What do you think?
Rate this book
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors
Will True Love Brew in this Killer Coffee Shop?One new owner. One hot waiter. And one seriously weird coffee shop…
Adele is used to being down on her luck. She’s just been kicked out of her latest musical theatre gig, and it now looks like the bright lights of Broadway are behind her for good. So, when the opportunity comes up to take over a Brooklyn coffee shop, it feels like at last things are going her way.
The only issue is the coffee shop comes with strings attached in the form of one very grumpy (but roasting hot) waiter, Ben. He’s worked there for years and he’s not about to move on just because there’s a new owner in town.
But soon it’s not just Ben who’s smouldering, because strange things are happening with the old coffee roasting machine in the back of the shop, with roaring flames and weird noises that seem to come from nowhere. She’d ask Ben for help if she could, but he never seems to be around when there’s a problem to fix. And to add to it all, now some of the regular customers are nowhere to be seen…
Trouble is brewing for Adele and, before she knows it, she’s in a whole latte trouble…
Adele is used to being down on her luck. She’s just been kicked out of her latest musical theatre gig, and it now looks like the bright lights of Broadway are behind her for good. So, when the opportunity comes up to take over a Brooklyn coffee shop, it feels like at last things are going her way.
The only issue is the coffee shop comes with strings attached in the form of one very grumpy (but roasting hot) waiter, Ben. He’s worked there for years and he’s not about to move on just because there’s a new owner in town.
But soon it’s not just Ben who’s smouldering, because strange things are happening with the old coffee roasting machine in the back of the shop, with roaring flames and weird noises that seem to come from nowhere. She’d ask Ben for help if she could, but he never seems to be around when there’s a problem to fix. And to add to it all, now some of the regular customers are nowhere to be seen…
Trouble is brewing for Adele and, before she knows it, she’s in a whole latte trouble…
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2024
164 people are currently reading
1576 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
March 27, 2025
Delightful blend of cozy mystery settings and low angst horror vibes. The characters were so much fun and the ending was great. If you've read Cackle, you know the kind of vibe I'm talking about, alas no spider pet here just a tuxedo cat and a pothos named Audrey III (which I really liked since I have a healthy appreciation for naming plants especially pothos). The sense of humor is very millennial coded and I was absolutely here for it.
August 30, 2024
*8 min video of James Hoffmann saying an emphatic 'No'*
September 22, 2024
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors
by Hazel Graves
Cozy Mystery Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Sept 12, 2024
Avon Books
Ages: 14+
Failing her latest musical audition, Adele is about ready to pack up and head back home, but when an aunt she had only heard about left an apartment and a small coffee shop to her, Adele thinks this might be a way for her to stay in the city.
But there are conditions... Ben, the handsome barista, who also lives in the apartment above the coffee shop can not be fired and she has to keep it up and running for two (?) years before they officially become hers.
But there are weird noises that vibrate the building which Ben blames on the subway and the smoke from the coffee roasting machine in the basement, but Ben keeps the basement door locked up under six (?) padlocks, and he is the only one allowed down there to roast.
Then there are the rude people who appear to be missing.
I would call this a slow cozy because not much happens that an avid reader wouldn't figure out within a few chapters, which made this boring, so I had to start skimming.
I feel that this book is centered on found family and friendship more than anything paranormal, which, I firmly believe, was just thrown in because that genre is very popular right now. (And no, this book is not like 'Little Shop of Horrors'! That has some tension to it, this does not!)
While there is some colorful language, this book isn't graphic, scary, or intense, so it's suitable for readers fourteen and older.
2 Stars
by Hazel Graves
Cozy Mystery Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Sept 12, 2024
Avon Books
Ages: 14+
Failing her latest musical audition, Adele is about ready to pack up and head back home, but when an aunt she had only heard about left an apartment and a small coffee shop to her, Adele thinks this might be a way for her to stay in the city.
But there are conditions... Ben, the handsome barista, who also lives in the apartment above the coffee shop can not be fired and she has to keep it up and running for two (?) years before they officially become hers.
But there are weird noises that vibrate the building which Ben blames on the subway and the smoke from the coffee roasting machine in the basement, but Ben keeps the basement door locked up under six (?) padlocks, and he is the only one allowed down there to roast.
Then there are the rude people who appear to be missing.
I would call this a slow cozy because not much happens that an avid reader wouldn't figure out within a few chapters, which made this boring, so I had to start skimming.
I feel that this book is centered on found family and friendship more than anything paranormal, which, I firmly believe, was just thrown in because that genre is very popular right now. (And no, this book is not like 'Little Shop of Horrors'! That has some tension to it, this does not!)
While there is some colorful language, this book isn't graphic, scary, or intense, so it's suitable for readers fourteen and older.
2 Stars
September 3, 2024
My first read of September.
What a quirky, fun, and cosy read!
I loved every bit of this book. From the front cover to the references of films and shows to the names of the chapters titles. I really enjoyed meeting the eccentric, odd, and interesting cast of characters that made this story come alive. I have to mention Ember the tuxedo cat, as I have one myself.
