tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40478242160616192842024-03-13T08:46:25.301-07:00Booked On a Feelingsamantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.comBlogger1135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-87026854992709136242022-09-01T15:04:00.001-07:002022-09-01T15:04:36.068-07:00Hello, Transcriber by Hannah Morrissey (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFf-aDJvtrkfAUhyT7ZfO-Z3nfSCsZErI1nxvz08GNncZ5vVStIfOdMBwjx0vk6H2IViHj5nMTa2B3kigp7qvQxAqk9BB36sIKyOX1mBmSfQvn4mqULRLwk5_QILmfDvoAlvbEU3ikLpv0wUV-Hlk4tfM3n8cn6KMkcbP1XBSAWuKKFcFiRusAJsKYlQ/s400/56268935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFf-aDJvtrkfAUhyT7ZfO-Z3nfSCsZErI1nxvz08GNncZ5vVStIfOdMBwjx0vk6H2IViHj5nMTa2B3kigp7qvQxAqk9BB36sIKyOX1mBmSfQvn4mqULRLwk5_QILmfDvoAlvbEU3ikLpv0wUV-Hlk4tfM3n8cn6KMkcbP1XBSAWuKKFcFiRusAJsKYlQ/w263-h400/56268935.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span><p></p><p><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;">Every night, while the street lamps shed the only light on Wisconsin's most crime-ridden city, police transcriber Hazel Greenlee listens as detectives divulge Black Harbor's gruesome secrets. As an aspiring writer, Hazel believes that writing a novel could be her only ticket out of this frozen hellscape. And then her neighbor confesses to hiding the body of an overdose victim in a dumpster.</span></span></i></p><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The suspicious death is linked to Candy Man, a notorious drug dealer. Now Hazel has a first row seat to the investigation and becomes captivated by the lead detective, Nikolai Kole. Intrigued by the prospects of gathering eyewitness intel for her book, Hazel joins Kole in exploring Black Harbor's darkest side. As the investigation unfolds, Hazel will learn just how far she'll go for a good story―even if it means destroying her marriage and luring the killer to her as she plunges deeper into the city she's desperate to claw her way out of."</span></span></i><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21);">I was so excited when I received an ARC of this book and then I just let it languish on my shelves. I truly hate when that happens even if it does happen sometimes more often than I would like. This book just sounded from the description above like my type of book. And there were certainly elements that made this my type of read, but there were also things that I struggled with. Where this book shines in my opinion is in its' </span></span><span style="color: #1e1915;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21);">atmosphere</span></span><span style="color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">. This author can write - that's for certain. She was able to make me feel like I was right there in this small town where it feels like nothing good ever happens. If you loved the vibes that Gillian Flynn created in </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); font-family: inherit;">Sharp Objects</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> with Camille's hometown, then you will also love those similar feeling dark vibes that are present in this book. It's that tense, </span>ominous<span style="font-family: inherit;"> feeling where it almost feels like Black Harbor is alive from the way that it is described. And I loved that part of it - I am always here for a book with a strong </span>atmosphere<span style="font-family: inherit;"> (for lack of a better way to describe it). Also, this book is dark so be sure to check content warnings if you need them. Hazel is an interesting main character. She is one of those characters that we as </span>the<span style="font-family: inherit;"> reader never quite understand her motivations. All of this I was on board with. What I wasn't on board with as much was her questionable choices and the lack of explanation/reasoning behind them. I'm going to keep things spoiler free but I will say that it felt like Hazel was on self destruct mode but we are never given the </span>full<span style="font-family: inherit;"> reasons why. It made it very hard to understand or relate to the choices that she was making. Basically, this is a nice way of saying that she made me frustrated which caused me to set the book down multiple times. Don't get me wrong, I was also compelled to pick it back up to see where it was all going and how it was going to end. But I was also so annoyed by Hazel and the decisions that she was making because </span>there<span style="font-family: inherit;"> was no real context given on the why's behind it all. I'll leave it at that because to say more would be diving into spoiler territory. If you've read this one, what did you think of Hazel and the decisions she made throughout this book? I'm truly curious!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Readers who enjoy atmospheric, dark reads, those readers who are looking for books with similar vibes to </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Sharp Objects</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (notice I say vibes, these are two very different books otherwise), and those readers who enjoy a grittier mystery should pick this book up. There were enough elements to this book that I enjoyed where I would probably rate this book four stars if I actually still did ratings and I do plan on reading more by this author. Because the vibes in this book were immaculate if you like darker reads. If you prefer more mystery, then this book might not be for you.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Disclosure: I received an advanced </span>review<span style="font-family: inherit;"> copy from the publisher. </span>Honest<span style="font-family: inherit;"> thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-16945182846853930502022-02-25T01:30:00.005-08:002022-02-25T01:30:00.222-08:00This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZaZxJKTfnk/YhJjIkqTb3I/AAAAAAAALiU/DGw-Gv7EJWEralG94KbpIEjpGDVOeOSDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/57693621.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZaZxJKTfnk/YhJjIkqTb3I/AAAAAAAALiU/DGw-Gv7EJWEralG94KbpIEjpGDVOeOSDwCNcBGAsYHQ/w259-h400/57693621.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><div><i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The Winslow family lives by five principles:</span></i></div><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">1. No one can know your real name.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">2. Don’t stay in one place too long.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">3. If you sense anything is wrong, go immediately to the meeting spot.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">4. Keeping our family together is everything.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">5. We wish we could tell you who we are, but we can’t. Please—do not ask.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Poppy doesn’t know why her family has been running her whole life, but she does know that there are dire consequences if they’re ever caught. Still, her curiosity grows each year, as does her desire for real friends and the chance to build on something, instead of leaving behind school projects, teams, and crushes at a moment’s notice."</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Aren't you just intrigued by that premise? As soon as I read those five principles included in the summary, I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read. And I jumped at the chance to read this one not even realizing that this book was young adult which I don't usually read. Books like this could definitely change that though! I started this one on a Friday night only expecting to read a chapter or two. Before I knew it though, I was almost 35% in. This book was such a page turner (well I was swiping pages since I was reading on my e-reader). From the very beginning, I found myself completely intrigued by the premise. I kept trying to guess what her parents were running from and why. It just made for such a compelling read. I'm going to be honest that the budding romance was an element of the book that I could take or leave. I don't mean that in a bad way - it just wasn't what kept me reading and pulled me into the story. I'm also not the intended audience for this book - and I can guarantee that my daughter would be completely behind the romance that was developing. I'm actually planning on handing my copy of this book off to her because I'm absolutely sure that she would enjoy it. The one that I loved most about this book was that even with all of the unknowns and questions - the love that Poppy's family had for one another was strong and present throughout the pages of this book. It was so nice to see the love that they had for one another. I just really enjoyed this book and definitely plan on reading more by this author in the future. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Readers who enjoy young adult mysteries, suspenseful and page turning reads, or those who just want a plain good read should pick this book up!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-17886822532325712622022-02-08T02:00:00.002-08:002022-02-19T10:44:13.741-08:00On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghoAyIASq69A12oMLGNuWPFU_GeG6pCFLJmTt0Iz3Te53peye8-B9d1XMjd8dLHJ2qIDZinPwpqnCmK8rHkDlmDZ_L2Bx9HsKhajBRCNxouC-xtL8CI9ztp5leReOYkkAeEVROheTn4UCliIjMJAZXuIIW2KQJpzwY480EYoRJjL_x_jgAFGfblM5xtQ=s400" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghoAyIASq69A12oMLGNuWPFU_GeG6pCFLJmTt0Iz3Te53peye8-B9d1XMjd8dLHJ2qIDZinPwpqnCmK8rHkDlmDZ_L2Bx9HsKhajBRCNxouC-xtL8CI9ztp5leReOYkkAeEVROheTn4UCliIjMJAZXuIIW2KQJpzwY480EYoRJjL_x_jgAFGfblM5xtQ=w259-h400" width="259" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is acting assistant to a celebrity, on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and en route to a tiny Italian island and the glittering Crystal Ball, along with the world’s rich and famous.</span></i></p><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When she – quite literally – bumps into a handsome American called Evan, a man able to keep his cool in the face of chaos, the magic really begins.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Evan makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Yet Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart, and their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again – unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever…"</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">On a Night Like This</b> was the perfect change of pace from the mysteries and thrillers that I've been reading lately. It was absolutely delightful and the perfect reminder of why I enjoy books like this so much. Fran is struggling to find a job and because of this is feeling a bit stalled with her life. Her relationship with her fiancee isn't the best and she is just feeling a bit lost. And then she jumps at this short term job opportunity and everything changes. One of the things that I liked most about this book was that it was unexpectedly funny. It was also a really charming read. In fact, this book reminded me a bit of <b>Confessions of a Shopaholic </b>almost. It was something about the humorous situations that Fran </span>kept finding herself in that made me think of that book. It just made this book feel like such a fun ride. I found myself swept along within the pages watching Fran trying to navigate all of these new circumstances and experiences that kept happening to her. And the entire experience was just plain fun. My one word of caution is that the development of the relationship is really based off of just one night for the most part. That's a bit fast or maybe not enough time for a lot of readers. For me, I think that the author made it work because although the book focuses on that one night there is more to it. I don't want to say more than that because it might be considered a spoiler. Suffice it to say that I was completely behind the relationship developing between Evan and Fran. I was especially behind Fran discovering what she really wanted in life and figuring out what was important to her. I think that readers who enjoy romance, women's fiction, and just reads that make you smile will want to pick this book up. It's one that I can easily recommend and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A humorous and delightful romance!</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and TLC book tours in exchange for an honest review.</span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-79728592556214819342022-01-17T01:30:00.001-08:002022-01-17T01:30:00.223-08:00Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP7ET2bZTVSH5OWsPSwxN6Qi5rXPQ1K-rMdZSNSSyLnYP87IDsSdIbZCrGrJeHox8Dr-fD8fKu6aipiwkzZUXIFfAMJV-zrCrYxuvhTzhPJamCZGlNxSLurLFqR66mA0-oudBLnPaaTa5dOuBc2pzNwiyUdWABjY3FQWM9GIvsYemlk2SPq5gkpQpQvQ=s2550" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1678" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP7ET2bZTVSH5OWsPSwxN6Qi5rXPQ1K-rMdZSNSSyLnYP87IDsSdIbZCrGrJeHox8Dr-fD8fKu6aipiwkzZUXIFfAMJV-zrCrYxuvhTzhPJamCZGlNxSLurLFqR66mA0-oudBLnPaaTa5dOuBc2pzNwiyUdWABjY3FQWM9GIvsYemlk2SPq5gkpQpQvQ=w264-h400" width="264" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. He hoped it wouldn’t end like this, not for him.</span></p><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men."</span><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Wow, what an amazing book to start my reading year off with! If there is one book that I convince you to pick up this year, I think that I want this one to be it. I will say that I want readers to go into this one with the right expectations. I wouldn't call it a thriller (although I have seen it on lists of upcoming mysteries and thrillers) or really even a mystery. If I had to classify it, I think that I would go more with literary suspense. I'm not even sure that fits this book perfectly but I do feel that is more accurate than trying to label it as a thriller or mystery. This is one of those books that isn't meant to be rushed through. Instead, this is one of those books where you just need to let go and enjoy the ride that the author is taking you on because it is perfection. The thing that stood out for me with this book was the focus on the characters and especially on the victims. This book is about Ansel Packer (who has killed multiple women and is now on death row) but it really isn't. It's instead about his mother, the sister of his wife, and the female detective who arrested him. And most importantly it is about his victims and the women they might have been. I loved how the author took the time to consider those women throughout the story and the impact that they might have had. It was a reminder of everything that was taken from them - the lives they could have led and the different things that they missed out on. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. The writing itself was gorgeous at times and deserved to be savored. There were just sentences that hit me hard and I had to sit with. It wasn't always an easy read (especially at the end) but it was a really excellent read that will stick with for some time to come. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Read this book if you enjoy character focused reads or are looking for a book that isn't your average serial killer story. I really cannot say enough good things about this book - it is super early to say this but I would be really surprised if it didn't make my top reads list for the year. Now I'm off to add this author's other book to my TBR because again - wow!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line - An easy five stars!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure - I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-40828663895585842502022-01-10T01:30:00.030-08:002022-01-10T01:30:00.208-08:00Top Ten Reads of 2021<p> It's bittersweet to read my top reads post of last year and then to see how little has changed since 2020. We are still here - still dealing with the pandemic - but when I wrote that post I still had hope that the end was in sight and that things would be getting back to "normal" soon (not sure really what normal is anymore). Alas, we are still dealing with the pandemic and numbers are skyrocketing again. Boo! Happily, books were still there for me as they always are. My number of books read has continued to drop - I finished 55 books in total in 2021. This is the lowest number of books read since I started tracking so many years ago, but I continued to really enjoy the majority of what I read. I'll take quality over quantity always. My blogging continues to be sporadic at best. I'm not sure that I'll ever post as consistently as I used to when book blogging was at the height of popularity. And that's okay. But I'm also not sure that I'll ever give it up either. I just love sharing my thoughts on the books that I read in written form here. If you don't already, I'm much more of a consistent poster on Instagram so would love if you followed me there too. But for now let's move on to the top ten books that I read in 2021:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBpVOYRPdNN7pZ_oO9lCJ_MDlRNgzsO40OlnxpEBn36zD4kE9y6xwd2U-xwgXATJQtEOBIi3QC6P7eV4E-XA_68DIn3OYhn7tXhbjowzRxI42vy1EmupPNTV3UTQeILqhSPeUk6pifmazAd1Rr1iVZTc88Y6ZvfdyYUEoWH2M-IwKsyVS3WanIxy8_Ew=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBpVOYRPdNN7pZ_oO9lCJ_MDlRNgzsO40OlnxpEBn36zD4kE9y6xwd2U-xwgXATJQtEOBIi3QC6P7eV4E-XA_68DIn3OYhn7tXhbjowzRxI42vy1EmupPNTV3UTQeILqhSPeUk6pifmazAd1Rr1iVZTc88Y6ZvfdyYUEoWH2M-IwKsyVS3WanIxy8_Ew=s320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwzxGbv2hxAzrFnwJok2rB9Hcdq_4gY0JJ8WF_9n2Kk6QHc0ga5SSq6NLJUP9I6ONaIutzw3ey7FkEB6UnDujZxuxE9tnzpmQNXirNw8dGQCkSvpyD6y-6k74XaYcL92FH0fC7717cfEmQFi10bZ6S42A609jXFGzpW7HevbwzKyyq_pqVAFm2CLi5YA=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwzxGbv2hxAzrFnwJok2rB9Hcdq_4gY0JJ8WF_9n2Kk6QHc0ga5SSq6NLJUP9I6ONaIutzw3ey7FkEB6UnDujZxuxE9tnzpmQNXirNw8dGQCkSvpyD6y-6k74XaYcL92FH0fC7717cfEmQFi10bZ6S42A609jXFGzpW7HevbwzKyyq_pqVAFm2CLi5YA=s320" width="210" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Shiver</b> by Allie Reynolds - This book was exactly what I look for in a winter thriller! I loved the isolated, suspenseful atmosphere that the author created. I read this one with snow on the ground in the middle of winter and just lost myself within its' pages. The author did an amazing job of creating a suspenseful read that kept me guessing until the very end. I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next!<div><br /></div><div><b>The Lost Village</b> by Camilla Sten - This was my first read of 2021 and I knew instantly after finishing that it would make my top reads list for the year. It was just so good! It was a slow burning, suspenseful read that I couldn't set down. There was this constant feeling of dread that seeped through the pages that I just adored. I have found that I need all of the creepy, atmospheric reads like this in my life so give me read-alike recommendations if you have them. Another author that I am so excited to read more from in 2022 with her next release!