The Sunday Post #54 (Winter Reading Edition)

"The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme"

Good morning!  How's the weather where you are at?  We got hit with another six inches of snow this weekend and then the temps dropped.  It is supposed to be SUPER cold for the next few days so I will be leaving my house as little as possible.  This kind of weather always sounds like a good excuse for extra reading, doesn't it?  In actuality, it is business as usual as we are back to our normal and busy schedules.  When spring hits things will get really crazy but right now it is just lots of practices and running the kids to and from them.  In other news, I recently joined Instagram. Is anyone else on there?  I'm basically loving posting about books all of the time and really loving looking at all of the other bookish posts.  My Instagram handle is Samantha.1020bookedonafeeling if you want to follow me on there.  If you do let me know so I can follow you back!!  It has been a ton of fun but I will admit that it cuts into my reading time a bit.  There are some nights when all I do is scroll through Instagram (or bookstagram) rather then reading.  It's still lots of fun though so I'm enjoying it!

Reading wise I have started 2019 out strong with three books finished already.  I have a TON of books that I want to be reading right now thanks to all of my library holds coming in at once so it almost doesn't feel like enough.  I told myself though that I wasn't going to rush through books this year so I'm just enjoying my current read (and ignoring that stack that keeps calling my name).  LOL!    This year I have finished the following books:

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen was an amazing way to start off my 2019 year of reading!  This was such a suspenseful read and I really enjoyed it!  I've already shared my thoughts on it here if you are interested in reading my full review.

Lost Lake by Emily Littlejohn was an incredible addition to one of my favorite mystery series.  You guys this series and these books are so good!  I was saying on Instagram that I'm just not sure why they don't get more attention.  They all have gorgeous writing and descriptions....I absolutely savored this one!  I can't wait for book four!  I will be working on writing up my thoughts on this one soon.

Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower was my first read off of my personal TBR challenge list.  I enjoyed this cozy mystery so much!  It was a really fun read that had me laughing out loud at a few points.  I was successful at knocking off a book that has been on my TBR for awhile now but it caused me to add the next book in the series on there instead.  LOL!  I will also be working on sharing my thoughts on this one soon!

I'm now currently reading the following:

I've had this one on my radar for a few months now.  It's so good so far!  I'm really enjoying it and have no clue what happened so many years ago.  I'm looking forward to finding out though!

I'm completely undecided on what to read next but I have a few calling my name including No Exit by Taylor Adams, Freefall by Jessica Barry, and Lisa Garder's upcoming release titled Never Tell.  So many books and just never enough time!!!  Or maybe I should throw a romance in there to mix it up.  What would you choose?  I'm off to start on laundry and get my day moving.  I hope all of you have a wonderful Sunday and three day weekend if you are lucky enough to get tomorrow off.

Happy Reading!

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"A remote lodge in upstate New York is the perfect getaway. . . until the bodies start piling up. It's winter in the Catskills and the weather outside is frightful. But Mitchell's Inn is so delightful! The cozy lodge nestled deep in the woods is perfect for a relaxing--maybe even romantic--weekend away. The Inn boasts spacious old rooms with huge wood-burning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a book and someone you love. So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity--and all contact with the outside world--the guests settle in for the long haul. The power's down but they've got candles, blankets, and wood--a genuine rustic experience! Soon, though, a body turns up--surely an accident. When a second body appears, they start to panic. Then they find a third body. Within the snowed-in paradise, something--or someone--is picking off the guests one by one. They can't leave, and with no cell service, there's no prospect of getting the police in until the weather loosens its icy grip. The weekend getaway has turned deadly. For some couples, it's their first time away. For others, it will be their last. And there's nothing they can do about it but huddle down and hope they can survive the storm."

My Thoughts:

An Unwanted Guest was a thrilling read that kept me guessing until the very end!  I just could not resist the premise of this book and am so glad that I didn't wait to read it!  I'm a sucker for books that feature snowstorms and especially ones like this where the characters are cut off from the world due to the weather.  There is just something about a huge snowstorm that I just love....and when you add in a creepy mystery I'm completely hooked!  One of the things that really caught my attention before I started reading this book was the comparisons to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.  This is actually one of my favorite Agatha Christie books so that really put this book on my radar!  And I can definitely see the comparisons.  It's almost like this author was creating a homage to that book and Christie herself.  She did an amazing job of creating a very similar vibe where you didn't know who to trust and what was really going on.  That creepy, suspenseful vibe kept me reading this book late into the night because I just had to see what was going to happen next!  I loved that I was kept guessing and changing my mind throughout the book on who the possible killer could be. It was just a very suspenseful read and I loved every minute of it!  I don't want to say too much more than that because really this is a book just to be experienced yourself in my opinion.  It's the perfect book to read this time of year and especially if you are due to get a winter storm yourself.  Then you can thoroughly creep yourself out!

