All posts by Kasey

About Kasey

Reads things. Writes things. Fluent in sarcasm. Willful optimist. Cat companion, chocolate connoisseur, coffee drinker. There are some who call me Mom.

Review: In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price

In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price

In Want of a Suspect (A Lizzie and Darcy Mystery #1)
Tirzah Price
HarperTeen
Published November 12, 2024

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About In Want of a Suspect

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that London’s first female solicitor in possession of the details of a deadly crime, must be in want of a suspect.

The tenacious Lizzie Bennet has earned her place at Longbourn, her father’s law firm. Her work keeps her busy, but luckily she often has help from (and steals occasional kisses with) Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a stern but secretly soft-hearted solicitor at Pemberley.

Lizzie is hired to investigate a deadly warehouse fire, and to find the mysterious woman who was spotted at the scene moments before the flames took hold. But when the case leads her to the sitting room of a woman Darcy once proposed marriage to, the delicate balance between personal and professional in their relationship is threatened.

Questions of the future are cast aside when the prime suspect is murdered and Lizzie’s own life is threatened. As the body count rises, and their suspicions about what was really going on in the warehouse grow, the pressure is on for Lizzie and Darcy to uncover the truth.

Lizzie and Darcy are back for more suspense, danger, and romance in this first in a duology spinoff of the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries!

My Review

It turns out that a cozy mystery was a great pick for me to read this month. I enjoyed the early 19th-century London setting and the investigatory prowess of Lizzie and Darcy. The murder mystery had just the right number of twists and turns for me.

Also– if you asked me before I read this book whether I needed a book in my life in which multiple heroines of Jane Austen novels appeared, I probably wouldn’t have had an answer. Now, I realize it’s something I absolutely needed in my life. My favorite scenes from the book were the ones in which characters from other Austen novels appeared. Lizzie, Elinor, and Marianne solving a mystery together?! YES!! With my whole heart, yes.

As with Pride and Premeditation, I struggled when the two main characters did something that seemed decidedly different than something either would do in the original story. Once I invested in this mystery enough to imagine these as different versions of Lizzie and Darcy (more a multiverse representation than a reimagining, if that makes sense?) then I deeply enjoyed my reading of the book.

If you like a good, cozy mystery set in London during the Napoleonic Wars (I love that Price included this detail), I recommend this one. If you’re new to Tirzah Price’s reimaginings of Jane Austen novels, Sense and Second-degree Murder is my favorite.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Lizzie and Darcy are white. The story delves into prejudice against the French, with whom England is at war during the story. There is some xenophobia and anti-French comments and behavior.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to murder. Lizzie and Darcy see a warehouse on fire from a distance and learn that someone perished in the blaze. They see the body of a murdered woman in a park.

Drug Content
References to alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

28 Books Still on My Fall 2024 Reading List

28 Books Still on My Fall 2024 Reading List

What happened to the fall? Is this what a reading slump feels like? These are the questions I’m asking myself this weekend as I finish up this post about my lack of fall 2024 reading and prepare it to go live. Whew. It has been a wild month, y’all.

One of the really terrible things that I’m learning about myself is that when my anxiety level peaks past a certain point, I almost physically cannot read. It’s like my eyes and brain simply do not cooperate. I start the page taking in letters, words, sentences, but within a line or two, I realize I’m not reading anymore. My gaze is just sliding down the page like neglected ice cream down a cone in the summer heat we Northern-hemisphere-dwellers miss right now.

It’s only gotten that bad a few times, but every time it does, I panic. Do I give up my blog? Email publishers and authors and sob into their inboxes? (I do not do this, but the fact that I consider it also kind of scares me?)

I have found Zen Coaching to be a helpful practice during these times as it helps me reconnect to my body and approach accepting what’s happening right now and what I can do to support and acknowledge it.

Right now, it seems like the need I have is for slowing down, which means the list of books I want to read this fall but haven’t picked up yet is much longer than usual. I’m hoping that I will still get to several of these before the year ends, but I’m probably past the point of being able to read them all, sadly.

Anyway, here’s the list of books I still want to read this season. Let me know if you’ve read them or still have them on your fall 2024 reading list!

