*CRACK* That is the sound of Robert Dugoni hitting it out of the ballpark with Beyond Reasonable Doubt! I found Beyond Reasonable Doubt to be gripping*CRACK* That is the sound of Robert Dugoni hitting it out of the ballpark with Beyond Reasonable Doubt! I found Beyond Reasonable Doubt to be gripping, well thought out, riveting, and wonderfully written. It is the second book in the Keera Duggan series and can be read as a stand alone, but do yourself a favor and read Her Deadly Game, the addictive first book in this fabulous series.
Master chess player and Seattle attorney, Keera Duggan, has been tasked with representing her childhood nemesis, Jenna Bernstein, after Jenna is accused of killing her former business partner and lover. This will not be an easy task by any means, but Keera is used to thinking several moves ahead, and use all her skills in court.
I was glued to the pages and marveled at Dugoni's writing and plot. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Dugoni threw in another perfectly timed twist. I loved the courtroom scenes, the mystery, the twists, and the reveals in this book. I also enjoyed watching Keera prove herself once again to be a worthy and intelligent lawyer who is no longer standing in her father's shadow.
Fans of Dugoni's other series and stand-alone books will love this book as will fans of courtroom dramas and mystery thrillers. Dugoni knows how to set the stage, create tension, drama and intrigue. This was such a well thought out book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
Brilliantly written, well thought out, and hard to put down.
*Witches Words buddy read with Carolyn, Mary Beth, and Dorie. Please read their reviews as well to get their thoughts on this book!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Karin Slaughter has delivered another addictive, shocking, thrilling, and riveting addition to the Will Trent series. She kills it time and time againKarin Slaughter has delivered another addictive, shocking, thrilling, and riveting addition to the Will Trent series. She kills it time and time again with this wonderful and gripping series! Will and Sara are beginning their honeymoon at McAlpine Lodge, a mountain getaway. It’s a beautiful and relaxing setting until a body is found. Naturally they jump into gear trying to secure the scene, keep everyone separate, and try to determine whodunit. They will need to sift through all the secrets and lies to find their footing on this murder mystery.
The victim is Mercy, the daughter of the owners who is known in town as a troubled person stemming from things in her past. She is the fodder for all their gossip. Everyone at the lodge is a suspect. Everyone appears to have something to hide, especially Mercy’s toxic family.
As the investigation goes into high gear, the tension mounts as does the danger level at the camp. When another person dies, the stakes become even higher. People are lying left and right but who amongst them is a killer? I put on my super sleuthing hat and tried my best to do my own detective work, but never guessed whodunit! I love when that happens.
Faith and Amanda arrive on the scene and throw themselves into the investigation as well. I love their personalities, and their interactions with each other, including Will and Sara. They really are a family. Speaking of relationships, I continue to adore Will and Sara together. They continue to compliment each other and make each other stronger.
Karin Slaughter did a fantastic job of making everyone a suspect in this book. I found this book to be well thought out. Slaughter knows how to depict unlikeable and despicable characters. This book has many things going on and touches on many issues such as addiction, domestic violence, toxic relationships, and control to name just a few.
*I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was fantastic! Very well done.
Wonderfully written, perfectly paced, well thought out, gripping and tense!
*A wich words buddy read
Thank you to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Elizabeth Strout has delivered another compelling, moving, thought provoking and gripping book. She has a writing that resonates with me. In Tell Me EElizabeth Strout has delivered another compelling, moving, thought provoking and gripping book. She has a writing that resonates with me. In Tell Me Everything, she combines three characters from three of her books: Olive Kitteridge, Lucy Barton, and Bob Burgess. It was wonderful to be back in their worlds. I especially adore Olive who continues to be spunky and bluntly tells it like it is!
I appreciated how this book focused on "undocumented lives". Elizabeth Strout has a unique gift for taking everyday events and elevating them. This book focuses on life, love, missed chances, being vulnerable, friendship, community, loneliness, aging, and lives lived. This book also has a mystery which needs to be solved but the real beauty of this book is in the characters and their complex lives, how they touch the lives of others, how the story of people's lives is important.
Beautifully written, captivating, well thought out, and thought provoking!