A slow-burn plot that I couldn't get enough of, a real page turner.
The romance was a small part of this story. As I'm not a big romance reader, I loved what it added to the overall story. Many times, I found myself laughing out loud or giggling to myself whilst reading this. The humour was definitely up my street.
A perfect lighthearted, feel-good and weirdly wonderful read for you to get lost in.
Thank you, Avon Books UK, for my advanced copy.
My opinions are my own.
What a quirky, fun, and cosy read!
I loved every bit of this book. From the front cover to the references of films and shows to the names of the chapters titles. I really enjoyed meeting the eccentric, odd, and interesting cast of characters that made this story come alive. I have to mention Ember the tuxedo cat, as I have one myself.
A slow-burn plot that I couldn't get enough of, a real page turner.
The romance was a small part of this story. As I'm not a big romance reader, I loved what it added to the overall story. Many times, I found myself laughing out loud or giggling to myself whilst reading this. The humour was definitely up my street.
A perfect lighthearted, feel-good and weirdly wonderful read for you to get lost in.
Thank you, Avon Books UK, for my advanced copy.
My opinions are my own.
September 8, 2024
This was bad. So bad. I had high hopes, spooky coffee shop and horror vibes? Sign me up! Can I return to sender?
It moves along at a glacial pace and there is zero character development. Adele is insufferable and acts like she’s a teenager while being in her early 30’s. None of the characters were likable except maybe Ember the cat.
The roasting machine, ridiculous. No spoilers but it was so dumb. No rhyme or reason to it.
I will never get this time back.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It moves along at a glacial pace and there is zero character development. Adele is insufferable and acts like she’s a teenager while being in her early 30’s. None of the characters were likable except maybe Ember the cat.
The roasting machine, ridiculous. No spoilers but it was so dumb. No rhyme or reason to it.
I will never get this time back.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2024
This is not a serious book. It makes very little sense. The plot is full of holes. It is entirely unrealistic.
In other words, it has a lot in common with musical theatre. And like musical theatre, it’s tons of fun.
Our protagonist is Adele, who is nearly resigned to giving up her dreams ofBroadway Off-Broadway Off-Off-Broadway stardom when, out of nowhere, a distant relative she’s never heard of dies and leaves Adele her Brooklyn coffee shop, Riffraff. This inheritance comes with both a blazing hot Aussie barista named Ben and a terrible secret. Adele is warned by Ben never to go down to the basement, which (he tells Adele) contains the coffee roaster that is the source of the massive amounts of smoke that periodically come bellowing up. Oh, that rumbling and shaking? That’s totally the subway, don’t worry about it. Yes the 7 deadbolt locks on the basement door are necessary, it’s an OSHA thing.
So Adele is trying to learn the ropes of the coffee business from Ben and the agéd hippies who are the shop’s most loyal customers/friends of her late great-aunt. Meanwhile her finance bro boyfriend is trying to get her to turn Riffraff into the most Starbucksy Starbucks that ever Starbucksed - gotta get that ROI.
This book is filled to bursting with musical theatre references (my favorite being the plant growing in Riffraff named Audrey III), terrible coffee puns, and crackling sexual tension. As I said at the beginning, it’s absolutely full of plot holes, but I do not care any more than I care about where and how, exactly, all these late-19th-century New York newsboys received their classical dance training.
Settle into a comfy chair with a long black (far superior to an americano, according to Ben), turn your brain off, and enjoy this book. It’s a delight.
My blog
In other words, it has a lot in common with musical theatre. And like musical theatre, it’s tons of fun.
Our protagonist is Adele, who is nearly resigned to giving up her dreams of
So Adele is trying to learn the ropes of the coffee business from Ben and the agéd hippies who are the shop’s most loyal customers/friends of her late great-aunt. Meanwhile her finance bro boyfriend is trying to get her to turn Riffraff into the most Starbucksy Starbucks that ever Starbucksed - gotta get that ROI.
This book is filled to bursting with musical theatre references (my favorite being the plant growing in Riffraff named Audrey III), terrible coffee puns, and crackling sexual tension. As I said at the beginning, it’s absolutely full of plot holes, but I do not care any more than I care about where and how, exactly, all these late-19th-century New York newsboys received their classical dance training.
Settle into a comfy chair with a long black (far superior to an americano, according to Ben), turn your brain off, and enjoy this book. It’s a delight.
My blog
October 3, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Spoiler alert. It's Sweeney Todd meets Little Shop of Horrors. But coffee instead of meat pies. I figured the title was too on the nose to be a copy-paste situation. Alas. The whole thing is cringy. Nope.
Spoiler alert. It's Sweeney Todd meets Little Shop of Horrors. But coffee instead of meat pies. I figured the title was too on the nose to be a copy-paste situation. Alas. The whole thing is cringy. Nope.
October 30, 2024
I feel like I should know what the point of a book is when I’m a third of the way in
November 5, 2024
The characters were the only thing I liked about this book. The plot was just dull with the weirdest and most far-fetched “plot twist” I’ve ever read. Should have DNFed.