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5qykg9QylQIcaFvQrj3y5sBJj-m9jhL95ayqsDdgS7Y54PKLWa5J2eA6rmsCh_g93aMnOJNLDSPs34PqdeecUmT-oCjF31JzJ7EJHdZryTXm98WP8sRcgIJNSjUtpprtozdOUjNOyXzrBKi2KsLJIElJRWsTbF2VqxCqlL2AzjVrUKyGDUPwXC7hO0w=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5qykg9QylQIcaFvQrj3y5sBJj-m9jhL95ayqsDdgS7Y54PKLWa5J2eA6rmsCh_g93aMnOJNLDSPs34PqdeecUmT-oCjF31JzJ7EJHdZryTXm98WP8sRcgIJNSjUtpprtozdOUjNOyXzrBKi2KsLJIElJRWsTbF2VqxCqlL2AzjVrUKyGDUPwXC7hO0w=s320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJTal8DY5jTVDeylrsfk6sRF3vnTBQ8tgezEoyNYMPkwQcua57-7i7b8hKwaKtHOrDurVBdskZoHvg8YvMyp_N7H_0_v24QKAuA_QdVdJaIGS49c6XbMILSXP9VGpGy-yI4oB-FLNpH4U7iMMoRAU__wOQvKdHTu_XCYAlmSZ-oIhV_6XWSKbFPe_UXg=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJTal8DY5jTVDeylrsfk6sRF3vnTBQ8tgezEoyNYMPkwQcua57-7i7b8hKwaKtHOrDurVBdskZoHvg8YvMyp_N7H_0_v24QKAuA_QdVdJaIGS49c6XbMILSXP9VGpGy-yI4oB-FLNpH4U7iMMoRAU__wOQvKdHTu_XCYAlmSZ-oIhV_6XWSKbFPe_UXg=s320" width="211" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Before She Disappeared</b> by Lisa Gardner - Mystery lovers, you are seriously missing out if you haven't tried out Gardner's books yet! This was originally supposed to be a standalone but is now being turned into a series - and for good reason! This book was just SO good! I loved Frankie's character - there is just something about flawed main characters in my mysteries that I can't seem to get enough of. I'm so excited for the next book in this series and highly recommend this one if you haven't had the chance to check it out!<div><br /></div><div><b>The Jigsaw Man</b> by Nadine Matheson - Fans of <b>The Chestnut Man</b> and dark mysteries need to pick this book up! I was absolutely blown away by this series debut. There is nothing better in my opinion than finding a new standout police procedural and this is definitely one of them. As I'm thinking back on the books I loved from last year - it is the characters, the atmosphere, and the storylines that stick out for me. This book had it all and then some. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the second book in this series when it releases!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTH7l1h-8iO-HUhOGCkKf_BzjT1gFEQXFjFGzTTzJ-6hv5AHwYvBqvOGFPwZF7sqFYoXeu6hqtCwh3WwwTiDxcoZLvhhr40fLj6yN2kEfpRtVcRJP0JR36R77r8PxcW6fEetOrTddCDhENYXhrfiQPm6y0zlTlHxSpnPzS8ecYPMlOB4XdKU7_mtlDEg=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTH7l1h-8iO-HUhOGCkKf_BzjT1gFEQXFjFGzTTzJ-6hv5AHwYvBqvOGFPwZF7sqFYoXeu6hqtCwh3WwwTiDxcoZLvhhr40fLj6yN2kEfpRtVcRJP0JR36R77r8PxcW6fEetOrTddCDhENYXhrfiQPm6y0zlTlHxSpnPzS8ecYPMlOB4XdKU7_mtlDEg=s320" width="210" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQsK4xr5q8HROzxWpv5vOJrto7uOw-NUdOGGKGh6WB5NO2jTSZGtQw3AArnxZhwm0UyDpGE21EUN0TwS3ViUFft1DPIs9M2OwiMIwaEkwuGOty8hpVQW1u7gzGZHj9gAXoFJTH8GJVPWYc3kfQ5ONiGO1pb-4zFdXLo9myE20U_XSA2ksBcpx8mZeymQ=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQsK4xr5q8HROzxWpv5vOJrto7uOw-NUdOGGKGh6WB5NO2jTSZGtQw3AArnxZhwm0UyDpGE21EUN0TwS3ViUFft1DPIs9M2OwiMIwaEkwuGOty8hpVQW1u7gzGZHj9gAXoFJTH8GJVPWYc3kfQ5ONiGO1pb-4zFdXLo9myE20U_XSA2ksBcpx8mZeymQ=s320" width="212" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Gone For Good</b> by Joanna Schaffhausen - Schaffhausen is another author that has become a favorite of mine over the past couple of years for good reason. I'm sure you can imagine my delight when I absolutely LOVED this first book in her new series! She just has a way with writing mysteries that I cannot set down and that keep me guessing the entire time. The best part of this book though is the way that I thought I had this book figured out....when really I didn't at all. Yet another series that I'm super hyped to continue on with in 2022!<div><br /></div><div><b>The Broken Girls</b> by Simone St. James - This is the 2nd year in a row that one of Simone St. James' books have landed on my top ten reads list. Let me tell you that she is another author (really this statement is true for all of these authors) where you are missing out if you haven't tried her books yet. I love that she really has something more to say when it comes to violence against women and that is present in her books. The two timelines of this book were tied together perfectly and the hint of ghosts ensured that I absolutely loved this book. SO good!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLQ9pz0K1jNyJ7mJ9mkfxaWxkgltbAjgVlmZuvHPhFoVCB09slAGO6Z9MtcXBNP8a8wDq5bZleZEfUbsWXaVTChHa5HNFr5Pwokl9lZkQEIbpqb3WqVY-afhxYeuNCBRl1UCL8zzIHojU7ZvIfDOT9V4boQ0KVhfzUuGof61k5v7cFfDrWamf7SH0Gcg=s2106" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2106" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLQ9pz0K1jNyJ7mJ9mkfxaWxkgltbAjgVlmZuvHPhFoVCB09slAGO6Z9MtcXBNP8a8wDq5bZleZEfUbsWXaVTChHa5HNFr5Pwokl9lZkQEIbpqb3WqVY-afhxYeuNCBRl1UCL8zzIHojU7ZvIfDOT9V4boQ0KVhfzUuGof61k5v7cFfDrWamf7SH0Gcg=s320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3l-45SSpx7r-2FfiBMlzdH-GBSm2VYGeXNfYQX9vEbMC46LU04gVIg_qOlLSSWYLMNuNjZWPJbQuzHF3C-E7VUcR-w-TDQS_4G3l7dlNwhRNiS-olbjk08Tln1aKgbbYJJbFz_Z5LCes3aEfuktfql29uoYB65q8ZbVfPj1DrWYsmgL8JN8ln2UN0ig=s475" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3l-45SSpx7r-2FfiBMlzdH-GBSm2VYGeXNfYQX9vEbMC46LU04gVIg_qOlLSSWYLMNuNjZWPJbQuzHF3C-E7VUcR-w-TDQS_4G3l7dlNwhRNiS-olbjk08Tln1aKgbbYJJbFz_Z5LCes3aEfuktfql29uoYB65q8ZbVfPj1DrWYsmgL8JN8ln2UN0ig=s320" width="214" /></a></div></div><br /><b>The Drowning Kind</b> by Jennifer McMahon - This book reminded me exactly why I consider McMahon to be one of my favorite authors. It's actually been a few years since I read one of her books - and this book made me wonder why I haven't picked anything up by her recently because her books are just SO GOOD! This book had this sense of dread and foreboding that just built up page by page. And then that ending. Ugh - this book was perfection and was the slap in the face I needed to want to pick up everything that McMahon has ever written. I should have done this already but at least I have more to look forward to in 2022 by her!<div><br /></div><div><b>One by One</b> by Ruth Ware - This is my first book by Ware (despite the fact that I own like all of her books) but it certainly won't be my last! I also want to take a minute to appreciate the fact that this was another winter thriller that made my top reads list - and it also was a variation of Agatha Christie's <b>And Then There Were None</b>. I loved this one from the very first page until the last. It left me absolutely kicking myself for never trying Ware's books until now. Yet another author whose backlist I need to work on catching up on ASAP.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0fEhU2z7kfMOcmF-RQytPrxzJHQbGsUOeBt7Mjze81p9vqoTI8hUahyWeEyg2_0SylZaOtHo6tlaVyum8bYkkCfFDmE22KZg6Lox_PoDgl2OPkvFNEZ4OccKcl6-VBiCSRjEF6HAilMMujsGwBzUL0H6yDp7sWTwr_wHx8yOd2tz78l-eZR8Ju8TtFQ=s455" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0fEhU2z7kfMOcmF-RQytPrxzJHQbGsUOeBt7Mjze81p9vqoTI8hUahyWeEyg2_0SylZaOtHo6tlaVyum8bYkkCfFDmE22KZg6Lox_PoDgl2OPkvFNEZ4OccKcl6-VBiCSRjEF6HAilMMujsGwBzUL0H6yDp7sWTwr_wHx8yOd2tz78l-eZR8Ju8TtFQ=s320" width="224" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_2xWLurAc7GIA9NduZ_ZF0q96IXfrZs017MB6zgGQB9pQA7fEocP1GikEFJNmpmHisHpJKoLRCqDfGznHDtxMgTfKfZyVTzlfWwqa_3IP6j-Qi9rNAIlFzmJvTunWl3ZkwAEr-Gn_peqnX9RytaPZw2_HmxyPSRjXc8Vyiiazv-paPCtnrfUPCbs_qQ=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_2xWLurAc7GIA9NduZ_ZF0q96IXfrZs017MB6zgGQB9pQA7fEocP1GikEFJNmpmHisHpJKoLRCqDfGznHDtxMgTfKfZyVTzlfWwqa_3IP6j-Qi9rNAIlFzmJvTunWl3ZkwAEr-Gn_peqnX9RytaPZw2_HmxyPSRjXc8Vyiiazv-paPCtnrfUPCbs_qQ=s320" width="210" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Broken Places </b>by Tracy Clark - Out of all of the books on my top reads list, this book deserves WAY more hype than I've seen it getting. It's SO good! I am always here for a good mystery and this one was a standout beginning to this new to me mystery series. The characters were perfection and I loved that this author also used this book to look at both unjustified police shootings and police corruption. I am repeating myself throughout this post but this is yet another series that I plan on reading more from in 2022!<div><br /></div><div><b>The Burning Girl</b>s by C.J. Tudor - If you love spooky, atmospheric reads then this is the book for you! Actually, there are a few on this list like that (I have a type). I LOVED this book for so many reasons but the main one was the spooky setting that the author created within these pages. Hints of witchcraft, a small town filled with secrets, a small church that is possibly haunted....this book had it all. And I ate it up with a spoon asking for more! I've read two books now by Tudor and they both were standouts. Yet another author whose backlist I need to read all of (story of my life at this point).</div><div><br /></div><div>There you have it - my top 10 reads list for 2021. There were SO many other books that I rated 4.5 stars and could have been included here so I'm not even bothering including honorable mentions because the list would be ridiculous. What did I learn about myself as a reader from writing up this post? That I love mysteries, creepy, atmospheric reads, and winter thrillers. If you have any recommendations that relate to these three things - feel free to share them in the comments. I have some goals for the new year so I plan on eventually sharing them all in their own post. But mostly it comes down to reading the types of books that I love. After two years living through a pandemic, it makes sense to read as much of the things that I love as possible rather than saving them for a rainy day. </div><div><br /></div><div>What book or books were your favorites of 2021?<br /><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-33071814262684929152021-11-29T01:30:00.002-08:002021-12-02T05:43:30.890-08:00What I've Been Reading (Freya Sampson, Simone St. James)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SS9vbzKt35c/YZqXH0So9aI/AAAAAAAALd8/sFp4teZV3bc0kzqa4y1XAI9kXvJN2ZnzACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/56377192.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SS9vbzKt35c/YZqXH0So9aI/AAAAAAAALd8/sFp4teZV3bc0kzqa4y1XAI9kXvJN2ZnzACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/56377192.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b>The Last Chance Library</b> by Freya Sampson<p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way."</span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">I picked this book up because I needed a change of pace from my normal selection of mysteries and thrillers. I was in the mood for a "lighter" sort of read and the idea of reading a book set in the library was just too much for me to resist. I'm sure that long time readers of this blog are perfectly aware that the library is one of my very favorite places in the entire world. If not, now you know. I adore the library, was in the mood for a bit of a romance, and decided that this book was exactly what I was in the mood for. Happily enough, this book fit the bill although I wouldn't say that it is a romance - just to be clear there. Instead, this book focuses on June Jones who is a painfully shy librarian living her life in books. As the reader we really get to know June throughout the pages of this book. I wasn't sure how I felt about her first because she just didn't seem to have any spine at all. I understand social anxiety, but I couldn't quite relate to her inability to stand up or have a voice for herself whatsoever no matter the situation. But regardless, I came to understand her more and really appreciated how much she grew throughout the pages. There is something to be said about a book where you just feel safe while reading it no matter what happens. I grew to care about all of the characters and wasn't ready to say goodbye to them at the end. And I was just so darn proud of June by the end of this book!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and these characters. I think it leans more towards women's fiction rather than romance if that matters to you as a reader. This book is both a love letter to libraries and to books themselves. Readers who enjoy quieter books, those who enjoy character focused reads, and those who enjoy just a good read should pick this book up. It's one that has stayed with me and left me eager to read more by this author. Recommended!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A book that fit my reading mood perfectly and with characters whom I couldn't help but grow to care about.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I won a copy of this book thanks to a Goodread's giveaway. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gKKygNwBVfU/YZqejjnYB1I/AAAAAAAALeE/DfWZggQGNkMEA524jpUZR66whC-dew3IQCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/35533431._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gKKygNwBVfU/YZqejjnYB1I/AAAAAAAALeE/DfWZggQGNkMEA524jpUZR66whC-dew3IQCLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/35533431._SY475_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>The Broken Girls </b>by Simone St. James<p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span></p><p><i><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Vermont, 1950. </b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . . </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Vermont, 2014.</b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">the suspicion that something was never right about the case."</span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Simone St. James has shot to my favorite authors list after reading and loving two of her books. I picked up <b>The Broken Girls</b> from my shelves because I felt sort of slumpy. I was looking for a five star read - it felt like I had been enjoying the books that I had been reading but had been too long since the last time one truly wow-ed me. Happily, this book was exactly what I was looking for. I loved how this book was told in two different timelines similar to <b>The Sun Down Motel</b>. In the past, we got to see the lives of four young girls who lived at the boarding school for unwanted girls. In the present, we were brought into Fiona Sheridan's life and the struggles she was still facing to get over her sister's death. Both storylines were compelling and completely sucked me in. I was so intrigued and just had such a hard time setting this book down. And I cannot help but appreciate the way that this author looks at violence against women in different ways. In this book, she made a point of really looking at how little society cares about when certain types of women/girls go missing. It's a refreshing change from just reading about the constant violence against women that you see in other mysteries and thrillers. I also really enjoyed the ghostly aspects that were present in this story. It's funny because they weren't the focus but they gave the book a spooky edge that I really enjoyed. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Books like this are exactly why I read and love it so much! At this point, I plan on reading everything/anything that this author writes. The best part as that I have a decent amount of her backlist to look forward to plus she has a new book releasing in 2022 that I am highly anticipating! Readers who enjoy suspenseful mysteries with just a slight edge of horror (she reminds me a bit of Jennifer McMahon who is another favorite author of mine), those who enjoy thrilling reads, and those readers who just want a page turning read that they cannot put down should pick this book up and give this author a try. She really is one of my best finds from last year and I'm so glad that I didn't let this book continue to linger on my shelves. Highly recommended!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: My second five star read by this author - that should tell you everything that you need to know.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure: I purchased the copy of this book that I read but I did receive a copy of this book originally from NetGalley and the publisher that I never got to. Honest thoughts are my own.<br /></span><br /></span></span></p><p><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></i></p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-12831217417931609892021-11-22T01:30:00.007-08:002021-11-22T01:30:00.216-08:00What I've been Reading (Ragnar Jónasson, Gytha Lodge)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITIok_xLayY/YZqEwxx2ZtI/AAAAAAAALds/CD3SGhh08ncGNk5-9-2rFhotNtRq9t3PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/54860498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITIok_xLayY/YZqEwxx2ZtI/AAAAAAAALds/CD3SGhh08ncGNk5-9-2rFhotNtRq9t3PwCLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/54860498.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><b>The Girl Who Died</b> by Ragnar Jónasson<p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; font-family: Nobile;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">"Teacher Wanted At the Edge of the World"</i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; font-family: Nobile;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">One of the things that I've learned about myself as a reader this year is how much I enjoy a slow burning, suspenseful read like this one. I mean I knew that mostly but books like this has really reinforced that fact for me. I love to lose myself in atmospheric reads and enjoy the ride that the author is taking me on. I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read as soon as I read that one line from the above synopsis. What did the author mean by the edge of the world? I was instantly intrigued and just needed to know more. The idea of living in such an isolated town felt inherently creepy especially when there was the hint of ghostly presences. I truly feel like this book was meant for me - it had everything that I enjoy most in books. I love a good isolated setting, hints of creepiness and the supernatural, and the question of who the main character can actually trust....it all combined just so perfectly. Even the fact that I wasn't sure exactly how I felt about the main character Una didn't matter because of everything else. It wasn't that I didn't like her - it's just that I'm a bit over main characters that aren't considered reliable because they drink too much. It didn't bother me too much as I was too curious on what was actually going on. I just couldn't stop reading. And then there is a turning point in the book that I totally didn't see coming. At that point, I wasn't going to stop reading as I just had to see how this book would end. </span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book. The ending left me a bit wanting but the isolated, creepy feeling of suspense present throughout the book more than made up for it. Jónasson is a talented author and this book reminded me that I need to work on catching up with his backlist. Readers who enjoy suspenseful reads, those who enjoy books with an edge of creepiness and the supernatural, and fans of Nordic noir should definitely pick this book up. This is an easy book for me to recommend but more to those readers who enjoy slow burns that build up to the climax. </span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: The hints of the supernatural and isolated setting combined together into one very strong read!