Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2025 - results

 

At the beginning of 2025, I planned on catching up with my Netgalley TBR. I chose Silver (25 books), but I did not make it, only read 8. Here is my list:

A Swing for Samara - https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/book-review-swing-for-samara-by-nancy.html

Love, the Duke - https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/book-review-love-duke-say-i-do-3-by.html

The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant -https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/07/book-review-worlds-greatest-detective.html

Heart Marks the Spot - https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/08/book-review-heart-marks-spot-by-libby.html

Road Trip With a Rogue - https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/08/book-review-heart-marks-spot-by-libby.html

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer -https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/09/book-review-mysterious-case-of-missing.html

Miss Morton and the Missing Heir - https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/10/book-review-miss-morton-and-missing.html

Only Rakes Need Apply - https://ironcanuckreviews.blogspot.com/2025/10/book-review-only-rakes-need-apply-rakes.html

Book Review: Made You Look by Tanya Grant

 

Blurb: 

A Catskills retreat turns deadly for a group of influencers when a snowstorm cuts them off from their greatest resource—their followers—just as a killer strikes in this irresistible debut thriller.

Sydney Kent is the ultimate It Girl. You want her effortless style, her charisma, her hair. You want to be her; you want to be with her.

But the trouble with a star is that everyone else looks dull in comparison.

Despite Caitlyn’s social media cunning, it’s impossible for her to step out from Sydney’s shadow. Even Lucy, Sydney’s best friend since before her fame, can’t escape her role as full-time photographer to the influencer.

When the women are invited to post content for a secluded new retreat in the Catskills, alongside Sydney’s boyfriend Jeff, stylist Nash, and manager Brent, the weekend feels like it will be a fresh start. But an unexpected snowstorm traps the group together with no cell service, no Wi-Fi, and no way out.

Then a killer strikes, and the dream trip becomes a nightmare. Secrets, lies, and scandals are forced to the surface, and the friends can’t help but suspect the murderer might be among them. Worse, the killing has only just begun.

But where there’s danger, there’s juicy, jaw-dropping, name-making content to be created. You know you want to look.

Amazon: Made You Look - Kindle edition by Grant, Tanya. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: Made You Look by Tanya Grant | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: Made You Look eBook by Tanya Grant - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: Made You Look by Tanya Grant - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: Made You Look by Tanya Grant - BookBub

Goodreads: Made You Look by Tanya Grant | Goodreads

My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars - 

4 1/2 stars for me . This book kept me guessing and doubting myself. Six people went to a retreat before it opened to photograph and put on social media. There were plenty of secrets, back stabbing, suspense, and wondering. I enjoyed how the story was basically told by the three females with intermittent generic story chapters. After the murders began, I had a couple theories and kept going back and forth, but the final was quite a surprise. Enjoyed it.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Book Review: The Lady on Esplanade (Royal Street #3) by Karen White

 

Blurb: 

People and secrets from the past threaten to disrupt Nola Trenholm’s new life in New Orleans in the third novel of the Royal Street series by New York Times bestselling author Karen White.

Nola is ready to focus on starting over in the Big Easy. She wants to get back to work on the renovations of her Creole cottage, and she is eager to launch a new murder-house-flipping business with contractor, closet psychic, and part-time nemesis Beau Ryan. After a near-death ghostly encounter and the return of Beau’s missing sister, they are confident that the ghost of his mother can finally rest.

Nola believes the shotgun house on famed Esplanade Avenue is a prime fixer-upper for her first project. It may have been the site of a woman’s murder and the disappearance of an entire family, but the house will be perfect for new-to-town Cooper Ravenel—who happens to have caused Nola’s first heartbreak.

That’s the least of Nola’s worries, though. In addition to the elusive spirit of an angry young woman who accompanied Cooper to New Orleans, the house on Esplanade has its own ghosts, including one that is becoming increasingly dangerous as he tries to hide his dark secrets. And the wet footprints from the spirit of Beau’s mother have returned to let them know there is still unfinished business before she can rest. Spectral danger is headed toward them, and it’s up to Nola to convince Beau to help before it’s too late. . . .

