Tag: Elisha’s Choice Award

This is reserved for the greatest and best books that just kept me enthralled from start to finish. The books with this rating I say everyone who has even read a word on a page to GO READ!

Posted in Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: My Murder by Katie Williams

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Major Spoilers*

What if the murder you had to solve was your own?
Lou is a happily married mother of an adorable toddler. She’s also the victim of a local serial killer. Recently brought back to life and returned to her grieving family by a government project, she is grateful for this second chance. But as the new Lou re-adapts to her old routines, and as she bonds with other female victims, she realizes that disturbing questions remain about what exactly preceded her death and how much she can really trust those around her.
Now it’s not enough to care for her child, love her husband, and work the job she’s always enjoyed—she must also figure out the circumstances of her death.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I discovered this book on Goodreads’ list of highly anticipated books for this summer. The summary intrigued me, and I was excited to wait for this book. Even though the wait might have been a bit long, let’s not wait any longer for this review of My Murder.

I haven’t read a popular book in awhile. I usually avoid them because I want to shine light on the underdogs or hidden gems. However, I still wanted to read My Murder and see if it was worth the hype.

Mystery is essential, they say. Mystery. Well, I was in one of those right now, and I couldn’t say that I liked it very much.

Katie Williams; My Murder

First off, I think this was an interesting idea for a plot. Being brought back after being murdered can shed some light on some various themes and subject matter we can bring up like, how society treats victims and their murderers, how the victims loved ones are coping after the attack, and finally how the murderer’s loved ones are coping with the guilt and shame.

There are more themes explored in this novel, but I’ll leave that for you to discover and experience. I loved how fleshed out this world was, and how the characters interacted naturally. I’m not sure if it’s just the string of ‘meh’ quality books I’ve been reading, or if this book really is something special.

As I was listening to the audiobook, I was about 60-70% through it and I was thinking of not finishing it. The ‘but not everything is as it seems’ had already been brought up, but I was already trying to go through my mental list of tropes to figure out what the twist was. I’m glad I stuck with it, because the twist came out of left field and caught me off guard.

Overall, I really enjoyed My Murder. It’s more like a cozy thriller/murder mystery with a splash of science fiction. It’s a good pallet cleanser if you are looking for a book to break the monotony or to break a dry spell. I’d certainly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, the sci-fi element isn’t anything too crazy or out there. So don’t worry about that.

Posted in Book Reviews, Graphic Novels, Novels

REVIEW: Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Major Spoilers*

Garlic feels as though she’s always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it’s nice and safe.

But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, in spite of her fear and self-doubt, Garlic is the obvious choice to confront him. And with everyone counting on her, Garlic reluctantly agrees to face the mysterious vampire, hoping she has what it takes.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The recent uproar about how all the bookish social medias are hyping the same five or ten books has others trying to diversify other’s TBRs. However, the books that are often described as ‘books I’ve never seen on TikTok’ are still highly popular books. However, I saw this graphic novel on Instagram and I fell in love with the art style and the anxiety representation. So let’s weed out my thoughts for Garlic and the Vampire.

Garlic and her friends are adorable. I wish I could’ve jumped into this world and stayed. They spend every day gardening and providing the townsfolk with fresh produce. When they notice that someone has taken residence in the abandoned castle, they all fear for their safety and the safety of the townsfolk.

I liked having the anxiety disorder representation in this story. I suffer from an anxiety disorder as well and to see Garlic overcome it with help and encouragement from her friends was comforting to me. I hope it helps and encourages others with anxiety feel the same way while reading this graphic novel.

Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Overall, I loved this story. The characters, the artwork, and the earnest emotions are what made Garlic & the Vampire my book of the year so far for 2022. I would highly recommend this graphic novels to everyone who loves cute characters, Studio Ghibli films, and are looking for a palate cleanser.

Posted in Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: Bonfire by Krysten Ritter

Posted on by elishasbookreview

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*No Major Spoilers*

It has been ten years since Abby Williams left home and scrubbed away all visible evidence of her small town roots. Now working as an environmental lawyer in Chicago, she has a thriving career, a modern apartment, and her pick of meaningless one-night stands.

But when a new case takes her back home to Barrens, Indiana, the life Abby painstakingly created begins to crack. Tasked with investigating Optimal Plastics, the town’s most high-profile company, and economic heart, Abby begins to find strange connections to Barrens’ biggest scandal from more than a decade ago involving the popular Kaycee Mitchell and her closest friends—just before Kaycee disappeared for good.

Abby knows the key to solving any case lies in the weak spots, the unanswered questions. But as Abby tries to find out what really happened to Kaycee, she unearths even more disturbing secrets.

With tantalizing twists, slow-burning suspense, and a remote, rural town of just five claustrophobic miles, Bonfire is a dark exploration of the question: can you ever outrun your past?

