Every Book I Read in February: Finding New Favourites & Some Disappointment

[@barbaralemon4170]

Great reviews. Really enjoyed this vlog a lot!

[@TheHonestBookReviewer]

Thank you!

[@Mslector]

I’ve been wanting read In the Woods for years now but have been hesitant to pick it up. I think I will now !

[@TheHonestBookReviewer]

Oh, I hope you enjoy it. It is a blend of police procedural, drama, and more general crime novel. But I was so hooked on the characters in this book.

[@Mslector]

Have you read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches? I feel like it would be a cozy mystery and you would like it.

[@TheHonestBookReviewer]

I've not read that yet, but it is available for reserve at my library. I will definitely check it out.

[@helenclare3250]

Not every book is for every reader but it's a shame you didn't love The No1 Ladies Detective Agency. I did but it is very different. I've heard Richard Osman has a new series starting, I still need to read book 2 onwards of The Thursday Murder Club and I have The Marlow Murder Club on my shelves, unread as of yet. So much to look forward to. You had a pretty good month.

[@TheHonestBookReviewer]

Oh, exciting new about Richard Osman! I wonder if the new series will be a humorous cosy? Whenever I have read Alexander McCall Smith, I'm aware I may have some issues with the book, but I'm also aware there will be some I will enjoy more. I've read a few on the Isobel Dalhousie books, and that series started out so strong. I hope you enjoy Marlow Murder Club! It's so readable and just amazing.

[@pickyourpopculturepoison]

I keep starting In the Woods and haven’t finished it for some reason. I have no idea why because it’s gorgeously written. Not listening to Last Devil to Die because I don’t want to know anything!! I think there’s a new push to have romance writers write thrillers now, and it’s gross IMO. I don’t like romance, but I really don’t want it mixed with crime and violence. I’m trying to get Marlow MC from the library. I kind of want to read Five Nights because it was compared to Succession but I also worry that will disappoint me. Sometimes the marketing (okay, a lot of times) is more appealing than the actual book. You’re so much more thorough than I have the energy to be!

[@TheHonestBookReviewer]

I hope you like Marlow Murder Club. It's very much in the same cosy sub-genre as Richard Osman. There's always been that sub-genre of thriller, the romance thriller, but maybe it's growing in numbers now? I'm not sure, but it was out place in All The Little Raindrops. All I could think of is where is the person asking the author if they want to go down that road in the book?

[@pickyourpopculturepoison]

@@TheHonestBookReviewer A lot of these authors got their start as self-published romance writers in the “dark romance” genre so I think they may have decided there’s no boundaries. From what I’ve read of the book, it seems like there can’t be much of an audience for that but then again, I see women giving it five stars. I’ll never honestly understand that genre - I think trauma and romance are best separated unless it’s a strong character study that deals with the trauma.

[@TheHonestBookReviewer]

I can't dark romance is something I've branched into, at least not to my recollection. I have a sense it's a sub-genre that's growing, and I think when sub-genres become larger they start to bleed across other genres a bit.

[@pickyourpopculturepoison]

@@TheHonestBookReviewer I’m not opposed to the concept - I think people with trauma and mental illness deserve romance, too. I just find it’s often “I’m traumatized but not anymore now that I’m banging a hot dude/lady.” 🙄