4.29.2021 - Six Weeks to Live

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Catherine McKenzie - one of my favorite authors!  4.5 stars for a book that will keep you guessing until the end!

Jennifer is the mother of young adult triplets and is separated from her husband, Jake.  She goes to the doctor after not feeling well and gets the news that she has inoperable brain cancer and only 6 weeks to live.  Stunned, she finds older blood work that shows her cancer may have been caused by poisoning.  Her thoughts immediately go to Jake, who has been trying to get Jennifer to agree to a divorce for over a year.  When she tells her daughters what she fears, they don't believe her.  Each of the girls is also processing the news that their mom is dying in much different ways.  There just isn't much time left to find out all the answers.

Less is more going into this one - there are plenty of characters and each has a different motive and secret.  Lots of interesting family dynamics in this book - everything from the girls being minor celebrities when they were young, to a grandmother with mental health issues, to divorce, sibling issues, money issues, on and on!  Great read!

4.27.2021 - The Last Thing He Told Me

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Laura Dave - one of my go-to authors.  4.5 stars rounded up for a gripping, emotional tale!

Hannah moved from her life in New York to settle in Northern California when she met and married Owen.  Owen has a 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, whose mother died when she was young.  Bailey is less than thrilled to suddenly have to share her dad with Hannah and, despite Hannah's best efforts, shows no sign of that changing.  One morning, Hannah opens the door to a young girl who has a note for her that reads only, Protect Her.  Then everything blows up - Owen has disappeared, his company is being investigated by the feds for criminal acts, and Hannah realizes that Owen is not who he appeared to be.

Best go into this one as blind as possible.  I loved the mystery that unfolded in this book as Hannah and Bailey are forced to work together to figure out what's happened to Owen.  But more than that is the personal, emotional part of this book - what parents and parental figures will do to protect their children, at all cost.  I love Dave's writing style and I plowed through this book.  Don't miss it!

4.26.2021 - Her Last Holiday

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest mystery/thriller by C.L. Taylor - 4 stars!

Fran's younger sister went missing and was presumed dead by suicide two years ago at a wellness retreat.  The leader of the retreat, Tom Wade, was just released from prison for two other deaths that occurred at the event.  His wife, Kate, is determined to reboot Tom's retreats and status and opens up another retreat.  Fran books a spot, determined to see what Tom knows about her sister's disappearance.

Told in the POV of Fran, Kate and Jenna in the past, we are surrounded with lots of different characters - somewhat reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel where you aren't sure who's truthful or what their real story is and everyone has questionable motives.  A fun read!

4.21.2021 - Permission to Dream

 Many thanks to NetGalley and Amistad/Haper Collins for gifting me a digital ARC of the inspirational book by Chris Gardner and Mim Eichler Rivas, passing along more lessons learned from the authors of The Pursuit of Happyness.  4 stars!

Told in a blizzardy, mystical atmosphere where Chris Gardner goes on an adventure with his granddaughter to find a music store in an unknown area of Chicago, Chris gives Brooke lessons on how to dream and turn those dreams into reality.  Mixed with his past experiences and relationships of being a homeless single dad to becoming a wealthy financial businessman, Chris gives guidelines on making your dreams come true.

Mr. Gardner is now reaching out to high school students in his B2HS program imparting these lessons.  This book would be well served to be on every high school student's must-read list, especially those in lower income families who may not have role models in their lives who have attained personal and financial success. One of the most powerful sections in the book for me personally was thinking about the question, What is God going to ask you?"  

4.20.2021 - Hour of the Witch

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Chris Bohjalian - one of my favorites!  4.5 stars for a great historical fiction look into early views about women and witches!

Mary left London with her parents who settled in Boston in the mid-1600s.  Mary is a very devout Puritan woman who marries an older man, Thomas Deerfield, and becomes his second wife.  Thomas turns out to be a very angry, violent man especially when he drinks and Mary is on the receiving end of that violence.  When he stabs a three-pronged fork through her hand, Mary decides she must divorce him.  However, she then finds herself defending against allegations of witchcraft.  

While a bit of a slower read, this is a very powerful look into how women were treated centuries ago.  Men were allowed to discipline their wives and the wives were forced to live with that violence.  Hmm, well, maybe we haven't come as far as we should have on that matter.  Barren women were judged to be suspect because they didn't fulfill what they were created to do - be bearers of children.  This book took place in Massachusetts before the Salem witch trials and people were looking everywhere for the signs of the Devil - even in forks!  The trials that Mary underwent were quite eyeopening and led to a tense reading of this book - loved the ending!