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely!  Was this book as good as Agatha Christie's?  Well no, not in my opinion but then again I don't think you can really compare ever to Christie.  It was a really great tribute (not sure if that's exactly the right word here but) to her book though and really great in its' own right!  I don't usually rate books on here but I would give this one 4.5 stars easily!  I found myself immensely satisfied with one part of the ending but I won't say more than that.  I just enjoyed this book in general.  I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author, and am glad that I have a couple more of her books to look forward to!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A suspenseful thriller that kept me guessing!  I'm so glad that I read this one!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts are my own.

The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Ragnar Jonasson burst onto the American scene with Snowblind and Nightblind, the first two novels in the Dark Iceland series, and the praise was overwhelming. Now he launches a new series featuring a completely new sleuth, Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir of the Reykjavik Police department.

When a young woman, an asylum seeker from Russia, is found murdered on the seaweed covered rocks of Iceland, Hulda starts to ask questions. But it isn't long before she realizes that no one wants her to investigate this murder. She eventually must decide whether solving this case is worth losing her life."

My Thoughts:

The Darkness was an atmospheric, quiet thriller that has started off a series that I cannot wait to read more of!  Hulda is dealing with a lot of change in her life.  She is basically being forced into retirement but is allowed to investigate one last case of her choosing.  Hulda chooses to investigate the case of a young woman who came to Iceland seeking asylum but instead lost her life.  As the pages go on, the author also starts to share pieces of Hulda's past with us.  I was so intrigued as these little tidbits definitely hinted at a dark and troubled past.  I took my time with this book and just really immersed myself within it.  It was the perfect winter read and the author did an amazing job of conveying Iceland's beauty.  I would love to visit there someday!  This book made me a bit sad though as Hulda's struggle with retirement and what to do with the rest of her life just was a bit heartbreaking to read about.  That being said - I enjoyed my time with this book immensely.  And I'm going to get just slightly spoiler-ey here but that ending!  I honestly can say that I did not see it coming whatsoever.  It was such a bold move and one I would love to discuss with other readers!  Who else has read this book?  

Overall, I am so glad that I decided to read this book because it was the perfect read for this time of year!  This book isn't a book to rush through in my opinion but instead is one to just savor and enjoy.  I enjoyed Hulda's character so much and am curious to see where the author goes next with this series.  I will definitely be there for book two!!  I think that fans of mystery and suspense will enjoy this book.  I don't read a ton of translated fiction but books like this really make me want to read more.  I need to catch up and read more authors and books just like this, that's for sure!  This is an easy book to recommend!

Bottom Line:  An atmospheric mystery that left me pining for the next book!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts are my own!

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly."

My Thoughts:

This was an amazing way to begin my year of reading in 2019!  What a page turner this book was!  I've been seeing such great reviews of this one on Instagram lately so decided to begin my year with this book.  And what a book it was!  An Anonymous Girl begins with Jess signing up to participate in a study on morality where she just basically answers questions anonymously.  Obviously the book goes on from there but really I don't want to tell you much more than that.  It's going to be hard (when it feels like everyone is talking about this book) to miss spoilers but I really think that this is a book to just dive into without knowing much.  I really don't think that you will be disappointed!  It was such a compelling read and I found myself unable to set this one down.  There was this layer of suspense and tension throughout the entire book.  Reading it was like just waiting for the shoe to drop.  You know things are going to turn bad - but you aren't sure how or when.  Sorry for all of the metaphors but it was like this snowball building up and I was just waiting for it to hit and destroy everything.  I almost found this one stressful to read at times (yes I'm a dork like that) but I still loved every minute of it!  It definitely made me anxious as I really liked Jess's character so was worried about her throughout.  The authors built the tension perfectly and I just couldn't stop reading as I had to see what was going to happen.  I loved that they also kept me guessing throughout the book unsure of who I could trust.  It was a wild ride that I just couldn't get enough of!  

