4.30.2025 - Cold Burn

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the next in the National Parks Thriller series by AJ Landau.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

We connect back with National Park Service special Agent Michael Walker who is called in to investigate a missing geological survey team in Alaska.  In the Florida Everglades, FBI special investigator Gina Delgado is investigating the murder of an environmental science intern.  Add in a frozen wooly mammoth and a strange contagion causing people to freeze from the inside out and you have the markings of a thriller!

I enjoyed reading about the latest adventures of this duo, even though they were working in separate areas.  There's a lot going on here, but Landau skillfully weaves everything together, including themes of climate control and conspiracy.  As in the first book, I like the snippets of National Park trivia between chapters.  The story is fast-paced and tense, and you'll be rooting for the good guys.  Hope there's more to come in this series!

4.29.2025 - How to Seal Your Own Fate

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for gifting me a digital ARC for the second book in the Castle Knoll Files series by Kristen Perrin.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

We are reunited with characters from the first book (a must read!) as Annie tries to solve a decades old murder that took place in Castle Knoll.  In present day, Annie crosses paths with Peony Lane, a fortune teller, who shares a cryptic message.  In 1967, teenager Frances is caught between two men – Ford, from a very wealthy family, and Archie, who lives above the village pub and can’t seem to hold down a job.  Frances teams up with Archie to investigate a car accident that claimed the lives of Ford’s family, and things become very interwoven.  

I adored the first book in this series and was delighted to spend time with these characters again.  We hear from Annie in the present and Frances through her diaries.  I do have to say that the murder plot became a bit confusing to me, especially at the end, and you need to pay attention to the timelines to keep the characters straight.  But minor quibbles in a thoroughly engaging murder mystery with great characters.  Fingers crossed for more in this series!

4.29.2025 - The Road to Tender Hearts

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House | Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Annie Hartnett.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 stars!

PJ Halliday’s life hasn’t turned out like he thought.  His marriage fell apart after the sudden death of their oldest daughter, he’s mostly estranged from his younger daughter, Sophie, and he’s pretty much spent his million-dollar lottery win on alcohol.  He comes across an obituary and realizes his high school sweetheart is now single.  He decides he’s going to drive from Massachusetts to her retirement home in Arizona to win back her heart.  But before he can leave, a tragedy leaves 2 young kids in his care.  He expands his road trip plans to include them and Sophie, along with Pancakes, a former nursing home therapy cat with a knack of predicting death.

I’m a huge fan of Hartnett’s books, and this one is so wonderful!  Full of darkly comedic humor about some heavy subjects, the characters once again shine.  They are flawed, broken, but still remain hopeful that better things can happen; they will all break your heart and mend it back.  I felt emotionally invested in all of them and their stories.  Plus, who doesn’t love a crazy road trip?  Highly recommended!

4.28.2025 - Such a Good Mom

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Julia Spiro, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Abigail Reno.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Brynn should be on top of the world - she has a new baby, a devoted husband, a career she enjoys, and life on Martha's Vineyard.  But she's struggling.  Her husband seems distant and new motherhood is hard.  When a family friend is found dead and her husband accused of the crime, Brynn's life is really turned upside down.

I loved this story of a new mom, struggling with all that entails.  Nothing in her life is as it was before – not her relationship with her husband, not her body, not her work.  She doesn’t trust herself enough to know who she can trust, even her husband..  You could feel Brynn's struggles and doubts about herself and those around her.  I liked the look into all that goes into the label of being a good mom, mostly how we as women judge ourselves and our own moms.  

4.28.2025 - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, MIRA and Harlequin Trade Publishers | Harlequin Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Kylie Lee Baker, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Natalie Naudus.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner—but the bloody messes don't bother her, not when she's already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister being pushed in front of a train. The killer was never caught, and Cora is still haunted by his last words: "bat eater."  After a series of unexplained killings in Chinatown, Cora believes someone might be targeting East Asian women, and something might be targeting Cora herself.