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them to do your shopping.

Middle Grade Books Still on My Fall 2024 Reading List

Thea and the Mischief Makers by Traci Badua

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two Filipino goblins wreak havoc at Thea’s Stunt Warrior summer camp. This sounds like loads of fun!

Published October 15, 2024 | My Review to Come


Vanquishers: The Rise of the Wrecking Crew by Kalynn Bayron

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Boog and her friends are ready for more vampire-butt-kicking adventures in this much-anticipated conclusion to one of my favorite MG series.

Published October 8, 2024 | My Review to Come


Sylvia Doe and the 100-year Flood by Robert Beatty

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A hurricane and a flood. Magical creatures. A girl with no knowledge of her history discovers an unexpected connection with a mysterious boy. Sounds incredible.

Published October 8, 2024 | My Review to Come


Camp Twisted Pine by Ciera Burch

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A spooky summer camp story (with an inclusive cast) in which campers go missing. I loved another book by this author, so I’m desperate to read this one.

Published September 17, 2024 | My Review to Come


Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos by Alex Evanovich

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This one looks like a good fit for fans of Percy Jackson (that’s me!) Something about the book summary reminds me of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog. I definitely need to make time for this one.

Published October 8, 2024 | My Review to Come


Freedom Fire: Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood edited by Leah Johnson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Every time I see even just the cover of this book, I want to drop everything and read it. What a timely collection of stories. That title says it all.

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come


Wingborn by Marjorie Liu and Grace Kum

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I have been waiting for this one since the moment I finished Wingbearer, the first book in the series. I can’t wait to see where the adventure leads next.

Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come


Bye Forever, I Guess by Jodi Meadows

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The first time I saw a social media post about this book, I immediately ordered a copy. Teens playing a MMORPG and drama ensues, you say? I must know more!

Published October 22, 2024 | My Review to Come


House of Elephants (Witchlings #3) by Claribel Ortega

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is another series I can’t get enough of. Seven and Thorn face prejudice from their community and loads of new witchlings into the Spare coven. I know they’re smart enough to make it through, but I gotta read it anyway.

Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come


The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys

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What you need to know: Ruta Sepetys is one of those authors that brings history beautifully (and tragically) to life. I love the historical moment this book centers on and the fact that it’s about a brother and sister duo.

Published October 8, 2024 | My Review to Come


Take It From the Top by Claire Swinarski

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Since her debut, Claire Swinarski has been a must-read author for me. I love the sensitivity she brings to her stories and the exploration of complex relationships and emotions. This one alternates between two former best friends, relating the story of what happened between them.

Published November 19, 2024 | My Review to Come


My Vampire, Your Werewolf by Paul Turbin

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is outside the norm of a book I’d normally pick up, but I am really fascinated with the idea of this series. It reminds me a lot of conversations my nephews might have, and maybe that’s why it has been climbing my reading list.

Published September 3, 2024 | My Review to Come


Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I still think about one of Winans’ other books on an almost weekly basis, so I cannot miss this one about the unexpected consequences of wishes.

Published September 17, 2024 | My Review to Come


Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them to do your shopping.

Young Adult Books Still on my Fall 2024 Reading List

Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2) by Kendare Blake

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’ll be honest. I’m really on the fence about reading this book, but not because I don’t expect it to be great. I don’t know if I can handle it emotionally. Ha. The characters faced such huge odds in the first book, and I really invested in them, and I’m scared not all of them are going to make it through to the end, especially considering our main girl’s superpower is to aid heroes who will die. Oof.

Published October 29, 2024 | My Review to Come


Drown Me with Dreams by Gabi Burton

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I enjoyed the first book in this series, but I’m super intrigued about where it looks like the story is headed next. I think I remember Carrick, the best friend/betrayer, and I really want to know what Saoirse discovers on her quest. I’m sure it’ll upend everything she thinks she knows.

Published August 20, 2024 | My Review to Come


Guava and Grudges by Alexis Castellanos

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Rival bakeries! Is there anything I love more in an enemies to lovers rom com? This sounds a bit like Salt and Sugar by Rebecca Carvalho, which I liked.