Overall, I really enjoyed my time reading this book and am eager for more!  I desperately need to go back and read The Wife Between Us by these authors that released last year.  I'm kind of kicking myself that I let that one pass me by unread after enjoying this one so much but at least I have it to look forward to.  The hype on this one is well deserved in my opinion!  I'm so glad that I didn't wait to read this one as I sometimes am prone to do with books where it feels like everyone is talking about them.  It was the perfect way to begin my year of reading in 2019 - if I enjoy all of the books I read as much as I enjoyed this one then this will be my best reading year yet!

Bottom Line:  A thrilling and compelling read that I couldn't stop reading! 4.5 stars!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  These are my honest thoughts on it.

Bout of Books Read-a-thon (2019)

"The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 24 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team"

I'm so excited to sign up and participate in the upcoming Bout of Books Read-a-thon!  This is one of my favorite read-a-thons to participate in, and is a great way to jump start my year of reading in 2019!  I'm not great about participating in the daily challenges per se but I do enjoy the extra push to read, read, read!  

My goals for this read-a-thon are to read at least two books!  I'm going to be working a TON of overtime next week so I can't see myself being able to finish more than that but you never know.  The kids also start back up to school next week so back to the busy schedules we go!  I'm looking forward to it though (I'm weird like that) and also really looking forward to using this read-a-thon to push me to read more!  I'm not sure what I'm planning on reading.  I have a huge stack of books that I would "like" to read this month so I'm sure that I will choose from those and my current library stack.  Here are the two library books that are currently calling my name the loudest though so they are strong possibilities:

I'll keep you posted as I'm sure this will all change (as my reading moods do) by the time the read-a-thon actually begins.  Are any of you planning on participating with the Bout of Books read-a-thon as well?  Let me know so that we can cheer each other on!!

Happy Reading!

Top Ten Reads of 2018

Happy New Year!  It's pretty crazy to think we are in 2019 already - I've been blogging now since 2007 which is even crazier to think about.  I had a really great year of reading in 2018 which is always a good thing.  I managed to read 71 books which wasn't quite my goal but is up from last year so that makes me very happy.  It's been a great year in books and I'm hoping that the new year goes just as well.  I can tell you that I'm planning on "trying" to be more present in the new year.  We will see how it goes but that's the plan currently!  Let's move on to my top ten reads of 2018 though!

Look For Me by Lisa Gardner is book nine in the Detective D.D. Warren series but only my second book read by this author so far.  It is also the 2nd time this author (and series) has made it on my top reads list for the year.  That should tell you everything you need to know about these books and my love for this series!  I'm so completely pumped that I have a copy of the upcoming book in this series to read and hopefully love in the new year!

The Body Counter by Anne Frasier is the 2nd book in another amazing series that has fast become a favorite of mine!  I enjoyed the first book a ton but it was this second book that has placed this series on my must read list.  It is dark mystery series but super compelling!  I'm so excited that there looks to be another book coming out in 2019 - I will be there for it for sure!

Caged by Ellison Cooper is the beginning to a new mystery series that I just couldn't get enough of!  This was a dark and twisty page turner that I just couldn't put down.  I'm so excited to read more of this author and series in the new year!  2019 is going to be an amazing year of reading at this rate!

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier was such a dark and thrilling read!  I feel like that's almost a theme from my reading in 2018 (so I have no idea what that says about me and the books I enjoy but...).  This book was such a compelling read but it wasn't always easy to read.  I've read two books by this author so far - and both were amazing!  I can't wait to read more by her!

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine was one of the most intense books that I read this year.  It was heart pounding and such a complete page turner!  I luckily have the next two books in this series to look forward to reading in the new year.  This was a nonstop heart-pounding read that I just couldn't get enough of.  Easily a five star read and has cemented my love of this author and her books!

Watch The Girls by Jennifer Wolfe was a thriller like no other!  This one had some serious horror vibes to it and I just couldn't get enough of it!  I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next because she also takes dark and twisted to another level.  This book is probably the most underrated one on my list this year - I hope that other readers find it and enjoy it as much as I did!

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn was such a delightful beginning to this historical mystery series!  I adored my time with this book so much and am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series soon!  If you love mysteries with just a hint of romance (I'm sure hoping for more though) then I cannot recommend this series enough!

Lost Girls by Angela Marsons is the 3rd book in the D.I. Kim Stone series and the third five star read for me in it!  This is one of my must read series that I just adore.  Kim Stone is such a great main character that I can't get enough of!  I love these books and this series so much!

