Stupid TV, Be More Funny by Alan Siegel

 

This was a mixed bag: the subtitle is a bit of a misnomer in that the book focuses more on the history of the show than on the show's impact on the culture. That said, it was still fun and funny.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Sea Wife by Amity Gaige

 

Decent.

Class Clown by Dave Barry

 

Solid.

Chancing Your Arm by Jean Grainger

 Solid.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly

 

Meh

Park Avenue by Renee Ahdieh

 

So good. Really clever ending without being over the top.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor

 

This felt like it would be too similar to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, but then it went in a different -- and much more interesting direction.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Flashlight by Susan Choi

 

I almost gave up on this because it had a strong 'one damn fact after another' vibe, but I'm so glad I didn't because it ended up eventually pulling everything together brilliantly.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson

 

Meh.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

 Meh.

Cue the Sun by Emily Nussbaum

 

Very interesting.

Murder at the Mayfair Hotel by C. J. Archer

 

A promising start to the series.

The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal

 

I really like this series.

The Understudy by David Nicholls

 

Fun.

My Father Always Finds Corpses by Lee Hollis

 

This was delightful. I read a lot of mysteries, and they can therefore seem overdone, but this was clever and innovative.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz

 Decent.

When the Clock Broke by John Ganz

 

Fascinating.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

Fun. 

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland

 

Nicely done.

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve

 

Exceptionally good save a smidge of triteness at the end.

The Doorman by Chris Pavone

 I was super excited about this because I really liked Two Nights in Lisbon. And it started strong, with complex characters and interesting social commentary. But, as is often the case, there was just one too many twists in it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

 

I've said it before (and I'll probably say it again): if you want a fluffy romcom, Katherine Center will not disappoint.

Also: solid narrator, and not a great cover given some plot points I won't go into.

Review copy provided by publisher.

I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney

 I liked this because it was quirky and funny.

Pictures of You by Emma Grey

 

Surprisingly good.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

 

I generally have sworn off missing/dead girl books, but this was actually pretty solid.

Count My Lies by Sophie Stava

 

At first I thought this was just a cheap knockoff of The Last Mrs. Parrish (which I didn't even like), but then it went in a different direction, and that worked reasonably well.

Overgrowth by Mira Grant

 

This was at its best as social commentary; as science fiction, it didn't gel. Unfortunately, there wasn't that much social commentary.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri

 This was so close to being fantastic -- but a few one-dimensional characters and one too many over-the-top plot points really hurt it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

 Meh.

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

 

I thought this was dumb.

Closer than You Think by Jean Grainger

 

Very good.

Each to Their Own by Jean Grainger

 I just love this series.

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang

 

Started off very strong but then got too weird.

Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze

 

I've been a fan of Bargatze since his George Washington skits on SNL, but this . . . was just not that funny.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

 

Meh.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

 

Solid, but I wish it hadn't been quite so similar to an actual event.

Quantum Radio by A. G. Riddle

 

Solid.

10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte

 

A solid mystery -- which might sound like damning with faint praise, but I read a lot of mysteries, so . . .

Review copy provided by publisher.

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake

 

Parts of this were fantastic and other parts just meh.

Season of Death by Will Thomas

 

This is one of my favorite series, and this title did not disappoint.

Review copy provided by publisher.

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

 

Fun and funny.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Sutanto

 

 I love this series so much.

Head Cases by John McMahon

 Excellent characterization, but the plot was a bit over the top.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

 

I'm normally a big Jennifer Weiner fan because I love how she -- unlike most other writers -- can write thoughtfully about topics like body perception.

But this one didn't work for me. Too many coincidences, and some unrealistic characters.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold

 Solid.

St. Peter's Fair by Ellis Peters

 Solid.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige

 

Clever, suspenseful, with well-developed characters. Recommended.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Bad Nature by Ariel Courage

 

I felt like this didn't quite know what it wanted to be: dark comedy, quest, modern relationship novel, something else? And, as a result, it didn't quite work as anything.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh

 

I can't say much without spoilers, but this was very well done, and in a suprising way at the end. I appreciate the characterization.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Railway Conspiracy by John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. Rozan

 

I love this series so much -- the nods to golden age detective fiction, the interesting historical bits, the witty writing.

Review copy provided by publisher.