Published September 3, 2024 | My Review to Come


Fortune’s Kiss by Amber Clement

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Best friends Mayté and Lorena enter a high-stakes magical game. Will their friendship survive? Will they? I need to know.

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come


The Whispering Night (The Luminaries #3) by Susan Dennard

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’ve devoured this series so far, and even followed some of the “Sooz Your Own Adventure” social media posts by the author, which were hilarious. The first and second books left me with so many questions about the town next to a forest that spawns monsters and the people responsible for keeping them from escaping. I have to know how it all concludes.

Published November 19, 2024 | My Review to Come


The Dagger and the Flame (City of Fantome) by Catherine Doyle

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I became a fan of Catherine Doyle through her MG series, The Storm Keeper’s Island and stayed for the magical-twins-separated-at-birth trilogy she cowrote with Katherine Webber. Sign me up for this rival assassins/enemies to lovers novel stat!

Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come


The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A novel about teen alcoholism by the author who nearly wrecked me with You’d Be Home Now. I cannot wait to read this.

Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come


Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I loved the first book in the Secrets of the Nile series. I didn’t realize when I read it that it would become a series, so when I saw this continuation of Whit and Inez’s stories, I was thrilled.

Published November 5, 2024 | My Review to Come


Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Adiba Jaigirdar’s contemporary romance novels have been a smash hit with me, so as soon as I saw this book announced, I put it on my reading list. Two girls played by the same boy team up to compete as partners in the European Young Scientist Exhibition. Love and smart girls? Yes, please!

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come


Our Deadly Designs (This Dark Descent #2) by Kalyn Josephson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I love that this series is a duology because I truly don’t think I could wait another year to find out what happens to Reid, Mikira, Ari, and Damien. It looks like it’s going to be a wild ride.

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come


The Shadow Road by J. D. Kirchner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Dragon-like monsters invade, leaving two heroes responsible for saving humanity. Has there ever been a better time to read an underdog story?

Published October 15, 2024 | My Review to Come


This Dark Paradise by Erin Lukens

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Described as “perfect for fans of Hotel Magnifique“– That’s me! A magical island with a hidden curse? A bisexual love triangle? Count me in.

Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come


In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price (Lizzy and Darcy #1)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Elisabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy return in a new murder mystery filled with Jane Austen’s beloved characters. A cozy mystery sounds like exactly what I need right now.

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come


Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A new sweeping fantasy from the author of An Ember in the Ashes. Do we even need to know more?

Published October 1, 2024 | My Review to Come


Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A trio of semidioses (demigods) must take on the Obsidian gods and return the sun to the sky to save the world. I’ve loved the rich worldbuilding in Aiden Thomas’s books, so I’m super eager for more!

Published September 3, 2024 | My Review to Come


Do you still have books on your fall 2024 reading list?

There are too many good books coming out much too quickly for me to keep up. Are you like me? Are there still books that came out in the fall of 2024 on your reading list?

If you’ve read any of the books on my list, please let me know what you thought about them by leaving a comment.

Review: Night and Dana by Anya Davidson

Night and Dana
Anya Davidson
Graphic Universe
Published September 12, 2023

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About Night and Dana

A creative coming-of-age story for the climate-change generation
Dana Drucker fights boredom in her Florida beach town by crafting special-effects makeup―the more gruesome, the better. But when a messy prank with Dana’s best friend Lily gets the wrong kind of attention, the girls have two find a new creative outlet or leave high school without graduating.

To save their shot at diplomas, Dana and Lily join a community college film class. It gives Dana a chance to keep practicing her monster makeup, as she and Lily start work on a horror movie inspired by local ocean warming. And a search for filming locations puts Dana in the path of Daphne Ocean, an activist and self-proclaimed water witch―the perfect kind of inspiring outsider. But when filming starts, Dana finds herself growing apart from Lily, who doesn’t seem to need her closest friend much anymore.

Soon, tempers are flaring, and Dana’s pushing away old friends and her new mentor. But as everything starts going up in flames, Dana also begins to forge her voice. Night and Dana is a creative coming-of-age story for the climate-change era, a graphic novel about making art and growing up when it feels like the world is on fire.