*Buddy read with Carolyn and DeAnn. Please read their reviews as well to get their impressions of Tell Me Everything.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gripping, dark, gothic, and ghostly! The Black Feathers was such an enjoyable and eerie book by Rebecca Netley. This is the second book that I have reGripping, dark, gothic, and ghostly! The Black Feathers was such an enjoyable and eerie book by Rebecca Netley. This is the second book that I have read by this author, the first book being The Whistling, and I love how her books have interesting women as the main characters.
Annie has married Edward Stonehouse and has moved with him and their infant son to Guardbridge, his manor home on the Yorkshire moors. Edward's sister Iris lives in the manor home, and she is quite an interesting character. She is both a psychic and a taxidermist. She invites Annie to attend the séances she performs...
This book had many elements that I love in books. The Gothic feel of the home. It's dark, cold, has many passages and creepy. I also loved the atmosphere created by the moors, the chill in the air, and the old manor home. The days feel long, and the nights are dark. Lying in bed, one can hear the soft steps of the servants, the sound of the wind, and see the shadows cast on the walls. Not to mention the secrets swirling in the air.
I also loved the question about what happened to Edward’s first wife and child. Is Annie safe? Who can she trust? I loved trying to figure out these questions. I loved the mounting sense of unease, tension, and mounting danger in the book. I love books that have the something-isn’t-quite-right feel to them. This book fit that description perfectly!
All the characters have distinct personalities with interesting backstories. Annie and Edward both had their individual motivations for getting married to each other. Iris and her companion, Mrs. North, are interesting and seldom apart.
I enjoy Rebecca Netley's wonderful writing, her vivid descriptions, and the gothic mysteries she created in this book. Yes, mysteries. There are several!
If you have not read a book by Rebecca Netley, I encourage you to do so.
Gothic, gripping, and atmospheric!
This was a buddy read with Brenda ~The Book Witch at Witch Words. As always, we had a wonderful time discussing this book. Please read her review as well to get her impressions of The Black Feathers.
Another gripping well thought out, well written and shocking book by Charlie Donlea! Long Time Gone instantly grabbed my attention from the opening scAnother gripping well thought out, well written and shocking book by Charlie Donlea! Long Time Gone instantly grabbed my attention from the opening scene and never let it go! I had a hard time putting this book down as I was fully invested and wanted more. Donlea is a must read for me, and Long Time Gone did not disappoint!
Imagine submitting your DNA to an online site as part of a research assignment and finding out more than you bargained for! Dr. Sloan Hastings has a fellowship in forensic pathology under a renowned doctor. She always knew she was adopted and had no intentions of finding her biological parents. But when her DNA results come back, she learns she is Charlotte Margolis, aka “Baby Charlotte”, a baby who went missing in 1995.
As Sloan travels to Cedar Creek, Nevada, to meet her biological family and is greeted warmly. Sloan has a lot of questions; will they have the answers? There she will also meet Sheriff Eric Stamos who has some questions of his own...
Donlea did a fantastic job with the characters. Each was distinct and not one stood out to me as being questionable or worthy of suspicion. I came up with a few theories but didn't come close to solving what happened prior to Sloan/Baby Charlotte going missing and was subsequently adopted. Donlea kept me on my toes wanting more, more, more as the book progressed.
This book is told using dual timelines which really worked for me. I always love tension in books and during the last half of the book, the tension creeps in and begins to mount. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going to happen next! Like Sloan, I had questions as well, and was on the edge of my seat, waiting for answers! Plus, the pacing was spot on. There were no slow parts and the going back and forth in time kept things moving nicely.
Gripping, well written, shocking, and captivating!
*This was a buddy read with Carolyn and Brenda ~The Book Witch at Witch Words. Please read their reviews as well to see what they thought of the book.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Joyce Maynard has another brilliant book on her hands with this gripping follow up to Count the Ways. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone, bJoyce Maynard has another brilliant book on her hands with this gripping follow up to Count the Ways. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading that book first as it was wonderful as well.
After the death of her ex-husband, Cam, Eleanor has moved back to the farm in New Hampshire where her children were raised. With it come memories of all the events that touched and affected their lives. Toby, Eleanor's adult son who suffered a brain injury as a small child, lives with her.
This book follows a 15-year time span and follows the family and each family member’s journey. Eleanor is the focus of this book with Toby coming in a close second. Joyce Maynard depicts how trauma has affected this family. She also shows the family's resiliency, their hope, their insecurities, their issues, their pain, their love, and their triumphs.
