8.25.2021 - Into the Lake

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for gifting me an audiobook of this mystery by LK Chapman and narrated by Peter Noble - 4 stars!

Natalie and Josh meet again at a class reunion and immediately hit it off. As they make plans to marry, Natalie starts receiving messages that Josh is a murderer. Josh explains that when he was younger, he tried to save another teenager but she drowned. Josh was cleared but remains feeling guilty. As the trolling becomes worse, Natalie decides she has to take drastic measures to find out the truth. 

I thought this was a tense mystery/thriller. Both Josh and Natalie have past issues that add to the suspense. There is a good cast of other characters to add to the tension. The chapters go back into the past to fill out the story. Lots of triggers here - suicide, bullying. The narrator did a great job voicing the characters. 

8.23.2021 - The Last Chance Library

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Freya Sampson - 4.5 stars!

June Jones is kind of stuck in her life since her mom passed away.  An introvert, she continues working as a library assistant in the library were her mom used to be librarian, she has changed nothing in her home, and shelved all her long-ago dreams.  When the library is threatened with closure from the town council, a small group of loyal patrons band together to try and save it from closing.  June must step out of her box to make changes for the library and herself.

What's not to like about a novel that's a love story to books, libraries and librarians?  Throw in some quirky characters, wonderful small town ambience, and a little romance and you have a great book.  I was really transported into this book and cared about June and these characters.  It had a sweet mix of charm, humor, romance and character.  Don't miss this one!

8.22.2021 - My Heart is a Chainsaw

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books/Saga Press for gifting me a copy of Stephen Graham Jones' latest novel - 4 stars!

Jade is an outcast in the small Idaho town of Proofrock, obsessed with slasher movies as an escape from her home life.  When a wealthy group of investors decides to build mansions on the other side of Indian Lake, Jade recognizes the "final girl" in newcomer, Letha, and predicts a coming massacre.  However, no one believes her and she even starts questioning herself, until bodies start showing up. 

This is a tough book to review - it's wonderfully written and the longer I have stepped away from reading it, I find myself haunted by Jade's story.  I adored some of these characters (Mr. Holmes!) and of course, Jade.  It was a bit slow for me and not being a slasher movie fan, much of that info went over my head.  But the mixing of Native American culture with the horror movie theme to tell Jade's story was spot on. 

8.19.2021 - The Last House on Needless Street

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Tor/Forge and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this amazing book by Catriona Ward - 5 stars!  Audiobook narration was by Christopher Ragland and he was amazing - added to the creepiness of the story!

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.  All these things are true. And yet they are all lies...  You think you know what's inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you've read this story before. That's where you're wrong.  In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it's not what you think..

Typically, I try to give a short synopsis of the book in my own words.  However, you need to go into this book as blindly as possible and I was afraid I would give something away that would ruin the reader's experience, so I just copied the publisher's words.  This book had me twisted and turned in all the best, creepy ways.  I experienced all the emotions - horror, disgust, fear, sadness, hope.  Be sure to read the author's afterword to understand the book even further.

Highly recommended!

8.18.2021 - Golden Girl

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for gifting me a digital copy of the latest Nantucket novel by Elin Hilderbrand - 4.5 stars!

Vivi is a divorced mother of 3 young adults, out for her morning run when she is killed by a hit-and-run driver.  She awakens in heaven where she is assigned Martha, her Person, who explains that Vivi will be able to watch her family for the summer and is allowed 3 nudges to help them out.  Each of her children have issues - Willa is pregnant again after suffering 3 miscarriages; Carson is self-medicating with drugs, alcohol and wrong men; Leo is a senior in high school, on the outs with his best friend and trying to break it off with this girlfriend.  Vivi is also worried about her last novel, sent off to the publishers with a secret from her past.

As with all of Hilderbrand's books, you will be transported to the magic of a Nantucket summer.  This one is a mystery too as the Chief of Police tries to determine who the driver was who hit Vivi.  The story is told from multiple points of view as well as Vivi's glimpses into her past.  I also loved all the Parma, OH, references since I spent 25 years in that area - they were pretty spot on!  I really enjoyed the thought that our loved ones are looking out for us and providing us with those nudges, but also that things work out the way they are supposed to.  Another great summer read!

8.14.2021 - Twice a Daughter

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Books Fluent for gifting me an audiobook of the debut memoir by Julie Ryan McGue, narrated by Kate Hagman - 4 stars!

Julie and her twin, Jenny, have always known they were adopted but it was a closed adoption, so they had no information on their birth parents.  Until Julie started going through health crises in middle age, she had never pursued investigating her biological origins.  Those health issues spurred her to open difficult discussions with her adoptive parents and begin a years-long search for her birth parents.

This was a wonderful memoir, totally honest and forthcoming with the emotions and feelings of all involved parties.  Julie was very diligent and methodical in her searches and it was obviously documented well in order to produce this book.  The twins were always so respectful of their parents' feelings even through hurt and rejection.  I appreciated her Catholic upbringing and faith and believe that God definitely had a hand in all that transpired - there are no coincidences!