Amazon: The Lady on Esplanade (Royal Street Book 3) - Kindle edition by White, Karen. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: The Lady on Esplanade by Karen White | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: The Lady on Esplanade eBook by Karen White - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: The Lady on Esplanade by Karen White - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: The Lady on Esplanade by Karen White - BookBub

Goodreads: The Lady on Esplanade (Royal Street #3) by Karen White | Goodreads

My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars - 

4 1/2 stars. This was my first read in this series, and I enjoyed it. This continued an arc from a previous book but was not necessary to read this one. Ghostly events abounded, some downright creepy, to keep Nola and her circle of friends and family on their toes. The personal relationships added to the layers of this book and had me more engaged. It started slow but, as it built, had me turning pages. I do recommend it and will look for the previous books.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Book Review: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir (A Miss Morton Mystery #4) by Catherine Lloyd

 

Blurb: 

Society in England is most unforgiving of a reversal of fortune, as Miss Caroline Morton, left penniless after her father’s suspicious death, knows all too well. Once a lady, now a lady’s companion, she is still enmeshed in the settling of the earl's estate—and soon murder as well—in this "charming cross between a Regency romance and a well-constructed detective story” (Kirkus Reviews) for of Victoria Thompson, C.S. Harris, and Deanna Raybourn.

Distraught over her younger sister Susan’s decision to leave for America and weary of shepherding her employer Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter in her relentless pursuit of marrying a peer, Caroline is dealt another blow when her family solicitors indicate they may have found the lost heir to the Morton earldom.

Possible heir Thomas, his mother Mrs. Scutton, and her widowed daughter Mary all descend on Mrs. Frogerton’s home on Half Moon Street. The air inside the house is soon thick with family tension and the near palpable presence of avarice. But things go from tense to tragic following the appearance of Mary’s dead husband—very much alive and recently released from debtors’ prison. Unseen by Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton, a fight breaks out upstairs, leaving Mary fatally stabbed and her mother wounded.

The manhunt is on for Mary’s husband, led by Inspector Ross. But both Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton begin to suspect that all is not as it seems The Scuttons have brought more than trouble into the home—they may be harboring secrets that could put Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton’s very lives at risk . . .

Amazon: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir (A Miss Morton Mystery Book 4) - Kindle edition by Lloyd, Catherine. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir eBook by Catherine Lloyd - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir (A Miss Morton Mystery Book 4) by Catherine Lloyd - BookBub

Goodreads: Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd | Goodreads

My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

I enjoyed this story very much. Miss Caroline's family history came to the door of Mrs. Frogerton's home. An heir to take over the earldom and his mother and sister arrived to stay while proof is found of the rightness of the claim. When death followed them, Miss Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton work together to figure out the truth. I loved the personal side of Caroline's storyline with gentlemen who were interested in her, making her take a closer look at her own life. Also, her happy moment when she finally heard from her sister. I found her strong, loyal, and determined. These two made a great crime-fighting duo. I look forward to more.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Book Review: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jonasson

 

Blurb: 

An Instant National Bestseller

The next thrilling golden-age-style mystery from #1 Icelandic bestseller Ragnar Jónasson, author of Death at the Sanatorium and Reykjavík.

One winter evening, bestselling crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.

There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective Helgi to crack the case before its leaked to the press.

As Helgi interviews the people closest to her—a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge—he realizes that Elín’s life wasn’t what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than the fiction she wrote.

As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of the writer's very unexpected life.

Amazon: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer: A Mystery - Kindle edition by Jónasson, Ragnar. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer: A Mystery by Ragnar Jónasson, Cicely Whitehead, Jane Slavin, Rufus Wright | 2940194737659 | Audiobook (Digital) | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer eBook by Ragnar Jónasson - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer: A Mystery by Ragnar Jónasson - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson - BookBub

Goodreads: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson | Goodreads

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was an interesting story with lots of twists and turns. Helgi was asked to find a missing writer, Elin. With so little to go on, he spoke to those who knew her best and began the job of putting everything together, her unusual lifestyle and even a second mysterious disappearance and a secret child. I had my suspicions but the ending was not quite what I expected.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Release: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jonasson with my review

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING CRIME WRITER 

by Icelandic bestselling author Ragnar Jónasson

Release Date: September 9, 2025

Blurb: 

The next thrilling golden-age-style mystery from #1 Icelandic bestseller Ragnar Jónasson, author of Death at the Sanatorium and Reykjavík. 

One winter evening, bestselling crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.