Horrifying in so many ways, brutally honest in others, all wrapped up in a novel that is not for the faint of heart, but one that will open your eyes.  Covid brought so many of us to our knees, but the Asian Americans were subjected to that as well as all the racism and blame for the virus.  Add a cultural ghost story and a murder mystery into the mix, perfectly executed, and this book is a winner.  I loved Cora’s circle of found family - Yifei and Harvey – who were there for each other until the end.  This is dark but has so many important themes.  Don’t miss the author’s note at the end.  

4.27.2025 - Julie Chan is Dead

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital and physical ARC of this debut novel by Liana Zhang.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Julie and her twin sister, Chloe, were separated when they were very young after their parents’ deaths.  Chloe went to a stable couple while Julie was raised by a resentful aunt.  Now, Julie works at a grocery store and barely gets by while Chloe is a powerful influencer.  Even though they are estranged, when Julie gets a strange voicemail from Chloe, she drops everything to go to NYC to see if Chloe is okay.  Instead, she finds Chloe dead.  From there, it’s a slippery slope to just becoming Chloe.  She’s soon in with Chloe’s friend group, led by the infamous Bella and whisked off to her private island, where things get really crazy.

Wow – what a wild debut so better buckle up for this one!  I loved the premise, with identical twins changing places.  Interesting how good someone else’s world can look from the outside.  This book incorporates a satirical look at the evils of social media with a nod to cults and horror, all with the dark humor I love.  I’m still thinking about one scene that will cause me nightmares forever!  But it was addictive, and I couldn’t put this one down.  Fabulous debut!

4.26.2025 - The Thrashers

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the YA debut novel by Julie Soto, with the audio narrated perfectly by Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

The Thrashers are the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.  Jodi doesn't quite fit in with the others, but because she's been Zach Thrasher's best friend since childhood, she's in.  When Emily Mills, who was desperate to be a Thrasher, dies, the whispers about the friends grow loud.  When Emily's journal comes to light and the detectives close in, Jodi has an impossible choice to make - protect herself or betray her friends.

There is a lot to unpack in this story, but especially the way many young people treat others, especially in this social media age when it's easy to hide.  There are also triggers of suicide, stalking, obsession, classism.  Throw in some mystery, twists and turns, and a few supernatural events and you have a gripping story!  While no one is a shining example of how to behave in this book, I couldn't help but feel for Jodi who has had a tough life and is trying to do the right things, while keeping her feelings about Zach to herself.  The narration was spot on and it will transport you back to your own high school days, when being friends with the right people seemed paramount.  Great book!

4.26.2025 - Michael Without Apology

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing | Amazon Publishing, and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Michael was seven years old when a near-fatal fireworks accident scarred him and led to his placement in foster care and subsequent adoption by another family.  Now a college freshman, he's taking a film class by Robert Dunning, himself scarred but with no apology.  Robert encourages Michael to make a documentary that explores body image and self-perception.  The reaction to his call for stories shows him that everyone struggles with these issues.

Every book that Catherine Ryan Hyde astounds me.  She explores a different human issue in each book and makes you look hard at it.  Typically, it will change your views and encourage you to be a better person.  This one is a must read because we all deal with body image issues. It made me think how quickly we judge others by their looks.  I loved these characters - of course, Michael and Robert, but all the film subjects, and his adoptive parents.  An absolute must read!

4.25.2025 - The Fairbanks Four

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books Media for gifting me an audio ARC of this true crime story by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue and narrated by Chris Henry Coffey.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3 stars.

In 1997, a passerby finds an unconscious teenager, brutally beaten, who subsequently dies days later at the hospital.  The police quickly arrest four suspects, all under 21, and all of indigenous backgrounds.  All are later convicted and sentenced to long prison terms.  The author can't get the story out of his mind, and when given the opportunity to teach a class on investigative reporting, he and his students delve deeply into the case.

