Books You're on the Fence About - 2025

[Brenda]

Please include links to your Goodreads reviews for books you liked, didn’t necessarily love and unsure whether you’d recommend to friends. Make sure you include the title and author with your links.

[Debra]

My review for The Family Lies

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Canadian Jen]

Finished We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People. It was OK. My thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Debra]

My review for The Mirror House Girls

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

The Book of Dragons – E Nesbit – 3***
This collection of short fairy tales was first published in 1899. Nesbit populates her stories with all manner of dragons … big, small, hungry, kind, fierce, curious, sleeping. Some feature children as the heroes. All of them are delightful and all feature marvelous illustrations by H. R. Millar.
LINK to my full review

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose

This didn't work for me as well as the earlier books of the series. The mystery was quite weak, though the mush was spot on.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

The Chestnut Man - Soren Sveistrup - (Denmark)
Genera: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
4.5★
Possible Trigger: Mutilation
Reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kat]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PattyMacDotComma]

I've seen True Love by Paddy Crewe compared to Sally Rooney's writing, and I think that's appropriate. I preferred his unusual first book, My Name Is Yip. I like this, but less.
My review of True Love

[PamG]

Here is my 2.88 rounded to 3 stars review of A Rage to Conquer: Twelve Battles That Changed the Course of Western History

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

History
12 Battles that changed the course of Western history
Well-researched, Verbose, History didn't come to life, A lot of the author's views

[Book Concierge]

How Not to Drown In a Glass of Water – Angie Cruz – 3.5****
What an interesting way to tell this story! The reader comes to know Cara through her monologues, interspersed with copies of job notices, psychological and interest assessments, and forms she has completed. There are times when I wanted to laugh at her antics and her odd logic. Yet, I could not help but empathize with her and her situation.
LINK to my full review

[Carol]

The Ballad of Tom Black - Victor Lavalle - (New York)
Genea: Paranormal/Dark Fantasy/Novella
3★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PamG]

Here is my 3.38 rounded to 3 stars review of Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Debut Novel
Cozy Mystery
Well-plotted, Suspenseful, Heart-wrenching at times
The pacing was off at times and there was some repetition.
The author managed to give great insight into Misty’s and Joe’s thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others as well as the challenges and difficulties they faced from others.

[Liz]

The King’s Messenger due out in March, will appeal to those looking for a historical romance. I’d have preferred more political intrigue. My 3.5 star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Picture Bride by Lee Geum-yi

Great start, okay end. But contains quite a lot of interesting historical information about Koreans in Hawaii.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anita]

Bad Seed by Sharon Sala 3 1/2-Stars
A hit-man is no match for true love.
My Review

[Mark]

I'm ending the week with Rivers and Creaks by Marc Jedel https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dorie - Cats&Books :)]

Ugh, so disappointing - 3* for

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

A Slow Fire Burning – Paula Hawkins – 3***
If you like unreliable narrators, this is the book for you. Hawkins gives us not one, not two, but a plethora of unreliable narrators to tell this twisty tale of dysfunctional families and murder. It’s not great literature, but it certainly held my attention.
LINK to my full review

[Debra]

My review for You Are Fatally Invited

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

Artistic License – Julie Hyzy – 3***
I came to know Hyzy through her White House Chef cozy mystery series. A challenge to read an author’s debut work had me looking back at a number of favorite author’s first works, which is how I came across this one. I got hooked on the storyline and was entertained by the entire book. It was a quick, fast read that didn’t require much thinking. Perfect for an escape from all the stuff that’s going on in real life right now.
LINK to my full review

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The World With Its Mouth Open: Stories by Zahid Rafiq

I'd expected more from these stories, but the slice-of-life was too "slice-of-life-y" for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Envelopes by Hasu August

Great premise but needed better structuring. Still, a decent option showing an unexplored side of contemporary China.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suz]

by Margaret Hickey
My review 3 stars:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