October 2, 2024
A charmingly quirky debut that owes a lot to musical theater (as the title suggests) with plenty of humour and lots of caffeine.
A nice simple set up, Adele discovers the perfect opportunity of owing a Brooklyn coffee shop after another failed theatre audition.
Her late great aunts stipulation includes batista Ben must stay - which adds an interesting dynamic.
I felt a lot of the references were being overly explained at times.
The elements that worked best were things like the shop being called Riffraff as example.
The plot reveal is pretty obvious if you know you shows, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this.
There's quite a lot of characters to keep track of which bogs down the middle slightly, but overall a light fun read.
A nice simple set up, Adele discovers the perfect opportunity of owing a Brooklyn coffee shop after another failed theatre audition.
Her late great aunts stipulation includes batista Ben must stay - which adds an interesting dynamic.
I felt a lot of the references were being overly explained at times.
The elements that worked best were things like the shop being called Riffraff as example.
The plot reveal is pretty obvious if you know you shows, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this.
There's quite a lot of characters to keep track of which bogs down the middle slightly, but overall a light fun read.
September 26, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
🌶️ 1/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Hazel Graves for allowing me to read an ARC of this book and share my thoughts with other readers.
This book had all the pieces to be really great. I love musicals, spooky season, a little murder mystery, coffee, cats and any reference to Little Shop of Horrors. It just fell so flat for me in the execution. There were a handful of sections that felt a little off topic from the plot and ended up giving a “this is what happened next in her day” vibe. I almost entirely lost interest at 70% and if I wasn’t so stubborn about not DNF’ing I would have just called it quits.
Like I said above, it just didn’t hit and I can’t quite put my finger on it. The writing style was just a bit slow? It wasn’t bad though, each individual aspect was good but I didn’t really get to know or care about any of the main characters. Adele was a bit annoying and clueless ( not in a good way.. in the annoyingly naive way) and Ben was just flat. He was supposed to be this sexy, spicy mysterious barista/manager and he was just kind of void for me. There was no spark for me between these two either. If anything, it was awkward and a little workplace harassment vibes.
I wanted to love this one so much but I just didn’t. I hope that someone else can give it the love I can’t though!
🌶️ 1/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Hazel Graves for allowing me to read an ARC of this book and share my thoughts with other readers.
This book had all the pieces to be really great. I love musicals, spooky season, a little murder mystery, coffee, cats and any reference to Little Shop of Horrors. It just fell so flat for me in the execution. There were a handful of sections that felt a little off topic from the plot and ended up giving a “this is what happened next in her day” vibe. I almost entirely lost interest at 70% and if I wasn’t so stubborn about not DNF’ing I would have just called it quits.
Like I said above, it just didn’t hit and I can’t quite put my finger on it. The writing style was just a bit slow? It wasn’t bad though, each individual aspect was good but I didn’t really get to know or care about any of the main characters. Adele was a bit annoying and clueless ( not in a good way.. in the annoyingly naive way) and Ben was just flat. He was supposed to be this sexy, spicy mysterious barista/manager and he was just kind of void for me. There was no spark for me between these two either. If anything, it was awkward and a little workplace harassment vibes.
I wanted to love this one so much but I just didn’t. I hope that someone else can give it the love I can’t though!
October 19, 2024
*** Spoilers ahead ***
⭐⭐⭐ stars (more like 2.5)
Thoughts while reading:
55% : I've been reading this since Monday, and it's painful at this point. Such a basic plot and just filled with 150+ pages of useless, boring filler. If I don't finish this today, I'm dnf'ing it (with pleasure) so I can finally move on and read something else.
99%: Okay, what the hell? A zombie and then the book ends? Nope. Not reading a second one even if I'm paid to.
I had been wanting to read The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors for ages, and I was so excited for a coffee shop version of the Little Shop of Horrors. It was going to be the perfect book to kick off the spooky season. However, I was very disappointed.
I have never come across a more infuriating MC than Adele. At every chance she had to actually do anything for herself - look in the basement of the shop SHE OWNS; check if there's a subway under the shop; make literally any choice without looking to Ben - she didn't. She was literally the most naïve character ever. While I understand that Ben was forced into feeding the coffee bean roaster by Adele's aunt, he did willingly keep feeding people to it after she died instead of either a) buying a new roaster, or b) roasting off-site. And Adele literally overlooked the fact Ben is a serial killer (THE serial killer people in the neighbourhood are scared of), and killed her boyfriend, all because he's hot.
After ranting about the characters, I have to rant about the plot. This could have been so great, the perfect creepy book for the Halloween season. Instead, it was cringe, boring, and exhausting at times. There was so much filler that was completely irrelevant, and time jumps that disrupted the story and made the big events not very impactful because it just jumped straight to them instead of building up. The filler that is there didn't build up at all, and was entirely irrelevant to the plot. Then, by the time you've got to the end and you're finally free you get hit with the zombie plot... and nothing else about it. You're telling me that Adele notices a guy who's supposed to be DEAD in the coffee shop with green skin and DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT!!!! She literally IGNORES IT!!