I found How the Light Gets In to be a captivating, enjoyable and emotion evoking read. I love Joyce Maynard's writing and her look at families. I appreciate the insight into human behavior and relationships that Joyce Maynard brought not only to this book but to all her books. Families and relationships can be messy, and Joyce Maynard depicted this brilliantly in this book.
Every character in this family was so distinct and unique, which was nice in keeping everyone clear and having a distinct voice. Plus, each had their own journey individually and as member of a family in this book. Toby and his sheep stole the show for me. I simply adored his character.
This book does touch on covid, political events and politics in America, and her characters thoughts on them in this book. While those things happened during this book and it makes sense that the characters would experience and have thoughts on them, it began to feel like repetitive.
This book was beautifully written, compelling, evokes emotion, and full of characters that at times had me wanting to give them a hug. Joyce Maynard is a gifted writer and her talent shines through.
This book does touch on many difficult subjects and Joyce Maynard handled them with care.
*Witch Words buddy read with Brenda ~The Book Witch at Witch Words. Please read her review as well.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." - C.S. Lewis
I adored this book! It's a fairy tale for adults which was inspi"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." - C.S. Lewis
I adored this book! It's a fairy tale for adults which was inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia! It is full of vivid descriptions of a faraway enchanted land called Shenandoah. It's magical, enchanting, gripping, moving, and wonderful. I was swept away and loved every page! This book is full of deep friendships, adventure, love, lost boys, romance, family, and found family.
"Books may well be the only true magic." - Alice Hoffman
Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell were best friends who were missing for six months after entering a local state park. They came back taller, stronger, and healthy. Where were they? What happened to them during their time away? The inseparable friends find distance between them when Jeremy moves to live with a family member after their return. Rafe, who was always drawing, continues doing his artwork while Jeremy goes on to find missing people.
"A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." - Carl Sagan
Emilie approaches Jeremy to help her find her missing lost sister. Jeremy knows that he met Emilie's long-lost sister while he and Rafe were lost themselves. Jeremy remembers where they were and what occurred while they were lost, while Rafe has no memory. After being approached by Jeremy and Emilie, the three set forth for an enchanted land....
"Books are a uniquely portable magic" - Stephen King
I love Meg Shaffer's writing. I love being transported to Shenandoah. Ahh, to spend some time there. It was such an engrossing and lovely read. It's full of being lost, being found, and all the things that come in-between. The descriptions are lush and vivid. I found this book to be atmospheric and lovely. I adored the characters, their connections, their humor, and their vulnerability. This book had moments of humor and I found myself smiling throughout the book.
"Books are where the true magic happens." - Jen Wilde
What a lovely magical journey Meg Shaffer took me on! I know this is a book that I will be re-reading. I found this book to be beautifully written, well thought out, endearing, and hard to put down. This book is inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia but also reminded me of Peter Pan as well. If you have read Meg Shaffer's other book, The Wishing Game, you will love this book as well.
"Every time you open a book, a little magic falls out.” – unknown
Beautifully written, magical, and enchanting!
Highly Recommend!
This was a buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to see what she thought of this book!
4.5 Stars
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gripping, shocking, chilling, pulse pounding, and hard to put down! I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book and was happily surGripping, shocking, chilling, pulse pounding, and hard to put down! I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book and was happily surprised by where Tracy Sierra took me in this riveting book.
A mother home alone with her two young children, sees a man in her home. She gathers her children and hides with them in the secret room they have in their home. She realizes that she knows who the man is and leaves her children in hiding and runs out into a snowstorm looking for help.
Talk about a shocker!!! I had so many questions and theories swirling through my mind while reading this book. I desperately tried to grasp what was happening, and what would happen. Nightwatching kept me on my tippy toes the entire time.
WOWZA! This book was so good! I felt many things while reading this book: shock, anxiety, anger, disbelief, more shock, and more anger. I felt for the mother in this book. I was not happy with the a few of the other characters.
The author did an amazing job setting the stage for a home invasion. We all lock our doors at night for a reason. We all want to be and feel safe in our homes. What happens when that sense of safety is destroyed? What happens when you have young children with you? How hard and fast does your heartbeat as you can hear someone walking around your home? This book was oozing with tension, dread, danger, and fear.
This was a witches words buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to see what she thought of the book!
