YVONNE’S SHORTIES #283 – Twice Shy // Lies Sleeping // Death On The Nile

Time for another round of Yvonne’s Shorties! Since I have a huge pile of backlog reviews of the books I read during my break, I will be featuring an extra book in my shorties posts until I’ve caught up. This time around a contemporary romance, an urban fantasy slash detective thriller and a crime classic that were all great reads.

Title: Twice Shy
Author: Sarah Hogle
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
First published: April 6th 2021
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Finished reading: February 8th 2022
Pages: 319

“The more anxious or stressed or lonely I am in reality, the less time I’m inclined to spend in it.”

There was just something about Twice Shy that made me want to read it instantly, and I’m glad I finally had the chance to read it as I ended up having a great time with this story. While it’s true that things started out a bit slow, the main characters quickly grew on me and I soon found myself invested in their stories. I also love that this is a slowburn without too many sexy scenes, which is always a bonus for me… Although I can understand that for those looking for a higher dose of romance this story might be too slow and lacking. There are also quite a few cliches involved including the hot male lead and the main characters not realizing the other is attracted to them, but I surprisingly didn’t mind too much as I was too busy having fun. I liked how we had two quirky main characters struggling with social anxiety and mental health in general, and it was interesting to see them both evolve and interact over time. Also, the descriptions of the mansion and the grounds really made it come alive for me… In fact, the writing in general is excellent and I definitely wouldn’t mind reading more of this author. All in all Twice Shy was without a doubt a hit for me.

Title: Lies Sleeping
(Rivers Of London #7)
Author: Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
First published: November 13th 2018
Publisher: Gollancz
Finished reading: February 11th 2022
Pages: 406

“However long you may live, the world will never lose its ability to surprise you with its beauty.”

I’ve been having so much fun catching up with this series and in a way I will be sad when I do, because I already know that I will miss being around these characters. There is just something about this mix of urban fantasy and detective thriller that is so damn addictive, and the series doesn’t show signs of slowing down. Lies Sleeping is already book number seven, and without doubt another winner for me. The same kind of dry and almost sarcastic humor that is spot on for me, the same mix of genres, the same supernatural twists (a.k.a. weird bollocks), the same amount of action as well as references to the past… And why mess up the recipe if it makes for such a tasty result? I do have to say that it’s best to read these books in order, because there are a lot of references to past events as well as developments in the different characters in play that won’t make much sense otherwise. This was another big one on a personal level, and I definitely cannot wait to see how things will continue!

Title: Death On The Nile
(Hercule Poirot #17)
Author: Agatha Christie
Genre: Classics, Mystery, Thriller
First published: November 1st 1937
Publisher: William Morrow
Finished reading: February 14th 2022
Pages: 333

“They conceive a certain theory, and everything has to fit into that theory. If one little fact will not fit it, they throw it aside. But it is always the facts that will not fit in that are significant.”

I’m actually trying to read the Hercule Poirot books in order as much as possible, but with the new movie adaptation of Death On The Nile out I decided to play things safe and read this one first. I know that it’s one of her more famous stories, but I didn’t know much about the plot personally so I was able to dive in without any spoilers. I do have to say that the story started out a little slow for me and there were so many characters to keep track of that my head soon started to spin. Once we are swept off to Egypt, things start to get a little easier as well as interesting though, and I can see why so many people seem to love this story. The whole murder mystery has that locked room vibe thanks to the setting on a boat, and with only a limited amount of suspects things get around bound to get interesting. I feel a bit sad that I guessed the truth about it all VERY early on, which put a bit of a damper on things… But as always, I did have a great time hanging out with Hercule Poirot and I always enjoy seeing how he manages to solve the mystery in the end. I will be looking forward to watch the adaptation to see how much of the original story has changed!