I was really looking forward to reading this novel while I was looking for Jessica Jones comic books for the comic week. Krysten Ritter is the actress that plays Jessica Jones on the Netflix series of the same name. I was wondering if it was going to have hints of her Netflix character sprinkled in there.

I listened to this novel on audiobook, I feel like I absorb and understand the novel better when I hear it. So I’m sorry if you consider that cheating.

Anyway, this novel reminded me a lot of my experiences in high school. High school was not the best time for me because of many reasons. So I had to deal with those feelings that the novel brought up.

This novel is parts what I expected it to be, and parts that threw me for a loop. There were sprinklings of Jessica Jones in here, if you have never seen the show then it’s just a cool “easter egg” for the fans.

I loved this novel, there wasn’t a moment of rest. I was just go-go-go as soon as Abby Williams drives into Barren. Both action and thriller wise as well as an emotional roller coaster.

I actually like this protagonist, she is strong and determined. When she becomes close to solving the mystery of her used-to-be friend, Kaycee, she will not stop until the mystery of her past is solved.

I would recommend this for Book Clubs and casual readers alike. There’s mystery, thriller, emotions, and dug up memories to satisfy any reader.

Posted in Book Reviews, Novels

ARC REVIEW: Bodie on the Road: Travels with a Rescue Pup in the Dogged Pursuit of Happiness by Belinda Jones

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*No Major Spoilers*

**Thanks to SkyHorse Publishing for letting me read this lovely novel early**

***Bodie on the Road by Belinda Jones will be hitting your local bookshelves on June 5, 2018,***

In this touching and emotional memoir, Ms. Jones takes us on an adventure with her newly adopted pup, Bodie. They make a trek along the west coast to visit friends in Portland, Oregon. Along the way, they discover new sights, smells and inner feelings towards each other and past relationships.

The cover of this book looks gorgeous with the bright blue background, distant mountains, blue lake and the grassy field. The smile on Bodie’s face warms my heart and the cover is what made me choose this book to read.

This journey is a testament to dog-lovers and travelers alike. The bond between humans and their canine companions is unbreakable and unyielding. This is a positive read for all those who love dogs, feel-good road trips, and yummy food.

I loved how Ms. Jones added the details of all the delicious food she and Bodie dined on while on this trip. It made me hungry for maybe some food-related books from her. I am a food person, and I wanted to go to a lot of these places and try one of everything!

I was hesitant at first to read this novel. Most of the dog-related books I’ve read such as Marley & Me, Where the Red Fern Grow, and Old Yeller, the dog gets sick and gets put down/dies. This is not that book. This book isn’t about the life of Bodie, it’s just a story about how his life was renewed when he was adopted by Ms. Jones. This is the chapter of this dog’s long and happy life.

I was a little put off with the British slang/words. I felt like it took away from the book somewhat. It’s not that big of a deal overall, I thought it was worth mentioning.

I had three dogs growing up, and Bodie made me miss them very much. There was so much personality in the way the author and Bodie interacted I was able to put myself there.

If you love a genuine love story about a person and their dog, this is the book for you! I thoroughly enjoyed this touching story!

Pre-Order it on Amazon (not sponsored)

 

Posted in Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James

Posted on by elishasbookreview
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*No Major Spoilers*

This thrilling novel follows Ellie Winter, a psychic/medium in 1920s London. Many are searching for answers for the loved ones they lost in the war. There are both real psychics who want to help people and those who feed off of the grieving to make a living.

When one of Ellie’s colleagues is a victim of a gruesome murder, it’s up to Ellie to investigate. She uses her powers and receives help from a couple of resources; James Hawley and George Sutter, to interview people who were at the scene of the crime.

As she closes in on who the killer is, other psychic mediums start dropping dead or fleeing London for safety in Paris. Will she be able to solve this mystery before she becomes a victim too?

In anticipation of her upcoming novel The Broken Girls. I wanted to review one of Simone St. James’ past works. Broken Girls will be hitting bookstores March 20, 2018.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I loved this book! The well-written atmosphere, the attention to detail of the characters made it easy to put me in Ellie’s shoes and solve the mystery with her. The romance between Ellie and James felt natural and real. To be honest, this book would have been fine without the romance angle, but it’s nice to find a genuine story where the guy saves the girl.

The ending was a huge plot twist! I did not expect where that was going to go, but it does make sense on how it worked out in the end. I had to chew on the ending for a bit to see if it felt right to me. The book wrapped up nicely and left no loose ends.

She looked nothing like she had been—and everything like it. I would have known her anywhere, even across the divide of life and death, the divide that she and I had been able to travel, that we now traveled together. She was in the shadows, but still I knew. My mind was sure, and my heart—all of me was certain.

Simone St. James; The Other Side of Midnight

I would recommend this book who loves historical London. Those who love mysteries and the paranormal. The romance was PG-13, so don’t expect a filthy romance here. This book is getting my Choice Award (I’m trying to be critical I promise). So if you’re looking for an awesome read, this is where you’ll find it!