C.J. Tudor has thrown her hat in the ring of 'books featuring vampires' and bloody nailed it! I devoured this book and had a difficult time putting thC.J. Tudor has thrown her hat in the ring of 'books featuring vampires' and bloody nailed it! I devoured this book and had a difficult time putting this book down. It was gripping, atmospheric, tense and well thought out. This hit all the bells and whistles for me. It is set in a cold unforgiving setting, is a police procedural and has vampires in it! Woohoo! I had such a great time sinking my teeth into this book!
Deadhart, Alaska.
Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampire killings, has her work cut out for her when the body of a teenager is found with his throat ripped open and drained of blood. Along with former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, Barbara sets out to catch a killer! Was the killer a vampire? Did someone kill the boy and made it look like a vampire killed the youth? Whodunit?????
I thought Tudor did a fantastic job of nailing the description of the small town feel of this book. Small towns have a strong sense of community. Everyone knows everyone or at least knows them. Outsiders may be welcomed or viewed with a sense of "they are not one of us" or "they don't know our ways." Tudor brilliantly depicted the sense of mistrust the townspeople felt when Barbara came to town.
I also enjoyed the chilling feel to this book. This is not only from being set in the cold Alaskan setting but from Vampires and humans living near each other. But do they live in harmony??? They have an agreement that both sides have agreed to follow.
I was instantly sucked into this book from the very beginning. As I mentioned, I had a hard time putting this book down. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the detective work and the many, many secrets that the town harbored.
This book also asks the question, who are the real monsters in this book?
As with Tudor's other books, this book was well written, well thought out, perfectly plotted, and paced. I enjoyed the mystery, the secrets, the mounting tension and danger in The Gathering.
Another plus is that this book is not scary or gory. Some horrific things do happen but not in graphic detail. I doubt this book will keep anyone up at night, unless someone is kept up thinking about how much they enjoyed this book. I also have my fingers and toes crossed hoping there will be more books to come.
Atmospheric, chilling, gripping, and so bloody good!!
4.5stars
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ruth Ware has delivered another gripping book! She captured that trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. There is also tension, drama, and danger galorRuth Ware has delivered another gripping book! She captured that trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. There is also tension, drama, and danger galore.
Couples travel to a remote island in the Indian Ocean to film a reality television show called One Perfect Couple. There they will perform challenges and the one who under performs will be sent packing. The characters are an interesting mix of people who are hoping to use the show to jumpstart their aspirations for fame.
Then a brutal storm hits, and the contestants will be tested in more ways than one! Having handed over all their phones upon arrival, the contestants are cut off from the mainland and the real challenges begin. Faced with death, injury, dehydration, alliances, and dwindling supplies, survival becomes the name of the game.
I found this book to be captivating and tense! Set on a remote island, it also had that trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. I enjoyed how realistic this book felt. When the cameras were no longer rolling, we got to see their true personalities and motivations. The book tells us that reality shows always have a villain. Who will be the villain in this book?? I am not a reality show watcher, but I image those who enjoy reality television shows will love this one.
There were some twists, turns and reveals along the way. I enjoyed the journal entries and thought they were a nice touch. While I can't say that this was my favorite book by Ruth Ware, I can say that I enjoyed it.
Well written, well thought out, and oozing with tension!
This was a buddy read with Dorie. Please check out her review to read her thoughts on the book.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Former basketball star Myron Bolitar and Win Lockwood find themselves questioned by the FBI about Greg Downing; a former NBA player turned coach. TheyFormer basketball star Myron Bolitar and Win Lockwood find themselves questioned by the FBI about Greg Downing; a former NBA player turned coach. They thought he was dead, they attended his funeral, and both are shocked when the FBI ask them where Greg has been. After they pick their jaws up off the floor, Myron and Win learn that Greg is alive and wanted for questioning in a highly publicized case. After recovering from the shock of learning that Greg is still alive, Myron beings investigating. Where his investigation leads will have him thinking twice! Myron and Win are great characters, but I especially enjoyed the characters of Big Cherry and Esperanza, not to mention their backstories.
This is the second book in the series that I have read. Prior to this book I had read the previous book in the series, titled Home. Needless to say, I am late to the game with this series and plan on going back and reading the previous books.
I enjoyed the mystery in this book and found myself trying to figure out whodunit. I was wrong and was surprised by the reveal at the end. Myron and Win have a lot on their plates in this book. I enjoyed their banter, their search for the truth, Myron's parents and the ending that I did not see coming!
Gripping, well thought out and left me wanting more of the series!
*This was a great buddy read with Mary Beth. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on this book!