This book had lots of different people and I felt that the narrator did a wonderful job of voicing all these characters.  Her pace and tone were perfect.

8.13.2021 - Monster Child

Many thanks to the author, Rahela Nayebzadah, for gifting me a copy of this powerful book - 5 stars!

This is the story of 3 siblings in an Afghani family who immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, and have opened an ethnic restaurant. The story takes place over a few months in 2000 and is divided into each sibling's point of view during that time period. Each sibling views themselves as the "monster child" of the family who has caused the family immeasurable harm.

A short but extremely powerful book that explores some difficult subjects - sexual abuse, racism, family secrets - and how these traumas affect each family member differently. It was very helpful to have the glossary of terms at the end; it was also an interesting look into this culture.

8.12.2021 - The Family Plot

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Megan Collins - 4 creepy stars!

Dahlia grew up in a remote island mansion that was dubbed "Murder Mansion" by the townspeople.  That's because Dahlia's mom was obsessed with murder victims after her parents were killed.  She named each of her 4 children after famous victims, she homeschooled them by having them learn about true crime incidents and writing murder reports.  Dahlia's twin brother, Andy, disappeared after their 16th birthday and Dahlia has been searching for him ever since.  When their father dies, Dahlia returns home for the first time in years along with her two older siblings only to have the family discover that Andy is buried in their father's plot.  

Definitely for those fascinated with true crime, as the names of victims and crimes are prevalent.  There is more than one murder to solve here and plenty of suspicious characters.  Plenty of unresolved grief, childhood trauma and family secrets to round out the plot.  The book and setting are creepy and disturbing but will keep you turning the pages to find out all the answers. 

8.11.2021 - 56 Days

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Catherine Ryan Howard - 5 stars!

56 days ago - Ciara and Oliver meet in a grocery store just as Covid-19 becomes a threat to Ireland.  35 days ago - Ciara and Oliver decide to move into his apartment when the 2-week lockdown hits so that they can explore their relationship in a bubble.  Today - a deceased body is found in Oliver's apartment.

Enough said!  I absolutely love a cleverly-told, original tale and loved the way the author told this story.  We get multiple timelines and get to see things unfold from both Ciara's and Oliver's POV.  Both of them are keeping big secrets.  Adding the initial horror of Covid-19 just adds to the tension - we all remember wiping down our groceries and being scared of everything (not sure that's still in the past but still!).  Highly recommended!

8.10.2021

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for gifting me a digital copy of the wonderful debut novel by Sarah Zachrich Jeng - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Kelly is happily single, living in Chicago and trying to make it in the art world.  On her 29th birthday, she's attending a gallery show of her best friend's work when she opens up the bathroom door and finds herself back in her Michigan hometown, the guest at a surprise birthday party thrown for her by her family and her husband, Eric, a boy from her high school.  Knowing that she would sound totally crazy if she told anyone, she quietly slips into this new life while at the same time trying to understand what happened.  Where did her tattoos go?  Why in this life didn't she go to art school?  Which life is really hers?

While I'll happily watch Star Trek for hours, sci-fi books are a hit or miss for me but this one really captivated me and transported me into a different world (pun definitely intended).  This is intriguing sci-fi without things being technical and making your brain hurt.  This is a glimpse into what would happen if we chose different paths in life or if different paths were chosen for us.  I think this is one best gone into sort of blind to add to the mysterious, blurry world feeling.  Fabulous debut and I can't wait to read more from this author!

8.8.2021 - The Perfect Family

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest domestic thriller by one of my favorites, Robyn Harding - 5 stars for a darkly entertaining read!

The Adlers are the perfect family.  Dad, Thomas, is a successful real estate agent who ensures that his own home is picture perfect on the outside.  Mom, Viv, is an interior designer/home stager, making the insides of a home perfect.  They have two children, Eli and Tarryn.  All seems perfect until the night that eggs are thrown at their house.  Because each of them has a secret and each of them thinks they are being targeted because of that secret.

Buckle up and have fun with this one!  Told in alternating POV from each of the family members, we learn all their secrets while they are still secret from each other.  As the violence towards the Adlers ramps up, so does all the twists and turns of the story.  Who is responsible for all that is going on?  Go into this one as blind as possible and just have fun - it's one of those juicy, voyeuristic looks into how that perfect family really lives.  You will find yourself flipping the pages as fast as you can until you get to that crazy last sentence!  Highly recommended!

8.7.2021 - You Can Never Tell

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media (excellently narrated by Jorjeana Marie) for gifting me both a digital ARC and audiobook of the thriller by Sarah Warburton - 4.5 stars!

Kacy was framed for a theft by her supposed best friend and subsequently fired from her dream job at a museum; devastated, her and her husband, Michael, moved to Sugar Land for a new start.  Kacy was slow to trust in making new friends but she slowly met people in the neighborhood, becoming fast friends with next-door neighbor, Lena.  Lena was on her side when it appeared that her old friend was continuing to taunt her from far away.  When the couple found hidden cameras in their home, Lena's husband, Brady, helped them detect and remove them.  But when Michael makes a discovery after being with Brady, they both realized they didn't know their neighbors as well as they thought.