Like that of all people wrongly convicted, this is indeed a very sad story, one made worse with blatant racism.  I admire all those who devote themselves to uncovering the truth and then seeking to right the wrong.  But I was never very invested in this audiobook and it really seemed to drag for me.  It seemed disjointed in its presentation and i got people and details very confused.  There seemed to be extraneous information while important information was lacking.  An important story for sure, especially today, but a bit hard to follow.

4.23.2025 - Where Do We Go From Here?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me the perfect trifecta of a physical, digita, and audio ARC of the latest novel by Nick Alexander, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Eilidh Beaton, and for including me on the blog tour today!  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars!

Wendy is a nurse, especially difficult in the time of Covid.  At home things are no easier;  her kids are getting older, and her marriage seems to just be hanging on.  When everything comes to a boil, she decides to rent a remote cabin in France to spend some time figuring out what’s next.  But being all by herself forces Wendy to take a good look at her own behaviors.

This was such a good character study, and I especially loved Wendy and the postal carrier, Manon.  How many of us think escaping from everyone and everything would make our world better?  But is it the people in our lives that make us better?  It’s always tough to look inside and much easier to blame others when things go wrong.  There’s a lot of humor in this book while tackling the tough subjects of loss, addiction, and social connection.  It would be a great book club read!

4.22.2025 - Welcome to West Street

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest domestic thriller by Nicole Trope, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Taryn Ryan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Amanda is trying to forge a new life in a quiet little suburb away from her abusive husband.  But her children aren't real happy with the move, especially her son.  And not everyone on the street is as they appear.

Go into this one blind to fully enjoy all the crazy twists and turns.  The characters seem realistic and I felt for Amanda who was just trying to do the right thing for herself and her children.  She wasn't sure who she could trust and worried so much about her kids, especially Jordan, who was so angry and bitter towards her.  Another good twisty thriller - loved the ending!

4.22.2025 - The Book Club for Troublesome Women

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful historical fiction book by Marie Bostwick, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Lisa Flanagan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 stars!

Set in the 1960s, we meet four women – Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv – living in an exclusive Virginia suburb.  Margaret starts a book club, and their first pick is The Feminine Mystique.  As the women get closer, they realize that they all secretly share the feeling that they aren’t as happy and fulfilled in their lives as they should be.  They seem to have it all, but it doesn’t feel like enough.  They nickname themselves The Bettys, after author Betty Friedan, and begin forging a tight bond.

 

I adored this book!  I started reading it digitally but quickly switched to the audiobook because Lisa Flanagan perfectly captured the different women’s voices and personalities.  This book has it all – humor, nostalgia, sisterhood, self-discovery.  It’s still jaw dropping to realize that in this time period, women couldn’t open bank accounts or get birth control without their husband’s permission.  I admired how these women provided strength for each other when needed, and highlighted how important standing up for ourselves and others is. Plus, it isn’t total man bashing as I loved Walt!  This is the absolute perfect book club pick, and I highly recommended it!

4.20.2025 - The Bright Years

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of this fabulous debut novel by Sarah Damoff.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 bright stars!

This is the story of Ryan and Lillian - how they met, their marriage, their new family, their friends, and their secrets.  We follow them through the years, through the happiness and sorrow.

I'm still gasping from this book.  This will undoubtedly be one of my top favorites of the year - and it's a debut novel!  I can't stop thinking about these characters - not only the mains, but all the characters and their stories.  I think it's best gone in to blind to experience all the emotions as you read, so I'm keeping my synopsis and review short.  Told from three different viewpoints, it's honest, beautiful, hopeful, painful - just like life.  I was sorry it was over but felt so privileged to read it.  An absolute must read - don't miss it.

4.18.2025 - If You Must Go, I Wish You Triplets

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Apprentice House Press of Loyola University Maryland for gifting me a digital ARC of this memoir by Virginia DeLuca.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Gin's second later-life marriage to Perry, seemed like a match made in heaven.  They both appreciated their lives and made compromises to make things work.  Until after 14 years of marriage and they were both in their 60s, he told her that he no longer wanted to be married to her.  He wanted someone younger and wanted babies.  

