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Review: Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a child, Ellie Mills discovered a floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia, where she meets a man named Clay. Several years later, Ellie returns to uncover the mystery of the island and is forced to choose between her life back home or the unreal world on this island that she feels pulled to.

I was unbelievably excited to recieve the ARC for this! Shea Ernshaw is one of my favorite authors.

Habits of the Sea is slow-paced and steady, and the writing is atmospheric without being overwhelming. What starts as a mystery turns into a tragic story of love and belonging.

Thank you Atria books for the ARC!

Habits of the Sea will by published July 7.

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Review: Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rolls and Rivalry is the third book in Gaming and Romance, a YA Dungeons and Dragons romance series.

Hazel’s senior year is turned upside-down by her former childhood crush and now nemesis, Max, transfers to her school. Their marching band section rivalries keep them apart, but their history and love for D&D pull them together.

Kristy Boyce’s YA romance series has been so cute and I’ve loved reading all three books. I liked that this one was more centered around marching band than D&D, though some may not be expecting that. It seemed almost as if Hazel’s parents and Max’s mom were more into D&D than Hazel and Max were. However, Boyce was so accurate in her depiction of high school marching band (especially the band bus, my goodness) that as a former band nerd, I really enjoyed it.

I did not like: Max.

I LOVE the cover. 😍

Thank you netgalley, Random House, and Delacorte Romance for the eARC!

Rolls and Rivalry will be published May 5.

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Review: How to Cheat Your Own Death by Kristen Perrin

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this third book in the Castle Knoll Files, Annie gets pulled into another case to solve, this time one that seems tied to her family’s past. As she investigates in the present, Frances’s journals take us back to the 1960s and reveal the connections between two deaths, mixing a modern mystery with a historical one.

I like the dual-timeline via journal entries, as it feels like they add more to the story throughout the series and it’s satisfying to see how the two stories line up. Annie is a fun lead to follow.

It’s hard to keep track of who and when at points, which is a typical issue in a dual-timeline novel.

Overall, it’s a cozy mystery and fun little series.

Thank you netgalley and Dutton for the eARC.

How to Cheat Your Own Death will be published April 28.