I loved how this book alternated the story with snippets from a true crime podcast telling about this crime.  It led even a more creepy vibe to the entire tale, because there were enough really true details to make it seem so real.  The characters felt real and you could feel for Kacy, wounded from her last friendship and slow to trust yet needing friends in her life.  A must read!

8.7.2021 - Gone for Good

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Joanna Schaffhausen - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Detective Annalisa Vega of the Chicago Police Department is called to investigate a murder where the MO is identical to unsolved murders of young women in the area decades before.  In addition, the victim, Grace Harper, was part of a group called the Grave Diggers, who tried to solve cold cases.  Grace had a wall full of photographs from the Lovelorn Killer, as he was dubbed, when she was apparently his next victim.  Detective Vega also has a tie to the killer - her high school boyfriend's mother and their old next door neighbor was his last victim before Grace.  The killer taunts the media and the public through letters and now he's contacting Annalisa personally.

I raced through this book and absolutely loved the twist at the end that I never saw coming.  The author kept the tension high as we followed along the investigation and hunt for this killer.  I also liked getting to know the backgrounds and personal sides of these characters and am beyond excited that this is the first in a series featuring Detective Vega.  Highly recommended!

8.5.2021 - Cul-de-sac

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books/Random House for gifting me a digital copy of the latest thriller by Joy Fielding - 5 stars!  I have been reading her books for decades and have loved them all!

A quiet cul-de-sac, just 5 families.  But the book opens with a shooting and someone won't survive the night.  Each family has their own issues and secrets, with plenty of motive and opportunity.  There's Maggie and her family, who fled from California after a scary incident.  Elderly Julia's grandson moves in with her with questionable motives.  Heidi and Aiden are newlyweds; Aiden suffers from PTSD and a controlling mother.  Sean lost his job and Olivia is now the breadwinner which isn't working well for Sean.  Nick and Dani are both doctors who keep to themselves.

We learn about each of the families in alternating chapters and you'll be questioning lots of people.  Some you'll love and some you'll love to hate.  This is just a fast-paced thriller that proves once again that you never know what goes on behind closed doors!  

8.3.2021 - The Family Across the Street

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital copy of the latest thriller by Nicole Trope - 4.5 stars!

On a quiet street in Sydney during a heatwave, a gunshot rings out piercing the silence.  What's going on behind that closed door?  The story starts 7 hours earlier when things just don't seem right to delivery person, Logan, as he tries to deliver a package to the home of Katherine, John and their two children.  Neighbor Gladys also notices that things are different at the neighbor's house, but she's called the police once too often to report insignificant things, so her husband tells her to wait.  

Told from several different POV, this is a tense thriller that will keep you glued to the pages.  The characters feel real, each with their own issues and past trauma.  There are people who step up to do the right thing, no matter what.  A good tale about second chances and looking past outward appearances.  Another winner from Nicole Trope!

8.2.2021 - Dark Roads

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Chevy Stevens, always a must-read author for me.  4.5 stars rounded up!

Cold Creek Highway is an isolated highway running through British Columbia - it's also the hunting grounds for predators over the decades.  There are billboards of missing young girls and signs warning others not to hitchhike or walk alone.  Hailey lives in Cold Creek, raised by her father to be knowledgable about the surrounding woods and take of herself.  When he dies unexpectedly, Hailey must go to live with her aunt and her husband, Vaughn, a police officer in town who bullies Hailey.  Things get to a breaking point and Hailey disappears into the woods, leaving the town to believe she fell prey to the highway killer.  The following year, Beth comes to town to try and find closure after her sister, Amber, was killed there only to find herself in danger as well.

The prologue and epilogue bookend a story that is filled with danger and scary characters, but also filled with resilience and strength.  You will be rooting for Hailey and her amazing dog, Wolf, as they survive in the woods and try to right so many wrongs.  I loved the strong friendship between Jonny and Hailey - were we all to have such a friend!  The story was very well written and I was in the dark figuring out exactly who the perpetrators were.  I also appreciated the author's note about the real highway in BC where so many have gone missing - adds a very creepy realism to this story.

8.1.2021 - The People We Keep

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for gifting me a digital copy of this wonderful book by Allison Larkin - 5 stars!

April is 16 years old, living in a motorless mobile home in rural upstate NY, all but abandoned by both parents.  She has a gift for writing songs, singing and playing the guitar but when her father breaks her guitar in a final confrontation, she decides she's had enough and reads for the road.  We follow along April's journey as she makes her way across the eastern coast, finding friends and pieces of home along the way.

I loved this book and will be thinking about these characters for a long time!  April is so strong and determined, both in chasing her dream as well as trying not to hurt others along the way.  She is full of hope and resilience, even when she's starving and down to her last dollar.  She's been taught to run when things get tough and to depend on no one but herself.  This book also emphasizes the impact people have on each other.  Do not miss this book - I loved everything about it!