A fictionalized story based on the real-life last killing spree of one of the most infamous serial killers in history. Th4.5 stars! Hard to put down!
A fictionalized story based on the real-life last killing spree of one of the most infamous serial killers in history. The author refused to name the serial killer as this notoriety is what they crave, instead she refers to him as The Defendant throughout the pages of this well-written, well-researched, shocking and fascinating story. I stand with the author in that decision in not naming this monster who was convicted of abusing, brutalizing and murdering 30+ women, and not convicted of the murder of countless other of his victims before he was executed.
This killer’s final spree starts in a Florida sorority house where several women are raped and murdered one horrifying night. Undetected, the sorority president witnesses the attacker leaving the house and is a key witness in the trial that comes to convict the monster who had already escaped prison twice before this final killing spree. The book provides insight into how police failed to keep this killer behind bars and how their failings lead to many more victims.
The chapters alternate between the sorority president and one of the victims leading up to her disappearance. The narratives were strong and powerful. Each perspective sharing insightful detail and layers to this tragic story.
This was a well-written, informative, atmospheric, pulse-pounding account of this horrifying time of history. Highly recommend especially to true-crime fans. I did find that a few parts of the novel were less intense and fast-paced than others which is why I didn’t give the full 5 stars.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan! ...more
The Whispers is the perfect title for this phenomenal book!
You know those deep, dark, hidden thoughts us wives5+ “best book I’ve read all year” stars!
The Whispers is the perfect title for this phenomenal book!
You know those deep, dark, hidden thoughts us wives, mothers and longing-to-be mothers have? The brutally honest ones we whisper to ourselves when we are alone and would never dare say out loud? This novel explores these female secrets and normalizes the not-so-pretty parts of being a woman. The beauty and burden of motherhood. The love and sacrifice of marriage.
This story revolves around a tragedy that has the neighbourhood on edge. A young boy is in the hospital after a freak accident as thoughts, concerns and questions whirl in everyone’s mind.
Told through multiple perspectives, this delves deep into the dark, disturbing, raw, vulnerable parts of being a woman. Stay-at-home mothers, career mothers, women longing-to-be-mothers, mothers who have lost a child. This multi-layered book is heavy hitting and explores a variety of female relationships. Hope, privilege, settling, societal expectations, judgement, infertility are among many of the topics explored within these exceptionally well-written, mesmerizing, unforgettable pages.
This won’t be for everyone. The heaviness is gut wrenching. It needs to be read in the right mindset. There are a multitude of triggers. It isn’t easy or happy. Yet it completely consumed me from start to finish and is the most impactful book I’ve read this year. The pace was solid, never once leaving me feeling less than fully invested. I was blindsided by shock after shock.
This authors’ debut, The Push, is on my All Time Favourites List. This novel has easily been added to that list as well. This author knows how to write unique, memorable, uncomfortable, impactful, thought-provoking storylines and characters revolving around the intricacies of being a woman. I was quite literally hanging on every word, completely glued to these pages.
This is a must read for anyone who enjoys books about female relationships and womanhood. It is one I will never forget!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! ...more
This was an unsettling, edge-of-your-seat adrenaline hit.
Six minutes after takeoff, 4.5 pulse-pounding stars!
Intense. Claustrophobic. Tension-filled.
This was an unsettling, edge-of-your-seat adrenaline hit.
Six minutes after takeoff, commercial jetliner flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific ocean. During the open ocean evacuation, the engine explodes causing the plane to sink with twelve passengers stuck inside. An untested rescue mission starts in the hopes to save those trapped.
I picked this up at my library after seeing the countless raving reviews and it completely lived up to the hype. This is a book like no other! I was panic stricken from the first to last chapter, the high tension never letting up. The author creates an extreme initial shocking intensity that grabs you and doesn’t let you go until you’ve finished. This is a book that could easily be inhaled in one sitting.
There are multiple perspectives within each chapter. The author seamlessly shifts from one character to another without overlapping or causing repetition in the storyline. The perspective shifts were flawlessly executed and kept the narrative fresh and engrossing.
The atmosphere is palpable to the point of causing heart racing anxiety. I felt as though I was right there in the plane and on the ocean with these characters. No words were wasted - the writing was completely consuming. I am excited to get my hands on her previous book, Falling....more
Beautiful captivating words. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Endearing, resilient, unforgettable characters. Vivid, palpable atmosphere. Thought provoking, life changing decisions.
Victoria Nash becomes the homemaker after losing her mother at a young age. She takes on all domestic duties within the household of her father, brother and uncle on top of her farming responsibilities. Farming is the only way of life she knows and she loves it. One day, when she is seventeen, she notices a new boy walking the streets of her small town and she is drawn to him. Meeting him begins a new part of her life that leaves her forever changed…
Motherhood. Death. Loneliness. Abuse. Longing. Racism. Love. Resiliency. Self acceptance. These are a few of the heavy themes explored within these beautifully written pages. The prose was pause-worthy. I often stopped to process the mesmerizing words I was reading. Many sentences jumped off the page, landing deeply in my heart. I was a captive audience from start to finish.
This won’t be for everyone, as it’s a quiet, descriptive and slow moving story. However, the audience it is intended for (me!) will surely find themselves hugging this exquisite story and thinking of it long after finishing the final sentence.
I cried. I cringed. I longed for the characters to find answers in their endless searching. Every part of my being was invested in every page that unfolded in this story. A true masterpiece!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! Easily made my 2023 Favourites List!...more
Why did I let this sit on my unread NetGalley shelf for so long? This was really good!
London, 1853: Florenc4.5 Victorian mystery stars!
A hidden gem!
Why did I let this sit on my unread NetGalley shelf for so long? This was really good!
London, 1853: Florence Nightingale is the new nurse Superintendent at the Establishment For Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness. At the end of her first week on the job, she discovers the dead body of one of her nurses in the hospital library. Local police deem it a suicide, not caring to look any deeper into the incident. Florence knows there is more to the death and begins some detective work to piece the devastating situation together, all while continuing to manage the hospital.
I found this novel to be equally entertaining and fascinating. Florence Nightingale is a historical figure that I’ve always been curious about. While this book is a fictional historical mystery, it includes countless historical facts and scenarios that were informative and educational.
The author did a terrific job with the atmosphere of the novel as I could clearly picture every room, nook and cranny in the Establishment. In the 1850’s, nursing was viewed as a lowly career, one that was not sought after by someone of Florence Nightingale’s stature. Her wealthy family was appalled to have her leave their estate to join the nursing profession but Florence felt a calling - this is a true piece of history. Upon finishing the book, it is revealed that Florence Nightingale has been the most impactful individual in the nursing profession. In this book we see her make small but important changes within the hospital in regard to sanitary conditions, fresh air and nurses hygiene that we are accustomed to now.
Florence’s character was extremely likeable and inspiring. She was always determined to the ‘right’ thing instead of the ‘easy’ thing in her work and investigations. Her clever and witty inner thoughts were entertaining and kept a lighter tone to the story. The pace was perfect as there was a consistent amount of suspense piquing my curiosity from start to finish.
My one tiny critique that kept this from being a 5 star read was the ending had a little too much going on. Everything comes together but slightly overdone on drama.
Audio rating: 5 stars! The narrator was phenomenal!! I immediately began my search for other audiobooks read by Lucy Raynor as her voice enhanced my reading enjoyment immensely.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan! Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!...more
Kate Morton is my favourite author. I’ve read and loved all of her books. When a new release is published, it comes with5 stars!
2023 Favourites List!
Kate Morton is my favourite author. I’ve read and loved all of her books. When a new release is published, it comes with a heavy personal expectation. I am thrilled to report this was just as magical and entrancing as I had hoped and come to expect from this author. There is something about her writing that I connect with more strongly than any other.
I loved everything about this novel. Beautiful, lush prose. Engrossing, mysterious, multi-layered storyline. Old crumbling estate home harbouring deeply buried family secrets. Endearing characters that I got whole-heartedly invested in. Palpable atmosphere. Hidden diaries and doors.
This novel weaves a dual timeline narrative presenting a family saga that interconnects in surprising and unforgettable ways. It includes ‘a book within a book’ concept which I generally love and found this was done extremely well.
Kate Morton books are not for everyone. Stretching over 500 pages each, they are heavily detailed and need to be read at a slower pace. Not something to be picked up and put down quickly here and there. The reader needs to dedicate time to get to know and truly appreciate her characters and intricately woven storylines. It’s a reading experience like no other for me — I can honestly say that spending time between the pages of one of Kate Morton’s books is one of my favourite reading experiences. This book has been added to my All Time Favourites Shelf, like all of her others.
A few of my favourite quotes:
“That the past was not something to be escaped from, but a fundamental part of who one was.”
“This was the magic of books, the curious alchemy that allowed a human mind to turn black ink on white pages into a whole other world.”
Thank you to the publisher for my giveaway win!...more
Demon Copperhead is a ten-year-old boy living in a single wide trailer with his young mother in the back Holler of the A5+ stars!
2023 Favourites List!
Demon Copperhead is a ten-year-old boy living in a single wide trailer with his young mother in the back Holler of the Appalachian mountains in Virginia. This is Demon’s story. He tells his story starting from the day he was born to a teenage mother too young to know anything about parenting and too focused on getting her next fix of alcohol, drugs and bad men. Demon chronicles his life of poverty, foster care, crime, filth, abuse and loneliness. There are bright spots throughout the way, but nothing that could shine clear through the constant neglect and heartbreak this young boy faces.
As dark and disturbing as this story is, it was a phenomenal reading experience for me. Truly - it was an exceptional and outstanding novel that surpassed any expectation I had. For me, the most stand out aspect was the narrative. Demon’s voice is one I’ll never forget. The author created a fascinating, impactful, endearing and heartbreaking character in Demon, giving him a voice that sent his story right to my heart. Demon’s narrative is raw and gritty. It’s filled with slang and backwoods grammar. It’s authentic and real and had me enraptured. There were many sentences of tender raw honesty from Demon that went straight to my heart.
You’ll be able to quickly decide if this book is for you based on how you feel about Demon’s narrative. If you don’t connect with his voice and backwoods drawl within the first few pages, this won’t be for you.
There is so much that happens within these pages. It is a dark, gritty, heartbreaking read. The endless cycle of poverty and abuse is depressing but a reality many children face. I appreciate getting this harrowing glance into this life as it makes me even more thankful for what I have and encourages me to help others as much as possible.
Overall, this was a remarkable book that I highly recommend! I hope you connect with Demon’s story as much as I did....more
A fresh WWII perspective. Though this is not a gritty, violent, war-filled story, it is an important one. This novel shar5 stars!
2023 Favourites List!
A fresh WWII perspective. Though this is not a gritty, violent, war-filled story, it is an important one. This novel shares the unique wartime perspective of children being sent away across the ocean from their families living in war-torn cities. Parents were so desperate during these devastating times in Europe that they felt their only option was to send their children away to live with complete strangers in America who would hopefully keep them safe. As a parent, I cannot even imagine being in that desperate situation. This book sheds light on the journey some of those children took and how living separated from their birth parents during those years affected their whole lives.
Please note, the main character in this story has a wonderful, loving experience with her American family. She is one of the fortunate ones. Many children in her situation did not have the same experience and my heart aches for them and their birth parents.
Beatrix is eleven-years-old when her parents decide to send her on a ship from London to America to live with a family of strangers in Boston. Bea makes this voyage alongside other children in the same situation, without knowing much about the people who are supposed to welcome her on the other side. Bea is lovingly welcomed into the new family’s home which grows to feel like her own over the five years she stays there. This novel follows Bea for decades through her personal relationships and life decisions from that point on.
For me, one of the stand out aspects of this novel was the relationships. The author does an outstanding job portraying a multitude of deeply layered, endearing, emotion-stirring personal relationships in Bea’s life. I will be thinking of them long after I write this review. I was deeply touched by so many of the relationship dynamics throughout these pages.
This is a quietly powerful book. It is beautifully written with endearing characters that will touch your heart. The chapters are short but they pack a powerful punch with the underlying emotions. It is a coming-of-age story that had me invested from page one and never once let go. I truly adored every single word as the writing spoke to me in countless ways. The slower pace may not be for everyone, but this was an absolute perfect book for me.
Thank you to the publisher for my physical review copy! I adore the cover!
Expected date of publication: March 21, 2023...more
Gabe and Pippa moved to a house backing onto a seaside cliff known as The Drop. Over the last year of living there, Gabe h4.5 domestic thriller stars!
Gabe and Pippa moved to a house backing onto a seaside cliff known as The Drop. Over the last year of living there, Gabe has talked several people out of jumping off the cliff and has become somewhat of a local celebrity for doing so. One morning Gabe rushes out to a woman standing near the edge and he isn’t successful in stopping her from falling to her death. Turns out this woman isn’t a stranger he was trying to save. She and Gabe have a history…
I LOVED this multiple perspective book! It was fresh, timely, fast-paced and gripping! The short chapters had me flying through the book and never wanting to put it down. It was so easy to get lost in. I was literally hooked and invested from chapter one right until the very last page. The characters were all so unique and endearing in their own way. I loved each of their side stories that brought enough background detail to the storyline to make me feel invested in them, yet didn’t distract me from the main plot. The Past and Present timelines flowed seamlessly. The suspense, atmosphere and tension were consistent throughout the novel, never ceasing to keep me curious and intrigued.
This novel deals with some heavy topics surrounding mental health. I thought the author did an excellent job with this aspect of the storyline — it was my main takeaway from the book. It was eye-opening, informative and easy for the reader to relate and feel for the characters.
I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy domestic dramas and atmospheric thrillers. Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
Expected date of publication is April 4, 2023....more
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