4.18.2021 - Lies We Bury

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore book by Elle Marr - 4 stars for a creepy dual timeline mystery that will keep you glued.

Twenty years ago, Chet kidnapped three women who bore three children in captivity, locked in an underground room.  For Marissa, life in the basement with her three Mamas and sisters Janessa and Lily, is all she's ever known.    In the present day, Marissa, now going by Claire, is back in Portland trying to work as a newspaper photographer.  However, she's started receiving clues that lead her to a murder in an underground room.  As Chet is set to be released from prison, the clues ramp up and Claire is desperate to figure out who is to blame.  

Told in alternating timelines between the past when the family was held captive and the present day, this is a taut thriller with lots of questionable characters.  All of the women held captive are struggling to make sense and peace with what happened to them, with varying success. I didn't figure this one out until the end, including a major twist that I didn't see coming.

4.17.2021 - In Her Tracks

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read the next chapter in the Tracy Crosswhite series by one of my absolute favorite authors, Robert Dugoni.  5 stars!

Tracy, a detective in the Violent Crimes Section of the Seattle Police Department, is returning to duty from an extended leave.  In her absence, her spot on the A Team has been filled and she is asked to work the Cold Case Unit.  She picks a case where a 5-year-old girl seemingly disappeared while in the care of her father.  The parents were going through a nasty divorce and each blame the other.  As Tracy begins her investigation, she is also drawn into helping with a current case of a young woman who went missing from a local park.  

If you haven't read this series, you must start from the beginning!  However, each book could also be read as a stand alone because the author gives enough information to connect the reader to the past.  These are wonderful police procedurals - this one had one of those "gasp out loud" moments for me as I was reading!  Tracy feels like such a real character, struggling with her job, her mental health after what she has been through, and balancing work/home/parenting.   I can't wait to read more in this series!

4.16.2021 - Her Three Lives

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Cate Holahan - 4 stars for a book that will keep you guessing!

Greg and Jade are engaged, expecting a new baby and preparing to move into a newly-remodeled dream home.  Life is good even though Greg's divorce isn't finalized and his children aren't completely on board with Greg's much younger fiancé.  The couple are getting ready to go out when they are brutally attacked and Greg is left for dead.  But as Greg recovers from his brain injury, he becomes increasingly paranoid and distrustful, setting up cameras everywhere in the house and watching Jade's every move.  But Jade has secrets of her own.

“All human beings have three lives: public, private, and secret.”  This quote from the front of the book and its title emphasize that we never know what goes on behind closed doors and in people's lives.  Especially in this day of social media where good fronts are all that are on display.  There are a lot of characters in this book and the author is skilled at leaving lots of questions as to who is doing what to whom.  Another solid book from Cate Holahan!

4.15.2021 - Flesh and Blood

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the wonderful DCI Amy Winters series by Caroline Mitchell.  4 stars for another intriguing chapter in a series you need to read!

DI Amy Winters finds herself with her team investigating a series of seaside suicides.  A police officer in town is the latest victim and is someone that DCI Donovan worked with in the past, prompting the team to temporarily relocate from London to help in the investigation.  A group of teenagers may hold the key to the deaths but they are hard to track down, even with one member of the team trying to infiltrate their group.  Amy's past as the daughter of serial killers also comes into play here, with her mother in the hospital with stab wounds and her sister looking for her child that she gave up.

I love DI Winters and this series.  This one felt a little confusing/rushed to me - there were times where I had to go back and reread, thinking I missed something,  But small gripes for a wonderful series.  I loved the ending and can't wait to read the next in the series to see where it will take us!

4.14.2021 - The Perfect Daughter

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by D.J. Palmer - another 5 star book by one of my favorite authors!

Grace was at the park with her young sons when she came across an abandoned 4-year-old girl.  Grace was determined it was fate that she was meant to raise this girl; her and her husband, Arthur, went through fostering until they could adopt the little girl they named Penny.  But as Penny grew, she started exhibiting signs of DII (dissociative identity disorder) - or multiple personalities.  Grace and Arthur took her to many different psychologists - only one of whom was convinced Penny had DII.  Until the day that Penny was arrested for the murder of her birth mom - she was found bloody with the murder weapon in her hand.  She was sent to a hospital for the criminally mental ill where she was treated by Dr Mitch McHugh, himself battling his own demons.  As the trial nears, Grace finds her own life in danger and the rest of her family at odds.

Wow - this is a fast-paced, gripping novel that will leave your head spinning.  I loved the way the author also gave  an alternative POV as Grace's son, Jack, a college student, is preparing a film about Penny's situation.  This gives the reader a different look into the family dynamics and the kids' childhood experiences.  The mind is amazing how it does its best to protect the psyche from horrors.  This book also shines a light into the darkness of how mentally ill people are treated.  Don't miss this one!!

4.13.2021 - Mirrorland

Many thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Carole Johnstone - 4 stars for a twisty twin tale!

El and Cat are mirror identical twins.  They grew up in an old manor in Scotland with their mother and grandfather,  They created Mirrorland - an elaborate fantasy world under their pantry stairs where they spent all their time with pirate ships, clowns, witches.  In the present time, the twins are estranged.  Cat is living in California and El has remained in Scotland, married to their childhood friend, Ross, and living in their childhood home.  Cat is called to return to Scotland because El has gone missing in a boating accident and is presumed dead.  Someone is leaving Cat clues that are forcing her to confront their past in Mirrorland.

This is a twisty, complicated mix of past, present, fantasy and dream worlds.  But it is so imaginative that it will pull you into this fantasy world where truth and lies are difficult to discern.  There are so many unreliable narrators in this book that you will never see all the twists and turns coming.  Looking forward to more from this author!

4.12.2021 - The Last Thing to Burn

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for gifting me an ARC of this amazing American debut novel by Will Dean - 5 stars for a book I won't soon forget.

"Jane" came to the United States with her sister from Vietnam in hopes of a job and a new life.  Instead, she was sold to Lenn, a farmer in the UK, who has kept her imprisoned as his slave for 7 years.  One by one, she loses her few possessions when she breaks one of Lenn's arbitrary rules.  Then she finds out she's pregnant and she vows that her child will have a different life.  When she learns that Lenn has another woman captive, she knows she needs to act to save them all.

I couldn't put this book down and read it with my heart in my throat and my stomach hurting.  Reminiscent of Room, you will be blown away by the strength of "Jane" and the way she holds onto her self.  I loved the inner monologue "Jane" kept to distance herself from the horrors of her existence - so powerful, especially when she became a mom.  This brings the dark, disturbing horrors of human trafficking into the light in a beautifully-written way.  Plus there's never been a more apt title!  This is a must-read book - I can't wait to read more from this author!

4.11.2021 - When the Stars Go Dark

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Paula McLain.  5 stars for a wonderfully-written, thought-provoking book!

While this author is most known for her historical fiction, this book goes back only to 1993.  Its setting is Mendocino, CA, and weaves the real-life kidnapping of Polly Klaas into this story.  Anna Hart is escaping her present life drama by leaving San Francisco and heading to the small town where she lived with her foster parents years ago.  In San Francisco, Anna is a detective working on missing person cases and the day she arrives back in Mendocino, a young girl is kidnapped and Anna becomes obsessed with finding her.

Expertly weaving Anna's past into her present, this book takes you back to a time before cellphones, Amber Alerts, national crime databases and the internet's instant access.  This book is about trauma and its far-reaching effects, which when coupled with real-life statistics is staggering to comprehend.  Be sure to read the author's note at the end to see what a deeply personal book this is for her.  But beyond the taut thriller, it also provides a glimmer of hope in the way that people can learn to trust again and come together when tragedy strikes.  Not to be missed - this book proves that Paula McClain can write any genre.

4.9.2021 - What Comes After

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Riverhead Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by JoAnne Tompkins - 5 glowing stars!

Two families are grieving - Isaac is mourning the loss of his teenage son, Daniel, and next-door neighbor, Lorrie, is also mourning the death of her son, Jonah.  While their sons' deaths are connected, Isaac and Lorrie are now worlds apart.  Into this grief stumbles Evangeline, a pregnant teenage girl who appears at Isaac's door.  She has connections to both boys that she is keeping to herself.  All three must first come to grips with their pasts before moving forward.

What an amazing debut - this book will have you in shreds at the same time as it will lift you up with all that is good in humanity.  You will feel so much emotion for each character and their story.  I loved Isaac's Quaker faith and the power of silence in this so very loud world.  I also loved delving into the acceptance of the reality of our children and our role in that.  "Every mother screws up her children one way or another. It's up to you whether you stay that way."  And just wait until you meet Rufus!  This would be the perfect book club book because there are so many topics - faith, grief, abuse, hope, kindness, family.   Such a powerful book - do not miss this one!  Bravo to all involved and I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.

4.7.2021 - Good Company

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ecco/Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review the sophomore book by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, whose debut novel The Nest was such a big hit.  4 stars for an intriguing look into the family and friend relationships as they evolve.

Flora and Julian were the couple that made it.  They met in NYC and were part of establishing a small theater company in upstate NY, Good Company.  Their good friends, Margot and David, have been part of their lives throughout their 20-year marriage and the birth of their daughter, Ruby.  As Flora is preparing for Ruby's high school graduation party, she discovers Julian's wedding ring, the one he said he lost years ago, buried in a long-forgotten drawer in a file cabinet.  And suddenly everything she thought was true has been upended.

We learn of the backstories of all the characters over the last 20 years and are privy to the way life's events change all of us.  We are all flawed and doing our best but many decisions that people make will come back to haunt them.  This is also about how we move forward and how forgiveness can look.  Plus it was an interesting look into community theater!

4.5.2021 - What You Never Knew

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Jessica Hamilton.  4.5 stars for a book that really drew me in.

May and June were sisters who were extremely close.  They spent their childhood summers at Avril Island, a private island purchased by her dad for her mom, April.  However, when the girls were young, their father left their mother and she started a new life for them in Seattle.  April told her daughters that she sold Avril Island.  However, after May is killed in a horrible car accident, June learns that the island was never sold and is now hers.  Devastated by her grief, May returns to Avril Island.  However, once there, she discovers that the community is not happy to see her return.  In the vein of The Lovely Bones, this story is told through both May and June's voices as we learn all the secrets the family and the island hold.  

I thought this was a wonderfully-written debut - it kept me intrigued until I turned the last page.  Besides being a good mystery, this book explores the good and bad of family relationships and how secrets can destroy us.  Both points of view allowed you to get to know both sisters as well as their story.  I can't wait to read more from this author!

4.4.2021 -The Thin Place

Many thanks to Net Galley and Amazon Publishing/Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital copy of this gothic mystery by CD Major - 4 stars for a chilling mystery.

The thin place is a Celtic expression for places where the gap between heaven and earth is closer.  In the present day, journalist Ava is investigating a rumored thin place - an old castle with a nearby bridge where dogs apparently leap to their deaths for no reason.  Ava soon becomes obsessed with the story and the house.  In alternating chapters, we hear from Marian in 1929 and Constance in 1949, who both lived in the house.  There are plenty of twists and turns to see how all three timelines are related.

This is a fast-paced read and each story line is chilling in its own way, but especially Constance's.  I enjoyed the creepy, gothic feel of this story.  Be sure to read the author's note because the house and bridge are real places!

4.3.2021 - The Good Sister

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Sally Hepworth - one of my favorite authors.  5 stars for a fabulous read!

Rose and Fern are twin sisters who are very close after surviving a difficult childhood with an unstable mother.  Fern has sensory issues and Rose has always taken care of her.  Plus when they were younger, Fern did something bad and Rose has always kept her secret.  When Rose is desperate to have a baby with her husband, Fern decides she can help her sister.  

Told in the voices of Fern and through Rose's journal writings, you're better off going into this read with as little of the story as possible.  It's full of interesting twists and turns and unreliable narrators.  I absolutely adored Fern's quirky character and cheered her on as she grew into her personality.  Do not miss this book when it comes out - another winner by Hepworth!

4.1.2021 - The Dictionary of Lost Words

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Pip Williams - 4.5 stars for a wonderful look into the history of words and the dictionary!

Esme is a motherless girl being raised by her father who is a lexicographer working with a group of men to create the first Oxford English Dictionary.  Esme spends much of her younger days in the Scriptorium where the men work.  One day when she is sitting under the table, a slip of paper with the word "bondmaid" floats underneath the sorting table unnoticed.  Esme takes it and so begins her collection of words - she keeps them in a trunk belonging to her friend, Libby, who is a servant of the boss.  As she grows older, she sees that some words won't make it into the dictionary because they are words that women use or words that describe women's feelings.  Her collection grows.  As Esme grows older, the world changes and she becomes involved in the Suffragette Movement as well as WWI efforts.

Meticulously researched and written, this is a fascinating look into how words made it into the dictionary and how the books were printed.  It's also a wonderful look into the power of words and their meanings.  It's certainly a look into the role of women in this time period but it's also a book full of wonderful characters and their friendships, love, grief.  Don't miss it!