The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson
5 out of 5 stars Content warning: domestic violence Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. “What would Agatha Christie do?” Alice Ogilvie was on top of the world until her boyfriend, Steve, broke up with her…then started dating her best friend. Heartbroken and embarrassed, Alice takes a page from her favorite author, Agatha Christie, and disappears for five days. The community of Castle Cove went into a frenzy, only for Alice to reappear unharmed. No one knows what happened or where Alice was. Iris Adams just wants to be invisible. She wants to go to school, save money, and get out of Castle Cove with her mom as soon as possible. When she’s given the opportunity to tutor Alice, she agrees. The Ogilvie family has money and is willing to pay for Iris’s services. How could she say no? But then Steve’s current girlfriend (and Alice’s former best friend) goes missing. People assume Brooke is copying Alice and will return safely. But Alice knows Brooke and she wouldn’t just disappear like this. There’s also a hefty reward for any information regarding Brooke’s whereabouts or if anyone can solve the case, which would help Iris and her mom get out of town. Soon, Alice and Iris go from tutoring sessions to stakeouts, as they try to solve the case. But searching for the truth can be dangerous. Y’all. I LOVED THIS BOOK. I am a huge Agatha Christie fan, so the synopsis of this book had me so excited– and it did not disappoint! It’s a fast-paced, thrilling, funny, twisty mystery. I read a lot of twisty mysteries, so I always say that it’s hard to surprise me. While I had my suspicions about certain twists, I definitely didn’t catch everything coming and I still thoroughly enjoyed each twist. I loved all of the different layers to the story. We had the central mystery of what happened to Brooke, but also where did Alice go for the five days she was missing? And why does Iris want to leave town so badly? I also enjoyed Spike, Zora, and Neil. They were great side characters and I wanted to see more of them. And I appreciated that these characters (plus others, including adults) believed Alice and Iris and trusted in their investigative abilities. In most books, characters are dismissed as teenage girls who don’t know what they’re doing. But they were actually respected and I loved seeing that. Overall, I just really loved this book. I had hyped it up so much in my head and I wasn’t disappointed!
0 Comments
Hello, world! This blog is nearing the 1-year mark! I'm honestly very proud of myself for keeping up with this for a whole year! I'm hoping to start expanding a bit more on my online presence-- we will see if I take the plunge or not. I'm also hoping to do more posts, beyond monthly wrap-ups and occasional full reviews. Once again, we will see.
So thank you to anyone who read this! And without further ado, here is my March 2022 Wrap-Up! Hope you enjoy! February 2022 Wrap-Up 1. Medusa by Jessie Burton 3 out of 5 stars I understand and appreciate what this book was trying to do. The illustrations were absolutely beautiful. I just wasn't fully into it for whatever reason. It wasn't bad, but I didn't love it. 2. Two Truths and a Lie by April Henry 2 out of 5 stars See full review here. 3. Magical Boy Volume 1: A Graphic Novel by The Kao 5 out of 5 stars Content warning: transphobia, homophobia, deadnaming I loved this SO MUCH. It's like queer Sailor Moon/Buffy and it's just SO GREAT. 4. Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak by Charlie Jane Anders 3 out of 5 stars See full review here. 5. The Golden Hour by Niki Smith 4 out of 5 stars Sweet story about PTSD, anxiety, photography, and cute farm animals. I really liked the illustrations and how it illustrated Manuel's panic attacks. 6. Lawless Spaces by Corey Ann Haydu 4 out of 5 stars Content warning: sexual assault It's a tradition that the women in Mimi's family start writing in diaries when they turn sixteen. But when Mimi turns sixteen, she begins reading her ancestor's diaries and uncovers the history of sexual assault the women in her family have faced. This was not an easy read, but it was so beautiful and powerful. 7. The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis 4 out of 5 stars I've now read this book twice and it's just as good the second time around. It's a wild ride, but I wouldn't expect anything else from Mindy McGinnis. And as a Poe fan, I love all the references to his works throughout the book. 8. The Last Laugh by Mindy McGinnis 4 out of 5 stars The Initial Insult was a wild ride, but this book takes it up a notch! This time we get the perspective of Tress and Ribbit, and all the insane things that unfold in the aftermath of book one. It was thrilling and gross and just what I'd expect from Mindy McGinnis. |
Details
AuthorI'm HaileyAnne! I'm a queer librarian who loves books and kpop. Archives
August 2023
Categories |