Second Chance Grill – Christine Nolfi – 2.5** rounded up
The plot is both typical and unrealistic (think Hallmark movie), but the book fit a couple of challenges. Perfect light romance to fill the time when I was laid low by COVID. Glad to get this one off the tbr.
LINK to my full review

[Faith]

My review of Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know by David Hone

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

A Sea of Unspoken Things - Adrienne Young - (California)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
4★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Speak to Me by Ben Raterman

A great story marred by some poor editing.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carolyn]

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall is a hard book to rate. The dystopian world created by extreme climate change was shockingly well done and provided a lot of food for thought (and I like books that make me think). The writing and characters were also good but the plot was slow and very predictable.

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sharon]

My review for The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

The Tropic of Serpents – Marie Brennan – 3.5***
Book two in the “Memoirs of Lady Trent” alternate history / fantasy series. It is written as a memoir by the elderly Isabella Camherst, recalling her youth and adventures as a natural historian specializing in dragons. Isabella is a wonderful heroine – intelligent, tenacious, confident, intrepid, resilient and courageous. I also really appreciated how Brennan wove in some political issues involving colonialism, economics, the cultures of different indigenous groups, and the devastation of fragile ecological systems in the name of “progress.”
LINK to my full review

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

I expected far more from this final installment of the Emily Wilde trilogy. It was good, but not in the league of the earlier two books.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Sulfur Springs - William Kent Krueger - (Arizona/Mexico)
Cork O'Connor Series Book #16
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
4★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Liz]

Lost Man’s Lane was more horror than I would have liked. But it’s got great character development. My 3.5 star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Phrynne]

My review of The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Not Dating Material- Saxson James - (Washington)
Accidental Love Series Book #2
Narrator: Teddy Hamilton
Genera: M/M/F Romance
3★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer

Good, not great. The titular bookstore is hardly present in the story!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

Eyes of Prey – John Sandford – 3***
Book three in the series of hard-hitting mystery / thrillers featuring Minneapolis Detective Lucas Davenport. This one begins when a woman is brutally murdered in her own kitchen. Davenport needs to find the killer or killers, and the witness. Sandford writes a fast-paced thriller and I enjoy watching Davenport figure out the clues to capture the perpetrator.
LINK to my full review

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner by Erin Stewart

Expected far better from that cover and premise.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Liz]

Saltwater starts slow, builds up a nice head of steam only to come crashing down with two unbelievable plot twists. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[MarilynW]

Her Hiding Place Shannon Hollinger

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

What Would Frida Do? – Arianna Davis – 2**
Subtitle: A Guide to Living Boldly. This is a selection for my Hispanic book club. It’s a combination biography and self-help guide. Frankly, I could do without the self-help advice, and would rather read a straight-on biography of Frida Kahlo.
LINK to my full review

[Book Concierge]

The Sleepwalker – Chris Bohjalian – 3.5***
A known sleepwalker goes missing one night, leaving her husband and two daughters to search for answers. What an interesting concept for a missing-person mystery! I really liked Lianna as the main narrator. She is basically an adult, being a sophomore in college, but she is vulnerable. I could feel the continued tension of “not knowing,” and the slow realization of loss. The ending and final reveal of what happened was a stunner that I didn’t see coming.
LINK to my full review

[Brenda]

My review for Island Song by Pepsi Demacque-Crockett

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Mark]

My second book for the week is Stuff to Spy For by Don Bruns https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Bay - Gianni Holmes
The Smoky Vale Alliance - Book 1
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance/Mystery/Bikers
4★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...

[Liz]

Last Night was my first book by Luanne Rice and will probably be my last. Just meh. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Gunner - Gianni Holmes
Smokey Vale Alliance Series Book #2
Genera: M/F Romance/Enemies to Lovers
4.5★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Good for the historical fiction, below par for the fantasy.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Liz]

Martyr! has been gett ing a lot of buzz, but I was less than impressed. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...