How can you resist this title?  This was a well-written, engrossing memoir, made more so by the fact that Gin is a therapist.  She deals with loss, betrayal, new beginnings in her work life so she gets all this in theory, but dealing with it in practice is a whole different thing.  Like all of us would be, she's desperate for the why and begins questioning herself and their entire relationship.  This book also explores the past, giving us insight to her family background.  She's nurtured a wonderful family with doting kids and grandkids. It's an intriguing read - humorous, personal, and will have you cheering for next chapters.

4.16.2025 - What If I Never Get Over You

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Paige Toon.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Ellie was struggling with a loss and her parents' control and was taking a break, inter railing through Europe.  She met Ash in Lisbon and they had 3 magical days that were enough for them to change their plans and agree to meet again in Madrid.  But when Ellie arrives late, Ash is nowhere to be found.  Six years later, Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener for a viscount on an estate in Wales.  But Ash reenters her life and it becomes clear why he didn't meet her as planned.  Can they finally make a relationship work?

This skewed a bit YA (with the exception of some steamy scenes!) but in Paige Toon's capable hands, it was still a compelling read, full of some twists and turns.  Plus there are some good life lessons here - communication first, but following your own path rather than strictly adhering to family expectations.  Loved the ending.

4.16.2025 - Fun for the Whole Family

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House | Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Jennifer E. Smith, author of another book I loved, The Unsinkable Greta James.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

The four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their mother and their always working father.   Their mom would return to them every summer, taking them on mad road trips around the country.  Decades later, there's been an unimaginable break and the siblings haven't spoken in years, each now dealing with their own personal crises.  Jude summons them all together for a weekend in North Dakota, and they can't refuse.

I was always anxious to return to reading this book and to get back to these siblings.  Anyone who has siblings or raised siblings will understand these bonds and fractures, but they apply to all relationships with those we love and sometimes don't like.  The book is told from the POV of each of the siblings, both in the present and looking back on the events of the past, from all over the country.  It's about reconciling with the past and forgiving others and ourselves.  It made me laugh and cry and want to call my brothers.  Highly recommended!

4.15.2025 - The Wildelings

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperVia for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Lisa Harding.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Jessica and Linda have been best friends since the first day of school. Both are from broken, but different, homes, and Jessica made sure they thrived.  Now eighteen, the two have come to Wilde—an elite university in the heart of Dublin, far away from their troubled childhoods. Jessica  immediately feels as if she's found her place and, with the faithful Linda by her side, finds herself at the heart of a new friend circle.  Then Linda starts dating Mark and Jessica doesn't approve or like the change in her friend.  But soon Mark's influence spreads even further.

I'm always up for a dark, academic novel, with this one nostalgically set in the 1990s.  That age group is so fraught with wanting to fit in and yet wanting to forge their own path.  It's easy to see where obsession comes in, and this book has that in spades.  This story is also interwoven with Jessica's therapy sessions in the present as she works through her trauma.  We know from the beginning that there was an incident at Wilde but the details don't come until late in the book.  Be aware that none of the characters are real likable, but this was another good read from Lisa Harding.

4.15.2025 - Strangers in Time

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful historical fiction novel by David Balducci, with the audio performed by a cast.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

It’s 1944 in London, during the Blitz, when bombs are falling.  Three very different people meet in unusual circumstances and form a tight group.  Fourteen-year-old Charlie does what he has to in order to survive.  Fifteen-year-old Molly was raised in a wealthy home, but when she returns after an evacuation to the countryside, her world has changed and her parents gone.  They find an ally in Ignatius, the owner of The Book Keep, who is mourning the loss of his wife.

This is a WWII novel that focuses strongly on the human element, what people will do to survive, and the realization that what we really need is each other.  There are plenty of secrets here – what happened to Molly’s parents and who is following her?  How did Ignatius’ wife die?  Will Charlie’s escapades land him in jail or worse?  I felt transported back in time and Balducci has created such a vivid, tense environment, although I felt it was a bit slow at times.  But there’s so much heart and feeling with these characters and you will grow to love them.  Highly recommended for historical fiction and Balducci fans!