Blue Monday by Nicci French is the second book I've read in this series but actually the first book in this series.  I read this one in a day which goes to show how much I enjoyed this book.  I actually read this one while my husband was going through shoulder surgery which goes to show how much of a page turner this was for me that it could keep my attention during a stressful time.  I cannot wait to continue on with this series!

The Dry by Jane Harper was such an atmospheric mystery that I couldn't get enough of!  I'm so glad that I took the time to knock this one off of my TBR list because it was just amazing.  I found myself just swept away in the pages of this book.  I'm really looking forward to picking up book two in the new year.

Well there you are - my top ten reads for 2018!  I'm not going to even try to give honorable mentions this year because there would honestly be SO many!  There are just so many amazing authors that I read this year.  It's crazy looking back how amazing my year of reading really was.  So many good books, so many new series and authors to follow, and so little time!

Here's to hoping that 2019 is just as amazing!

The Sunday Post #53 (2019 Goals Edition)

"The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme"

Happy Sunday everyone!  We are in the last Sunday of 2018 which basically means that I've been thinking about my reading goals for the upcoming year for weeks.  Yep, I'm a bit nutty like that!  In 2018, I focused on tracking my reading with a goal of 75 books read.  I'm not going to make it but I came close at 71 books read for the year.  I've been tracking my reading now since I started my blog and I think this number is pretty average to what I usually read.  Last year I only finished 59 books but the two years before I finished 80 each year.  I have never quite hit that golden number of 100 yet - the closest I have come is back in 2009 when I was able to finish 93 books.  I really haven't come that close since then.  I'm planning on working on wrapping up my 2018 reading year in a different post hopefully in the coming week.  I will also be sharing my top reads for 2018 soon as well.  Even though I don't think that I'll finish another book this year, I will wait until January 1st just to be sure.

Back to my reading goals for 2019 though!  I feel like I had a solid year of reading in 2018 so I would like to continue that trend in the new year.  I haven't quite settled on my Goodreads goal yet - do I aim high and shoot for an eighty book year which is more than I read this year?  Or do I lower my goal so that I am able to put less pressure on myself number wise and put more of a focus on the quality of what I'm reading?  Honestly, I just want to enjoy what I'm reading so really I'm not too stressed otherwise.  I do have some reading goals that I would like to meet though which include the following:

• Read one book a month from my TBR list - I did this in 2018 as well and was moderately successful.  I created a list of 50 books that had been on my TBR list since at least 2017 (no new 2018 releases included) and used the random number generator to pick a book off of my list to read.  I just didn't consistently try to read a book off of this list as much as I hoped that I would.  For the new year I have bumped up that list of books to one hundred and added any 2018 releases that I wanted to read but didn't get to.  I'm really hoping to make a dent in my TBR pile with this goal.  My first book for this goal in the new year will be Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower which is the beginning to a cozy mystery series that I've been wanting to try!
• Read more nonfiction - I add nonfiction books to my TBR list at an alarming rate when you consider how little of it I actually end up reading during the year.  I only read one nonfiction book this past year which is just pitiful.  There are SO many great sounding nonfiction reads out there so I really want to make an effort to read more of them in the new year!
• Share about each book that I read - This is one goal that I really, really want to focus on in the new year!  I've been horrible in writing up reviews this year and sharing my thoughts on books.  Honestly, I'm hoping that I'll continue working on catching up with my 2018 reviews in the new year but who knows if that will actually happen.  I would really like to do better with this in 2019!  Now that I'm on Instagram I'm also hoping to share about EVERY book that I read there as well as on Litsy!  I don't feel the need to write up reviews for rereads or books that are part of long series but I would like to share about them on these sites.  

And that's just about it!  There are other things - focus on reading more diversely and stretching my reading a bit more.....but these are my main three goals.  I'm going to continue to reread and binge on my favorite series.  I'm going to continue to switch up genres and try to keep my reading feeling fresh.  I'm sure that I'm going to try and read the many 2019 releases that sound absolutely amazing (and are already adding to my TBR list).  I love the fresh start feeling that a new year always brings!  And I'm excited to bring that feeling to my reading in the new year!  What goals do you have for your reading in the new year?

A quick reading update though before I wrap this post up...

The Long Goodnight (The Grimm Files) by Selene Charles will most likely be my last read of 2018.  I am such a HUGE fan of this series at this point and am anxiously awaiting the third book.  I'll be sharing my thoughts on this one soon but I recommend it!