Angela Marsons delivers time and time again! Seriously, I do not think she is capable of writing a less than thrilling book! Bad Blood is a gripping, Angela Marsons delivers time and time again! Seriously, I do not think she is capable of writing a less than thrilling book! Bad Blood is a gripping, shocking, tension filled, page turner!!! This one kept me turning the pages, desperate for answers, while at the same time not wanting this captivating book to end.
Detective Kim Stone is one tough cookie, but she also has a soft side, shh don't tell anyone. I love her tough as nails, hardworking, determination that she brings to both her personal and professional life. In Bad Blood she and the rest of her team are faced with a deadly killer who shows no sign of slowing down. This is a book with layers and picks up where the last book left off.
When Detective Kim Stone arrives at the scene, she is shocked to see that Eric Gould, the victim, is still alive and placed in a strange position. The victim dies enroute to the hospital and Kim later learns more about this troubled life and fears he may have been abusing his current girlfriend. Another man is also found clinging to life in another position. Kim soon learns that the victims once knew each other as boys, (a group of six) who were put away for their horrific crimes.
The tension and sense of danger ebbs and flows throughout this book. While on the hunt for a killer, Kim learns that Stacy, one of her team, was being stalked and kept it a secret. This leads to some tough conversations, tension, and support.
There is never a dull moment in this book. The pacing is spot on and had me flying through the pages! I loved the tension and suspense in this book. I did my own super sleuthing while reading, and had a few suspects lined up, but Marsons was always a step ahead of me! I loved the twists, turns and the shocking reveal in this book. Well done, Marsons, well done!
This is the 19th book in a series that is still going strong! I am always excited when I see there is another book out in this addictive, shocking, well written, and well thought out series!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ten years have passed since Phoebe Dean died after a car accident. The town of West Wilmer has been questioning what took her brother, Grant Dean so lTen years have passed since Phoebe Dean died after a car accident. The town of West Wilmer has been questioning what took her brother, Grant Dean so long to call for help. Would Phoebe be alive if he hadn't taken twenty-seven minutes to call for help?
Small towns have big memories, and no one can get that night out of their minds. Not Grant who was driving the truck the night of the accident. He has been plagued with memories from that Night. Becca was in the truck that night as well. She may not remember everything but wants everyone to remember that she was in the accident as well. She too is a victim. June remembers that night as well. It is the night that she last saw her brother Wyatt.
I was fully invested in this book in the very beginning. The opening scene of the book was gripping and shocking. I wanted to know what happened and why the call for help came almost a half hour after the accident. I couldn't wait to learn what the big reveal was going to be. I was on the edge of my seat and then I kept reading. The second half of the book lost me a little bit along the way. I'll be honest I felt a little duped by one aspect of the book.
What I did appreciate was how the author showed the long memory of small towns. Ashely Tate adeptly displayed how loss, guilt, secrets, and grief affects everyone including close friends and family members. Plus, there was a nice number of twists and turns along the way. Plus, the reveal was not one I saw coming at all. It was a shocker!
I enjoyed the cast of characters. Some are likeable and some are very unlikeable. This kept things interesting as I questioned who knew more about that night? What role did they play? Who is keeping secrets?
This is a debut novel and Ashely Tate shows great promise. I found this book to be enjoyable and enjoyed the mystery.
Well written, mysterious, and intriguing.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
What a perfect Gothic book for the fall season! Seeping in atmosphere, chills, tension and dread, The Whistling will haunt me for days to come! It’s eWhat a perfect Gothic book for the fall season! Seeping in atmosphere, chills, tension and dread, The Whistling will haunt me for days to come! It’s eerie, gripping, well thought out, and shocking.
On the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea, Mary has stopped speaking after the death of her twin brother, William. Mary now lives with her aunt, Violet Gillies, and the staff who take care of their needs. Prior to her brother William's death, their beloved Nanny left without warning. By all accounts she was well liked and enjoyed her job, so why did she leave so abruptly?
Elspeth Swansome, who recently suffered the loss of her sister, is the new Nanny charged with Mary's care. She takes Mary under her wing and tries her best to get Mary to speak. As the days go on, Elspeth notices and experience strange things.
I loved the isolation and atmosphere in this book. Both the old family mansion and the island itself were isolated and oozed with atmosphere. I loved the vivid descriptions that had me feeling as if I was right there as a silent observer in the characters’ lives.
Not only was the mansion dark and dreary, but it also had a creepy vibe to it as well. Elspeth can hear a faint lullaby humming outside her door. Plus, things are showing up in her room and as she does some exploring, she finds more troubling things.
I enjoyed the mystery of why the previous Nanny left the secrets that are swirling throughout the book, the feeling of dread, and the mounting tension. Questions not only plagued Elspeth, but I had questions as well. Was the home haunted? Is Witchcraft to blame? Does someone know the truth? Why all the secrets?
There were a few twists and turns along the way, and I did not see the reveal coming at all! That was a shocker!
Well written, atmospheric, Gothic, dark and spooky.
Atmospheric, haunting, heart wrenching, dark, and chilling. A Haunting in the Arctic is well written and well thought out. It is shocking, evokeWOWZA!
Atmospheric, haunting, heart wrenching, dark, and chilling. A Haunting in the Arctic is well written and well thought out. It is shocking, evokes emotion and explores trauma. Cooke's writing is incredibly descriptive and vivid. I felt as if I was right there with the characters on the ship as a silent observer.
1901, Nicky, the daughter of George Abney, the owner of the Ormen whaling ship, was attacked, and brought on board. There she is told that she is to serve as a "selkie wife" to the men onboard. Nicky is shocked, sickened and can't believe what she is hearing. Her father owns the vessel, after all. This can' t be happening, but sadly it is.
1973, Dominique (Dom), an explorer, has an urge to go to the Ormen which has washed up on the remote coast of Iceland. She wants to document it, before it is destroyed. While exploring the Ormen, Dom observes that there has been recent activity on the ship. Others have been her before her. Soon she realizes that she is not alone, three other explorers have shown up as well.
The book is told through two timelines and readers learn more about Nicky and Dominique through their POV's. Both timelines have a dark, haunted, and creepy feel to them. Talk about being right up my alley! The book drew me in from the very start. I love, love, love books set in cold environments with a trapped feeling and this one fits the bill. The cold, the ocean, and the ice all made for a chilling and harsh element that worked so well with the other themes in this book. I also loved the use of folklore in this Gothic feeling book.
Trauma, survival, heartache, and loss are just a few of the themes of this book. Parts of this book will be very difficult for some to read. Nicky's time on the Ormen is horrific, heartbreaking, and sad. I felt for her the entire time. C.J. Cooke did an amazing job weaving both timelines together. I had no idea where the author was going to take me, and I enjoyed the ride. I did not see the reveal coming at all. I had to pick my jaw up from the floor. I love it when an author can shock me.
I can't wait to read what C.J. Cooke writes next!
*Be sure to read the author's note at the end where she discusses trauma.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Frankie Elkin is back in the third book in this gripping series! Frankie Elkin is such an interesting character. She will tell you that she is from noFrankie Elkin is back in the third book in this gripping series! Frankie Elkin is such an interesting character. She will tell you that she is from nowhere. She moves around a lot finding jobs as a bartender when she can. She has an interesting and dangerous hobby - she finds those that the police cannot. This puts her in danger quite a bit, but she enjoys seeking, listening, asking questions, and searching. It gives her purpose. She has a sad backstory and is a survivor. I love that she is both vulnerable and strong at the same time.
Frankie is asked to meet with Kaylee Pierson, a female serial killer dubbed “the Beautiful Butcher”, whose last wish is to find her long-lost younger sister, Lea. She and her lawyer inform Frankie that Kaylee last saw her sister the night she and Sanders MacManus, her billionaire boyfriend, had a brutal physical altercation and she told her younger sister to run.
Frankie can't resist the lure of finding a living person and agrees to travel to a remote island and work as a staff member to locate Lea. Easier said than done, the remote island is hard to get to by plane, has spotty internet at best, and is as dangerous as it is beautiful.
This was another tension, danger and twist filled book by Gardner. Not only did Frankie have to battle the humidity, but she also had to battle the elements, watch out for crabs, spiders, and keep her wits about her. Who can be trusted? Who is telling the truth? These questions nagged at me while reading this book.
This book had many twists and turns and some shocking reveals. There were several I-did-not-see-that-coming moments in the book. I love being taken by surprise while reading. I loved the island setting and the descriptions of the island and its inhabitants. The remote island also provided that trapped and isolated feeling that I love in books.
While this was not my favorite book in the series, One Step Too Far being my favorite, I still found this book to be gripping, tense, and hard to put down. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
*The author's note at the end of the book is interesting and readers will learn what inspired this book.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was probably the least spooky, creepy, or scary book that I have read by Riley Sager, yet it delivered, nonetheless. I found this book to be atmoThis was probably the least spooky, creepy, or scary book that I have read by Riley Sager, yet it delivered, nonetheless. I found this book to be atmospheric, gripping and a great mystery thriller. Ethan's childhood friend, Billy, goes missing during a sleepover in Ethan’s backyard. When Ethan discovers Billy is not in the tent the next morning an investigation ensues, but Billy is not found. Thirty years later, Ethan has come back to his parents’ home and baseballs begin appearing in his backyard just like when he was a kid and Billy wanted to play with him. Ethan wants to know what happened to Billy and along the way becomes reacquainted with old friends and neighbors.
I enjoyed the mystery and trying to figure out how and why Billy disappeared. I had my list of suspects but never saw that shocking reveal coming! There is a small supernatural element to the book but overall, for me this was a well thought out mystery about a boy’s disappearance, trauma, grief, the exploration of how not knowing affects those who lose someone, and loss.
I enjoyed the tension, dread, and sense of danger which crept up on my in the later part of the book.
This is not going to be a happy honeymoon! A memorable one, yes; but far from happy. In fact, it is a nightmare!
April and Eddie are on their way to thThis is not going to be a happy honeymoon! A memorable one, yes; but far from happy. In fact, it is a nightmare!
April and Eddie are on their way to their honeymoon when they see a lone female hitchhiker on a deserted road. They stop and pick her up and find themselves in a great big mess. There was a truck that barreled past them and now they are suspects in a murder investigation. Murders have been happening along the Atticus Line for years. As April and Eddie try to clear their names, what they find will haunt them!!!!
This book proved to be creepy, gripping, and mysterious. This one has a nice paranormal touch to it. There are quite a few twists and turns along the way. I never saw the reveal coming and was shocked by that. Simone St. James did a great job creating atmosphere and the eerie vibe that flowed throughout the book. I also enjoyed the tension and mounting danger in the book. I finished the book with a few questions but found it easy to overlook them.
I listened to the audiobook and struggled with the narration. It was snoozefest. I found the narration to be dull, dull, dull. Thankfully, the characters and plot did work for me despite the narrator. This was not my favorite book by Simone St. James, but it was still a good one.
3.5 stars
This was a buddy read with Mary Beth and Brenda ~The Book Witch at Witch Words. Please read their reviews as well to see what they thought of the book.
Sally Hepworth has done it again! Another hard to put down book that is both thought and emotion evoking. As with her other books, Darling Girls is weSally Hepworth has done it again! Another hard to put down book that is both thought and emotion evoking. As with her other books, Darling Girls is well written, well thought out, gripping, twist filled, moving and shocking.
Alicia, Jessica, and Norah bonded during their time living in their foster mother, Miss Fairchild's home. All came there under different circumstances and quickly bonded, forming lifelong bonds. They suffered together under the care rule of the highly unpredictable, extremely strict, and often cruel Miss Fairchild.
When they left her home the three of them thought they were free. But she was always there in their memories, their nightmares, and in flashbacks. They have all carried with them what they experienced in Miss Fairchild's home, whether it be low self-esteem, anger issues, anxiety, relationship issues, etc.
The three women are contacted by police when bones are found buried under Miss Fairchild's former home. Sometimes the past refuses to stay buried. Sometimes, you can create physical distance but not emotional distance from troubling events. Sometimes, going back to where it began is the only way to move forward.
This was such a gripping and well thought out book. I felt for Alicia, Jessica, and Norah. I loved that they always had each other's back and had such a tight bond. I felt so much for them during this book. I appreciated how Hepworth showed the strength of their relationships with each other.
I found myself fully invested in this book from the very beginning and found it hard to put this book down. I wanted to know about the bones, how they got there and whose bones were buried under the house.
I found this to be a suspenseful and shocking read. I enjoyed reading the POV chapters and learning more about each character. I also enjoyed the therapy sections and did not know initially who was talking to the therapist. This book does discuss the mistreatment and abuse of children, and it may be a trigger for some, so please be aware of this.
*The audiobook version of this book was well done and the narrator did a great job.
Gripping, well written, shocking, well thought out, and hard to put down!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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