4.14.2025 - The Forgotten Book Club

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins | Avon for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Kate Storey.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Grace is mourning the sudden loss of her beloved husband, Frank, and one year later is still struggling.  Her daughter and grandson encourage her to get out and suggest that she attend the book club that Frank started.  But this is no ordinary book club - it's a silent book club that is respectful of the fact that not everyone has the time to read or wants to talk.  Grace soon finds herself wanting to help build up this small group as a tribute to Frank.  

I loved this author's previous book, The Memory Library, and once again we find relatable characters dealing with issues, but finding support and love through community.  This is definitely another love letter to books, and I found myself making notes of books to add to my never-ending TBR list and considering what my Desert Island Reads would be.  There's also lots of discussion on ADHD and neurodivergent issues, all handled respectfully and informatively.  The characters are great and I became emotionally attached to their journeys.  Another fabulous book!

4.13.2025 - All that Life Can Afford

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Emily Everett and current Reese's Book Club pick.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Anna is from America and a grad student in London, still navigating the grief of losing her mother.  She's trying desperately to scrape by with the hope of finishing her dissertation and being able to extend her visa.  She takes a job teaching SAT prep to a wealthy student.  Her family soon flies her to Saint-Tropez to continue the tutoring, thrusting Anna in a whole new world.  She soon meets two young men, Theo and Callum, quite different.  When the family ask her to housesit for them in London, Anna feels like she's been given a gift and can save her rent money.  But it's costly to fit in with all her new friends, in more ways than just monetarily.  

This is a sparking coming-of-age story and I truly felt for Anna.  Struggling with grief and estranged from her father, she's trying so hard to do the right things and achieve her dreams, but got swept up feeling part of a different crowd.  It's an exploration of class and privilege, and truly heartbreaking to see how easily her mom's life could have been different had she had a bit more money.  I enjoyed Anna's journey into realizing what's really important.

4.13.2025 - The Death of Us

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for gifting me a digital ARC of the new novel by Abigail Dean.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Isabel and Edward's world changed completely when they were victims of a violent home invasion by a serial killer.  It became something they couldn't fully talk about together, and they handled that in different ways.  When they are brought back together for the killer's sentencing, they're forced to look closer at themselves and their relationship.

I didn't not want to put this book down.  It's beautifully written, told in alternating chapters of Edward's voice in the present and Isobel's victim statement.  I was so invested in each timeline that I was sorry to switch, only to feel the same at the end of the next chapter.  There's so much emotion pouring off the pages - most of us can only imagine what it would be like to go through something like this.  Who's to say how we would react?  Even the secondary characters evoke emotion and feel so realistic.  Will Edward and Isabel finally feel closure and justice?  What will their lives look like going forward?  The implosion of a love story that never truly died.  Don't miss this one.

4.12.2025 - The Stars and Their Light

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Brilliance Audio for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful novel by Olivia Hawker, perfectly narrated by Jackie Zebrowski.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

It's 1947 when Sister Mary Agnes arrives in New Mexico to establish a monastery in the town of Roswell.  Just weeks before, rumors of a crash landing of an unidentified craft triggered a crisis of faith.  Residents are looking now to science and the stairs rather than the divine.  But then Sister Mary Agnes meets Betty Campbell, a teenager marked physically by the crash, and also finds herself drawn to Harvey, the handyman refurbishing the monastery.  She soon has her own crisis of doubt about her faith.

As a Catholic and also a big fan of X-Files who worked at Wright-Patterson AFB, is it any wonder that I loved this book?  I'm always open to the conversation between science, faith, and doubt and this was all played out with the infamous Roswell UFO and government conspiracy.  The characters feel very real and it harkens back to a time when few colleges were coed, and women in science were rare.  You'll feel for the father who just wants to protect his daughter, and the daughter who just wants to spread her wings.  The author's notes were fascinating as well, so don't miss them.  The narration was great and I loved getting lost in this story.