Anyway... this was infuriating, and I'm upset I lost a whole week of my life reading this. I should have DNF'd it after the 60th mention of how hot Ben is.
⭐⭐⭐ stars (more like 2.5)
Thoughts while reading:
55% : I've been reading this since Monday, and it's painful at this point. Such a basic plot and just filled with 150+ pages of useless, boring filler. If I don't finish this today, I'm dnf'ing it (with pleasure) so I can finally move on and read something else.
99%: Okay, what the hell? A zombie and then the book ends? Nope. Not reading a second one even if I'm paid to.
I had been wanting to read The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors for ages, and I was so excited for a coffee shop version of the Little Shop of Horrors. It was going to be the perfect book to kick off the spooky season. However, I was very disappointed.
I have never come across a more infuriating MC than Adele. At every chance she had to actually do anything for herself - look in the basement of the shop SHE OWNS; check if there's a subway under the shop; make literally any choice without looking to Ben - she didn't. She was literally the most naïve character ever. While I understand that Ben was forced into feeding the coffee bean roaster by Adele's aunt, he did willingly keep feeding people to it after she died instead of either a) buying a new roaster, or b) roasting off-site. And Adele literally overlooked the fact Ben is a serial killer (THE serial killer people in the neighbourhood are scared of), and killed her boyfriend, all because he's hot.
After ranting about the characters, I have to rant about the plot. This could have been so great, the perfect creepy book for the Halloween season. Instead, it was cringe, boring, and exhausting at times. There was so much filler that was completely irrelevant, and time jumps that disrupted the story and made the big events not very impactful because it just jumped straight to them instead of building up. The filler that is there didn't build up at all, and was entirely irrelevant to the plot. Then, by the time you've got to the end and you're finally free you get hit with the zombie plot... and nothing else about it. You're telling me that Adele notices a guy who's supposed to be DEAD in the coffee shop with green skin and DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT!!!! She literally IGNORES IT!!
"The teacher scratched at the skin behind her ear, which looked a tiny bit green-tinged. Then at her eyes, which looked a tiny bit jaundiced. Wait a minute, thought Adele. Wasn’t this the geography teacher who’d mysteriously disappeared during one of her first weeks at the coffee shop?"
Anyway... this was infuriating, and I'm upset I lost a whole week of my life reading this. I should have DNF'd it after the 60th mention of how hot Ben is.
February 22, 2025
very funny very punny and a little weird but i’m here for the vibe
Want to read
November 22, 2024dnf at 25%
“You can ride up front. But only because that dress is fire.” was the final straw for me.
“You can ride up front. But only because that dress is fire.” was the final straw for me.
October 24, 2025
Ši knyga tai Gilmore Girls, but make it cute thriller 🤭
Veiksmas vyksta NY, sekame paskui MMC Adele, kuri yra teatro vaikas ir neviltyje, nes jos svajonė tapti Broadway žvaigžde dūžta į šipulius. Tačiau netikėtai, ji sulaukia žinios, kad teta Doralee, kurios ji nėra niekada maęiusi, tik girdėjusi, paliko jai kavinę! Tačiau neilgai trukus paaiškėja, kad joje vyksta keisti dalykai...
Smagiai susiskaitė man, toks lengvas cute thriller, labai daug visokių references į muzikos ir teatro padaulį, kurio nelabai supranti nes esi ne iš USA o EU, bet kaip ir Gilmore Girls, jeigu tie references nėra problema - tada ir nebus bėdų.
Knyga daug šneka apie community svarbą, kad neišsipildę norai, dar nėra pabaiga, apie naujus iššūkius ir kaip juose gali padaryti daug klaidų bei aišku apie slow burn meilę :)
Rekomenduočiau tikrai ypač šiuo spooky season, kas nori kažko cute, bet su spooky potėme 🩸
Veiksmas vyksta NY, sekame paskui MMC Adele, kuri yra teatro vaikas ir neviltyje, nes jos svajonė tapti Broadway žvaigžde dūžta į šipulius. Tačiau netikėtai, ji sulaukia žinios, kad teta Doralee, kurios ji nėra niekada maęiusi, tik girdėjusi, paliko jai kavinę! Tačiau neilgai trukus paaiškėja, kad joje vyksta keisti dalykai...
Smagiai susiskaitė man, toks lengvas cute thriller, labai daug visokių references į muzikos ir teatro padaulį, kurio nelabai supranti nes esi ne iš USA o EU, bet kaip ir Gilmore Girls, jeigu tie references nėra problema - tada ir nebus bėdų.
Knyga daug šneka apie community svarbą, kad neišsipildę norai, dar nėra pabaiga, apie naujus iššūkius ir kaip juose gali padaryti daug klaidų bei aišku apie slow burn meilę :)
Rekomenduočiau tikrai ypač šiuo spooky season, kas nori kažko cute, bet su spooky potėme 🩸
October 13, 2024
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I feel like the potential was there, and the storyline was different and quirky, which I liked, but I feel like the writing style slightly let it down.
To me, it seemed a little all over the place. Sometimes, it was difficult to grasp what was happening straight away. It would also jump to major parts in the story without much of a lead up, which would take away the emotional effect that the storyline could have had.