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen will be my first read of 2019 but I'm starting it this afternoon.  The hype on this one is huge so I can't wait to check it out for myself!  I received a copy of this book from the publisher and have been saving it to read until closer to the release date.  This book releases in January so I'm ready to finally crack it open and jump in.  I'm in the mood for a good thriller so I'm excited to begin!

I'm off to relax for the day!  I just want to wish all of you a wonderful year in 2019!  Thank you for always stopping by and commenting - and just being my reading friends!

It's A Charmed Life (The Grimm Chronicles) by Selene Charles (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Welcome to a world of fantasy, fairy tales, and murder most foul... 

My name's Elle. Princess Arielle, for those who know about my past. Cursed by my own father, now I'm banished to Grimm. I'm a siren, killer, and one of the best damned cold-case detectives in all of the bloody realms. I don't stop until I discover the truth, no matter where that truth leads.

My next case sends me to Wonderland, a harrowing place of madness and dark secrets. I'd rather be landlocked than step foot on that tainted soil, but I don't have a choice after discovering Alice's bloodstained ribbon and a bandicoot's claw covered in blood beside two stiff's at the Charming's sprawling castle. My insatiable thirst for truth leads to a conspiracy that will not only rock the Grimm world but also my own.

No one ever walks away from Wonderland unscathed... No one."

My Thoughts:

I am so, so excited to have found this series and to have read this book!  I picked this one up thanks to reading another blogger that I trust's thoughts on the second book (I believe), and was just so intrigued by the sound of it.  I instantly downloaded a copy to my kindle and didn't look back.  This was such a fun read but it's going to be kind of hard for me to describe.  Take all of the fairy tale characters (and even worlds) that you know and love, then twist them into something different, darker, and edgier.  That's basically the best way that I can describe this book.  Let me just tell you that I loved every minute of it!  Our main character is Elle - or Arielle from the Little Mermaid (kinda sorta) if you are keeping track - but in this book she is basically a badass detective who has been banished from her kingdom for unknown reasons.  She has to go Wonderland during her current investigation which is a dark and dangerous place.  There's even the Mad Hatter and the Hare except the Hatter is a handsome investigator for Wonderland who has visions of the future and past.  I could keep going but I'm sure you get the point by now.  Nothing is as you expect it might be, and one of the best things about this book was just seeing what this author did with all of the fairy tale characters.  She created her own world with some of these well known but albeit very different characters.  And I just could not get enough of it!!  I plowed through the pages of this book and enjoyed every minute of it!  I just had to see how everything was going to turn out!  There is quite the chemistry between Elle and Hatter which I'm looking forward to seeing continued on in future books (I hope!).  I don't know what else to say besides read this one!  It's SO good!

Overall, I obviously enjoyed myself immensely while reading this book.  I've actually already started reading the second book in the series because I just needed more time with these characters and this world.  The only downside is that I'm going to have to wait for book three (please say there is going to be a book three).  Luckily, it does look like this author has other series that I can check out to tide me over.  Fair warning that the author ties up the ending of this book perfectly....but....she gives you a hook that makes you instantly want to jump into the next book.  Which I obviously did!  I would recommend this book to fans of the paranormal, urban fantasy, and fairy tales in general.  Half of the fun is just seeing the different characters and aspects that she incorporates into the story!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  This was honestly such a great beginning to this new series that I couldn't get enough!

Disclosure:  I read my copy of this book thanks to my Kindle Unlimited membership.  Thoughts are my own!

I've Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Laurie Moran's husband was brutally murdered, only three-year-old Timmy saw the face of his father's killer. Five years later his piercing blue eyes still haunt Timmy's dreams. Laurie is haunted by more: the killer's threat to her son as he fled the scene: Tell your mother she's next, then it's your turn . .

Now Laurie is dealing with murder again, this time as the producer of a true-crime, cold-case television show. The series will launch with the twenty-year-old unsolved murder of Betsy Powell. Betsy, a socialite, was found suffocated in her bed after a gala celebrating the graduation of her daughter and three friends. The sensational murder was news nationwide. Reopening the case in its lavish setting and with the cooperation of the surviving guests that night, Laurie is sure to have a hit on her hands. But when the estranged friends begin filming, it becomes clear each is hiding secrets . . . small and large.

And a pair of blue eyes is watching events unfold, too . . ."

My Thoughts:

It has been entirely too long since I read a book by Mary Higgins Clark!  Honestly I didn't even realize that she had a series of books out until I saw someone (no clue who now) who was talking about the most recent book maybe.  I was instantly intrigued and had to grab a copy of this book from the library.  I'm so glad that I did because this book was everything that I love about this author and the books she writes!  One of the things that I've always enjoyed about her books is how easily they suck me and how suspenseful they are!  The short chapters from multiple viewpoints always keep me reading way longer than I ever intend to.  I breezed through the pages of this book completely caught up within the mystery.  I spent the entire time I was reading it trying to figure out the killer only to be wrong and surprised by the ending.  I also really enjoyed that in this book there was the secondary mystery of who killed Laurie's husband.  That storyline added a few creepy moments for me while reading because I was so worried over how everything was going to turn out!  When I finished I was left so excited to have started this series and ready to continue on!  What an enjoyable mystery this was!

Overall I really enjoyed my time with this book, and am super excited to pick up the second book in the near future.  This was the mystery that I was looking for without really realizing it - it was a great change pace from some of the darker thrillers that I've been reading lately.  There's just something about Ms. Clark's books that I enjoy so much.  I'm really excited to be diving back into her backlist again!  I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries and suspense.  This is an easy recommend on my part!

Bottom Line:  An enjoyable mystery that kept me guessing until the very last pages!

Disclosure:  I checked out this book from my local library.  Thoughts are my own!   

How To Save an Undead Life by Hailey Edwards (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Grier Woolworth spends her nights weaving spooky tales of lost souls and tragedies for tourists on the streets of downtown Savannah. Hoop skirt and parasol aside, it’s not a bad gig. The pay is crap, but the tips keep the lights on in her personal haunted mansion and her pantry stocked with ramen. 

Life is about as normal as it gets for an ex-necromancer hiding among humans. Until the society that excommunicated Grier offers her a second chance at being more than ordinary. Too bad no one warned her the trouble with being extraordinary is it can get you killed. 

Warning: This book contains one ex-con/ex-heiress with a pet zombie parakeet who lives next door to her ex-army/ex-crush. Brace yourself, we’re talking more exes than a pirate treasure map here."

My Thoughts:

Let me just start off by saying how Kindle Unlimited has filled a hole in my reading life that I didn't even realize that I had!  I'm absolutely adoring the new paranormal/urban fantasy series that I'm finding thanks to it!  This is one of those gems and I'm just thrilled about it!  I've actually seen a lot of readers talking about this author's books but hadn't had the chance to give her a try myself until now.  How To Save an Undead Life is everything that I enjoy in an urban fantasy read.  It had a main character that I couldn't get enough of as well as all of the paranormal elements that I love to read about!  Grier was previously an assistant necromancer until things went very wrong, and she was thrown into a type of "paranormal prison" is the best way I can describe it.  She's out now but is still trying to deal with everything she went through during that time.  Her life is about to get a bit more complicated though as she is being pursued by vampires and doesn't know the reasoning behind it.  And the book basically just goes from there!  I flew through the pages of this book (well swiped through the pages I guess you could say as fast I could).  It was fast paced and suspenseful which kept me reading nonstop.  The author does a good job explaining this new world that she is creating without overwhelming you with the details.  Plus, there are great secondary characters that I couldn't get enough of.  What else could you possibly want in a book like this?? Maybe a haunted house with an actual personality of its' own?  Check that one off your list because this book has that as well!  I'm telling you I just enjoyed this book so much for all of these reasons!  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely!  It has been really great to dive in and find some new paranormal series like this!  Although the author ties this book up quite nicely at the end, you know there is more to come.  I'm really looking forward to it!  I cannot wait to see what kind of trouble and adventures Grier finds herself caught up in next!  I'm actually itching to get my hands on that second book so I don't think that I will be waiting long before continuing on with this series.  The added bonus is that there looks like she has other series out there that I can check out as well!  My kindle is going to be overflowing but I'm loving every minute of it!  I would recommend this book to fans of paranormal and urban fantasy!  And I can easily recommend it!

Bottom Line:  A fast paced and fun beginning to this series that has me craving more books just like it!

Disclosure:  I read this book thanks to my Kindle Unlimited membership.  Thoughts are my own!

If you are a Kindle Unlimited reader (I'm a newbie) what other books and series do you recommend that I check out?  It doesn't have to be paranormal but I'll take all of the recommendations that I can get!