[Review] Odd & True by Cat Winters

I read this in July and even though it's not the end of the year yet I'm calling this one as my personal favorite book of 2017. I was already a fan of the author and was excited by the premise, which did not disappoint. I loved this world and these characters, and I need Cat Winters to tell me it doesn't end here because I'm too damn invested now. These sisters kick ass and I can't wait for their next adventure! Get a hand mirror and a purple coat and put this on your reading list. 

Much thanks to Amulet Books and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

[Review] King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard

I should have just stopped at Red Queen. But no, I put myself through the agony of reading King's Cage even though I couldn't bring myself to finish the second book in this series, Glass Sword, because it was so boring. King's Cage was slightly better than GS, but not much. It's another boring book filled with too many characters who don't do much of anything. A few interesting things happen but then it gets boring again, and honestly some of the peripheral storylines are just dumb. Does Farley really have to eat constantly just because she's pregnant? Give me a break. This was originally supposed to be a trilogy, but now there will apparently be a fourth book. I've learned my lesson though and will not being reading it. It's a shame because Red Queen, in my opinion, was a good book. I flew through it and loved the world that Aveyard created. It was unique and had many layers, but not too many that you had to fight your way out. She lost something in the second book though and never regained it, like a car spinning out of control. The push to do a trilogy (or even more) is most likely what killed this series, because it feels stretched beyond what it should or could have been.

[Review] The Curious Affair of The Witch at Wayside Cross by Lisa Tuttle

The characters in this second Jesperson & Lane book by Lisa Tuttle captivated me from the first page even though I had not read the first book. The detective agency duo of Miss Lane (Di, to her friends) and Mr. Jesperson is an interesting pairing. They’re both smart and good at assessing people. Jesperson fancies himself as a Sherlock Holmes type, with a flair for deduction and anticipating people’s actions.

I liked the supernatural elements of this mystery mixed with Victorian social mores of the time. Between investigating a murder and the disappearance of a baby, Jesperson and Lane have more than enough to keep them on their toes and guessing who among the odd cast of characters in the Norfolk countryside is friend or foe. My one complaint is that I found the ending slightly confusing, but overall it was a solid story and I flew through the pages.

As a matter of fact, I enjoyed this book so much that I immediately checked the first one, “The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief,” out of my local library. I would not hesitated to jump into this second book, however, even if you have not read the first one.

I’m excited to see what more is to come in the Jesperson & Lane series. Thanks to Hydra and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.