There were a LOT of musical theatre/movie references, which can be fun, but i felt it was slightly overdone to the point where they lost their effect a little.
I did like the ideas that the book had, though, and that it was multiple genres mixed into one book. It was different to my usual reads, and I am happy that I gave it a go. I think the fact that it was so unique and quirky kept me wanting to continue the book. Some of the characters are also very loveable, which helped!
To me, it seemed a little all over the place. Sometimes, it was difficult to grasp what was happening straight away. It would also jump to major parts in the story without much of a lead up, which would take away the emotional effect that the storyline could have had.
There were a LOT of musical theatre/movie references, which can be fun, but i felt it was slightly overdone to the point where they lost their effect a little.
I did like the ideas that the book had, though, and that it was multiple genres mixed into one book. It was different to my usual reads, and I am happy that I gave it a go. I think the fact that it was so unique and quirky kept me wanting to continue the book. Some of the characters are also very loveable, which helped!
October 26, 2025
I really don’t know what to say about this book! Was it gripping not particularly but I still couldn’t put it down!
Romance and murder all wrapped up in quirky silliness! The actual story is so silly but it’s brilliant.
The characters are great and I think that is what makes the book so good!
Romance and murder all wrapped up in quirky silliness! The actual story is so silly but it’s brilliant.
The characters are great and I think that is what makes the book so good!
September 22, 2024
this book is cosy, yet silly. our main character, adele, is so blummin’ naive but you know what? despite the many plot holes, i can’t say i didn’t enjoy it!
November 1, 2024
Hoe kom je erop om dit uit te geven 🙃
October 3, 2025
Hmm, a 2.5 for me.
Loved the premise and enjoyed the first 50%. Second half went down hill for me, sadly. Had so much promise but didn’t live up.
Loved the premise and enjoyed the first 50%. Second half went down hill for me, sadly. Had so much promise but didn’t live up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2024
1.5⭐️
Sorry not sorry
Sorry not sorry
October 20, 2024
Far and away the best thing about this book is the cover.
The premise (horror rom-com in an eccentric community based around a Sweeny Todd-esque coffee shop) has so much promise but the story fell flat, had major (major!) plot holes and the romance was superficial and flat. Oh and the writing style! I love a stupid joke, I love LOVE terrible puns, but they were spread so thick and were so try-hard that I cringed through the whole book. I only really finished to see how it could possibly wrap up.
The most egregious plot hole is why the MC had an aunt beloved by the community in the same city she lived in that she had never met?? This ran counter to everything else we ever learned about either woman.
The only thing we know about the love interest is that he is hot and has an Australian accent. Ugh.
The magic involved in the horror plot is incongruous and never explained, like, at all. The book lids along very slowly and the horror plot isn’t introduced until more than halfway through (60%ish if memory serves) and then the last chapter or so wraps everything up like the author had a word limit. I think it’s fair to say the first half of the story is 85% of the book and the second half is sped through the last 15% ish.
Crazy to me that a book like this has a major publisher when so many absolute GEMS have to be independently published.
The premise (horror rom-com in an eccentric community based around a Sweeny Todd-esque coffee shop) has so much promise but the story fell flat, had major (major!) plot holes and the romance was superficial and flat. Oh and the writing style! I love a stupid joke, I love LOVE terrible puns, but they were spread so thick and were so try-hard that I cringed through the whole book. I only really finished to see how it could possibly wrap up.
The most egregious plot hole is why the MC had an aunt beloved by the community in the same city she lived in that she had never met?? This ran counter to everything else we ever learned about either woman.
The only thing we know about the love interest is that he is hot and has an Australian accent. Ugh.
The magic involved in the horror plot is incongruous and never explained, like, at all. The book lids along very slowly and the horror plot isn’t introduced until more than halfway through (60%ish if memory serves) and then the last chapter or so wraps everything up like the author had a word limit. I think it’s fair to say the first half of the story is 85% of the book and the second half is sped through the last 15% ish.
Crazy to me that a book like this has a major publisher when so many absolute GEMS have to be independently published.
October 25, 2024
I think "terror" is a bit of a stretch. Everything interesting that happens happens in the last 20% of the book. I spent the entire time waiting for something to happen and felt very disappointed.
There wasn't a whole lot of murdering happening on page. As soon as Adele finds out about it, they imidiatley find a way to solve the problem. I also felt like the whole hungry for blood roaster wasn't explained well. Still no idea why it was hungry for people apart from it got fed once.
Felt let down by this book.
There wasn't a whole lot of murdering happening on page. As soon as Adele finds out about it, they imidiatley find a way to solve the problem. I also felt like the whole hungry for blood roaster wasn't explained well. Still no idea why it was hungry for people apart from it got fed once.
Felt let down by this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2024
When Adele inherits a coffee shop and apartment from a great-aunt she never knew, the former coming complete with a distractingly hot barista, Ben, she thinks it must be too good to be true...
