The Kind Worth Killing - Peter Swanson

This suspense follows Ted and Lily.  The two meet on a flight and after having a few drinks, they play a game of truth where they can't lie to the other, no matter how small.  When Ted reveals that his wife Miranda is cheating on him and that he could kill her for this betrayal, Lily offers to help.  As their plan unfolds, the two of them also find there is a detective on the case and that they might have a harder time coming out of this alive than they originally expected.

Full disclosure: Bummer book review incoming.  This was one of those books that I'd only heard good things about.  It is constantly listed as people's favorite Peter Swanson read but I don't get the hype around this book at all.  I was 100% on-board with the premise and even gave this time to sit on the shelf between when I first heard about this book and before picking it up to make sure it wasn't overhyped for me.  However, this was one of those books where I was getting annoyed at most of the character's choices, plot points, and even Swanson's writing choices. I'm pretty bummed because I just wanted to love this as much as other people seem to love it. 

I was initially intrigued by our two main characters. Their initial interaction and conversation does seem a bit fantastical since I can't imagine any real person having that conversation on an airplane, but I'm always down to give a thriller a bunch of leeway with this type of stuff.  We do get a pretty good sense of these characters right at the opening...but then that's it.  I didn't get more character development other than Ted wants his wife dead and Lily wants to help him kill her. As the characters go through some pretty significant events during the course of the book, I was expecting some character development.  However, it just felt like Lily and Ted continued to be the same characters we met at the beginning with little to no added depth to their characters.

I love a good cat-and-mouse thriller but due to some plot/writing choices, I found this completely devoid of tension.  There were a number of twists and reveals that I wasn't expecting, which was good.  These reveals were pivot points in the plot where the tension and momentum that was building then had to completely stop in order for the plot to pivot.  And these types of pivot points happened numerous times throughout the book which means that the momentum was starting and stopping instead of building consistently over the course of the story.  The twists that happened were something I haven't seen in a lot of books so I do give Swanson points for that.  These twists maybe could have worked if the other aspects of the book were more robust such as the characters, but it they didn't work for me.

I enjoyed the flashbacks we got of Lily's past way more than the current-day plot.  I thought this past-timeline story was much more intriguing and tense.  The connection to the current plot isn't clear at first and I was initially nervous that this was just another way to show us the same character detail we already know about Lily.  However, I did enjoy the way Lily's past tied up to the ending of the book and left the door open a bit for more books. And while Swanson did recently release a sequel to this, I'm most likely not going to be picking it up.

Overall, I don't think there was anything truly bad about this book, but a good chunk of it was just not working for me. Great premise, but I didn't connect with the characters or plot execution.  I wish I loved it as much as other people seem to.

The Odds - Jeff Strand

 

This thriller/horror follows gambling addict Ethan after he falls off the wagon.  After losing just under ten thousand dollars in Vegas, Ethan is dreading calling home to his wife.  But when a mysterious man offers Ethan the chance to win it all back, Ethan thinks it must be a scam but decides the opportunity is too good to pass up. Afterward, he thinks the game is over and he can return to his regular life only the game is just beginning. 

TW/CW: gambling addiction, child endangerment, gore

I thought this was a pretty solid read, but overall not what I was expecting.  While, from an overview perspective, this book was exactly what I was expecting based on the premise, I wanted more of everything.  I wanted more character development, more gore, more stakes, more drama, more details on the behind the scenes, etc.  

This was very much a max-plot/min-character type of read. The main plot of the game starts just a few pages in and doesn't let up.  We do get some details about Ethan and his family, but they felt very surface level.  I was expecting the challenges Ethan faces to be based around his character or specific character traits but really the only character trait that seems to matter is his gambling addiction. Plotwise, this book starts early and keeps going.  We get a good mix of different challenges and it was interesting to get more details on the structure of this game.  I thought the challenges had a nice escalation pattern to them so the tension doesn't stagnate at any point. 

Because of these constant new plot points but very little down time, the pacing is fast which makes this a really fun potato chip type of read.  At 256 pages, it was already a bit on the shorter side, and the quick pacing makes it absolutely fly by.  This fast pacing does help the reader glaze over some of the more fantastical parts of the plot.  I didn't have enough downtime while reading to wonder "why doesn't Ethan just do X to get out of this" type of questions.  I've seen on a few other reviews that this sort of pacing/writing style comes up in other of Strand's books. 

As much as the challenges do escalate, they never quite get as gory as I was expecting.  The final challenge is set up to be the level of messed up that I was expecting, but due to plot reasons, we never get to see it play out on page.  There are still moments of violence and death, but not the Saw-type gore challenges that I was expecting. Despite the lack of on-page gore, Strand does a decent job of still amping up the tension in this read with aspects such as time limits for Ethan to complete certain challenges.  When we find out more of the reason for this game and how the behind the scenes works, that also adds to the tension as well.  

