The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau 4/5 Stars
I really like all of the tidbits about France and the French language in this book. The idea of a secret garden in France is an absolute dream. I love how this garden was described, the individual living spaces, the intricacies of their daily lives. One thing that was hard for me to believe is how easily the French language came back to Eloise after last using it fifteen years earlier in college, and how she was able to express herself so intimately and in such detail with the others in the garden. The other aspect I had difficulty with was how Eloise abandoned all reason when it came to children: she would swing from frantically avoiding any mention of them to obsessing over them and lose her mind in the process. So it was extreme behavior for me personally but I could see how maybe someone who relates to Eloise in that way may identify with it more than I do. Overall I enjoyed it and it was a very unique story but probably not one that will inspire continued thoughts.
I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn 4/5 Stars
A great follow-up to Killers of a Certain Age and I really enjoyed the narration. I highly recommend both books!

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig 4/5 Stars
I really like this book, the story, the world. I was very invested while listening to the audiobook and it made doing chores much more enjoyable. Great cliffhanger ending. My personal issue with this book is that it reads very YA, not the content but the drama of it all. It is very intense and dramatic which is fantastic if you’re looking for that in a book but I’m more cozy fantasy these days. So I would highly recommend this book if you’re looking for mystery and high stakes.

Unlikely Story by Ali Rosen 4/5 Stars
Nora has this thing with books: she always reads the ending first. In this story, she learns from a good friend that that’s not how real life works and you need to learn to enjoy the journey without focusing on the outcome. I mention this because the big reveal was glaringly obvious to me, probably from just reading the synopsis, but it doesn’t matter that I knew one detail of the story because I didn’t know how it was all going to play out and I genuinely enjoyed the ride. I appreciate that Nora is a smart character and I didn’t spend the whole book wondering why she didn’t know the thing I knew because from her perspective it is not as obvious. This was a fun read and I enjoyed all of the characters and seeing Nora get to know herself better.

The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan 3/5 Stars
Overall I enjoyed reading The Witch’s Orchard, but once finished I didn’t feel satisfied. Throughout the book I kept wishing we had more insight into Annie’s thoughts and process for investigating the case. We did get some thoughts, like that she was following a certain lead, but we didn’t get her detailed thoughts about her process, feelings, and opinions. I did like the explanation for the mystery, it was concluded nicely. I was extremely confused with the ending regarding Leo and their relationship, and honestly he didn’t feel like he fit in or added to the story very well. The descriptions and sense of place were great for giving the book atmosphere.
I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.