning forward in your seat as the tale unfolds.

The Spirit of Love by Lauren Kate Book Cover

After a whirlwind weekend fling before beginning work as director for the first time on the show she loves, Fenny is blindsided when she returns to real life. Turns out the director gig was given to a stranger with a flawless reputation at the last minute instead. As much as she tries to dislike him, they start to connect on a deeper level, but she can’t forget about the man she met in the forest.

This is a perfect example of why I do not read book summaries before I begin. With this one? The entire plot would have been ruined if I had, so if you haven’t done that yet, save yourself the great feeling of discovering a story for yourself and don’t read it. Whyyy do publishers do that?

Beyond that gripe, I really enjoyed the story. I had fun piecing things together for myself, though I had another theory bumping around in my brain for a big chunk of it so (if you didn’t read the back) I wouldn’t say the ending isn’t very predictable.

The romance between Fenny and Sam at the beginning of the book was interesting and refreshing and just enough swoony without being too much. The development of the new relationship with Jude (not dating, but you get what I mean) felt genuine and not forced, which is important for the integrity of a story like this with two love interests.

Magical Realism tends to usually stretch a thread too far for me, and that was honestly the case with this story. It all makes sense and was set up incredibly well, but I wasn’t filled with a feeling of 100% satisfaction by the time it was all said and done. Honestly I think that’s just a me thing though. If you’re a fan of magical realism in general, this is probably an ideal romance for you!

As always I am honored when I am able to read a book early, and The Spirit of Love was a really nice escape with an interesting story.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Spirit of Love
Author:: Lauren Kate
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Length:: 336 pages
Published:: July 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Perfect Rom-Com | Melissa Ferguson
Slow Burn Summer | Josie Silver
The Love Haters | Katherine Center

Book Review:: The Summer You Were Mine | Jill Francis

Second chances, autism representation, sports-y, and the idyllic backdrop of an Italian summer? Count me in. Jill Francis’ The Summer You Were Mine just might be the escape you need this summer.

The Summer You Were Mine by Jill Francis Book Cover

Ellie and Cris grew up together over summers with their families in Italy. Now returning for a wedding will be their first time seeing one another in years, and they didn’t part on the best terms. And both of them are in a bind. Ellie is in deep water at work on a sports talk show, and Cris is accused of doping just as he’s wrapping up his career as a water polo Olympian. Maybe if they can set aside the awkwardness, they can help each other.

The setting really shines in this novel. You can almost feel the sea breeze and sunshine through the pages as you read. For that reason alone you should pick this up – especially if you’re having a staycation instead of an international getaway. You’ll get the secondhand atmosphere!

I really enjoyed Ellie and Cris’ story. Their families have been close for generations and they have a lot of history. They both also have very successful careers. It didn’t take much for them to get past the hurdle of their past, this book is more about each of them realizing they have deeper feelings and what that might mean in the ‘real world’ once the Italian getaway ends.

I appreciated the representation of autism in this novel. Ellie was only diagnosed recently with a high-functioning form, and though it doesn’t change anything for her day to day life, it does help her come to terms with the differences she’s always had in social situations. Sharing that piece of herself with Cris was a big deal for her, and his reaction is absolutely perfect.

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s a great choice for a beach read. None of the conflicts are too deep and I never felt stressed reading it. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read it!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Summer You Were Mine
Author:: Jill Francis
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Published:: July 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Guest Cottage | Lori Foster
Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks
Slow Burn Summer | Josie Silver
The Love Haters | Katherine Center

Book Review:: Sunburned | Katherine Wood

Actions have consequences, and the law doesn’t care about good intentions. Sunburned is a brand-new novel that will have you glued to the pages as a high-stakes mystery is solved.

Audrey is a discovery agent. She helps dig up facts for court. But she wasn’t always. Once she was just a girl in love with one of the brothers of the family she grew up with, with a mother who had a recent devastating cancer diagnosis, and extraordinary coding skills. What would you do, if you had the means and opportunity to have a chance at saving her?