4.11.2025 - The Maid's Secret

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House | Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the much-anticipated next book in the Molly the Maid Series by Nita Prose.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

I am a huge fan of the Molly the Maid series and have been anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.  While I didn't love it as much as the first ones, it's still a treat to escape into Molly's world again.  This time we get the backstory of Flora, Molly's beloved Gran.  There's a mystery into a valuable Faberge egg and its true origin and just what people will do to get it.  Told in alternating timelines between Molly in the present and Gran's diary entries.  I love Molly's values, passed down to her by Gran, and of her relationship with Juan.  Fingers crossed that there are more books to come in this series!

4.11.2025 - Things Left Unsaid

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Sara Jafari, perfectly narrated by Honor Gilles and Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

It’s been years since Shirin has seen Kian, her best friend, after an incident at their school tore them apart.  Since then, Shirin has lived with the weight of things left unsaid between them.  She’s struggling at work, burned out with the cultural atmosphere at the publishing house.  Shirin and Kian are desperate to make up for lost time, but can they, or will life repeat itself?

This is a book that will definitely make you think about racism and having the courage and strength to stand up for what is right.  I loved how Shirin and Kian were the best people they each needed at pivotal times in their lives.  May we all have such friends.  This also shows how our childhood shapes us and follows us.  The writing is beautiful and allows you to emotionally connect with these characters.  I also liked the peek into the publishing world.  This is a new author to me, and I’ll be looking for more from her! 

4.10.2025 - The Float Test

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins | Mariner Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Lynn Steger Strong.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

The Kenner siblings are all at crisis points in their own lives, when they head back to Florida after the death of their mom.  Jenn is the oldest, and struggling with her own family as well as feeling the responsibility of her parents as well.  Jude is a corporate lawyer, single mom, and estranged from her once favorite sister, Fred.  Fred is struggling with life and love and still finding her way.  The baby, George, is estranged from his wife and having issues at work.  They have never needed each other more or trusted each other less.

I love a well-written family drama!  This story is told from Jude's POV, but we get all of the siblings' backstories as well, except for the reason that Jude and Fred are estranged.  That reveal doesn't come until the book is almost over, which brought out an underlying tension through the entire book.  The story felt real, with siblings taking their roles from childhood and feeling the pressure of maintaining those, as well as childhood resentments that we all hold on to.  Everyone has secrets, including the parents.  The hot Florida sun felt like another character as well.  Another fabulous book from this author - and Luli had the perfect ending!

4.9.2025 - The California Dreamers

 

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishers | Graydon House for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Amy Mason Doan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

It was a photo captured in the 1980s of a family living the van life on the West coast, a stunning photo with the family lined up with their surfboards in the sand.  The image takes on a life of its own, putting the family at risk.  Decades later, the now mostly estranged siblings gather to honor the death of their father.  But an eager journalist is also there, wanting the truth about the photo.

Told from both the present and past timelines, the story slowly unfurls.  It's a character study, a coming-of-age story of Ronan, the only girl in this family who lived such a different life.  No traditional schools, always chasing the next big wave, with family secrets galore, yet also famous because of a photograph.  There's a bit of everything - family drama and relationships, budding romance, and even a mystery.  It's very atmospheric - you can almost feel the sunshine and see the ocean!  

4.8.2025 - Blood in the Water

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest true crime book by Casey Sherman.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

When Nathan Carman is miraculously rescued from a lifeboat bobbing in the unforgiving North Atlantic, questions swirl about the fate of his mother, who is presumed to have drowned when their fishing boat sank. Nathan is in remarkably good shape for being lost at sea for a week, and his account of what exactly happened out there on the waves raises questions from family members and law enforcement.  Then there's the mysterious murder of Nathan's multimillionaire grandfather who was murdered a few years before.  With all that money on the line, did Nathan commit the ultimate betrayal?

Money, power, family - how many times have we seen that combination end in tragedy?  I'm a fan of Casey Sherman's books because he always does such a thorough job of researching and compiles all that research into a gripping story.  Although this one was on 20/20, I never saw that episode and this crime didn't ring a bell to me, so it was fascinating to delve into.  The fact that Nathan was on the autism spectrum added another layer of complexity into these crimes.  If you like true crime, this one is for you!

4.6.2025 - Remote The Six

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the first in a new series by Eric Rickstad, with the audio perfectly narrated by Ari Fliakos.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars rounded up!

A serial killer is rampaging across the country, tying families to chairs-arranged in puzzling tableaus-then murdering them, without leaving a trace of evidence.  FBI Special Agent Lukas Stark has been hunting the Tableau Killer but is always two steps behind.  He has no idea how or why he chooses families and why they are staged.  Stark is forced to take on a new partner, Gilles Garnier, who claims to be a remote viewer who sees things remotely as if they were right in front of him.  Stark thinks he’s a con and doesn’t trust him, until he’s able to see things that Stark can’t explain.  But will they be able to catch this killer before he strikes again?

This was a chilling book, as you would expect since it’s about a serial killer who targets families.  But it’s also fascinating to watch Stark and Garnier try to stop the killer.  Just how did he get such abilities and at what cost?  I mostly listened to the audiobook of this one and the narration made it even more creepy – I was glued.  It ended with a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next in this series!  If you like dark crime books, you’ll love this one.

4.6.2025 - Murder at Gull's Nest

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Atria Books for gifting me a physical and digital ARC of the latest book by Jess Kidd.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Set in the 1950s, Nora Breen is a nun who has left her monastery behind.  She's trying to find her friend, Frieda, a former novice, whose letters to Nora suddenly stopped.  Nora heads to Gull's Nest, a hotel in Kent, where Frieda was staying, and tries to quietly investigate what happened to her friend.  But then there is a series of murders at the inn, and her investigations take a deeper turn.

This is the first in a coming series entitled Nora Breen Investigates, and sign me up for the rest!  In Jess Kidd's very capable hands, a cozy mystery delves into a very multi-layered story.  Nora's backstory slowly plays out, as we learn what led her to the monastery, as well as what prompted her to leave.  We see her explore a new world and become a different person away from her past life.  Everyone in the small inn has a secret, and the characters are a story onto themselves.  Nora slowly gathers respect from the local police chief, Rideout, as they try and solve the mysterious deaths.  Wonderful!

4.5.2025 - A Serial Killer's Daughter

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this true crime memoir by Kerri Rawson, daughter of self-proclaimed BTK serial killer.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars!

In 2005, Kerri Rawson was informed by an FBI agent that her father had been arrested for murdering ten people, including two children. It was then that she learned her father was the notorious serial killer known as BTK, a name he’d given himself that described the horrific way he committed his crimes: bind, torture, kill. As news of his capture spread, Wichita celebrated the end of a thirty-one-year nightmare.  For Kerri and her family, another nightmare was beginning.

I feel for Kerri and her family.  I believe that they didn't know that their father was a serial killer.  I believe that they are victims of him as well.  And that's what this book is about - the victimization of Kerri and her family and how they dealt with their trauma.  I found it interesting to have Kerri look back and correlate what was happening in her family when her father was committing these brutal murders.  Trust the title of this book and know that it is about her and her family and their trauma, rather than a true crime story of how he committed and got away with these murders for so long.  We all know that story.  There is a lot of religious conversation in this book, and that's how Kerri was able to cope.  More power to her.  This book may bring hope to those suffering from PTSD.

4.5.2025 - Pretty Wreck

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of this memoir by Tracy Viola, narrated by the author.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

This was a brutally honest account of the author’s addiction story.  It’s told with clarity and humor, allowing the reader to really feel the impact of drugs and alcohol on a person’s life.  I loved the quotes she used throughout the book, and she remarked on one truth that most people only learn with age – that everyone is too self-absorbed to really pay attention to other people, so live your life under your terms and stop worrying so much about what other people think.  Congrats to the author for her sobriety and kudos to her for sharing her important story!

4.5.2025 - The Last Session

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore book by Julia Bartz, sister of the also-talented Andrea Bartz!  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3 stars!

Thea works as a social worker at a psychiatric unit in NYC.  When a catatonic woman shows up, Thea knows she is familiar to her and comes to realize that there is a link between this woman and Thea's own traumatic past.  When the woman regains lucidity, she says she has no clue how she got there or what happened.  Then just as suddenly, she's gone.  Thea is determined to find her and ends up in a remote center in New Mexico, where a couple holds retreats to uncover attendees' issues.  Forced to participate, Thea finds herself not knowing who she can trust and what is real.

I was a fan of Bartz' debut, The Writing Retreat, and this one seemed to be made for me - cults, secrets, remote locked room mystery.  But I found it slow going and the second half seemed to veer off into way too much of everything.  I liked the tension in parts and was anxious to find out the truth, but it seemed to get bogged down with just a lot.  Give it a try if you like locked room mysteries - lots of people are loving this one!  I'll be anxious to read her next as well.

4.3.2025 - When She Was Gone

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Sara Foster.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Former London police officer Rose Campbell has been estranged from her daughter, Lou, for almost a decade. But when Lou disappears from a remote beach in Western Australian-and the police suspect her of kidnapping the two young children in her care-Rose is asked to help bring Lou home.  Detective Senior Sargent Mal Blackwood is getting ready to retire when he is called in to head this last case.  The missing children are heirs to the Fisher property empire, and their multimillionaire grandfather is breathing hard down Blackwood's neck.   What has happened to Lou and the children? And can Rose and Blackwood find them in time?

This was a fast-moving thriller, made even better with short chapters from many different POV, giving us insight into the characters.  There was a lot of emotion in this book and all well-played - not too much, but enough that I was invested into the characters.  I loved Mal, trying to do the best job possible while simultaneously trying to save his marriage; Ruth was driven to save domestic abuse victims and was trying so hard to do the right thing for her daughter.  I couldn't put this one down and loved it!

4.2.2025 - The Dream Hotel

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Pantheon for gifting me a digital ARC of the March Read with Jenna Pick by Laila Lalami.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Sara is returning home from a business trip abroad, when agents from the Risk Assessment Administration pull her aside and inform her that she will soon commit a crime. Using data from her dreams, the RAA’s algorithm has determined that she is at imminent risk of harming her husband. For his safety, she must be kept under observation for twenty-one days.  Yet when she is transferred to the retention center, where she is kept with other dreamers trying to prove their innocence, she learns that the strict and ever-changing rules keep extending their stay.  A new resident arrives and leads Sara onto a scary new path.

This book is chilling, because it doesn't take too much of an imagination to think about how easily we give our personal information out and how it could be used against us, especially if you add racial profiling into the mix.  Imagine if you were judged by your dreams too.  Lalami's writing pulls the reader into this new reality and you feel the fear and desperation of Sara and her fellow captives, pulled away from their families and lives with no foreseeable end to their nightmare. But you also see the women’s resilience and strength.  Fascinating read.

4.1.2025 - Insignificant Others

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Sarah Jio.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Lena is convinced that her perfectly planned life is going just as she wants, right down to knowing that her boyfriend of two years is going to propose to her at dinner.  When he instead breaks up with her, she flees back to the safety of her beloved Aunt Rosie's house on a Seattle island for a break.  She falls asleep the first night in Rosie's guesthouse, only to wake up the next morning in Paris with another man.  Each morning when she awakens, she's in a different place with a different man.

Haven't we all thought about the what if's?  What if we would have stayed with that high school/college/first job boyfriend?  What would our life look like?  This novel was an absolute joy exploring that thought - it was hilarious (the baby scenes!) and poignant to watch Lena explore all these other lives she might have lived.  I liked how some main characters (best friend and her husband and Aunt Rosie) were stalwarts through all her lives, just a bit different in each life story.  The perfect magical realism story that will have you reflecting on just what's important in life.