Overall, this was a fun read but lacked the character development I would prefer.  I really wanted to know more about the characters and the game but I really liked the details we did get. 

I read this for the Midnight Society Book Club - hosted by ReadingWryly.  Bookclub live show linked here. 

The Hike - Lucy Clarke

 

This suspense/thriller follows 4 friends on their annual vacation.  Maggie, Helena, Liz, and Joni rotate who picks vacation destinations and this year, Liz picks hiking up a mountain in Norway - a far cry from their normal sand, sun, and cocktails. But the friends show up, all ready for a break from their regular lives for reasons not even shared with friends.  Only once they are there, the weather isn't the only thing that could derail their hike.  They aren't the only ones on the mountain and the locals advise that there is something eerie, almost supernatural, about the mountain. 

TW/CW: drug use, drug abuse, death of a loved one, infidelity, animal death

This was one of those reads that has a pretty simple premise but absolutely used that premise to the max.  Clarke does a fantastic job of taking everything I was expecting from a survival/suspense/thriller and adds in other aspects I didn't even know I wanted.  We also get right to the main meat of the story of hiking this mountain pretty quickly.  This is one of those books where if the premise doesn't sound interesting to you, I'd recommend you just pass on this one because there isn't a ton of extra plot outside of the events that take place on the mountain.  I think the elements that Clarke added with the other threats the characters end up facing elevate this past what I was expecting, but even if this was just a straight up outdoor survival story, I would have enjoyed it.

Since we are following this group of friends, I enjoyed the decision to have this be multi-POV.  However, since we are following 4 people, I felt the POV switching did get in the way a little bit of the character development.  I didn't have enough time sitting in each character's head to be able to get a good sense of who they are.  They are easy enough to tell apart because each friend falls into a stereotypical archetype (the party friend, the over-worried new mom, the midlife crisis one, the bossy one). I did like how we got to see the different friendship dynamics and what each person thought of the others at certain times during the book.  However, I didn't feel like we got as much character depth as I would have personally liked.  I can see, on paper, how the characters were changed by their experiences but I didn't quite feel those changes come through when reading.

The setting was spot on and had a nice blend of British domestic drama and stoic Nordic noir.  When we find out about the rumored supernatural history of the mountain and of events that have taken place there, I was 1000% on board.  I absolutely loved the little hints of folklore horror that we get and I would have loved even more of them.  We get to see a whole spectrum of natural elements our characters have to overcome - everything from extreme weather to blisters.  My favorite part of any sort of survival story is how the characters interact in a stressful environment that they aren't used to.  There is no calling for an Uber or deciding halfway that they are done.  So when the going gets tough, they have to stick together even when that's the last thing they want.

I was a little surprised at the mystery/thriller element that gets introduced around the halfway point.  As I mentioned before, I would have been perfectly happy if this was a straight-up wilderness survival story. I do think this element increased the overall tension and helped the plot momentum.  However, I wanted more of a build up.  Going into this hike, there wasn't really anything out of the norm going on so neither I, nor the characters, were expecting anything of this magnitude.  I wanted more hints that maybe something wasn't quite right in this area of Norway so that when the characters get to that point in the plot, it would start to come together a little earlier.  I did like the solution to the mystery, but just wanted more of it spread throughout the book.

Overall, this was a fun read that paid off on the premise.  I enjoyed our variety of characters and their battles against the elements as well as their own inner demons. 

Thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for the ARC.  Expected publication date is August 29, 2023.

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It - Katy Brent

 

This thriller/comedy follows influencer Kitty Collins as she accidentally kills a man following her home after the bar one night.  She isn't remorseful, thinking that since he was a bad person anyway that the world is better off without him.  Then, as she comes across other men who the world would be better off without, she discovers a new hobby.  Balancing this new hobby, a budding romantic relationship, and her other friendships makes Kitty a very busy girl.

TW/CW: murder, sexual assault, rape, dismemberment, eating disorder 

My favorite aspect of this read was far and away the voice.  Kitty has such a distinctive voice that hits you right in the face at the opening of the book.  As a character-focused reader, I absolutely love voice-y MCs and how much that voice adds to the overall narrative.  I think it is even more important in this read due to Kitty's newly found hobby.  The character's voice can be the difference between the read having a comedic edge and it being a much darker story.  I do think that Kitty does veer into the 'unlikable MC' territory a bit, especially with her friends.  But as the story progresses, even these unlikable personality quirks become integral to the plot and I think they come full circle to endearing. 

Kitty's friend group is filled with the stereotypical, vapid, influencer types.  Since we are so far in Kitty's POV, we don't get a whole lot of detail about these friends right away.  As the story progresses, we do get more information but they never quite felt like fully fleshed out characters to me - they stayed more on the caricature side of things. I did like how the friend group felt like a real friend group where they might be annoyed at each other at times, but overall they are supportive of each other.  This point is especially emphasized in the last third of the book. 