There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective Helgi to crack the case before its leaked to the press.

As Helgi interviews the people closest to her—a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge—he realizes that Elín’s life wasn’t what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than the fiction she wrote.

As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of the writer's very unexpected life.

#MissingCrimeWriter 

https://read.macmillan.com/lp/mysterious-case-of-the-missing-crime-writer-9781250408266/

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was an interesting story with lots of twists and turns. Helgi was asked to find a missing writer, Elin. With so little to go on, he spoke to those who knew her best and began the job of putting everything together, her unusual lifestyle and even a second mysterious disappearance and a secret child. I had my suspicions but the ending was not quite what I expected.

Book Review: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher

 

Blurb: 

A treasure hunter and the bestselling adventure novelist who broke her heart after one successful expedition reunite for a summer to search for lost riches.

Treasure hunter Stella Moore dreams of having it all—wealth, love, and a flourishing career—but knows she’ll never be that lucky. Every summer she and her childhood friends travel to search for hidden treasure, but she can barely manage her bills, let alone a relationship. Then, a chance encounter with alluring novelist Huck Sullivan during an expedition in Iceland has Stella thinking maybe her fortune has changed.

After his last book bombed, Huck hasn’t written a word. Joining Stella and her crew on an adventure seems like the perfect distraction from his problems, and when the crew finally uncovers hidden treasure, he is certain that he’s found more than just inspiration for his next novel. Huck and Stella’s undeniable connection gives way to an unforgettable night on a black sand beach.

After Huck disappears without a goodbye, Stella vows to put the heartbreak behind her—but that’s easier said than done when, a year later, every bookstore has a life-size cutout of her ex-lover next to stacks of his latest record-breaking bestseller. Good thing it’s time for another summer treasure hunt. Stella throws herself into mapping the path to a shipwreck off Key West, but the last thing she expects is an extra crew member showing up in search of material for a sequel and a second chance. 

Stella and Huck are prepared for storms, sharks, sea sickness, even a tentative truce. But facing the feelings they buried and confronting the devastating truth about why Huck left is the only way to find what their hearts have been searching for all along.

Amazon: Heart Marks the Spot - Kindle edition by Hubscher, Libby. Contemporary Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: Heart Marks the Spot eBook by Libby Hubscher - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher - BookBub

Goodreads: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher | Goodreads

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was a fun story though a bit long. The detail about sea searching and artifact research was great. Stella was very knowledgeable and independent. Her past drove her passion for the hunt. Huck was fascinated with Stella and her job, but he made a big mistake, putting their future at risk. I loved what he went through to get her back.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Book Review: Ask Scarlett: Can Being Outside Help Me De-Stress? by Rebecca Baines

 

Blurb: 

Based on the popular Ranger Rick® magazine feature, Ask Scarlett is a fun question-and-answer reference book that satisfies kids' curiosity about nature and how being outside can make you feel better.

With a fun and quirky attitude, Scarlett explains why nature helps the brain, how it supports creativity, and how it helps kids become planet protectors, along with the answers to dozens upon dozens of other nature and health questions. Once kids know what Scarlett knows, they'll be nature experts—and aficionados extraordinaire.

Science continues to show the positive effects of nature on mental health. Magination Press and the National Wildlife Federation® together hope to ease stress through a collection of books showing the benefits of nature for improving mental health, reducing stress, boosting self-esteem, and encouraging empowerment for people, communities, and the planet.

Amazon: Ask Scarlett: Can Being Outside Help Me De-Stress? And More Questions about Nature and You - Kindle edition by Baines, Rebecca. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: Ask Scarlett: Can Being Outside Help Me De-Stress? And More Questions about Nature and You by Rebecca Baines | eBook (NOOK Kids) | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: Ask Scarlett eBook by Rebecca Baines - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: Ask Scarlett: Can Being Outside Help Me De-Stress? And More Questions about Nature and You by Rebecca Baines - Books on Google Play

Goodreads: Ask Scarlett: Can Being Outside Help Me De-Stress? And More Questions about Nature and You by Rebecca Baines | Goodreads

My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

This book may have been geared toward children, but I would recommend all adults read it as well. I enjoyed all the topics covered, the explanations how we would be affected or benefit from, as well as the glossary at the back. The photos throughout were beautiful and added a visual of items explained. Topics included all five senses, weather, pets, and how overlaps occurred, with notes as to whether there was scientific proof or not. By the time I made it to Chapter 5, I had come across some things to try myself in my own life. Definitely for all to read.