My Review

One of the things I like about this graphic novel is how the story blends Dana’s monster makeup and climate change activism. At first, I wasn’t sure how those two themes would dovetail together, but as the story unfolds, merging those two ideas makes so much sense. I loved how that happened.

I also like the pacing of the story. Some scenes show things happening in real-time. Others feel more like diary entries, with maybe one illustration for reference and a longer block of text describing what happens between scenes. This helped highlight the important moments while briefly showing transitions between them.

The one thing that did not work for me was the illustrations of Dana’s little brother. I don’t know if it’s the art style or the proportions of the illustrations themselves, but he didn’t look like a little kid, so that made some of the scenes kind of weird.

Other than that, I enjoyed reading the book. It’s probably not something I would have been drawn to if I saw it on the shelf, but I am glad I read it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Some characters are queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Dana’s best friend begins dating a nonbinary person. A boy and girl kiss. A couple of panels show Dana in her bra. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
One character calls herself a witch and shows Dana a ritual in which she wishes for something (positive) to happen.

Violent Content
Dana and her best friend stage a car accident with makeup to look like a serious eye injury. Protestors stage a “die in” and are arrested. Later, a group of protestors disrupts a parade. References to police using force against unarmed protestors. Red tide leaves fish and other sea creatures dead on the beach.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Firekeeper’s Daughter
Angeline Boulley
Henry Holt & Co.
Published March 16, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Firekeeper’s Daughter

As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.

After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?

My Review

Firekeeper’s Daughter has been on my reading list since the book came out in 2021. I read Warrior Girl, Unearthed in 2023, which has some of the same characters in it. There are also a few spoilers for this book, so I was prepared for a couple of the things that happened, but I still found the story and Daunis as a narrator especially compelling.

The story follows relationships between Daunis and her friends, family, and community members. These relationships add so much richness to the story. Daunis has connections to elders who share wisdom about tribal life and values. She meets a handsome hockey player who makes her question her views about relationships and whether guys can be trusted.

Her love for her community drives her forward, and that love comes through in every move she makes, even in her most conflicted moments. She has strong relationships with several women. Some of these help her when she needs them. Others need her help.

The story explores how law enforcement can neglect or harm tribal communities, especially Indigenous women. One of the things Daunis wrestles with is whether her role in the criminal investigation will help or hurt her community. She’s determined to make sure she helps, but so many pieces of the investigation stand outside her control.

Conclusion

Firekeeper’s Daughter created a lot of buzz the year it came out, and justifiably so. The story had me completely captivated and pulled me into the heart of an Indigenous community grieving over the loss of young lives and the people working hard to understand why it happened. It’s a powerful story with a lot of suspense and a bit of romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Daunis is biracial. Her mom is white, and her dad is Ojibwe. Most major characters are indigenous.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some F-bombs and other profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. At one point, a boy and girl have sex– only sparse details are included. Someone prepares to assault a girl. The assault is implied and not described, but it’s referenced later. A boy kisses a girl without consent. A boy makes a sexual comment about a girl. Someone brags about sexual exploits.

Spiritual Content
References to prayer and tribal practices such as making offerings at river crossings. References to tribal teachings, stories, and medicines.

Violent Content
Someone attacks a girl. A boy punches another boy after he makes a sexual comment about her. References to a fatal car accident. A girl punches a boy in the face. Someone drugs a girl. A girl finds the body of a missing person. A group kidnaps two people and threatens them. Someone causes a car accident.

Drug Content
References to alcohol and drug addiction. References to creating methamphetamine and distributing it. Someone gives Daunis a beer at a party.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Rest in Peaches by Alex Brown

Rest in Peaches
Alex Brown
Publisher
Published October 15, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Rest in Peaches

Quinn Marcelo wouldn’t necessarily win the award for Most Popular Person at her school, but unbeknownst to her peers, Quinn entertains them at every football, basketball, and baseball game―as Peaches the Parrot, her high school’s God-like mascot.