Going into this read, I was a bit afraid that the murder aspect would either be very sparsely used or would end up feeling monotonous.  However, I was pleasantly surprised that we do get a number of kills and they are all varied.  We get a number of different circumstances, all centered around revenge and feminine rage. Kitty is not one to mince words when it comes to how she feels about predators and the ways men act toward women. However, this world view does get a little heavy handed toward the end of the book.  It is very obvious (and confirmed in the author's note at the end) that a certain cultural moment influenced this plot.  I just thought that when we get to the last 10% or so, that Kitty's voice goes away and the book's 'message' takes over.  However, I thought Kitty was doing a fine job as a character getting the reader to empathize with her world philosophy. 

Overall, this was a fun read that lost steam at the end for me.  I really enjoyed our MC's voice and the variety of kills we get on page.  However, I didn't quite connect with the other characters we see. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC.  Publication date was June 13, 2023

Romance Wrap Up July 16-31

Free Hand - E.M. Lindsey

This MM romance is the first in the Irons and Works series and follows Derek and Basil.  Derek is a tattoo artist at Irons and Works and he has a set routine for his days - a routine that doesn't include romantic partners for various reasons including but not limited to Derek's PTSD from his abusive childhood. That changes when he has a panic attack in front of Basil - a Deaf florist. Basil is similarly uninterested in romance after an ableist ex boyfriend. But Basil is also intrigued by the tattooed stranger he helps breath through a panic attack.  I really enjoyed this read and will certainly continue on in the series.  I found Derek and Basil to be very interesting and complex characters that are surrounded by a great cast of side characters.  I was a bit overwhelmed at first with all the characters, but we get enough one-on-one scenes to give me a good sense of all the characters. The romance was a bit of a friends to lovers arc as Derek and Basil, both convinced a relationship with the other wouldn't work out, can't seem to be able to stay away from the other.  Once the romance got going at about the halfway point, I wanted a bit more of some cute romance scenes before we got to the heavier scenes.  I really loved the amount of understanding Derek and Basil have for each other and their personal struggles. 

TW/CW: child abuse/neglect, PTSD, ableism, homophobia, death of a parent, death of a partner (in past

Something Wild and Wonderful - Anita Kelly

This MM romance follows Alexei and Ben as they meet while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.  Each have their own reasons for spending months hiking the trail, but they agree to travel together for a while.  As they spend miles together, getting to know the other and sharing bits and pieces of their past, both grow very fond of the other.  And when that fondness grows into more, the two are elated to find someone they seem to fit so well with.  But when they leave the trail and their outside lives start creeping in, they will both need to figure out if their romance can go the distance.  Oof, this one really found a place in my heart.  This was such an emotional yet quiet romance.  Kelly is phenomenal at capturing those little moments in a relationship that really get to the core of the connection between the two.  Seeing Alexei and Ben so in sync and comfortable with each other, even before their friendship turned romantic, was something I don't find in many romances.  I loved how we get pieces of their backstories as the main story progresses so there isn't one big info-dump session.  Alexei and Ben are both such complex and complete characters that this was one of those rare romances where it really felt like the two of them were meant to be together. These two have crawled into my heart and I don't think I'll stop thinking about them anytime soon. 

TW/CW: parental disownment, homophobia 

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC.  Publication date was March 7, 2023

Kink Camp: Hunted - A. Anders

This is the first book in the Camp Haven series and follows Grace and Liev.  This is Grace's first time to Kink Camp - attending with her best friend Max who finally convinced Grace to come along to experience her fantasy.  Liev is the owner of the camp and after the death of his wife 3 years ago, he's just starting to come back from the brink.  When Grace picks up his post on the bulletin board - a hunter looking for prey, one night, no names - she instantly knows this is exactly what she came here for.  Except one night isn't going to be enough for either of them.  This had more heat and more emotional depth than I was expecting and I absolutely loved it.  Anders does a fantastic job of introducing the reader to this camp setting and all the various characters in attendance.  I loved the wide variety of kink types we get to see - all presented in such an open and joyous manner.  The connection between Grace and Liev is phenomenal and super hot.  I loved how that feeling of instant connection played out on page with them both being drawn to the other even though they didn't use names or really even see the other in the dark of their encounter.  I do wish we had gotten some more of their actual relationship once they finally knew who the other was. We already know they have off the charts chemistry as play partners, I just wanted a better sense that they were actually compatible as a romantic couple doing day to day stuff.  We do get an epilogue of almost 1 year later and that scene does give us a glimpse into their every day lives.  I can't wait to continue on in this series and see all of these great characters find their HEAs.

TW/CW: death of a parent, death of a spouse, CNC, BDSM