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5N2NQpWjE0/YZqQmfKdnqI/AAAAAAAALd0/kHRNB8_AWcs2pgJv2My0ntHD3NEjmtJjACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/57442011._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5N2NQpWjE0/YZqQmfKdnqI/AAAAAAAALd0/kHRNB8_AWcs2pgJv2My0ntHD3NEjmtJjACLcBGAsYHQ/w259-h400/57442011._SY475_.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><b>Lie Beside Me</b> by Gytha Lodge<p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><i>"<span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">You wake up.<br />You can't remember what happened.<br />The man lying next to you is not your husband. <br />And he's not breathing . . ."</span></i><br /></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">This is the third book in what has become one of my very favorite mystery series. One of the things that makes this series standout so much for me is that each book has been different from the others. This book almost felt like a domestic suspense from the way that it was written. In it, one of the main characters Louise is writing to her husband and explaining certain things as one storyline. Sorry to be vague here but I don't want to spoil anything because the setup is pretty brilliant. In the other storyline, we see the events of Louise waking up next to a stranger and the subsequent investigation by Jonah Sheen's team. The second thing that really stands out to me and that is present throughout each book in this series is the care that is taken with the characters and especially the victims. The author always takes the time to allow the reader to really feel like they are getting to know these characters in a way that isn't always present in other mysteries or thrillers. I loved how the author kept me guessing throughout this book. I wasn't sure who to trust and/or who was to blame. The only thing that I really knew is that Jonah and his team would figure it out in the end. </span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Overall, I found this book to be another strong addition to one of my favorite mystery series out there. I NEED other readers to find and love this series as much as I do! You don't necessarily have to read these books in order but I would recommend it if possible. There are these small threads that play out from each book that you would miss out on otherwise. I think that you should pick this book up if you enjoy domestic suspense but want something a bit different, if you enjoy police procedurals, or just want a truly page turning read. I definitely couldn't turn the pages fast enough while reading this one! Now begins the long wait for the next book in the series...I will be jumping on that one as soon as it gets released! Highly recommended!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A suspenseful addition to a standout series!</span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. I ended up reading a copy thanks to my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-32302088703332288032021-10-20T01:30:00.007-07:002021-10-20T01:30:00.233-07:00What I've Been Reading (Playing Catchup Edition #5)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U7WdtKNj7gI/YW9Aw-yw3eI/AAAAAAAALc0/Dwh50crKkpgteeNG9ChmZ5u5VY4gqYUhACLcBGAsYHQ/s455/36679614._SX318_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U7WdtKNj7gI/YW9Aw-yw3eI/AAAAAAAALc0/Dwh50crKkpgteeNG9ChmZ5u5VY4gqYUhACLcBGAsYHQ/w280-h400/36679614._SX318_.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p><b style="font-weight: bold;">Broken Places </b>by Tracy Clark</p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Former cop Cass Raines has found the world of private investigation a less stressful way to eke out a living in the Windy City. But when she stumbles across the dead body of a respected member of the community, it’s up to her to prove a murderer is on the loose . . ."</span></i></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">My Thoughts:</b></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Broken Places</b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> was one of the best starts to a new to me mystery series that I've read in a long time. I say one because I've read a couple of firsts in series this year that were real winners as well. This book though really stood out for me. Cass is one of those main characters that you want to meet in real life. She isn't perfect but she sticks to what she believes in, and you cannot help but respect her for it. Or at least I couldn't, I should say. I appreciated the way that this author used this book to also look at both police brutality and police shootings. The commentary on our justice system in general was perfection. This wasn't a book that I rushed <span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">through but instead took my time with. That being said, I had a hard time setting it down. The mystery was very compelling and kept me guessing the entire time. I'm eager to get back to this series and these characters. In fact, I already have the second book checked out from the library because this book was that good. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and these characters immensely. Pick this book up if you enjoy police procedurals, mysteries that keep you guessing, and especially if you just want a really great read in general. Highly recommended!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: A standout beginning to this new to me series.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure: I read a copy of this book courtesy of my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ_voIgnYBQ/YW9GvrptdbI/AAAAAAAALc8/x25ECfJx6f8mzU3EOel-e3AXB_o-ITCwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/54860162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="244" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQ_voIgnYBQ/YW9GvrptdbI/AAAAAAAALc8/x25ECfJx6f8mzU3EOel-e3AXB_o-ITCwQCLcBGAsYHQ/w244-h400/54860162.jpg" width="244" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>A Tale of Two Cookies</b> by Eve Calder</span><p></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span></p><p><i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">"</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">In A Tale of Two Cookies, a cozy mystery from Eve Calder, it’s nothing but sugar and spice at The Cookie House, but elsewhere on Coral Cay everything isn’t so nice."</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">This cozy mystery series has fast become a favorite of mine and we are only three books in. In fact, this book is actually my favorite of the series so far. I really appreciated the fact that the set up in this book was a bit different with the fact that we weren't sure what had happened to the groom. Was he missing of his own accord? Was he dead? Or had something else happened to him? It added a level of suspense to this book that you don't always get with other cozy mysteries. I found myself unable to put this book down because of it. It's hard to talk about books in series without sharing spoilers so I don't want to say too much. I will say that this series stands out for me because of the characters. This series truly embodies all of the cozy vibes. The delicious desserts, the wide cast of characters, and the cozy town of Coral Cay all combine to give me all of the cozy vibes in this series. It's just perfection! </span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, the setup of this book really helped it to standout for me! Give this series a try (I do think it would be helpful to read in order if possible) if you enjoy cozy mysteries, are looking for a cozier read with a mystery tied in, or just want slightly suspenseful reads without all of the darkness and violence. This series is one of my favorites for a reason!</span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: My favorite book of the series so far!</span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.<br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-90726513115904891372021-09-29T01:30:00.004-07:002021-09-29T01:30:00.349-07:00What I've Been Reading (Playing Catchup Edition #4)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tlw9AHCWiU/YVOexJtm7hI/AAAAAAAALcE/m0TfEGg83ZIpgqKHFqeRcfBqTPUD9aG7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1478/55526894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="986" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tlw9AHCWiU/YVOexJtm7hI/AAAAAAAALcE/m0TfEGg83ZIpgqKHFqeRcfBqTPUD9aG7wCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/55526894.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b>Beneath Devil's Bridge</b> by Loretta Anne White <p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A true crime podcast yields new revelations about a shocking murder."</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Loreth Anne White is fast becoming one of my favorite authors! Last year I read and loved <b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">In the Dark</b> by her (if you haven't picked this one up yet you simply must!). I jumped at the chance to read this book and wasn't disappointed in the slightest. It just goes to show me how much I NEED to work on catching up on her backlist because wow! She is an author that definitely deserves more hype than I see her getting. This book had podcast elements to it which I really enjoyed. I liked the fact that the book was focused on a crime that was supposedly solved from years ago. I really enjoyed that the story was told from two different timelines - back when Detective Rachel Walczak was investigating the case and then in the present as podcaster Trinity Scott investigates what really happened all those years ago. I found this book to be a really compelling read. I wanted to know what really happened to Leena Rai and the why's behind it all. I had my guesses on who might have been behind it, but even then I definitely didn't see that ending coming. There's this one twist that just hits so perfectly. I felt like I should have seen it coming but yet it smacked me straight in the gut in the best way. Wow, she is such a talented author. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Overall, this is a book that definitely deserves more hype in my opinion. Readers who enjoy mysteries, true crime podcasts, and suspenseful reads need to pick this book up. And then talk about it with others so more mystery readers can find this author because I need her to write ALL of the books! Kidding....but kind of not because she's just so good! Highly recommended!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Bottom Line: A tense and suspenseful read that I just couldn't stop reading!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKW4D60urqE/YVOihi-F8SI/AAAAAAAALcM/1M3RSR4U2Tc3CqBYhEr4v8Iz3BNXMrgOACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/22350224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKW4D60urqE/YVOihi-F8SI/AAAAAAAALcM/1M3RSR4U2Tc3CqBYhEr4v8Iz3BNXMrgOACLcBGAsYHQ/w258-h400/22350224.jpg" width="258" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Bird Box</b> by Josh Malerman</span><p></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span></p><p><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">"Written with the narrative tension of </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The Road</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> and the exquisite terror of classic Stephen King, </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bird Box</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> is a propulsive, edge-of-your-seat horror thriller, set in an apocalyptic near-future world—a masterpiece of suspense from the brilliantly imaginative Josh Malerman.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Something is out there . . . "</span></i></p><p><b>My Thoughts</b>:</p><p><b>Bird Box</b> was a really solid read but I think I slightly overhyped it in my head. First, I did something I rarely do and watched the movie first. I actually really enjoyed the movie and found it to be a fun reading experience comparing the differences between the two. But I expected this one to terrify me just from hearing from so many other horror readers that it is one of their favorites. Honestly, I did find the idea of not being able to see whatever was out there creepy but just not as terrifying as I hoped. Maybe it is because I watch the movie first or maybe I just had it overhyped in my head. That isn't to discount that I really enjoyed my reading experience. I was just left wanting it to be a bit more. More terrifying. I wanted to be truly creeped out in the best of ways and wasn't. I'm chalking it up to expectations. I definitely plan on reading more by this author and the premise of this book is so unique. I want to see what other twisted things he comes up with next. And I think I will read the sequel to this book at some point as well. But maybe I would just say to other readers to start here before you watch the movie. That's all.</p><p>Overall, I enjoyed this book even if it didn't quite terrify me like I had hoped that it would. Readers who want a horror based take on the end of the world should pick this book up for sure. I also want to say that if you aren't sure on if horror reads are for you, that this book wasn't too scary and is one that I think many readers could handle. Recommended!</p><p>Bottom Line: A book that I'm glad I finally pulled off of my own shelves after it sat on there for way too long!</p><p>Disclosure: I purchased this book myself. Honest thoughts are my own.<br /></p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-54069270077031082802021-09-27T01:30:00.001-07:002021-09-27T01:30:00.267-07:00What I've Been Reading (Playing Catchup Edition #3)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6IXrPD_zbU/YU0EEUQgBTI/AAAAAAAALbo/wmoTRDgI7wI4W9cMir7T_OnajzFEIugPACLcBGAsYHQ/s648/53441142.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="429" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6IXrPD_zbU/YU0EEUQgBTI/AAAAAAAALbo/wmoTRDgI7wI4W9cMir7T_OnajzFEIugPACLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/53441142.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>A Fatal Lie</b> by Charles Todd<p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><i>"In one of his most puzzling cases, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge must delve deep into a dead man’s life and his past to find a killer determined to keep dark secrets buried."</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">This is the first book that I've read in this long running series but not my first book by this author. I've read and enjoyed a couple books in the Bess Crawford series so I jumped at the chance to read this one even though it's book #23. It honestly didn't affect my enjoyment in the slightest as I really enjoyed my time with this book. This book was a slow burn in the best of ways. I love a good historical mystery that just pulls me into both the story and the time period that it is set in. I found myself following along with Inspector Ian Rutledge as he struggled to figure out the identity of the dead man and then to also find the killer. I loved the quiet suspense that was present throughout this book. This isn't a mystery or book that is meant to be rushed through. Instead, it is one to immerse yourself in and get lost within the pages. I found it interesting reading and learning about Ian Rutledge. There are some obvious things in his past that I was missing out on that I'm guessing that we would have learned more about in previous books. I definitely plan on going back to the beginning of this series at some point in the very near future. </span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, this is a book that I think that historical mystery fans and <span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">mystery readers in general will enjoy. Just make sure that you go in with the correct expectations that this is a mystery and not a thriller that you will fly through. Readers that enjoy slow burns and detective (inspector) focused stories should definitely give this book or series a try! Recommended.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: A slow burning mystery that pulled me into its pages.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vc3e96PHTTQ/YU0Ih8Av-PI/AAAAAAAALbw/IcNHSAjwjOs8-lcBNd9RqXXo-8VL107UACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53331565.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vc3e96PHTTQ/YU0Ih8Av-PI/AAAAAAAALbw/IcNHSAjwjOs8-lcBNd9RqXXo-8VL107UACLcBGAsYHQ/w264-h400/53331565.jpg" width="264" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span></p><p><i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When body parts are found on the banks of the River Thames in Deptford, DI Angelica Henley is tasked with finding the killer. Eerie echoes of previous crimes lead Henley to question Peter Olivier, aka The Jigsaw Killer, who is currently serving a life sentence for a series of horrific murders. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When a severed head is delivered to Henley's home, she realises that the copycat is taking a personal interest in her and that the victims have not been chosen at random. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">To catch the killer, Henley must confront her own demons - - and when Olivier escapes from prison, she finds herself up against not one serial killer, but two."</span></i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>The Jigsaw Man</b> is one of the best beginnings to a new police procedural that I've read so far this year! This book is dark and won't be for every reader - I think the above summary should give you an idea of how dark this book really is. The mystery is compelling though and despite it being a chunkier book I flew through the pages. I just didn't want to set it down. I really enjoyed the fact that the author showed the struggles that Henley had with balancing motherhood and her job. The guilt that she felt at times when her job took her away from her daughter more than she wanted it to. It was something that I definitely could relate to as a mother myself. I found myself racing through this book eager to see how it would all end. And that ending....all I can say without giving anything away is that I NEED the next book in this series ASAP. So good! I cannot emphasize enough how strong I found this beginning to a new detective series to be - it's one that I have been recommending over and over!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Overall, this is an author to watch and a must read for mysteries and thriller lovers like myself. I wouldn't recommend this one though if you cannot handle gore or don't care for darker reads. If you read and enjoyed The Chestnut Man though (I feel like that's a pretty good comparison with how dark this book gets), then definitely get your hands on this one. Highly recommended!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: This book is very likely going to be on my top reads for 2021 - it was that good!