When someone sabotages the legendary Peaches costume at the Homecoming Game, Quinn’s left unmasked and humiliated. After all, Peaches’ identity was a closely guarded secret and a point of pride for nearly everyone at Olivia Newton-John High. As if that wasn’t enough, Little Peaches, a new, real parrot that the PTA got to enhance the Peaches Experience, is kidnapped right after Quinn’s unmasking.

Determined to uncover the culprit, Quinn publicly unravels the lives of everyone in her path―including Tessa Banks, the most popular girl in school―in a no-holds-barred conspiracy-fueled investigation. But when a killer starts going after the people implicated in Quinn’s mascot disaster, she must race to uncover the truth behind her feathery faux-pas―before the truth kills her, too.

My Review

This was a fun book. It’s got the feel of a slasher but somehow also manages to be really funny, too. The town’s obsession with Peaches, the mascot, alternates between being sweet and kind of hilarious. People bring their babies to the mascot to be kissed, etc. It’s cute.

Right from the get-go, we know that Quinn is into Tessa, but she thinks Tessa can’t stand her. The girls form an unlikely alliance after the Peaches’ costume is destroyed and Little Peaches (an actual parrot) is kidnapped. That alliance evolves really nicely throughout the story and leads to some interesting discoveries.

It was a pretty wild ride from start to finish and a fun celebration of the joy that a mascot brings to audiences.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Quinn and Tessa are Filipino Americans. Tessa identifies as pansexual. Quinn identifies as a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some F-bombs and swearing.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. References to an affair.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A murderer stabs more than one character. A body falls from a roof in front of a crowd of people.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol at a party. (The main characters don’t.)

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

If We Were Having Coffee: A Fall 2024 Update

If We Were Having Coffee: A Fall 2024 Update

I first saw Jamie at Perpetual Page Turner do an If We Were Having Coffee post in 2019, which is an idea she got from a life coach. Since then, I’ve been doing them periodically, though it’s been a lot longer since my last one than I thought! We are overdue for an update, friends.

If we were having coffee…

I would tell you that Don’t Let the Forest In is as good as the hype. Do you like creepy, psychological horror books? If you do, you need to read it. If you’ve already read it, we have to talk about it! I’ve been a fan of the author for a long time, but this book truly blew me away. At its core, this is a book about fighting monsters that feel unbeatable and about the stories we tell ourselves. I loved it so much.

If we were having coffee…

I would tell you this last semester has been one of the busiest of my life. Between both kids, I’m on the road almost every day, doing the Taxi Mom thing. It’s a good life, but it’s also a lot for me. I often feel like I’m fitting my life in around the edges of everyone else’s needs. For a while, that’s okay. But it doesn’t seem like a sustainable way for us to live.

I’m making changes. Next semester, the older child’s school schedule will be a lot more friendly, and hopefully, she’ll be able to drive herself at some point during the semester. I’ll be reducing some of the outside tasks that I take on, which will help, too.

If we were having coffee…

I would tell you that I feel like I’ve been really neglecting this space. Reviews are great, but my vision for this blog has always included more than that. I miss writing up lists of book recommendations and putting together chatty posts and updates. Next year, I hope to prioritize doing more of those things.

If we were having coffee…

I would tell you that after a silly number of years blogging… I am making some blogging friends! I’ve been part of a KidLit group that does monthly Zoom calls and have kept in regular contact with a few people from the group. I’ve really enjoyed talking to people familiar with some of the books and authors that I read, so it’s been a LOT of fun.

I didn’t realize how much I wanted to connect with people and talk about books we’ve both read. It’s great to talk about books with my friends and family, who humor me and let me talk about what I’m reading even though they aren’t familiar with the books. But, wow! I have been having such a great time connecting with people who’ve read a book I want to talk about. It’s also really fun to talk to people who have a passion for talking about books via a blog space. It’s a pretty niche thing, so it’s been awesome to talk to people who also enjoy it.

If we were having coffee, what would you want to tell me?

What’s on your mind today that you want to share with me? Have you recently read anything you love? Is there a niche interest in your life you wish you could talk to more people about?

Thanks for catching up with me. I appreciate you. <3