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors has a great premise, and the grumpy x sunshine trope works really nicely, as Adele and Ben try to get to used to running the coffee shop together. I also loved the coffee shop setting, with all its eccentricities (both supernatural and otherwise), and I especially loved the quirky cast of characters who peopled it. This is one of those books where you could easily imagine sequels being written about each of the characters, and I particularly loved the Fjutcha sisters, but I would also quite happily read more about Gracie Nivola. There is plenty of humour in this story, and I found the satirically realistic Donny - a coffee-shop customer, and property developer - highly entertaining.
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors didn't always work for me, as I found Adele a little frustrating as a main character and the supernatural twist a little obvious, which meant that I was never fully hooked by the story. But there is lots to enjoy about this book, especially if (unlike me) you're a musical theatre fan.
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors is out on 12 September. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advance copy.
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors has a great premise, and the grumpy x sunshine trope works really nicely, as Adele and Ben try to get to used to running the coffee shop together. I also loved the coffee shop setting, with all its eccentricities (both supernatural and otherwise), and I especially loved the quirky cast of characters who peopled it. This is one of those books where you could easily imagine sequels being written about each of the characters, and I particularly loved the Fjutcha sisters, but I would also quite happily read more about Gracie Nivola. There is plenty of humour in this story, and I found the satirically realistic Donny - a coffee-shop customer, and property developer - highly entertaining.
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors didn't always work for me, as I found Adele a little frustrating as a main character and the supernatural twist a little obvious, which meant that I was never fully hooked by the story. But there is lots to enjoy about this book, especially if (unlike me) you're a musical theatre fan.
The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors is out on 12 September. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advance copy.
August 25, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for sending an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes for this one; grumpy x sunshine and camp horror vibes? Very fun.
It was so different to what I would normally read and I did enjoy it, however I feel like how the ending was resolved and explained away was a little too convenient and predictable and a little bit cliche, which was disappointing.
I kind of wanted more of the creepy aspect and for the MMC to have more of a villain arc. I also feel like the enormity of the weirdness going on wasn’t fully addressed by the FMC - she just kind of accepted it and moved on with the story with very little consequence or emotional upheaval?
The creepy but cosy coffee shop setting and the found family trope made this a really comfy read that I found to be well-written and easy to read, however I probably wouldn’t jump to recommend this to someone - unless they were super into musical theatre (which I am not).
I had high hopes for this one; grumpy x sunshine and camp horror vibes? Very fun.
It was so different to what I would normally read and I did enjoy it, however I feel like how the ending was resolved and explained away was a little too convenient and predictable and a little bit cliche, which was disappointing.
I kind of wanted more of the creepy aspect and for the MMC to have more of a villain arc. I also feel like the enormity of the weirdness going on wasn’t fully addressed by the FMC - she just kind of accepted it and moved on with the story with very little consequence or emotional upheaval?
The creepy but cosy coffee shop setting and the found family trope made this a really comfy read that I found to be well-written and easy to read, however I probably wouldn’t jump to recommend this to someone - unless they were super into musical theatre (which I am not).
July 30, 2024
Who doesn't love a questionably cute coffee shop with where people mysteriously go missing?
I enjoyed this story and the authors writing style, my only complaint was that it felt like it took a while to get going.
The story was romance lite, there isn't a huge amount of relationship growth between the main characters as the bigger focus of the plot is the strange happenings at the coffee shop.
Enjoyable and weirdly cozy.
I enjoyed this story and the authors writing style, my only complaint was that it felt like it took a while to get going.
The story was romance lite, there isn't a huge amount of relationship growth between the main characters as the bigger focus of the plot is the strange happenings at the coffee shop.
Enjoyable and weirdly cozy.
September 29, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this weird little book. I really loved this one.
Adele is the typical struggling broadway actor who is starting to give up on her big dreams of being on stage when she unexpectedly receives a blessing? In disguise which is a very strange little coffee shop from an estranged aunt. This seems like a dream come true except it comes with terms - one being that she must keep on Ben, the very attractive barista that currently works there. Things get off to a rocky start but all seems well until Ben refuses to let her go down to the mysterious and noisy basement and some regulars start to go missing.
If you are a fan of musicals then this book will be for you, it is absolutely packed full of musical references which meant I had a permanent smile on my face throughout. The book is very fast paced and almost jumps around a bit, think of Lorelei from Gilmore Girls but the broadway version. Audrey is a happy, bright and (luckily for this plot) a go with the flow character who loves to sing and talk to anyone. A perfect contrast for Ben, the sexy, mysterious and secretive barista who is very much the opposite of this. I love a good grumpy/ sunshine trope and their banter and dynamic was really fun to read.
One highlight of this book for me was the side characters that really shone through, I don’t think this book would have been half as good without all the zany coffee shop regulars that we get to know and love and their side storyline was a nice contrast to the more chilling and darker main plot line.
This book manages to mix the absurd overzealous comedy of broadway with the strange macabre of a horror B movie. The horror storyline did seem a bit secondary to all the other weirdness that went on but I didn’t mind that because I was having such a good time. I did like the reveal of what was in the basement I just wish that we got more of an explanation as it seemed wrapped up quite quickly which was slightly disappointing. Its a truly unique book though and so much fun.
