twist

The Escape Game

by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

coming April 7, 2026

(5 / 5)

I want to thank Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of The Escape Game! All opinions are completely my own.

The Escape Game was one of my most anticipated reads for 2026, so I was beyond excited to receive an ARC copy of the book. Marissa Meyer has been a favorite author of mine, and this book just sounded so interesting… escape rooms, reality TV, and a murder mystery? Plus a gorgeous cover? Yes please!

I went into this book with high expectations, and I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint. The writing kept me hooked, engaged, and constantly wanting to read more to see what would happen next. It was fast-paced, exciting, and just fun to read. A lot of the characters were quirky, and I felt like I could relate to each of the main characters in one way or another. The plot felt like it had good depth to it. I loved the idea of an escape room themed reality show, and it’s the type of thing I’d love to watch. It really had an escape room feel to it with great descriptions. Usually I didn’t have enough information to try to solve the puzzles myself, but it was fun to predict how the characters should approach it. The murder mystery and other mysteries in the story were pretty complicated. I was able to figure some of the things out, though sometimes not long before they were revealed. Others really kept me guessing and ended up surprising me. There’s plenty of clues along the way, but even then I was constantly second guessing. By the end the story feels pretty well wrapped up while still building anticipation for the next book. I can’t wait!

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend

By MJ Wassmer

Coming August 6, 2024

(3 / 5)

Dan, an underachieving average guy, is on vacation with his girlfriend in the Bahamas at a new beach resort. But suddenly they are plunged into darkness, with the sun presumably having exploded. Welcome to the apocalypse.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend has a satirical approach to an apocalyptic event, so it’s not necessarily something that can be taken completely seriously. The book felt fittingly chaotic, especially as a societal hierarchy formed between the different buildings of guests. A lot of the characters weren’t necessarily very likable, especially in this situation where humanity is at its worst, so I never really connected completely with the main characters. Along the way the story has a bit of a twist to it, but honestly, I had already suspected it, so it probably didn’t have the impact on me that it would have otherwise. There was enough going on in the story to keep my interest, and it felt like a pretty quick read, but it wasn’t quite as much “the book for me” as I thought it would be.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the free review copy of Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

July 22, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Humor/Satire Kindle 0

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies

By Catherine Mack

(3.5 / 5)

On a book tour in Italy, Eleanor is planning her next book in her popular book series. She’s hoping to end the series by killing off one of the main characters, who is based on her ex, Connor, and happens to also be on the tour. But it appears that someone on the tour is trying to kill Connor for real…

This book is written in the format of Eleanor’s personal account of the events that happened. Honestly, I never completely felt a connection to her character, she just felt a bit scattered and unreliable. Part of her “style” was the use of numerous footnotes (over 200 over the course of the book). While they provided insight and some of the “real dirt” in the story, I found them a bit distracting and kept losing my spot. Things felt a bit slow in the beginning, and I think I ended up missing some of the clues to what was really going on along the way. There’s several “suspect” characters, so it could get hard to keep track of everyone’s details, and most of the characters weren’t particularly likeable. The actual solution to the mystery was something I had considered multiple aspects of along the way, but the story was twisty enough that I was never quite sure which of my theories was right until it was finally revealed. I enjoyed the various settings around Italy, so it had the feel of a vacation mystery.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies. All opinions in my review are completely my own.

April 20, 2024 by danimae1981 eBook Fiction Mystery Thriller 0

Icon and Inferno

By Marie Lu

Coming June 11, 2024

(4 / 5)

Icon and Inferno is the 2nd book in the Stars and Smoke series. Pop superstar-turned-spy Winter Young and agent Sydney Cossette team back up a year later for another mission for the Panacea Group, this time in Singapore.

Icon and Inferno had a similar feel to the first book, with action, mystery, romance and thrills. I read the books together, but enough background information is given catch you up if it’s been a bit. Once again, I enjoyed the complicated relationship between Winter and Sydney, and the addition of their exes added extra tension. There are surprises along the way, though I’ll admit to having my suspicions about some of the things that happened beforehand. There’s a lot of action, and while sometimes it feels a little unrealistic, it gives it the kind of excitement you feel while watching a movie. It was definitely a quick read that was hard to put down. I’m not sure if there will be another book in this series, but I’d love to read more by the author, Marie Lu.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for the free review copy of Icon and Inferno! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

April 3, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Mystery Romance Thriller Young Adult 0

Stars and Smoke

By Marie Lu

Paperback edition releases tomorrow!

(4 / 5)

19-year-old Winter Young is a huge global pop star, but he still yearns for something more in his life. Unexpectedly, he is approached by a secret agency with a mission to get intel on a crime boss while performing at a private birthday concert. He is paired with Sydney Cossette, a young but effective recruit of the agency.

I had the opportunity to get an early copy of the new paperback edition of Stars and Smoke, which includes new artwork and a bonus scene. Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and BookishFirst; all opinions in my review are solely my own.

I really enjoyed reading Stars and Smoke. I thought both of the main characters were interesting and felt relatable in their own ways, with complicated pasts. The banter between Winter and Sydney was fun and I enjoyed the development of their relationship along the way. The “pop star turned spy” concept was interesting and done well. There was a lot of action, and parts of the story even had a cinematic feel to them. I was expecting some kind of twist along the way and thought I had it all figured out, but it turns out the book was still able to provide surprises. This was one of those books where, once I started getting close to the end, I couldn’t put it down. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and reading more by this author!

I received a free review copy of the book. All opinions are completely my own.

April 1, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Mystery Paperback Thriller Young Adult 0

The Fury

By Alex Michaelides

Coming soon on 1/16/24

(4 / 5)

A celebrity invites some family and friends to a weekend away on her private island in Greece. While there, one of them is murdered, which means one of the other 6 people must be the murderer. But this isn’t your typical murder mystery.

The Fury is unlike any book I’ve ever read. From the beginning we know that a murder will take place, but we don’t know who the victim is, who the murderer is, or why it happens. The book feels almost like a memoir more than a fictional story. Our narrator is Elliot, one of the people on the island that night, recounting the tale some time later. From the beginning, the voice of this narrator felt unique and somewhat unreliable. Even when you think you have something figured out, it turns out there’s more to the story. The nonlinear timeline definitely adds to the mystery, but what this book really seems to be about is the characters more than the events that happen. Honestly, I was a bit unsure about this book in the beginning, but then it really pulled me in. I had a lot of theories along the way, but there are some big twists that I never saw coming.

All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own. Thank you to Celadon Books and BookishFirst for the free advance copy of the book!

January 2, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Paperback Thriller 0