A Little Step, Volume 1

A Little Step, Volume 1 - 176 pages

Mimi Szeto

Summary (From Goodreads)

Yu-kiu Lau is a quiet fifth-year student who dreams of studying overseas and becoming an artist. As she prepares for college applications, though, she can't bring herself to produce new work, paralyzed by perfectionism and the fear of judgment. Everything changes the day she hears music drifting through the school halls and meets the boy behind it, Ho-yuet Lee. Ho-yuet's bad reputation clashes with his gentle presence, and Yu-kiu's fascination with his music leads to an unexpected friendship that begins to build their confidence in their own artistic aspirations.

Review

I enjoyed this one a lot more than other series where a school-age girl makes a connection with a boy in her year with a "bad reputation."  It's definitely on the slower side, as is typical of slice of life stories, but I'd still like to read the next volume if/when it's available.  

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

152 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears. Only Merricat can see the danger, and she must act swiftly to keep Constance from his grasp.

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (480 Pages)

Summary: Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine ... and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend. But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.

Opinion: I liked this book better than the first book in the series. In particular, I really liked the action heavy tunnel scenes and LOVED Daciana and Ileana. I also just appreciated the characters finally getting to be themselves in a comfortable, welcoming environment at the end. 

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (352 Pages)

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her back to her own sheltered world. 

Opinion: I had a great time reading this book which is the first in a series. Audrey is smart and I love her duo with Thomas and watching their relationship grow. I did guess the correct suspect half way through, though my theorized motives were incorrect. Overall, this is a fun teen, historical, and mystery based read. 

A Killer Kind of Romance

A Killer Kind of Romance by Letizia Lorini 464 pages

Synopsis: Scarlett Moore doesn’t do romance.
She’s made a name for herself narrating gritty crime fiction on a local podcast. But when her boss hands her the reins to the network’s romance show, Scarlett finds herself neck-deep in swoony love stories on top of her usual murder plots.
Then someone begins reenacting the chilling crimes she discusses on air, down to the last twisted detail.
Determined to protect her small town, Scarlett launches her own investigation. But the line between reality and fiction blurs even more when Rafael Gray—the brooding bad boy who disappeared five years ago—unexpectedly returns. Suddenly, her life reads like a romance novel filled with every trope she used to mock, with Rafael playing the dangerously irresistible lead.

He's perfect in every way...except last time, he broke her heart, and now he’s the prime suspect in the string of brutal murders.
Will this be the love story she never saw coming, or is it a killer kind of romance?

My Thoughts: This book was so cute! I enjoyed it so much! It had the perfect amount of mystery/murder and romance in it. The characters were so likeable, especially Scarlett. I loved her cat, Sherlock. Read this book if you enjoy romance and a mystery! 

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

9 pages

Synopsis

A murderer is convinced that the loud beating of his victim's heart will give him away to the police.

Absolute Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: Season of the Witch by Kelly Thompson

Absolute Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: Season of the Witch by Kelly Thompson

Absolute Wonder Woman (2024) #3, 216 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The Mark of Hecate, the symbol on Diana’s arm, shows up at a series of crime scenes in Gotham, drawing her into Batman’s orbit and kicking off a deadly team-up—the very first in the Absolute Universe!

But back in Gateway City, a familiar face has emerged—Zatanna Zatara, the Mistress of Magic. This time, her appearance is no dream—instead, it’s pure nightmare fuel, as Zatanna and a strange new Suicide Squad are set loose on the city with one mission...kill Wonder Woman at any cost. Will it take a witch to destroy a witch?