“In truth, she was anxious about what she might find below. Like armchairs made out of human skin. Or a shrine to a football team.”
Adele is the typical struggling broadway actor who is starting to give up on her big dreams of being on stage when she unexpectedly receives a blessing? In disguise which is a very strange little coffee shop from an estranged aunt. This seems like a dream come true except it comes with terms - one being that she must keep on Ben, the very attractive barista that currently works there. Things get off to a rocky start but all seems well until Ben refuses to let her go down to the mysterious and noisy basement and some regulars start to go missing.
If you are a fan of musicals then this book will be for you, it is absolutely packed full of musical references which meant I had a permanent smile on my face throughout. The book is very fast paced and almost jumps around a bit, think of Lorelei from Gilmore Girls but the broadway version. Audrey is a happy, bright and (luckily for this plot) a go with the flow character who loves to sing and talk to anyone. A perfect contrast for Ben, the sexy, mysterious and secretive barista who is very much the opposite of this. I love a good grumpy/ sunshine trope and their banter and dynamic was really fun to read.
One highlight of this book for me was the side characters that really shone through, I don’t think this book would have been half as good without all the zany coffee shop regulars that we get to know and love and their side storyline was a nice contrast to the more chilling and darker main plot line.
This book manages to mix the absurd overzealous comedy of broadway with the strange macabre of a horror B movie. The horror storyline did seem a bit secondary to all the other weirdness that went on but I didn’t mind that because I was having such a good time. I did like the reveal of what was in the basement I just wish that we got more of an explanation as it seemed wrapped up quite quickly which was slightly disappointing. Its a truly unique book though and so much fun.
“In truth, she was anxious about what she might find below. Like armchairs made out of human skin. Or a shrine to a football team.”
November 12, 2024
Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Avon for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.
This was cozy and silly. It ended up being wayyy too slow for me. The characters don't develop enough. There are parts that just do not make sense. It had potential but needed more.
This was cozy and silly. It ended up being wayyy too slow for me. The characters don't develop enough. There are parts that just do not make sense. It had potential but needed more.
November 18, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel!
I would classify The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors as a dark comedy heavily inspired by Little Shop of Horrors and Sweeney Todd. The story follows Adele, a failing Broadway actress in New York City. One day, she inherits a quirky coffee shop and an apartment in Brooklyn from an aunt she's never met, so she drops everything to learn how to run the business. The shop comes with some oddities, though - namely, the mysterious barista, Ben, who manages the shop and refuses to let anyone in the constantly rumbling basement. There are all sorts of characters that pop in and out of the story, including eccentric customers, an out-0f-place businessman who wants to upgrade the shop, a lovable cat, and more. As someone who enjoys theatre, campy horror, and cozy books about coffee shops, this sounded like the perfect read. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me, but I do believe there is an audience who may like it.
As soon as I started reading, I had a feeling this story wouldn't be my favorite, because I was not a fan of the writing. It's quippy and funny, but I found it pretty exhausting to get through. The author inserts witty metaphors, similes, theatre references, and other pop culture observations nearly every paragraph (and I'm not even being hyperbolic). I wouldn't say it's poorly written, because a lot of the commentary is amusing, but it's so frequent that it got old quickly for me. The exuberant amount of references distracted from the story and significantly slowed down the pace. This type of writing would have been more effective in a short story format or even just dialed back. I think the story itself would have been much better if the character development and worldbuilding had taken up more page time than the constant jokes and pop culture commentary. However, if you like that type of comedic writing, you might love this.
The two main characters also detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Adele is annoyingly clueless about everything. She notices all sorts of strange happenings around the coffee shop, but she has zero interest in investigating any of them. None of her motivations make any sense, either. For example, she dates a boring character who she doesn't even like much for half the story, because he keeps asking her out and she doesn't dislike him enough to say no. It would be fine if she experienced character growth or if her choices impacted the overall story, but her character remains shallow throughout the entire novel, and a lot of the things she does never ultimately matter to the overarching plot. The other main character, Ben, is never developed beyond being super attractive and Australian. He might be one of the least developed love interests I have ever read - his personality and backstory are barely ever explored.
The last major issue I want to touch on is that the plot is all over the place. The first half of the novel is slow and aimless. The second half moves quicker, but also changes direction and tone frequently. There's a mystery that's very obvious to the reader, but isn't solved by Adele until about 80% of the way in. Once she finally uncovers what's happening, she is only briefly upset by it and then moves on, despite some pretty big ramifications that the reveal should have had for her. And then there are a bunch of other things that randomly happen in the last 20% that might have been interesting had they been developed more throughout the story, but instead felt quite out of the left field. And then the book is over, with little to no explanation of anything. I noticed a lot of plot holes, but I would argue that this is the campy, silly type of story that you're not really supposed to think too seriously about (which is similar to how I felt about Little Shop of Horrors). so I'm not going to dwell on those too much.
