Book Review: Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi

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Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi  was published on March 11, 2025 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam. It opens with Claire finding out that her fiancé, Noah, isn't working where he said he was and is now ghosting her. Claire must find out why. Book Review: Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Claire Darling by Callie Kazumi for free in exchange for my honest review. I was absolutely thrilled when my request for a copy was approved because the synopsis was so good. From the beginning, I absolutely loved the main character of Claire and her work friend named Sukhi. Throughout the novel, we learn about Claire's past and how terrible her mother was towards her. I kept hoping that somehow we would learn who Claire's father was and would eventually connect with him. It's really no wonder Claire had no self confidence as an ad...
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Book Review: This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

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book review this delicious death kayla cottingham

This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham is about four friends going on a road trip to attend a music festival in the desert.  What no one else realizes is that they were infected during the pandemic and are now ghouls.  On the first night at the festival, Valeria goes feral and ends up killing someone and eating them.  Soon after, the girls discover that ghouls are being poisoned with a drug that will cause them all to feral.  The expected publication date is April 25, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the Advanced Readers Copy of This Delicious Death.  The synopsis was intriguing, so I was happy when I was approved to read this book.  I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Just as an FYI, there were several content warnings at the beginning of this book, including but limited to alcohol consumption by minors, cannibalism, drug use and drugging, gun violence, murder, parental neglect, suicidal ideation, and transphobia.  According to the publishers and NetGalley, this book is considered to be in the following genres:  Young Adult, Horror, and LGBTQIAP+.

At first, this book was a bit slow to start, but it did start to pick up pace, and I ended up enjoying the storyline for the most part.  When I first started reading This Delicious Death, it reminded me a little of the television show Santa Clarita Diet starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. Although there was quite a bit of mystery and horror in the book, it did include some lighter scenes and romance.  I don't really have any complaints about this book.

Even though horror is one of my favorite genres, This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham wasn't my cup of tea.  Well written, I think many teens will enjoy the storyline, and I'm glad there is a book that is inclusive of the LGBTQIAP+ community.  Children need books that represent a variety of things and people who might be like them.  Four out of five stars.

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