Finlay Donovan is Killing It

It's almost the end of August already! Can you believe it? I certainly can't....(I'm so excited for fall weather, though).

I'm going to share my thoughts with you all on Finlay Donovan is Killing it by Elle Cosimano. I put this one off for a very long time. I think partly because the cover is bright pink? That usually doesn't bother me, but for some reason this one just looked way too girly for me. Absolutely no solid logic there, I know. The book is also not girly (in a frilly way...there is definitely some girl power, which we love to see). If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a TOTAL cover judge and will 97% of the time comment on the way the cover made me feel. I think it's similar to how I always comment on a baseball team's uniforms more than I actually pay attention to the game (sorry, Fiancé). Secondly, I waited for MONTHS on this one from my local library and it was totally worth the wait. I also saw mixed reviews of this one on different bookstagrams. Check out the awesome Finlay look-alike pictures under #FinlayDonovanIsKillingIt on Insta.

Official Synopsis:

"Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano."

My (Unofficial) Opinion:

I was so easily swept into this one and couldn't put it down. It's got great storyline pacing and the shorter chapters always help drive me right through a book. My reading slump was definitely cured quickly by this one! The plot was creative and fresh. I gave it a 5 star review on Goodreads, but would probably put it at a solid 4.5 if I could.

Important themes:

• Single parenthood and divorce

• Murder

• Untimely friendship

• Comedy

• Financial hardship

• Girl Power

Several times while reading this, I was so grateful for how much better written it felt than Arsenic and Adobo. I don't read mysteries a whole lot anymore, not because I don't like them, but just because it usually isn't what ends up in my hand. This was such a refreshing story after my disappointment in Arsenic and Adobo, though. The mystery plot-line in Finlay was MUCH more involved and it actually feels like you're watching a real-life CSI episode from afar instead of wondering why the heck the book is classified as mystery *cough* Arsenic and Adobo. Enough of beating up on A&A, moral of the story...you won't regret reading Finlay if you're looking for a light-read mystery.

The cliffhanger in this one is UNREAL. I absolutely will have to read the sequel as soon as it comes out to see where the story goes. It was completely unexpected, but so perfect. I cannot wait for Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, set to be published in February 2022. Leave your thoughts in the form at the bottom of this page if you've read Finlay Donovan, I'd love to chat with you! :)