There are two aspects of this novel that keep me from rating it one star. First, the side characters are interesting and (mostly) wholesome. It was sweet to read about them supporting one another and welcoming Adele. And second, the book is pretty cozy at times, and I'm a fan of cozy fantasy. I'm hesitant to fully label this as a cozy book, because there are some stressful themes and a really sad plot twist occurs near the end, but it still scratched that cozy genre itch for me for about two thirds of the story. There were moments that were fun to read, despite the issues I had with the rest of the novel.
Even though this didn't work for me, I can envision a particular type of reader who might love this. If you're looking for a dark, yet funny book and you adore musical theatre, you might want to give this a try. I've only seen Little Shop of Horrors once, but from what I remember, this book has not only a similar plot, but also a similar tone and overall atmosphere. So, if that's your favorite musical, you might also like this. However, if you're not a musical theatre lover, I'm not sure I'd recommend The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors, because the other major elements (horror, romance, and even the coziness) don't fully succeed.
2 stars out of 5 stars.
I would classify The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors as a dark comedy heavily inspired by Little Shop of Horrors and Sweeney Todd. The story follows Adele, a failing Broadway actress in New York City. One day, she inherits a quirky coffee shop and an apartment in Brooklyn from an aunt she's never met, so she drops everything to learn how to run the business. The shop comes with some oddities, though - namely, the mysterious barista, Ben, who manages the shop and refuses to let anyone in the constantly rumbling basement. There are all sorts of characters that pop in and out of the story, including eccentric customers, an out-0f-place businessman who wants to upgrade the shop, a lovable cat, and more. As someone who enjoys theatre, campy horror, and cozy books about coffee shops, this sounded like the perfect read. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me, but I do believe there is an audience who may like it.
As soon as I started reading, I had a feeling this story wouldn't be my favorite, because I was not a fan of the writing. It's quippy and funny, but I found it pretty exhausting to get through. The author inserts witty metaphors, similes, theatre references, and other pop culture observations nearly every paragraph (and I'm not even being hyperbolic). I wouldn't say it's poorly written, because a lot of the commentary is amusing, but it's so frequent that it got old quickly for me. The exuberant amount of references distracted from the story and significantly slowed down the pace. This type of writing would have been more effective in a short story format or even just dialed back. I think the story itself would have been much better if the character development and worldbuilding had taken up more page time than the constant jokes and pop culture commentary. However, if you like that type of comedic writing, you might love this.
The two main characters also detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Adele is annoyingly clueless about everything. She notices all sorts of strange happenings around the coffee shop, but she has zero interest in investigating any of them. None of her motivations make any sense, either. For example, she dates a boring character who she doesn't even like much for half the story, because he keeps asking her out and she doesn't dislike him enough to say no. It would be fine if she experienced character growth or if her choices impacted the overall story, but her character remains shallow throughout the entire novel, and a lot of the things she does never ultimately matter to the overarching plot. The other main character, Ben, is never developed beyond being super attractive and Australian. He might be one of the least developed love interests I have ever read - his personality and backstory are barely ever explored.
The last major issue I want to touch on is that the plot is all over the place. The first half of the novel is slow and aimless. The second half moves quicker, but also changes direction and tone frequently. There's a mystery that's very obvious to the reader, but isn't solved by Adele until about 80% of the way in. Once she finally uncovers what's happening, she is only briefly upset by it and then moves on, despite some pretty big ramifications that the reveal should have had for her. And then there are a bunch of other things that randomly happen in the last 20% that might have been interesting had they been developed more throughout the story, but instead felt quite out of the left field. And then the book is over, with little to no explanation of anything. I noticed a lot of plot holes, but I would argue that this is the campy, silly type of story that you're not really supposed to think too seriously about (which is similar to how I felt about Little Shop of Horrors). so I'm not going to dwell on those too much.
There are two aspects of this novel that keep me from rating it one star. First, the side characters are interesting and (mostly) wholesome. It was sweet to read about them supporting one another and welcoming Adele. And second, the book is pretty cozy at times, and I'm a fan of cozy fantasy. I'm hesitant to fully label this as a cozy book, because there are some stressful themes and a really sad plot twist occurs near the end, but it still scratched that cozy genre itch for me for about two thirds of the story. There were moments that were fun to read, despite the issues I had with the rest of the novel.
Even though this didn't work for me, I can envision a particular type of reader who might love this. If you're looking for a dark, yet funny book and you adore musical theatre, you might want to give this a try. I've only seen Little Shop of Horrors once, but from what I remember, this book has not only a similar plot, but also a similar tone and overall atmosphere. So, if that's your favorite musical, you might also like this. However, if you're not a musical theatre lover, I'm not sure I'd recommend The Little Coffee Shop of Terrors, because the other major elements (horror, romance, and even the coziness) don't fully succeed.
2 stars out of 5 stars.
February 2, 2025
This book is silly fun that you really can't take seriously. A grumpy/sunshine romance mixed with Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeney Todd and a very flamboyant cast of characters.
I wanted something light and entertaining that I didn't have to think about too much and this delivered.
I wanted something light and entertaining that I didn't have to think about too much and this delivered.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews