ARC Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood

I received a copy of this novel from net galley in return for an honest review

The summer before Ivy’s senior year is going to be golden; all bonfires, barbeques, and spending time with her best friends. For once, she will just get to be. No summer classes, none of Granddad’s intense expectations to live up to the family name. For generations, the Milbourn women have lead extraordinary lives—and died young and tragically. Granddad calls it a legacy, but Ivy considers it a curse. Why else would her mother have run off and abandoned her as a child?
But when her mother unexpectedly returns home with two young daughters in tow, all of the stories Ivy wove to protect her heart start to unravel. The very people she once trusted now speak in lies. And all of Ivy’s ambition and determination cannot defend her against the secrets of the Milbourn past

I really loved this novel. The writing was beautiful and the characters were interesting. There is a bisexual feminist and a little boy who wants to be called Ella and be treated like a girl. I love it when books show diversity! The MC ,Ivy, is a strong girl whose mother ditched her when she was two who feels she must live up the the extreme legacies of the other women in her family. There is a romance, but it takes back seat to the family drama. The book starts off with what you think is going to be a love triangle but surprises you, thankfully.

There are trigger warnings for suicide in this novel, though, so you are warned.

This book made me feel so many things, sad, happy, disgust and anger. Which I love so much! I was very invested in Ivy and her family.

The reason this novel is getting four stars instead of five is this:

As much as I loved this book the plot is almost non existent. There is no real climax, or problem to be solved. The book is more of a coming of age tale and about how Ivy deals with her absent mom showing back up and bringing Ivy's two sisters with her. Sister's she didn't know she had. I was more than half way through and thought, "wait, is something going to happen now? I'm almost done....where's the story going?" Just to finish it a few hours later and be a little let down.

Also the blurb talks about a curse or a legacy and there isn't one. The women of Ivy's family suffer depression and the tendency to be great artists, that's it. I was hoping for something a little more dramatic. Anyone can say they think their family is cursed. Three generations of the women in my family have grown up without biological fathers, but I don't use the word curse because that seems a little more magical than what has actually happened.

So.... yes read this book, please come to your on conclusions. I am really interested to see how others viewed this. On one hand I loved it and on the other I was disappointed.

ARC REVIEW: The Coconut Swindle by Matt Abraham

In this exciting prequel to the critically acclaimed Dane Curse, a pair of black capes are found dead on the floor of Wentorf Hall, mere inches away from the world’s largest diamond. Of course the cops think the pair killed each other over the heist. After all, everyone knows that the Vandenberg Coconut is a one size fits all motivation for murder. Everyone, that is, except for Dane Curse. 
But when the former villain turned PI takes the case he’ll discover that the truth has more sides than a diamond has facets. And in order to get to it Dane will follow a trail that leads through an old enemy with a bagful of grudges, a killer who specializes in assassinating super villains, and a wealthy socialite with a murky motive. A thorny maze indeed, and sitting at its heart, mysteriously returned from years in hiding, is Dane’s very own daughter. 
Will Dane Curse discover the thieves’ secret in time to solve the case, save his agency, and protect his only child from a vicious death? Or will he lose it all, just another victim of The Coconut Swindle? 

I received a copy of this novel in return for an honest review


First off the cover is great, some serious nostalgia there, noir style.

In fact the whole book is like that, very Maltese Falcon/Casablanca. Though then you add in the supernatural elements of this story as well: i.e. super powers. This combination was a fun read.

I haven’t read anything by the author before so it was a little confusing, this being book two and all. I was able to catch up and enjoy the author’s writing style, characters and plot. It made it much easier as this is the prequel to the first novel Dane Curse.

The plot line is pretty straight forward, the Dane Curse Detective Agency solves mysteries and finds bad guys. There is even a jewel heist, the world’s largest diamond the Vandenberg Coconut goes missing. Dane Curse and his side arms (which had cute nick names) must find the culprit!

The secondary characters are also pretty clever, people named: Mr. West, Viking etc.Etc...

I enjoyed this book, even though it’s a bit outside my normal genre. I recommend reading it, especially if you love Dick Tracy and Marvel Comics, this is a great mash up of several genres and will appeal to grownups and the YA New Adult crowd.