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I ended up reading a print copy from my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">CW: Attempted rape</span></span></p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-16478354640326186642021-09-23T01:30:00.001-07:002021-09-23T01:30:00.184-07:00The Killing Kind by Jane Casey (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OnPFhZYffn0/YUuwNRf4knI/AAAAAAAALbg/3gN4nBOgQPorOrQfdwPEawAC_rqpMwaQACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/56754296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OnPFhZYffn0/YUuwNRf4knI/AAAAAAAALbg/3gN4nBOgQPorOrQfdwPEawAC_rqpMwaQACLcBGAsYHQ/w259-h400/56754296.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<strong style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">He tells you you’re special…</strong></i></p><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">As a barrister, Ingrid Lewis is used to dealing with tricky clients, but no one has ever come close to John Webster. After Ingrid defended Webster against a stalking charge, he then turned on her – following her, ruining her relationship, even destroying her home.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><strong style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">He tells you he wants to protect you… </strong><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Now, Ingrid believes she has finally escaped his clutches. But when one of her colleagues is run down on a busy London road, Ingrid is sure she was the intended victim. And then Webster shows up at her door…</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><strong style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">But can you believe him?</strong><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Webster claims Ingrid is in danger – and that only he can protect her. Stalker or saviour? Murderer or protector? The clock is ticking for Ingrid to decide. Because the killer is ready to strike again."</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The Killing Kind</b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> was a suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. It's actually a pretty thick book - my copy was 470 pages but I flew through it. It's one of those reads that you don't want to set down because you just want to see what is going to happen next. One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this book was that you didn't know who to trust. Ingrid previously had a stalker - John Webster - who it seems like may be coming back into her life. And as the summary above states - he is stating that he can help her because it does look like someone is trying to hurt or kill her. Could it be John that is trying to insert himself into her life again or who is trying to cause her harm? Or could it be someone else trying to hurt her possibly related to her job as she works in criminal defense. Who can she trust? Is there anyone? These questions swirled around constantly in my head while I was reading this book. It really helped to up the level of tension and suspense that was present throughout this book. I was so caught up in this book that I just didn't want to set this book down. I especially was intrigued by John Webster's character and what his motivations were. This book won't be for everyone though - it deals with some difficult subject matter that won't be for every reader. I will include content warnings below for the major ones but if you have specific questions just let me know. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am eager to read more by this author!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Read this book if you enjoy suspenseful, page turning reads that you don't want to set down. I've read one of this author's book so far (book one in a long running series of hers) and this was a great reminder that I need to get back to that series. This book would be a great place to start if you don't want to begin a long running series and want to give her a try with a standalone instead. Highly recommended!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: A book that I just couldn't stop reading!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Content Warnings: Rape (this is on page somewhat so be warned that this could be triggering for some readers), suicide, stalking</span></span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-23111609569331278142021-08-11T01:30:00.001-07:002021-08-11T01:30:00.189-07:00What I've Been Reading (Playing Catchup Edition #2)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfE_hsN8F7s/YQbmKxRtIiI/AAAAAAAALZ8/S7Wxl_C7fBgGnbIdkNHUN4-JS8052aciACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/55138263-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfE_hsN8F7s/YQbmKxRtIiI/AAAAAAAALZ8/S7Wxl_C7fBgGnbIdkNHUN4-JS8052aciACLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/55138263-2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>Before She Disappeared</b> by Lisa Gardner <p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><i>"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten"</i></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Gardner is one of my favorite mystery authors because I love her D.D. Warren series so much! I started smack dab in the middle of that one and haven't looked back since. So I jumped at the opportunity to read this one as soon as I heard about it. Let me just say that this is an author who writes books that are not to be missed if you are a mystery reader! From the very beginning, I found myself pulled into this new story with new characters. Frankie Elkin is one of those characters that I couldn't help but root for despite all of her perceived flaws. She is a recovering alcoholic who searches for women who have been gone missing for so long that no one is really looking for them any longer. As the reader, you know that she has more of a darker history that hasn't yet been shared with us. It just made her feel so darn real to me! The book was one that I just flew through the pages of. I couldn't put it down because I was so sucked into the story. And honestly I just really loved this book. I was so excited to hear after finishing this one that it is now going to be the first book in a new series. I cannot wait to read more about Frankie and see what types of trouble she finds herself in next.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, this is a book and author that you definitely to check out if you are a mystery reader! I cannot recommend her D.D. Warren series enough - start with <b>Find Her</b> like I did and you will be in for a treat especially if you like darker mysteries. Now, I can also highly recommend this book for those readers who want to start at the beginning of a series because this one is really just as good. This book will easily be on my top reads list of the year and Gardner has become a must read author for me. Highly recommended!</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. I ended up reading a print copy from my local library.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpJVlUPAj20/YRL6S9fRWhI/AAAAAAAALag/Ucb1jdcG2TwIyyW1k7wsMwvUyuyvWfOIwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/49976087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpJVlUPAj20/YRL6S9fRWhI/AAAAAAAALag/Ucb1jdcG2TwIyyW1k7wsMwvUyuyvWfOIwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/49976087.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b>Take a Hint, Dani Brown</b> by Talia Hibbert<p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><i>"<span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral..."</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">I was in the mood for a good romance when I picked this book up and had high expectations after loving the first book in this trilogy titled <b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Get a Life, Chloe Brown</b>. Happily enough, this book far exceeded those high expectations. I truly adored this book and both Zaf and Dani. There was just something about the two of them that had me instantly both invested in their relationship and rooting for them as a couple. Plus, this book was just funny - I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times at it. It was just one of those delightful reads that I picked up at the perfect time and fit my reading mood perfectly. There's nothing better than when this happens in my opinion! There is a reason this trilogy is so popular and I won't be waiting too much longer before I pick up the final book in this series. </span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely. It was just a fun read with a couple that I adored. I turned the pages as fast as I could because I needed to see them get their happy ever after. Talia Hibbert has become a go to romance author for me - I'll be working my way through her backlist and reading everything/anything that she writes. Pick this book up (and you don't have to read the books in order) if you enjoy a steamy romance, are looking for relatable characters that will make you laugh, or just want a book that you can't put down. Another book that I can highly recommend!</span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A romance that makes me smile just thinking about it!</span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. I also ended up reading a print copy courtesy of my local library.<br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-63558651473202596432021-07-27T00:30:00.001-07:002021-07-27T00:30:00.193-07:00What I've Been Reading (Playing Catchup Edition #1)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZnAU1ke4Lc/YKQTIgT7aYI/AAAAAAAALTY/Yl382Oy6hJgwYonbfiKBCZ1G76ANRtHLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/53330239._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZnAU1ke4Lc/YKQTIgT7aYI/AAAAAAAALTY/Yl382Oy6hJgwYonbfiKBCZ1G76ANRtHLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/53330239._SY475_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">In this propulsive locked-room thriller debut, a reunion weekend in the French Alps turns deadly when five friends discover that someone has deliberately stranded them at their remote mountaintop resort during a snowstorm."</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span>I'm trying something new here - and giving less of a summary. One, because sometimes the summary gives too much away. Two, because I like the idea of one sentence or very short summaries that just pull readers in with buzzy words like the above one did for me. Let me know what your thoughts (if you even read this part of my posts has me curious honestly).</span></span></p><p><b>My Thoughts:</b></p><p><b>Shiver</b> was everything that I had hoped it would be from the above summary. I love nothing more than a "locked room" type of mystery setup where the characters are being picked off one by one as a play off of Agatha Christie's <b>And Then There Were None</b>. What made this book stand out for me as the reader is that it was set in the alps during a snowstorm. I LOVE a mystery/thriller set in the middle of a snowstorm which is effectively trapping the characters from leaving. It's almost like this book was written for me personally because it had everything that I love all in one book. And the best part was that I truly loved this book! I found it to be one of those books that just pulls you in and doesn't let you go. I'm writing my thoughts on this one months after reading it and I can still clearly remember the tense atmosphere that the author created within the pages. I was left guessing the entire time I was reading it trying to figure out who was behind it all. There were certain things that I guessed but others that I didn't whatsoever. I also really enjoyed the snowboarding aspects that the author included within this book. I've always enjoyed watching snowboarding so learning more about the competitive side of it was really intriguing. There were just so many great things about this book and I cannot say enough good things about it!</p><p>Overall, this is a book that I highly recommend to both mystery and thriller readers. This is an author to watch in my opinion because it was just that good. I will be picking up whatever she comes out with next - that's for sure! </p><p>Bottom Line: A book that is very likely to make my top reads list of this year!</p><p>Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. I ended up reading a physical copy courtesy of my local library.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuz3oDlCTqI/YONK1d57_MI/AAAAAAAALZE/Y1wy01aLvkgxM1qrmkb74VZnLpeO7u0mwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53138056.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="244" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuz3oDlCTqI/YONK1d57_MI/AAAAAAAALZE/Y1wy01aLvkgxM1qrmkb74VZnLpeO7u0mwCLcBGAsYHQ/w244-h400/53138056.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><div><br /></div><div><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Lana Lee runs her family's Chinese restaurant in Cleveland's Asia Village like nobody's business. When it comes to actual cooking, however, she's known to be about a step up from boiling rice. So Lana decides to go to culinary school on the sly--and prove that she has what it takes in the kitchen after all. But when course instructor Margo Chan turns up dead after class, Lana suddenly finds herself on the case, frying pan in hand.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Since she was the one who discovered the body, Lana must do double duty in finding the killer and clearing her name. Now, with or without the help of her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau, Lana launches her own investigation into Margo's life and mysterious death. Doing so leads her on a wild goose chase to and from the culinary school--and all the way back to the Ho-Lee noodle shop, where the guilty party may be closer than Lana thinks."</span></i></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">This is the 7th book in one of my favorite cozy mystery series! This book was another fun addition to this series. One of the reasons that I love this series so much is the characters. Lana always finds herself in the middle of things (like yet another murder investigation) and her friends and family always end up helping her out. I particularly am a fan of her best friend/roommate who always encourages Lana to investigate even when she doesn't want to. This book was particularly fun because the majority of the book was set at the local community college where Lana was taking cooking classes. I just thought that it made the mystery and book feel fresh. These books always make me hungry while reading them and this book was no exception. I really can't say too much more - at seven books in I don't want to spoil anything that has happened in previous books. This is just a series that you should definitely pick up - you don't have to read them in order. It will just enhance your overall reading experience if you do start at the beginning. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, those who enjoy books that feature food, and those readers who enjoy just fun reads definitely need to give this series a try. Recommended!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: Another fun addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own. <br /></span></span><p><br /></p></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-727929353716475362021-07-16T01:30:00.001-07:002021-07-16T01:30:00.197-07:00Fierce Little Thing by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe4FGtjbz3U/YPC0ngSAZPI/AAAAAAAALZY/zpjD28GVyRApZXv0zNI71_EUAUAdXJgVACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/54860608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe4FGtjbz3U/YPC0ngSAZPI/AAAAAAAALZY/zpjD28GVyRApZXv0zNI71_EUAUAdXJgVACLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/54860608.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Saskia was a damaged, lonely teenager when she arrived at the lakeside commune called Home. She was entranced by the tang of sourdough starter; the midnight call of the loons; the triumph of foraging wild mushrooms from the forest floor. But most of all she was taken with Abraham, Home's charismatic leader, the North Star to Saskia and the four other teens who lived there, her best and only friends.</span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Two decades later, Saskia is shuttered in her Connecticut estate, estranged from the others. Her carefully walled life is torn open by threatening letters. Unless she and her former friends return to the land in rural Maine, the terrible thing they did as teenagers—their last-ditch attempt to save Home—will be revealed.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">From vastly different lives, the five return to confront their blackmailer and reckon with the horror that split them apart. How far will they go to bury their secret forever?"</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">I'm having trouble writing up my thoughts on this one which makes it sound like I didn't like it which wasn't the case. I just don't know how to put into words how I felt about this book so be patient with me. This book is dark. Like dark, I didn't expect it to go there even when I had inklings, dark. It won't be for everyone. But it was also really good and such a compelling read. In this book it is basically told from two different storylines: the present day where Saskia is being faced with having to return Home being the first storyline, a place that she once loved but where things ended very badly for her and her friends, and then also the storyline where we see Saskia as a young teenage girl and how she ended up at Home and her experiences living there. I'm trying to be as deliberately vague as possible so I don't spoil anything. The book goes back and forth between those two storylines seamlessly. And the entire time I was reading there was this feeling of dread almost that was present in both of the storylines. That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak. It really ratcheted up the tension and feelings of suspense that were present throughout the book. Throughout the book I could never get a full read or understanding of Saskia. I knew that there must be more to her story but wasn't exactly sure what it could be. And the author drops these hints....enough that you know as the reader that something really terrible happened in her past even if you don't have the full story yet. Just wait. Because this is a compelling read that kept me engrossed within its' pages even if I wasn't sure that I wanted to be there. And the ending...whew. Even when I had parts figured out, I cannot begin to explain how I felt about that ending. It left me clearly at a loss for words even now. I'm actually eager to see what other readers think of this one and to discuss it. This is an author that I will definitely be watching from more of because wow - she crafted a story that I won't be forgetting about any time soon!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, it feels wrong to say that I enjoyed this one due to the content but I do still think it was a really good read. I don't think it will be for everyone and message me if you need some specific content warnings before going into it. But if you enjoy books about cults, character focused books, and a suspenseful read that you won't forget about anytime soon then pick this one up. Recommended!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A dark but very compelling read!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-59783623255004052902021-07-06T01:30:00.008-07:002021-07-06T01:30:00.205-07:00The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue (thoughts)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZeKRiBONj48/YN41y2xLzHI/AAAAAAAALY8/8rfYnEaervkbVpIRMosOL3nJFWo3cEtkACLcBGAsYHQ/s499/54110583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZeKRiBONj48/YN41y2xLzHI/AAAAAAAALY8/8rfYnEaervkbVpIRMosOL3nJFWo3cEtkACLcBGAsYHQ/w269-h400/54110583.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Perched high atop a seaside cliff in Ireland, a lonely Victorian mansion is home to Temple House School. And at Temple House, nothing is ever as it seems.</span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Louisa is the new, brilliant scholarship student. Finding most of the other students at the all-girls Catholic boarding school as icy and unfamiliar as the drafty mansion, she forms a fierce bond with the intense and compelling Victoria, an outlier and student provocateur.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Their close bond is soon unsettled by the young, charismatic art teacher, Mr. Lavelle—igniting tension and obsession in the cloistered world of the school. Then one day, Louisa and Mr. Lavelle disappear.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">There is no trace of either one. It’s the unsolved mystery that captivates the whole country. Year after year, the media revisit it, and the conspiracy theories persist. Now, on the twenty-fifth anniversary, a journalist—a woman who grew up on the same street as Louisa—delves into the past to write a series of articles and uncover the truth. She finds stories of jealousy and revenge, power and class. But will she find Louisa and Mr. Lavelle, too?</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Because remember—at Temple House, nothing is ever as it seems."</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The summary of this book made this one feel like a must read for me. Any time that a book has an isolated school setting and/or a mystery that goes back years ago means that I'm instantly intrigued. But it was that last line that really hooked me and filled me with questions. What do they mean that nothing is ever as it seems? I just had to know! This book instantly pulled me in from the very beginning pages. Louisa was a very interesting character. As the reader, I didn't fully understand her in the beginning but she had me intrigued. Then there was the weird relationship between Victoria and Mr. Lavelle to try and sort through. And the relationship between all three of them. There were just all of these questions that I had about what was happening or wasn't happening while I reading this book based off of these characters and their connections to one another. The book was also set up in such a suspenseful way. We flashed back to the time when Louisa and Victoria were both in school together before the disappearance for portions of the book. We also got to see in present day the reporter's investigation into the disappearance from years ago. These two storylines combined into a suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages. I really appreciated this because let me tell you that my reading mojo has been off a bit recently. Instead of struggling like I have been, this book kept me reading and left me unable to set my kindle down. That was a really nice and needed change of pace for me. If I had one complaint with this book it was that I was left feeling slightly dissatisfied with the ending but I cannot put my finger on why. It was a good ending really but there was just something that held me back from fully enjoying it. That being said, this was a really strong debut that left me excited to read more by this author!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am so glad that it helped me get out of the dreaded reading slump that I had been in. The atmosphere and setting of this book was something that I just could not get enough of! Give me ALL of the boarding school books set in isolated settings with gothic vibes and I would be one happy reader - that's for sure! I think that readers who enjoy dark academic type of books, those who enjoy gothic vibes and books filled with atmosphere, as well as those readers who love a character driven suspense filled novel should pick this book up. I'm so excited to see what other readers think of this one so I can discuss it with them! Highly recommended!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: A suspenseful read that I just couldn't set down!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-38034122268269745012021-05-15T07:11:00.004-07:002021-05-15T07:11:51.292-07:00Until I Find You by Rea Frey (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOrAAP4Tar8/YJ_C2ycieTI/AAAAAAAALTQ/kLUJkJks3GwKKnFNDfC25IXbnuO5RaxdQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/51164638._SX318_SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOrAAP4Tar8/YJ_C2ycieTI/AAAAAAAALTQ/kLUJkJks3GwKKnFNDfC25IXbnuO5RaxdQCLcBGAsYHQ/w260-h400/51164638._SX318_SY475_.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">2 floors. 55 steps to go up. 40 more to the crib.</b></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Since Rebecca Gray was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, everything in her life consists of numbers. Each day her world grows a little darker and each step becomes a little more dangerous.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Following days of feeling like someone’s watching her, Bec awakes at home to the cries of her son in his nursery. When it’s clear he’s not going to settle, Bec goes to check on him.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">She reaches in. Picks him up.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">But he’s not her son.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">And no one believes her.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">One woman’s desperate search for her son . . .</b><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">In a world where seeing is believing, Bec must rely on her own conviction and a mother’s instinct to uncover the truth about what happened to her baby and bring him home for good."</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>Until I Find You</b> was one of those tense reads that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. The premise of this book is unique as it features Bec who is now considered to be legally blind. She has had a difficult life with both her husband and then mother recently dying so she is on her own raising her baby boy. I cannot speak on the portrayal of what it is like to lose your sight or to be blind but I felt like this author really handled it well. She voiced the struggles and fears that Bec faced with raising a young child on her own and not being able to see. The book felt almost claustrophobic at times especially as the author takes the reader through some of Bec's own experiences with not being able to see. The idea of not knowing who is behind you, how far you have until you reach something like stairs....it's all a bit terrifying to think about which really added to the suspense that was present throughout this book. It was sad to see how Bec was treated because of her inability to see by others who had their vision. I </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">felt like it was a realistic portrayal though because often people with disabilities are listened to less than someone without disabilities. It made me mad for her though because her friends really weren't there for her like they should have been. This book was a true page turner and literally had me on the edge of my seat at times. I NEEDED to know how everything was going to end and if Bec was going to find her baby. I finished this book reading fast and furiously between pitches at my son's baseball game. Completely worth it!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Overall, I'm excited to have found this author and am looking forward to reading more by her in the future. This book really made me think about my own vision and what it would be like to slowly lose that vision. I also connected with it strongly as there is such a focus on motherhood and being the best mother possible despite the circumstances. Bec had her doubts and insecurities but that's what it is like being a mother. I don't think that there is a mother out there that doesn't experience their own insecurities and doubts relating to being a mother and how well they are doing. I think that readers who enjoy a suspenseful read, those who enjoy page turning books that keep them hooked until the very end, and those readers who want a mystery featuring a main character with a disability should definitely pick this book up. Highly recommended!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: A suspenseful read that has moved this author on to my must read list!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a PICT book tour. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">CW: Kidnapping, death, grief, blindness, mental illness</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><center><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bodyTable" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-collapse: collapse; height: 100%px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" id="bodyCell" style="border-top-width: 0px; height: 4871px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px; width: 678px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px; max-width: 600px !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="templateBody" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnBoxedTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="mcnBoxedTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnBoxedTextBlockInner" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnBoxedTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 9px 18px;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="background-color: #e9e2e2; border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; padding: 18px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><h3 style="color: #202020; font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Book Details:</h3><p style="line-height: 21px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Genre:</b> Domestic Suspense<br /><b>Published by:</b> St. Martin's Press<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> August 11th 2020<br /><b>Number of Pages:</b> 320<br /><b>ISBN:</b> 1250241588 (ISBN13: 9781250241580)<br /><b>Series:</b> <i>Until I Find You</i> is not a part of a series.<br /><b>Purchase Links:</b> <a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=68a6567227&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=6984600f10&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=7954577260&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> | <a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=9a1fd8ad8c&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnDividerBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="mcnDividerBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 2px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><div style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; width: 210px;"><img align="left" alt="Rea Frey" border="0" data-unique-identifier="" height="200" src="http://www.partnersincrimetours.net/pict/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/until-i-find-you-by-rea-frey-author.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: auto !important; margin: 5px 15px 5px 0px; outline: none;" width="203" /></div><h2 style="font-size: 22px; line-height: 27.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Author Bio:</h2><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">REA FREY is the multi-published, award-winning bestselling author of three suspense novels and four nonfiction books. She’s been featured in <em>US Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Popsugar, Hello Sunshine, Marie Claire, Parade, Shape, Hello Giggles, CrimeReads, Writer’s Digest, WGN, Fox News, Today in Nashville, Talk of the Town,</em> and more. She is also the CEO and Founder of Writeway, where aspiring writers become published authors.</p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px;">To learn more, visit <a href="http://reafrey.com/">reafrey.com</a> or <a href="http://writewayco.com/">writewayco.com</a>.</p><h3 style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Catch Up With Rea Frey:<br /><a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=7c54b36f1f&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">ReaFrey.com</a><br /><a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=5275a30dbb&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /><a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=331d7184fc&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">BookBub - @ReaFreyAuthor</a><br /><a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=914cb829ca&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Instagram - @reafrey</a><br /><a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=07f45f7a4c&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Twitter - #ReaFrey</a><br /><a href="https://hottbooks.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aff32f4c1276ddafdecdeeedd&id=5d72d3c6de&e=65e1279e8a" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Facebook - @reafrey</a></h3></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></center></div></blockquote></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-86154184999391569922021-05-07T01:30:00.003-07:002021-05-07T13:33:16.212-07:00Little Pieces of Me by Alison Hammer (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCqqvH71Lzk/YJRpxlZgs6I/AAAAAAAALS0/T158xicOAhk2cMkuNSp5dY9EKVeFLSr9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/54496106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCqqvH71Lzk/YJRpxlZgs6I/AAAAAAAALS0/T158xicOAhk2cMkuNSp5dY9EKVeFLSr9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/54496106.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When Paige Meyer gets an email from a DNA testing website announcing that her father is a man she never met, she is convinced there must be a mistake. But as she digs deeper into her mother's past and her own feelings of being the odd child out growing up, Paige begins to question everything she thought she knew. Could this be why Paige never felt like she fit in her family, and why her mother always seemed to keep her at an arm's length? And what does it mean for Paige's memories of her father, a man she idolized and whose death she is still grieving? Back in 1975, Betsy Kaplan, Paige's mom, is a straightlaced sophomore at the University of Kansas. When her sweet but boring boyfriend disappoints her, Betsy decides she wants more out of life, and is tired of playing it safe. Enter Andy Abrams, the golden boy on campus with a potentially devastating secret. After their night together has unexpected consequences, Betsy is determined to bury the truth and rebuild a stable life for her unborn child, whatever the cost.</span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When Paige can't get answers from her mother, she goes looking for the only other person who was there that night. The more she learns about what happened, the more she sees her unflappable, distant mother as a real person faced with an impossible choice. But will it be enough to mend their broken relationship?"</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Little Pieces of Me is one of those books that is going to stick with me for awhile. Last year I read (and was broken by but in a good way) this author's debut <b>You and Me and Us</b>. If you haven't had the opportunity yet to read that one, I highly recommend it as well. I was nervous to read this one because I enjoyed that first book so much so I was both afraid that it was also going to break me and I wasn't emotionally ready and also worried that I had too </span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">high of expectations set for this one. This book though didn't disappoint in the slightest. It was just as good of a read as her debut but also very different. This author has a knack for looking at mother/daughter relationships and bringing them to life in all of their messy glory. One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was how real each of the characters felt. They weren't perfect but instead had faults and just felt like normal, everyday people. They made mistakes, poor decisions, and had insecurities that just helped me to become even more attached to them. I even came to respect Paige's mother by the end although I still don't agree with the decisions that she made. I also really liked how this book was told in two parts: one from Paige's viewpoint as she both learns and tries to deal with the fact that the man who she believed was her father wasn't and the second viewpoint from Paige's mother back in the past before and after she became pregnant with Paige. It was interesting to see how the events from one viewpoint tied into and led to things that happened in the present. All in all, this really was an enjoyable read and a good look at what makes up one's own identity.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and feel like this is an author to watch. Her books bring about strong emotions for me but in the best of ways. I hope that she continues to dive into the mother/daughter relationship in different ways because she really does it well. Readers who enjoy contemporary fiction, women's fiction, and books with characters that come to life for you should give this book a read. An easy book (and author) for me to recommend!</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A book that tugged at my emotions as both a mother and daughter.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">CW: Grief, lying, cheating, adoption, death of a loved one</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-45621080534281388022021-05-05T01:30:00.001-07:002021-05-05T01:30:00.201-07:00The Perfect Couple by Jackie Kabler (thoughts)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wQiNo039Ku4/YJGuqJ6XwkI/AAAAAAAALSs/FOhIsnsTCfULaMLfNDuyY7FBunDV9cTJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/54697848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wQiNo039Ku4/YJGuqJ6XwkI/AAAAAAAALSs/FOhIsnsTCfULaMLfNDuyY7FBunDV9cTJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/54697848.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<strong style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A devoted wife…</strong></i></p><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A year ago, Gemma met the love of her life, Danny. Since then, their relationship has been perfect. But one evening, Danny doesn’t return home.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><strong style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A missing husband…</strong><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Gemma turns to the police. She is horrified by what she discovers – a serial killer is on the loose in Bristol. When she sees photos of the victims she is even more stunned…they all look just like Danny.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><strong style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Who would you believe?</strong><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">But the police are suspicious. Why has no one apart from Gemma heard from Danny in weeks? Why is there barely a trace of him in their flat? Is she telling them the truth, or is this marriage hiding some very dark secrets?"</span></i><div><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">The Perfect Couple</b> was a really enjoyable, page turning read that kept me guessing until the end. One of my favorite things about this book was that it felt like the perfect blend of domestic suspense and police procedural. The story was told from two different viewpoints: one from Gemma's point of view where she was dealing with the </span>fact that her husband had gone missing and the second point of view was from the lead inspector who was trying to solve the two recent deaths that had recently occurred and then also gets drawn into the case of Gemma's missing husband. The fact that there were two recent deaths of men that looked like Gemma's missing husband really had me guessing. I could not figure out what was going on and was kept guessing the entire time. I love the way the author set this book up. I found myself trusting Gemma and rooting for her...then questioning her...then trusting her all over again. It made up for a really fun reading experience in the end. Even when I started to "think" that I knew what probably had happened, there were still twists that I didn't expect as well as the fact that I couldn't figure out the why's behind it all. The night I finished this book I fully intended on getting things done - instead I sat wrapped up in my book until I turned the last page. I was just completely immersed in the best of ways. Also, I love the way this book ended! I won't say anymore for fear of spoilers but it just gave me a very eerie feeling. I cannot wait to read more by this author!</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Overall, I'm sure that you can already tell that I really enjoyed my time reading this book! I think that readers that enjoy domestic suspense, those readers that enjoy police procedurals, and those readers who enjoy a page-turning, suspenseful read should definitely pick this book up! This is an author that I plan on reading more of and will be watching for future releases! An easy book to recommend.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could!</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Goodreads:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45185987-the-perfect-couple?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=oHu9kfLyfn&rank=2"><img class="gmail-aligncenter gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-34640” gmail-alt=" height="41" src="https://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Add-to-Goodreads-badge.png" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Purchase Links:</b> </span><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-perfect-couple-jackie-kabler?variant=32252954968098" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">HarperCollins</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Couple-bestselling-psychological-thriller/dp/0008444625/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1619480552&sr=8-3" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Amazon</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"> | </span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfect-couple-jackie-kabler/1133696355?ean=9780008328429" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Barnes & Noble</a></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Author Links:</b> </span><a href="https://www.jackiekabler.com/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Website</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">, </span><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/jackiekabler" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Twitter</a>,<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> and </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialjackiekabler/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Instagram</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><br /></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-88350970365474529532021-04-07T01:30:00.001-07:002021-04-07T01:30:00.230-07:00An Invincible Summer by Mariah Stewart (thoughts)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUnLTWMUb6Y/YGzZDtqIpTI/AAAAAAAALR4/nHFub0OE50gcV2dt6A5o7mCXsKaHEYwbACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/54719333._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUnLTWMUb6Y/YGzZDtqIpTI/AAAAAAAALR4/nHFub0OE50gcV2dt6A5o7mCXsKaHEYwbACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/54719333._SY475_.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">It was a lifetime ago that recently widowed Maggie Flynn was in Wyndham Beach. Now, on the occasion of her fortieth high school reunion, she returns to her hometown on the Massachusetts coast, picking up right where she left off with dear friends Lydia and Emma. But seeing Brett Crawford again stirs other emotions. Once, they were the town’s golden couple destined for one another. He shared Maggie’s dreams—and eventually, a shattering secret that drove them apart.</span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Buying her old family home and resettling in Wyndham Beach means a chance to start over for Maggie and her two daughters, but it also means facing her rekindled feelings for her first love and finally confronting—and embracing—the past in ways she never thought possible. Maggie won’t be alone. With her family and friends around her, she can weather this stormy turning point in her life and open her heart to the future. As for that dream shared and lost years ago? If Maggie can forgive herself, it still might come true."</span></i><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">This book was such an enjoyable read for me! I was in the mood for a change of pace from the darker books that I had been reading and this fit my reading mood perfectly. One of the things that really made this book stand out for me is that it featured an older protagonist. As a women in her late thirties, please let me tell you how refreshing it is to find a book with a main character that is older and in a different stage of her life than you usually find in books. Like yes please! We need more books with characters that are in their fifties or sixties for instance, and starting a new phase of their life. It's just not done that often - I didn't know that I wanted it until this book - and now I want more! Because there is plenty of life after thirty despite what some people might think or act like. Why shouldn't we be reading about those stories as well? I'm going off on a bit of a tangent but I just loved that part of this book and want to see it in more books. I also loved that even though this book was Maggie's story - it was also the story of Maggie's daughters and Maggie's two closest friends. There is a lot to this book and some of it is a bit on the darker side which I didn't expect. Please make sure you check the content warnings that I'll share at the end to make sure that you are prepared going in. But I really loved these characters and this story. The characters just felt real and flawed in the best of ways. I found myself caring about each of the characters which has me really excited that this book is just the beginning to a series. I will definitely be continuing on as I want to see what happens with some of these other characters. I just want more if I'm being honest!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Read this book if you are a fan of women's fiction, contemporary fiction, or are looking for a great summer read. This is a book that looks at grief and also just life in general. It stood out for me because it isn't focused on your typical characters that are just starting their life. Instead it looks at friendship, motherhood, and just being a woman in general but all from an older more experienced viewpoint. It's a book that I breezed through (although that seems a bit wrong to say considering there is some darker subject matter included within) but I couldn't put it down. The author really brought these characters to life for me. And because she did I enjoyed this book immensely. I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series in the future. Highly recommended!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A book with characters that I want to read more of! I definitely will be continuing on with this series!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">CW: Death of a loved one, divorce, suicide, drug use, cheating, loss, grief, adoption, secrets</span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-6913502140971286612021-02-26T01:30:00.003-08:002021-02-26T01:30:09.213-08:00What I've Been Reading...(January 2021 Edition Part 2)<p>I'm here for round two of sharing my thoughts on the books that I read in January. As February is just about over, I kinda need to get moving on these posts a bit faster or I will be months behind before I know it. Luckily (or unluckily - depends on the day and how I look at it) I've only finished two books so far in February so I may not be as behind as it feels like if I don't end up finishing at least one more book. That remains to be determined but here are my thoughts on two more of the books that I read in January.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwOmm5rEI20/YDg2eMw5MiI/AAAAAAAALQs/Lsdbx7CbT_MC6F8_UIw9WYtVK9XDFo4MwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53175321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwOmm5rEI20/YDg2eMw5MiI/AAAAAAAALQs/Lsdbx7CbT_MC6F8_UIw9WYtVK9XDFo4MwCLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/53175321.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>The Forever Girl</b> by Jill Shalvis<p></p><p><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.</span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger."</span></i><div><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I've become a huge fan of the Wildstone series and this book is the latest addition to it. I started this series (although I say series loosely...as far as I can tell the only thing that connects each book is Wildstone itself) in the middle and I'm completely hooked at this point. Each book has featured characters that I cannot help but care about with storylines that keep me turning the pages. In this book, we meet Maze, Cat, Walker, and Heather who all spent one wonderful year together as kids but that year ended in a horrible tragedy. As adults they are still dealing with the fallout of that year and their relationships with one another. Maze and Walker have always had a certain chemistry to their relationship but for better or worse things have kept them apart. Oh but how I adored watching them work towards trying to find their happy ending together. They both had a lot of deep rooted issues that came from their childhood and being a part of the foster care system. What made this book really great for me though was besides these two great characters we also had both Cat and Heather. I spent my entire time reading this book rooting for Maze and Walker but also for Cat and Heather to figure out their relationships as well. I'm trying not to say too much here but there was a lot going on for all of these characters. I honestly could have read a book that focused just on Heather and a certain someone and their relationship. I won't say more than that. And while this book had a serious side due to all of the issues that these characters were dealing with (like things from their past and that shared tragedy), this book also had me laughing out loud at times. The bachelorette party scene was absolutely priceless! At this point, I've enjoyed this series so much that I instantly add the next upcoming book to my TBR after finishing the latest book. I really need to grab the earlier books in this series and catch up on them as well. I think that fans of contemporary romance and women's fiction especially shouldn't sleep on this series. It's so good and just the perfect blend of romance and relationships! Highly recommended!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Bottom Line: Another great addition to what has become one of my favorite romance series!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">CW: Loss of a sibling, abuse, loss, foster care, trust issues</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfqHQN0nNQo/YDg633bM5aI/AAAAAAAALQ0/8iLYXAzclfsFQLTPegkif7hY03ya8w2ggCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53138121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfqHQN0nNQo/YDg633bM5aI/AAAAAAAALQ0/8iLYXAzclfsFQLTPegkif7hY03ya8w2ggCLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/53138121.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><b>Every Waking Hour</b> by Joanna Schaffhausen</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">After surviving a serial killer’s abduction as a young teenager, Ellery Hathaway is finally attempting a normal life. She has a new job as a rookie Boston detective and a fledgling relationship with Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her years ago. But when a twelve-year-old girl disappears on Ellery’s watch, the troubling case opens deep wounds that never fully healed.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Chloe Lockhart walked away from a busy street fair and vanished into the crowd. Maybe she was fleeing the suffocating surveillance her parents put on her from the time she was born, or maybe the evil from her parents’ past finally caught up to her. For Chloe, as Ellery learns, is not the first child Teresa Lockhart has lost.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Ellery knows what it’s like to have the past stalk you, to hold your breath around every corner. Sending one kidnapped girl to find another could be Chloe’s only hope or an unmitigated disaster that dooms them both. Ellery must untangle the labyrinth of secrets inside the Lockhart household—secrets that have already murdered one child. Each second that ticks by reminds her of her own lost hours, how close she came to death, and how near it still remains."</span></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br />I am so completely hooked on this series at four books in! I really cannot get enough of it and these characters! Every book in this series has been a page turner that I could not set down and this book was no different. Let's start off with the fact that this is book four and a bit hard to share my thoughts on without sharing spoilers (but I shall do my best). I do think that this is a series best read in order if possible. The author does a good job of catching you up if you haven't had the chance to read the earlier books but I just feel like you would really be missing out - especially when it comes to understanding Ellery as a character. Everything that she has gone through in her life has led her to where she is "today" as this book begins. And she just cannot run from her past and how it still effects her life which makes the case she gets drawn into investigating that much more personal for her. I flew through the pages of this book. I just needed to know how it was all going to end. I like that Ellery's world is opening up a bit even if she doesn't feel like she is ready for it. We saw more of characters from previous books and I hope that continues because it means Ellery is finally starting to move on more from her past. The ending made me a bit sad (but I understood) until it didn't because I was like WHAT?!? And now I'm just sitting here pining away for the next book in this series....because gah! Yep, it that ending left me with no words and I NEED book five ASAP! Do yourself a favor and pick this series up soon but start with <b>The Vanishing Season</b> because reading them all in order is completely worth it!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: This book was everything that I've come to expect from this series in the best of ways. A personal favorite mystery series of mine for a reason!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">CW: Missing child, death of a child, serial killer, cancer</span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-79860846829761770872021-02-22T01:30:00.002-08:002021-02-22T01:30:03.849-08:00What I've Been Reading...(January 2021 Edition Part 1)<p><br />I thought that I would try something different this year and share my thoughts on the books that I read each month all in one go. Maybe I will have months where I read a ton and split the posts up or I might let things carry over from each month. I just really, really want to get into the habit of sharing about ALL of the books that I read and not just some of them. I might share full reviews for certain books depending on if I have more to say...but we will cross that bridge when I come to it. EDITED to add: I started this post off completely optimistic thinking I would share about ALL of the books that I read in January - and then never finished the post. We will see how the year goes on but here are my thoughts on the 1st two books that I read in January:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1cyLNLEg9io/YBNynmMBi_I/AAAAAAAALPc/ZC7LM2CAav8ox1x3Dbcw7pAcvmLz0E4XwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53137992.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1cyLNLEg9io/YBNynmMBi_I/AAAAAAAALPc/ZC7LM2CAav8ox1x3Dbcw7pAcvmLz0E4XwCLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/53137992.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><div><br /></div><div><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">But there will be no turning back.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">They are not alone."</span></i></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>My Thoughts:</b><br /></span></span><p>Wow, wow, wow! This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 and it definitely didn't disappoint! I absolutely loved this book - it's just that easy to say! All I can think is that if this is the author's debut, then I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next! If you read the above summary, the premise for me was just irresistible. The comparison on the back of the book to The Blair Witch Project was spot on when it came to the atmosphere that was present throughout this book. I just knew that I needed to pick up this book, and see what in the heck was going on. Let me just say that I was not disappointed in the answers that I got! But what made this book absolutely brilliant for me was the creeping dread that the author built up in this book from the very beginning pages. This book was a slow burn in the best of ways. I am HERE for all of the creepy, slow burns like this so please give me all of your recommendations. Simply put: I need more books like this in my life! One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was the premise. The idea of an entirely abandoned village was just delightfully creepy to think about. I also really enjoyed the fact that this book was told in two parts. One was in current day with Alice and her crew and the second part was told in the past from the viewpoint of a woman named Elsa. I really liked the way that these two storylines tied together. The feeling of dread that just kept building especially towards the end had me reading as fast as I could. And the ending was perfection in my opinion. It's a month later and I'm still thinking about this book. What a way to start off my year of reading in 2021!</p><p>Bottom Line: A standout way to start off my reading year - I would be very surprised not to see this book on my best reads list at the end of 2021!</p><p>CW: Murder, abuse, religious elements (hard to explain without spoilers so message me if you need to know more)</p><p>Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Honest thoughts are my own.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClLOSqaXies/YC72lnKAY6I/AAAAAAAALQM/T5PMDf-WwkUZZrhCErs1Yg2HmeCaHkpXACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/18490531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClLOSqaXies/YC72lnKAY6I/AAAAAAAALQM/T5PMDf-WwkUZZrhCErs1Yg2HmeCaHkpXACLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/18490531.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"A<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">long the ever-changing border of gentrifying Los Angeles, a seventeen-year-old girl is found dead at a construction site, hanging in the closet of an unfinished condominium.</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> </span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Homicide detective Elouise “Lou” Norton’s new partner Colin Taggert, fresh from the Colorado Springs police department, assumes it’s a teenage suicide. Lou isn’t buying the easy explanation. For one thing, the condo site is owned by Napoleon Crase, a self-made millionaire… and the man who may have murdered Lou’s missing sister thirty years ago. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">As Lou investigates the death of Monique Darson, she uncovers undeniable links between the two cases. She is convinced that when she solves Monique’s case she will finally bring her lost sister home. But as she gets closer to the truth, she also gets closer to a violent killer. After all this time, can he be brought to justice… before Lou becomes his next victim?"</span></i></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Land of Shadows</b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> is the 1st book in the Detective Elouise Norton series. I've read two of this authors books previously (both standalones) and enjoyed them so much that I knew that I wanted to dive into her backlist. I'm really glad that I did because I enjoyed this book a lot. Lou's character is one that I instantly liked. She didn't take crap from anyone and knew that she was good at her job for a lot of different reasons. I love a mystery series focused on a strong female lead detective - this is like my reading catnip. Lou has a darker past though because years ago her sister went missing and she still doesn't have the answers she has been searching for. Then she gets assigned to this case and it seems like the two cases are tied together even though her sister went missing so long ago. This book was a definite page turner! I found myself really hooked by the premise and the way that this book was set up. Parts of the book were set in the past leading up to Lou's sister's disappearance and then the other parts of the book were focused on Lou's current investigation. I had no idea where it was all going and I couldn't stop reading as I just had to find out. My one complaint with this book was there was a bit of inappropriate language (I really don't know how else to explain it). This is an older book - it was published back in 2014 - so maybe it wasn't considered offensive back then but I did want to mention it. One of the things that this book did so well though is that it made me sit back and think. The author makes a point of looking at the reasons why the police didn't really look into her sister's disappearance that closely - it's a poignant look at how differently these types of case are treated when it is a girl of woman of color that goes missing. I definitely will be continuing on with this series. Rachel Howzell Hall is an author not to be missed!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Bottom Line: A really solid beginning to this new to me mystery series!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">CW: Suicide, murder, cheating, derogatory language, loss of a child, death</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I checked this book out from my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-27609467362542429892021-01-11T01:30:00.001-08:002021-01-11T01:30:04.962-08:00Top Ten Reads of 2020<p>2020 - I almost feel like just saying the year out loud is all that needs to be said. This past year was an experience that I hope and pray we don't repeat. My reading suffered at times more often than not. I still had an amazing year quality wise - according to Goodreads my average rating was 4.3 - which feels about right when I think about it. I have a tendency to set books aside that aren't working for me rather than finishing (and hating) them. I finished 59 books total for the year which is on the lower side (according to Goodreads this ties my lowest year of reading since I've been keeping track on there which was back in 2017). Living through a pandemic just meant that I was unable to concentrate on reading like I usually do - it is what it is. I did read some really great books though that I'm excited to share about with all of you. Here are the ten best books that I read in 2020:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3u3yeIC3g0/X_s50y-yPEI/AAAAAAAALM4/2uSWRLFVWqobK2T29GbvfMoXriQwBwj1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s386/43834909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3u3yeIC3g0/X_s50y-yPEI/AAAAAAAALM4/2uSWRLFVWqobK2T29GbvfMoXriQwBwj1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/43834909.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpuNhFYERQo/X_s53azAMiI/AAAAAAAALM8/8QEmkJKwXUomGQZ5woSldpFgQjlz9_0DQCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/44527037._SY475_-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpuNhFYERQo/X_s53azAMiI/AAAAAAAALM8/8QEmkJKwXUomGQZ5woSldpFgQjlz9_0DQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/44527037._SY475_-2.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Long Bright River</b> by Liz Moore - This book deserves ALL of the hype that it received this year in my opinion. What do you say about a book like this? It was outstanding. I fell into the pages of this book and was absolutely swept away. The author brought the characters to life in a way that has me still thinking about them...still thinking about how realistic their struggles were and how true to life they are for so many....just wow! This is a book that deserves to be talked about and widely read. I cannot wait to see what Liz Moore comes up with next!<div><br /></div><div><b>In the Dark</b> by Loreth Anne White - This book on the other hand didn't get the hype that it deserved in my opinion. DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS AMAZING BOOK! This book is the best tribute to Agatha Christie's <b>And Then There Were None</b> that I've read (besides the original book itself of course). I loved this one so much that I instantly added ALL of this author's backlist to my TBR. READ this book if you enjoy isolated mysteries that keep you guessing the entire time in the best of ways!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qTnvwbhjkUE/X_tEB5kxDvI/AAAAAAAALNU/e0NWQx0kjicxhEgYI-edw_GfXYDnNtx2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/45735479._SY475_-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qTnvwbhjkUE/X_tEB5kxDvI/AAAAAAAALNU/e0NWQx0kjicxhEgYI-edw_GfXYDnNtx2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/45735479._SY475_-2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gV2ZxESEAvE/X_tD7Uq5S5I/AAAAAAAALNM/lgiyEsYIvrs_AFlnxfO0sK6TrfEs2dtZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/41539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="289" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gV2ZxESEAvE/X_tD7Uq5S5I/AAAAAAAALNM/lgiyEsYIvrs_AFlnxfO0sK6TrfEs2dtZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/41539.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>When You See Me</b> by Lisa Gardner - Four books into this series and this author can do NO wrong in my opinion! This mystery series is one of my absolute favorites because every book has been such a page turner filled with suspense! I don't think that you have to start all the way at the beginning with book one (I didn't) but would suggest starting with the 1st book featuring Flora Dane which is <b>Find Her. </b>This book gave us so many answers in regards to Flora which has me itching to see where the series goes next. SOO GOOD!<div><br /></div><div><b>The Good House</b> by Tananarive Due - Wow! This book absolutely blew me away in the best of ways. Stephen King who? Kidding - sort of - not really. In all seriousness, I cannot begin to comprehend how more people aren't talking about this author and this book. It's horror which I know isn't for everyone (it does have truly scary moments) but there is so much more to it. Out of all of my favorites of the year - this is the one that I keep recommending over and over again in the hopes that many other readers will find it and love it like I did! I will be reading more by this author in 2021!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qc3Cv_NB9no/X_tUy-2Fw8I/AAAAAAAALNk/fJrTuJup_WEvjdkZczlaaUWJ0BAkRzAlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/41807105._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qc3Cv_NB9no/X_tUy-2Fw8I/AAAAAAAALNk/fJrTuJup_WEvjdkZczlaaUWJ0BAkRzAlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/41807105._SY475_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKg6IW5wHbk/X_tU3gW86FI/AAAAAAAALNo/Op4JM8-rlNIkLgCuBt-NSQ-E_z4xZIbEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/45885644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKg6IW5wHbk/X_tU3gW86FI/AAAAAAAALNo/Op4JM8-rlNIkLgCuBt-NSQ-E_z4xZIbEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/45885644.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>The Shape of Family</b> by Shilpi Somaya Gowda - This book was another one that I felt flew under the radar (of bookstagram at least) which is an absolute shame! This book was gorgeously heartbreaking at times and hopeful at others. It had characters that I STILL think about and a storyline that I won't forget about anytime soon. I need to read EVERYTHING else that this author has written!<div><br /></div><div><b>The Sun Down Motel</b> by Simone St. James - This book was one of the creepiest books I read all year (alongside <b>The Good House</b> of course). This book was both dark and atmospheric making it a VERY suspenseful read. And within the pages of this book the author manages to look at both violence against women and how victims are viewed in society by the way they lived. Wow! This is another author where I'm going to need to read EVERYTHING that she has written because this book was so damn good!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yP6MwYruAsU/X_tXjrWCfDI/AAAAAAAALN4/q9HQnFngz_gS1Woa3_rNXf0gdyEYKBFOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/48816980-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yP6MwYruAsU/X_tXjrWCfDI/AAAAAAAALN4/q9HQnFngz_gS1Woa3_rNXf0gdyEYKBFOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/48816980-2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMm5KFRrPoI/X_tXozffzZI/AAAAAAAALN8/s2M6LmJJ1UkliQ1esC2A7Z1QyCbzkjglwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/49127515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1347" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMm5KFRrPoI/X_tXozffzZI/AAAAAAAALN8/s2M6LmJJ1UkliQ1esC2A7Z1QyCbzkjglwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/49127515.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>The Suicide House</b> by Charlie Donlea - This is the 2nd year in a row that this author has made my top reads list of the year. This book was page turning suspense at its finest! I loved that in this book we were given the chance to learn more about Rory and Lane but was written where it could also be read as a standalone (I do recommend starting with <b>Some Choose Darkness</b> though if possible). This book was a dark and thrilling read that I couldn't get enough of!<div><br /></div><div><b>Don't Look For Me</b> by Wendy Walker - This is my 1st book by this author but certainly won't be my last! This book was a page turning, anxiety filled ride that I couldn't get enough of. The author also really looks at a mother's grief over the loss of a child which wasn't always easy to read but yet... (I'm noticing a theme here of loving thrillers that take a look at some deeper issues as well). I'm so excited to have found this author and will be checking out her entire backlist!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMiXjGbMEoc/X_tfZM4lY6I/AAAAAAAALOM/OPcityG2NzIwS7MVRt4BGT_vEpUruJh8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1534/49247317-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMiXjGbMEoc/X_tfZM4lY6I/AAAAAAAALOM/OPcityG2NzIwS7MVRt4BGT_vEpUruJh8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/49247317-2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHVHsojpMwE/X_tfiL8xwCI/AAAAAAAALOQ/z9yjoKIL0H4L20vgdNjJn0Z_VGkD-CylwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/53169168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHVHsojpMwE/X_tfiL8xwCI/AAAAAAAALOQ/z9yjoKIL0H4L20vgdNjJn0Z_VGkD-CylwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/53169168.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>And Now She's Gone</b> by Rachel Howzell Hall - This book was made my top reads of the year list easily! There is just something about the way that this author writes that I just cannot get enough of. It's the rhythm...the way that she keeps me guessing at every turn of the page...and the imperfections of her characters that keeps me coming back for more. I'm determine to read this author's entire backlist which is why I'm already reading another of her books currently.<div><br /></div><div><b>The Dead Season</b> by Tessa Wegert - I actually read both books in this series (this is the 2nd) in 2020. I've seen <b>Death in the Family</b> on a lot of favorites of the year list but for me this book is where it is at. This book was a slow burning mystery filled with suspense in the best of ways. I was absolutely there for the ride that the author was taking me on every step of the way. I highly recommend both books in this series and I will be impatiently waiting for book three!</div><div><br /></div><div>Looking back, I really did have such an amazing year of reading really great books. There are at least six more books that could have been on this list. Honorable mentions include the following - <b>A Good Marriage</b> by Kimberly McCreight, <b>Cut to the Bone</b> by Ellison Cooper, <b>Revolver Road</b> by Christi Daugherty, <b>Shatter the Night</b> by Emily Littlejohn, <b>All The Best Lies</b> by Joanna Schaffhausen, and <b>Tuesday's Gone</b> by Nicci French. I could keep going which says it all. </div><div><br /></div><div>What book or books were your favorites of 2020?<br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-56658637753823593682021-01-04T01:30:00.001-08:002021-01-04T01:30:00.398-08:00January Books I'm Excited About...<p>I thought it would be fun in 2021 to share some of the books that I'm really excited about each month! Let's acknowledge the fact that this is most likely not ALL of them. I really get excited/want to read WAY more books than I actually even read in a year. Story of a mood reader I guess....and someone that literally wants to read ALL of the books! This list might even help me prioritize the books that I want to read but that remains to be seen (as I'm writing this first post in 2020). Here are just some of the books releasing in January that I am most excited about (with the disclaimer that I have no idea if publishing dates will be moved all around like they were in 2020):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2a17-zvbZU/X9klkWp3gGI/AAAAAAAALK8/wXEqM5hoItEEj63dlDj-AYsrMq_JjEU3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/55138263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2a17-zvbZU/X9klkWp3gGI/AAAAAAAALK8/wXEqM5hoItEEj63dlDj-AYsrMq_JjEU3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/55138263.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6ajJ5WnXNI/X9kliclrs2I/AAAAAAAALK4/qxCoNAJUSL81GLWsN0f_UPNMHKKP-9zwACLcBGAsYHQ/s450/53066531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6ajJ5WnXNI/X9kliclrs2I/AAAAAAAALK4/qxCoNAJUSL81GLWsN0f_UPNMHKKP-9zwACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/53066531.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Before She Disappeared</b> by Lisa Gardner is a new standalone that I am SO excited about. This is labeled as "<span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten." YES PLEASE!</span><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>If I Disappear</b> by Eliza Jane Brazier has such a gorgeous cover! This book is described as "</span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">When her favorite true crime podcast host goes missing, an adrift young woman plunges headfirst into the wild backcountry of Northern California and her own dangerous obsession." I'm here for it!</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2pADp-8eDc/X9knLw5yAmI/AAAAAAAALLM/75TLPZmi8I44kbW4O-QGBtL5oLE27iUiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53138121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2pADp-8eDc/X9knLw5yAmI/AAAAAAAALLM/75TLPZmi8I44kbW4O-QGBtL5oLE27iUiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/53138121.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ug3eVZn4hSw/X9knVb2W5BI/AAAAAAAALLQ/EOEQgi1YACIduhSODzIQ4UNaqwWH2paDACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53137893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ug3eVZn4hSw/X9knVb2W5BI/AAAAAAAALLQ/EOEQgi1YACIduhSODzIQ4UNaqwWH2paDACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/53137893.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><b>Every Waking Hour</b> is the 4th book in Ellery Hathaway series which is an absolute favorite of mine. I don't care what this one is about - I'm going to read it!</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>The Wife Upstairs</b> by Rachel Hawkins has already been getting some pretty great reviews that I've seen. This is all I needed to hear before I wanted to pick it up: "</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, Rachel Hawkins's <i>The Wife Upstairs </i>pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Megan Miranda."</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjUkZSaS5D4/X9koE5MQ7uI/AAAAAAAALLc/RmKp9azLo18SFs2kXqqtNFPbv54LEqJuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s382/50416762.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjUkZSaS5D4/X9koE5MQ7uI/AAAAAAAALLc/RmKp9azLo18SFs2kXqqtNFPbv54LEqJuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/50416762.jpg.png" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ovCbadnj2w/X9koH5UddpI/AAAAAAAALLg/M5-OF6BnPWkrPdsgn0MNjLOwqMcdcxAXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/50920166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ovCbadnj2w/X9koH5UddpI/AAAAAAAALLg/M5-OF6BnPWkrPdsgn0MNjLOwqMcdcxAXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/50920166.jpg" /></a></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><b>Bloodline</b> by Jess Lourey sounds like a darker thriller which I can never resist. This description has me itching to pick it up: "</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Perfect town. Perfect homes. Perfect families. It’s enough to drive some women mad…"</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>In the Garden of Spite</b> by Camilla Bruce sounds SO good! It's described as "</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">An audacious novel of feminine rage about one of the most prolific female serial killers in American history--and the men who drove her to it."</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxI8uErqoHA/X9kpeZPY-QI/AAAAAAAALLw/hOdT_KigDY8dv8d8CRWkVIEInYza6dd6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/53231988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxI8uErqoHA/X9kpeZPY-QI/AAAAAAAALLw/hOdT_KigDY8dv8d8CRWkVIEInYza6dd6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/53231988.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dSCFQWEVQMQ/X9kpgVMRWsI/AAAAAAAALL0/rIwSpaDQyt00WqSZaezlYYE-xZfwlp9DgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/54236137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dSCFQWEVQMQ/X9kpgVMRWsI/AAAAAAAALL0/rIwSpaDQyt00WqSZaezlYYE-xZfwlp9DgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/54236137.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>The Perfect Guests</b> by Emma Rous is the newest book by an author that I've been wanting to try. This book is listed as "</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">The <i>USA Today</i> bestselling author of <i>The Au Pair</i> returns with another delicious, twisty novel--about a grand estate with many secrets, an orphan caught in a web of lies, and a young woman playing a sinister game."</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A<b> Crooked Tree</b> by Una Mannion is one of those books that as soon as I read the description was instantly added to my TBR. I NEED to know what happens in this book! "</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">A haunting, suspenseful literary debut that combines a classic coming of age story with a portrait of a fractured American family dealing with the fallout of one summer evening gone terribly wrong."</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">What book or books are you looking forward that are releasing in January?<br /><br /></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-51270354086968762162020-12-16T01:30:00.001-08:002020-12-16T01:30:06.362-08:00Mini Reviews (Jill Shalvis, Ellison Cooper)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IY7VkcOSYJw/X9ed_Q2ohZI/AAAAAAAALJk/GspZ0gJsJH8wpX2XJTCZHTYm81r532EPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/46041445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IY7VkcOSYJw/X9ed_Q2ohZI/AAAAAAAALJk/GspZ0gJsJH8wpX2XJTCZHTYm81r532EPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h400/46041445.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She's fierce, tough, and pretty much the opposite of Brynn except for one thing: they're half-sisters. Kinsey is keeping this bombshell, and a few others as well. Long time frenemies from summer camp, there’s no way she’s going to tell Brynn they’re related.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">But then Brynn runs into Kinsey's lifelong best friend, Eli, renewing a childhood crush. He’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. When he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have a sister, love, and a future―if she can only learn to let go of the past.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them."</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">It kind of feels strange to be writing my thoughts on </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">The Summer Deal </b><span style="font-size: 14px;">when there is snow on the ground but that's what happens when you fall behind on reviews. I started the year off reading and enjoying </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">Almost Just Friends</b><span style="font-size: 14px;"> which is the 4th book in the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis (this is book five). I really enjoyed that one so was excited to pick this one up - and it was just as delightful as I had hoped. This is one of those books where I just loved each and every one of the characters (even when they acted in ways that frustrated me). They all just felt so real with their worries, imperfections, and hopes. There is a lot going on in this book which made for a fast paced read. I was constantly wondering when and how Brynn would find out that she had a half sister - and that it was Kinsey (not a spoiler - it's in the summary of the book). I also adored Brynn's two moms. The parts of this book where they were involved had me grinning the entire time. I loved the romance and chemistry that was building between Brynn and Eli. But what I really loved the most about this book was Kinsey and her not a relationship with Dek (it's been a few months so correct me if I'm misremembering his name). I LOVED these two together so much, and all I wanted was for them to figure out their relationship and for Kinsey to finally let him into her life all of the way. Ugh! It was just so good and despite the fact that Brynn and Eli were both really great - these other two were the ones I was rooting for the most. There were a lot of serious moments in this one so make sure you check out the content warnings. My one and only complaint was the lack of communication at times between the characters kind of made me crazy at points. That being said, I really enjoyed this one overall and cannot wait to read more of the books in this series. I believe there is a new one coming out in January and I will be all over it!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Overall, this is a series and book that I couldn't help but enjoy. It was the perfect change of pace between the mysteries and thrillers that I normally pick up. There is just something about the way that Jill Shalvis writes characters that I cannot seem to get enough of. I love watching the characters work through their issues and find love with one another. It's delightful! I would recommend this book to fans of romance (especially contemporary romance) and also those readers who enjoy women's fiction. Recommended!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: A delightful read with characters that I still haven't forgotten about months later!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">CW: Organ failure, illness, abusive relationships</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RL-WNpcHtI8/X9ehoN932RI/AAAAAAAALJw/2l8bO_9_6b0vMSbi9lSU8Bl776Sn4G0zgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/51171633._SX318_SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RL-WNpcHtI8/X9ehoN932RI/AAAAAAAALJw/2l8bO_9_6b0vMSbi9lSU8Bl776Sn4G0zgCLcBGAsYHQ/w263-h400/51171633._SX318_SY475_.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span><p></p><p><i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">After grieving the death of her fiancé and almost losing her job, Agent Sayer Altair is finally starting to rebuild her life. Her research into the minds of psychopaths is breaking new ground and her strange little family is thriving. But Sayer’s newfound happiness is threatened when she is called in to investigate a girl’s body left inside a circle of animal figurines below a cryptic message written in blood. When they discover that the dead girl is one of twenty-four missing high school students, Sayer quickly realizes that nothing in this case is what it seems.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">As the investigation draws her in to a tangled web of fake identities and false leads, the trail soon begins to point directly to her own life. Now, Sayer must confront her painful past to uncover her connection to the deranged killer if she hopes to save the missing teens and protect everything that she loves."</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This series is one of my absolute favorites! It's also the 3rd book in the series so it is definitely going to be a bit difficult to talk about without sharing spoilers. I had been looking forward to this book for months and it was completely worth the wait! The things about all of the books in this series is that they are just so hard to put down! The premise of this one had me hooked from the very beginning. Twenty-four missing high school students that were supposed to be on a school trip - it was a suspenseful setup. But what I didn't expect (but loved) was how much this book tied in elements from her two previous books. I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil anything but WOW. Does this author know how to pull the rug from under you or what? And then the way this book ended....PLEASE tell me that we will be getting a 4th book in the new year because I NEED it! Need it. I flew through the pages of this book just as I have done with the previous two books. My favorite of the series so far still remains as <b>Caged</b> but all three of these books were standout reads for me. If you haven't checked this series out yet, then what are you waiting for?!? It's SO good - you won't regret reading these. I do suggest reading them in order because there are things that happen in each book that carry over into the other books. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Overall, I cannot say enough good things about this series or really even this book! We got a lot more than I expected with this one which I really enjoyed. I'm itching to get my hands on book four - it's going to be a long wait for that one but I will be first in line to read it. If you enjoy police procedurals (this is FBI so not quite the same) and darker mysteries, I definitely would say to give this series a try. This author is on my must read list where I will read anything/everything that she writes. Highly recommended!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: Another really great addition to one of my very favorite mystery series!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I ended up reading a copy courtesy of my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">CW: Violence, Harm to teenagers, kidnapping, child's death.<br /></span><br /></span></span> </p>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047824216061619284.post-81091371254325103292020-12-14T01:30:00.000-08:002020-12-14T06:55:44.204-08:00Mini Reviews (Anne Frasier, Kristen Lepionka)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-otdkS-js_Qk/X8lp9x6t5wI/AAAAAAAALIk/JjLANF0RDWcIA7tsQW6nf4IooM3U8z1UgCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/20710558.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-otdkS-js_Qk/X8lp9x6t5wI/AAAAAAAALIk/JjLANF0RDWcIA7tsQW6nf4IooM3U8z1UgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/20710558.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b><p></p><p><i>"<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">No one is more familiar with Savannah's dark side than homicide detective and native resident Elise Sandburg. She's been haunted for years by her own mysterious past: she was abandoned as a baby in one of the city's ancient cemeteries, and it's rumored that she is the illegitimate daughter of an infamous Savannah root doctor. The local Gullah culture of voodoo and magic is one that few outsiders can understand, least of all Elise's new partner. Now someone is terrorizing the city, creating real-life zombies by poisoning victims into a conscious paralysis that mimics death. As the chilling case unfolds, Elise is drawn back into the haunted past she's tried so hard to leave behind."</span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Play Dead</b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;"> was the perfect book to pick up when I was starting to go through a reading slump. There is just something about Anne Frasier's books that never fails to draw me in. I've read two other books in her Jude Fontaine mystery series (and loved them both) so was excited to give one of her other series to try. Her books always seem to have darker elements to them which never fails to make them hard to put down. In this book, Frasier includes voodoo elements that give the book a darker and creepier edge. I really liked Elise as the main character. There is just something that I enjoy about mysteries featuring strong female main characters where there is a hint of mystery to the main character. With this book, there are questions of Elise's parentage as she was adopted as a baby and there are rumors that she is the daughter of a well known root doctor. I also really liked the storyline featuring Elise's new partner and his past history. This was such a fast-paced mystery because there were these other smaller side mysteries going on. My attention was engaged the entire time and that was exactly what I needed when I had been feeling so slumpy previously. I especially liked the ending of this book because I thought that I had it all figured out but the author managed to surprise me. I'm really looking forward to picking up the second book in this series in the very near future!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book! I'm glad that I finally decided to dive into Frasier's backlist a bit and am really looking forward to reading that second book soon. At this point, I basically plan on reading everything and anything that she writes because I've loved everything that I've read by her so far! I would recommend this book to fans of atmospheric mysteries and to those readers who enjoy darker police procedurals. Highly recommended!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: Another really great read by an author that is fast becoming a favorite of mine!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I read this book through Kindle Unlimited. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KQvr-YoxZxo/X9Zg6SUfXxI/AAAAAAAALJU/0WQ9d8q4_G8YYD99g8X-HAheId33w_KngCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/36692963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KQvr-YoxZxo/X9Zg6SUfXxI/AAAAAAAALJU/0WQ9d8q4_G8YYD99g8X-HAheId33w_KngCLcBGAsYHQ/w268-h400/36692963.jpg" width="268" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads:</b></span><p></p><p><i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Nobody knows what happened to Sarah Cook. The beautiful blonde teenager disappeared fifteen years ago, the same night her parents were brutally murdered in their suburban Ohio home. Her boyfriend Brad Stockton—black and from the wrong side of the tracks—was convicted of the murders and is now on death row. Though he’s maintained his innocence all along, the clock is running out. His execution is only weeks away when his devoted sister insists she spied Sarah at an area gas station. Willing to try anything, she hires PI Roxane Weary to look at the case and see if she can locate Sarah.</span></i></p><i><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Brad might be in a bad way, but private investigator Roxane Weary isn’t doing so hot herself. Still reeling from the recent death of her cop father in the line of duty, her main way of dealing with her grief has been working as little and drinking as much as possible. But Roxane finds herself drawn in to the story of Sarah's vanishing act, especially when she links the disappearance to one of her father’s unsolved murder cases involving another teen girl."</span></i><div><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">I really, really enjoyed </span></span><b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The Last Place You Look</b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">! I love a good mystery series featuring a female lead (are you seeing a theme here?) so this series has been on my radar for awhile now. I'm glad that I finally picked this one up because it was one that I didn't want to set down. Sometimes I feel like you just read a book and from the very beginning know that its going to be a book that you love. That was definitely the case for this one. From the very beginning of this book, I was intrigued and curious about what had happened to Sarah. Could she really be alive after so many years? Would Roxane be able to find her if she was? Those questions swirled in my head throughout the entire book. And let me tell you that I didn't see the end of this book coming by a mile. Wow! That's all I have to say about that. I will say that I really enjoyed Roxane as a main character. She is struggling with the grief over her father's death and also has a lot of struggles with alcohol. She felt like a real person that I could identify with as the reader not because I am like her but more because of her imperfections. I understood those imperfections and the fight to get your life back under control. I loved that Roxane never seemed to give up no matter what life was throwing at her. I'm so eager to continue on with this series and plan on doing exactly that in the new year!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Overall, I highly recommend checking out this series if you haven't yet! I really enjoyed my time with this one and cannot wait to see what further troubles Roxane finds herself in with future books. The best part is I believe that I have at least three to four other books to look forward to in this series which has me excited. I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries and suspenseful reads...especially those readers who prefer reading about a private investigator rather than from a detective's point of view. Highly recommended!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bottom Line: This book is one of my favorite new to me series that I've found in 2020!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Disclosure: I checked this book out from my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.</span></span></span></div>samantha.1020http://www.blogger.com/profile/04124614710493747821noreply@blogger.com0