I received a copy through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Book Review: Love, the Duke (Say I Do #3) by Amelia Grey

 

Blurb: 

Love, The Duke is the final novel in the historical romance Say I Do trilogy about dukes needing to wed to tap into their wealth.

When the Duke of Hurstbourne receives a letter from his childhood friend asking him to marry his sister Ophelia, Hurst declines. He’s not adverse to taking a bride, but he believes in love at first sight that stirs his desire—not marriage sight-unseen.

Adhering to society’s strict propriety for ladies, Ophelia Stowe has no choice but to present herself as a man to seek the Duke of Hurstbourne’s favor. If not for the dire situation she finds herself in, she wouldn’t have asked for help from the handsome man who had rebuffed her. When the alluring duke’s response is a plan of his own, Ophelia never dreams it would be a proposal of a marriage of convenience.

But the stakes are high, and the good name of the Stowe family will be damaged if a missing antiquity isn’t found. When she accepts his offer, she quickly finds she isn’t immune to the passion building between her and her new husband--or how real the marriage begins to feel.

Amazon: Love, The Duke: Say I Do - Kindle edition by Grey, Amelia. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: Love, The Duke by Amelia Grey, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: Love, The Duke eBook by Amelia Grey - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: Love, The Duke: Say I Do by Amelia Grey - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: Love, the Duke by Amelia Grey - BookBub

Goodreads: Love, The Duke (Say I Do, #3) by Amelia Grey | Goodreads

My Review - 4 of 5 stars - 

This was a good story. Ophelia wanted to protect her family and brother's reputation, so she took to hunting for a chalice. Drake was protective of her, admired her gumption, and fought his feelings for her. With danger lurking around, time running out, and emotions getting in the way, Ophelia and Drake gave into their hearts, and all things worked out.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Book Review: A Swing for Samara by Nancy Carlson

 

Blurb: 

Marco and Samara are best pals and have fun doing all sorts of activities together. But there’s one thing they can’t do together—swing. That’s because wheelchairs don’t fit on swings. So, Marco and the other kids at school decide to raise money for swings all kids can use.

Inspired by the true story of the students at Glen Lake Elementary in the Hopkins school district in Minnesota, A Swing for Samara celebrates the power of compassion and inclusion and highlights the many ways accessible playground equipment benefits all children.

Amazon:  A Swing for Samara - Kindle edition by Carlson, Nancy. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: A Swing for Samara by Nancy Carlson | eBook (NOOK Kids) | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: A Swing for Samara eBook by Nancy Carlson - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: A Swing for Samara by Nancy Carlson - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: A Swing for Samara by Nancy Carlson - BookBub

Goodreads: A Swing for Samara by Nancy Carlson | Goodreads

My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

I really enjoyed this story. Based on true facts, the friends wanted to help out Samara who was wheelchair bound and could not play on the swings. The fact that her class and school worked with professionals to come up with a solution was wonderful to see. The information at the back talking about how the real-life project happened gave a stronger perspective to the book. The illustrations were well drawn and colorful.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2025

 

I am joining the Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge again for 2025. I did not complete this challenge for 2024. I fell short, reading only 15 out of the 25 books for the level I had selected. Silver Level (25 books) will be my goal again. Fingers crossed I can work on my TBR pile in 2025.

Here is the information about the Challenge: 

What the challenge is all about…

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the number of NetGalley/Edelweiss books sitting on your shelf to be read?
Have you lost your 80% rating and would love to get it back?
Do you want to challenge yourself to read more NetGalley/Edelweiss books?
Do you need extra inspiration to achieve that next badge?

If the answer is “YES” to any of these questions then this is the challenge for you!

Challenge guidelines… 

• The challenge runs from January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. There is no deadline to sign up.
• Everyone is welcome to participate – you do not need to have a blog.
• Any genre, release date, length, etc. counts – it just needs to be a book from NetGalley or Edelweiss.
• Books can count for more than one challenge that you are participating in.
• The first day of each month I will post a monthly “link-up” for you to link your reviews. If you forget one month, no worries, just catch up the next month.
• Questions: Feel free to leave a comment below.

The Levels…

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum – 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books