Now years later, her mother is gone and she is estranged from the two brothers, when her ex-lover calls. Now a billionaire, he wants her to track down who is blackmailing him. It’s not just his own morally brackish decisions coming back to haunt him, the dirt they have on him will bring back to light the events of that summer long ago that has the potential to implicate them all.

What a nail-biter! The narrative jumped back and forth between Audrey’s blackmail investigation in the present and the shared past of the characters long ago. The tone is quite dark, but it never made me so uncomfortable I thought I wouldn’t be able to continue (I’m a pretty sensitive thriller reader). I thought it was very compelling, and I never did quite land on guessing how the whole thing would end.

This is absolutely a great beach read for those who love thrillers. Maybe if you’re going to be scuba diving anytime soon though…pick something else! That scene was absolutely the most intense of the entire thing. I loved this book, and I’m excited to find more from Katherine Wood!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Sunburned
Author:: Katherine Wood
Genre:: Mystery/Thirller
Publisher:: Bantam
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: July 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Villa | Rachel Hawkins
Famous Last Words | Gillian McAllister
Saltwater | Katy Hays

Book Review:: The Accidental Favorite | Fran Littlewood

A tree falls in the woods, and all three of your adult children are standing beneath it. You dive forward to remove one from danger, but the tree never falls, and the child you went to save was decidedly not the one nearest you. There is no hiding what happened. Nothing at all, and yet something. Something none of them can unsee, unknow, and Patrick cannot undo.

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood Book Cover

Meet the Fisher’s. It’s not often the whole family gets back together in the same place at the same time now that they’re all grown, but it is Vivienne’s seventieth birthday, and her three daughters and their family’s have come to stay for a few days at a unique glass house for the celebration. Once everyone arrives, they gather for pictures, which is how the sisters ended up in the path of the falling tree. After, from their father’s reaction and because of their sudden forced proximity, old resentments start to boil back to the surface, and secrets being held close.

I absolutely loved Fran’s first novel Amazing Grace Adams. I loved everything about that story, and I can see after reading this second release that she is very interested in family dynamics and the human response to trauma (some big, some small). The thing I admired most about The Accidental Favorite is the exploration of how the most subtle moments in a family, or any relationship really, can have ripple effects that resound through personalities and time.

The novel itself is quite subtle. The metaphor of the glass house is so interesting, and big things do happen throughout the novel, but the meaning largely hides between the lines.

I am such a fan of Littlewood’s writing and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Accidental Favorite
Author:: Fran Littlewood
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Henry Holt & Co.
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 45m
Audiobook Narrator:: Fiona Button
Published:: June 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood
The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo
Apples Never Fall | Liane Moriarty (Or Three Wishes!)

Book Review:: The Love Fix | Jill Shalvis

You can’t escape your past by running away from it. At least, not in fiction!

After the death of her mother, Lexi has to return to a place with less than fond memories to execute the will with her stepsister Ashley. The two of them had very different experiences with their mother, and Lexi isn’t ready to forgive the dark childhood she had. Assisting them on the unusual task assigned to them in the will is Heath, another piece of her past Lexi isn’t eager to face, who is now the lawyer handling the execution of the will. Over a six-week period Lexi is stuck in Sunrise Cove, for better or for worse.

This is my second Jill Shalvis book, and I’m starting to get a good feel for her style. Her characters are deep and complex with pasts full of hurt that have shaped their current motivations. I thought Lexi, Heath, and even Ashley were very well developed and believable. Their problems and understanding of each other make sense and unfold in sensible ways.

The chemistry between Heath and Lexi was sizzling, but rooted deeper than just attraction. They knew each other once upon a time and I really enjoyed every bit of information Heath discovers that he was oblivious to when he knew her before, giving him a fuller picture of her past and gives them an excellent base for an eventual relationship.

This is the eighth installment of the Sunrise Cove series. EIGHTH! You know what that means? I get to go back and read a bunch more books knowing that I’m in good hands with an author like Jill Shalvis. She knows how to build a compelling story!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Love Fix (Sunrise Cove #8)
Author:: Jill Shalvis
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 15m
Audiobook Narrator:: Andi Arndt
Published:: June 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars