SPOOKY SEASON READ #1 2024 TW: Child Drowning, Reincarnation
“Katherine Marshall” began Agent Robbins has he formally began the interview with the suspeSPOOKY SEASON READ #1 2024 TW: Child Drowning, Reincarnation
“Katherine Marshall” began Agent Robbins has he formally began the interview with the suspect they believe is responsible for the Arson-“you should be aware that providing false statements to a federal agent, is a Federal offense-including those made today…”
But, how did we get to the point where Kate is the suspect sitting before agents McGee and Robbins, still smelling of smoke from a fire that most of her family has perished in?
WELL-it all started when a summons from her father gathered Kate-her two sisters-Amber and Bea-and their families-to a weekend at the Lake House-presumably to meet his new “friend” Susan.
And, it all ended with a fire at that same Lake House, two years later.
But between those two events are many TWISTS and TURNS that I promise you WON’T see coming!
And, many of the CHILLING SECRETS that will be revealed will come from Kate’s son-a toddler named Jack-who struggles to explain what happened from when he “used to be bigger”…
Kate’s husband Neil, is a scientist who doesn’t believe that reincarnation is possible but Kate knows that the things Jack is saying didn’t come from her, and their opposite opinions make the family dynamics throughout this book ring true.
I have never read anything by Gregg Dunnett before, but I am thrilled to have discovered his work. It was the perfect start to 2024 SPOOKY SEASON, and it kept me engaged from the first page through the last.
I can’t wait to discover his backlist!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Storm Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts....more
Scientia-labore-integritas (Knowledge, Hard Work and Integrity)
So reads the crest of Civitas-one of the country’s top private day schools, located in Scientia-labore-integritas (Knowledge, Hard Work and Integrity)
So reads the crest of Civitas-one of the country’s top private day schools, located in Atlanta, and run by headmaster Jerry Armstrong. But does he practice what he preaches?
Scandal is about to rock this community
Jerry encourages his soft spoken wife Anna to volunteer for the fundraising committee for the schools annual Gala-the MOST important fundraising event of the year, along with Rhea Connelly-the Parents Association President who knows the Texas secret for a killer grilled cheese sandwich and its other volunteer, Maggie Reed, a semi famous relationship therapist an author of best-selling book-“Reconnecting Between the Sheets”.
At first glance, it would appear that the three women would have nothing in common, but as it turns out-there is something that they do share-EACH ONE is hiding a secret.
And, if exposed, their marriages may NOT survive.
I recently finished Caitlin Weaver’s excellent debut “Such a Good Family”, and this book proves that the author definitely has a knack for creating well developed, relatable characters and a natural ability to write entertaining domestic suspense stories which cover a wide range of “challenges” that marriages and families might face.
Sharing more about what these women will encounter would ruin the surprises for you, so I won’t say more, but suffice to say that things are not as perfect as they seem behind closed doors.
At 394 pages, I thought the pace could have been tightened in the first half, if a few pages had been trimmed and secrets exposed a bit sooner, but regardless, the author is now 2 for 2 for me, and I am looking forward to what she writes next!
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Storm Publishing for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!...more
1922: Opaline, flees her childhood home to escape an arranged marriage to a man she has never met. She will first find refuge in Paris, where her3.5 ⭐️
1922: Opaline, flees her childhood home to escape an arranged marriage to a man she has never met. She will first find refuge in Paris, where her love of rare books will earn her an apprenticeship in a bookstore called “Shakespeare and Company”, the perfect training ground for a young woman who is convinced that Bronte’ wrote a second book, which is waiting to be discovered.
But, her happiness will be short lived and she will have to flee again to Dublin where she will be given an opportunity to run her own book store in a building with an extraordinary past…..for awhile.
Present Day: Martha is running from an abusive husband, and she will respond to an advert for a housekeeper, at #12, Ha’Penny Lane, placed by an eccentric former actress, who insists on being addressed as Madame Bowden. (I just adored her!)
Unexplainable things happen here but unexpectedly, it becomes the perfect refuge for Martha.
Henry is on a quest to find a book that was mentioned in a letter he found-a book that he needs to find for his PH.D research. IF he can find it hidden in a bookshop at 11 Ha’Penny Lane, he could make a name for himself and it could make his career.
He enters the shop but when he turns around, the shop has disappeared.
Buildings still stand at 10 Ha’Penny Lane and 12 Ha’Penny Lane but 11 Ha’Penny lane no longer exists. He seeks answers from Martha, the striking young woman at #12, and finds more than he bargained for.
Of course, Opaline’s story will be eventually be linked to the characters in the present day.
I am not a big fan of MAGICAL REALISM, but this time these elements of the book were actually my FAVORITE part!
The book is also labeled as HISTORICAL FICTION and it definitely reads as such-even the present day chapters read like they are taking place in the past-not the present-they lacked a contemporary feel.
Much was predictable with the exception of the magical realism elements, which is why this enchanting story earns 3.5 ⭐️ rounded down from me.
A buddy read with DeAnn-be sure to check out her amazing review!
AVAILABLE June 22, 2023
Thank You to One More Chapter for the invitation to read this one. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Merged review:
3.5 ⭐️
1922: Opaline, flees her childhood home to escape an arranged marriage to a man she has never met. She will first find refuge in Paris, where her love of rare books will earn her an apprenticeship in a bookstore called “Shakespeare and Company”, the perfect training ground for a young woman who is convinced that Bronte’ wrote a second book, which is waiting to be discovered.
But, her happiness will be short lived and she will have to flee again to Dublin where she will be given an opportunity to run her own book store in a building with an extraordinary past…..for awhile.
Present Day: Martha is running from an abusive husband, and she will respond to an advert for a housekeeper, at #12, Ha’Penny Lane, placed by an eccentric former actress, who insists on being addressed as Madame Bowden. (I just adored her!)
Unexplainable things happen here but unexpectedly, it becomes the perfect refuge for Martha.
Henry is on a quest to find a book that was mentioned in a letter he found-a book that he needs to find for his PH.D research. IF he can find it hidden in a bookshop at 11 Ha’Penny Lane, he could make a name for himself and it could make his career.
He enters the shop but when he turns around, the shop has disappeared.
Buildings still stand at 10 Ha’Penny Lane and 12 Ha’Penny Lane but 11 Ha’Penny lane no longer exists. He seeks answers from Martha, the striking young woman at #12, and finds more than he bargained for.
Of course, Opaline’s story will be eventually be linked to the characters in the present day.
I am not a big fan of MAGICAL REALISM, but this time these elements of the book were actually my FAVORITE part!
The book is also labeled as HISTORICAL FICTION and it definitely reads as such-even the present day chapters read like they are taking place in the past-not the present-they lacked a contemporary feel.
Much was predictable with the exception of the magical realism elements, which is why this enchanting story earns 3.5 ⭐️ rounded down from me.
A buddy read with DeAnn-be sure to check out her amazing review!
AVAILABLE June 22, 2023
Thank You to One More Chapter for the invitation to read this one. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!...more
Last Night at Villa Lucia by Simon McCleve Narrated wonderfully by Claire Corbett 8 hrs 37 min at 1.0 speed 5 hrs 45 mins at 1.5 speed
I MIGHT kill to livLast Night at Villa Lucia by Simon McCleve Narrated wonderfully by Claire Corbett 8 hrs 37 min at 1.0 speed 5 hrs 45 mins at 1.5 speed
I MIGHT kill to live at the Villa Lucia in Tuscany!
The infinity pool, the surrounding Olive Orchards, and the vineyards of plump black Sangiovese grapes-it sounded like heaven on earth.
But, Cerys is just trying to keep her bed and breakfast/yoga retreat afloat and stay ahead of any potential bad reviews that can ruin her livelihood. And, to stay ahead of her dependence on alcohol which she is turning to earlier and earlier in the day, to get her through the stress-while hiding her drinking from her teenaged daughter, Lowri.
Today, Harry, the Director of A &R at Kismet Records will be arriving with his wife, Zoe and their teenaged son, Charlie, and he isn’t known for his patience. But, that will be the least of her concerns.
The book opens with a body floating face down in the infinity pool-
Breathe in for five seconds, hold for seven, and breathe out for eight-Cerys reminds herself…
The story is then told from multiple, alternating POV’s as Detective Saachi pieces together WHAT happened at the Villa and WHO is responsible for the MURDER.
I suspected just about EVERYONE at point or another which always makes reading a book like this fun-and the story is PLAUSIBLE as well as SURPRISING and SUSPENSEFUL-which is another PLUS for me.
No wonder this UK author who burst onto the scene in 2020, has become an Amazon bestselling author with over 2 million books sold. His DI Ruth Hunter Snowdonia series (19 as of today) is currently in development as a TV series to be filmed in North Wales where the author currently lives. He also has another successful five book crime series set on Anglesey.
This is a STANDALONE and, I am really excited to have discovered Simon McCleave’s work! I paired the Audible with a written copy and enjoyed both.
Although the book contains references to Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse, and Alcoholism, nothing is graphic in description.
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Storm Publishing for both the Kindle and Audiobook versions-provided through NetGalley and NetGalley shelf, respectively. These are my candid thoughts!...more
Author Elly Griffiths writes short stories to experiment with different voices and genres.
And, I can’t think of a better way to sample an author’s worAuthor Elly Griffiths writes short stories to experiment with different voices and genres.
And, I can’t think of a better way to sample an author’s work, than to read a collection such as this one! It’s a great way to figure out which of her many series might be a fit for you.
Will you choose the 15 book series featuring forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway and her cat Flint? Perhaps, magician Max Mephisto will capture your fancy? Or girl detective, Justice Jones?
I have only read the Harbinder Kaur books, but two of my favorite stories in this collection were “ Max Mephisto and the Disappearing Act.” which takes place in 1920’s Leeds and “Justice Jones and the Etherphone,” which introduced me to her “witty girl detective” as she investigates the ominous prediction of a fortune teller in postwar London.
Of course, I was also partial to “Flint’s Fireside Tale: A Christmas Story narrated by her cat Flint. ...more
The Full Moon Coffee Shop By Mai Mochizuki, Translated from the Japanese bestseller by Jesse Kirkwood
“In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the The Full Moon Coffee Shop By Mai Mochizuki, Translated from the Japanese bestseller by Jesse Kirkwood
“In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor.”
And when there is a glittering full moon in Kyoto-a mysterious Coffee Shop may randomly appear.
It has no fixed location, and no fixed hours, and it is only open to “certain” young people who need a bit of guidance-those who have been kind to a feline in the past.
It’s also run by talking cats.
I loved the premise, and knowing that this was MAGICAL REALISM, I was open to the idea BUT when the cats appeared standing 2 meters tall and on their hind legs, wearing aprons and holding trays-it lost its appeal-the cats felt more like CARICATURES, than the beautiful enigmatic creatures that they are.
Also, our felines are serving up more than cakes, coffees and teas, providing wisdom about where their patrons lives have veered off course by interpreting their ASTROLOGICAL STAR CHARTS.
I wasn’t expecting that.
The book is divided into three small parts as the cafe is visited by a “down-on-her-luck” screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist and a technologically challenged website designer, who all have a connection to one another. It can easily be read in one sitting or one vignette at a time.
Wanting to read some Japanese literature this year, and loving cats, I downloaded three books with a similar premise. I preferred the first that I reviewed because the cats in that one, managed to bring about the desired outcome by just BEING the fascinating creatures that cats naturally are.
This might work better for readers intrigued by ASTROLOGY than for readers like myself who are true cat lovers.
2.75 ⭐️ AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to Ballantine Books for the gifted ARC. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review....more
Winner of the 2023 Kyoto Book Prize Written by Syou Ishida, translated to English by E. Madison Shimoda-A bestseller in Japan, due to be published in sWinner of the 2023 Kyoto Book Prize Written by Syou Ishida, translated to English by E. Madison Shimoda-A bestseller in Japan, due to be published in seventeen languages
Tucked away in an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the “Kokoro Clinic for the Soul” can ONLY be found by people who are struggling in their lives and genuinely need help.
Directions to the Clinic are cryptic-you will be given the names of streets that intersect in four directions.
And, prospective patients will only hear about the Clinic indirectly-like from “a former colleague who passed the name along after his younger brother’s wife’s cousin’s company’ client recommended it”-for example. ...more
Five Years Ago: When Bridget invited her best friend, Lucy Ashby- affectionately called Bee- to her childhood home on Prince Edward Island, (Canadian PFive Years Ago: When Bridget invited her best friend, Lucy Ashby- affectionately called Bee- to her childhood home on Prince Edward Island, (Canadian Province) she gave her three rules:
#1 Eat your weight in Oysters #2 Leave the city, behind and #3 DON’T fall in love with my brother, Wolf
“Spark. Fizz. Crackle”
Bridgett missed the flight, and Lucy has arrived on the Island alone with time to kill. She never imagined she would spend the night with Felix, the hot guy who was shucking oysters at the bar she stopped at-but their instant attraction was sizzling.
That would be the hot guy, she didn’t realize also went by the nickname, Wolf.
Time for new rules, this time set by Felix: #1 Don’t tell Bridget #2 No sleeping together again #3 Don’t fall in love with me
Life goes on, and although Lucy returns to PEI (Prince Edward Island) each year, she is determined to keep her promise to Bridget-to NOT fall in love. After all, there is a good reason for that rule!!
“Tap, Tap, PAUSE Tap”
Though when Lucy hears a certain knock on her door, she doesn’t hesitate to answer.
NOW: Nine days before Bridget’s wedding
Bridget has missed her final wedding dress fitting and has called Lucy to PEI (Prince Edward Island) for an emergency visit home. Why has she flown there with no explanation and demanded that Lucy join her?!
Could the wedding be off?
Of course, Lucy rushes to her side, putting her own life on hold.
But it’s not the first time, over the past five years, that Lucy has done so- When will she finally brave enough to take her beloved late Aunt’s advice to “live her life for nobody but herself” ?
Bridget’s life is moving forward and her own seems stagnant-but Felix is urging her to DREAM BIG.
The book alternates between the PAST FIVE SUMMERS, with Lucy and Felix continuing to fight their attraction to one another to the PRESENT day timeline where the pair are trying to uncover the reason that Bridgett has run away from her fiancé.
This was a SPICY OPEN DOOR romance which transported me to yet another Island that I wouldn’t mind moving to!
Felix is a swoon worthy MMC who seemed “too good to be true”! Who wouldn’t want a hot guy who cooks, drinks tea and reads books?
And, Lucy is the kind of BFF that any girl would want.
There is some miscommunication in the story but this time it’s just between the two BFFs.
Carley Fortune has delivered yet another romance that is beach bag approved! ...more
This isn’t a book that I would have requested, but I was invited by the Publisher to read it, and I did LOVE the INTRIGUING premise so, I gave it a chThis isn’t a book that I would have requested, but I was invited by the Publisher to read it, and I did LOVE the INTRIGUING premise so, I gave it a chance-but it wasn’t for me.
OUTLIER OPINION:
Outside Los Angeles, a Lyft driver named Abbott pulls up to find a young woman sitting on a large black box. It was the type that musicians use to haul their concert gear, and this one was covered in band stickers, including one that said RADIOACTIVE.
Her name is Ether, and she offers him $200,000 cash to transport her and the box across the country, to Washington, DC. They MUST leave immediately, arrive by July 4th and leave ALL trackable devices behind.
THE RULES:
No looking inside the box. No asking what is inside of it No telling anyone where they are going until the road trip is over.
Over the course of FIVE days, MANY will find themselves in pursuit of the pair and the box, including but not limited to, a tattooed guy, a retired FBI agent, Abbott’s father and those on Social Media who get wind of this “road trip” and begin to spread their own conspiracy theories which true to life, become increasingly outrageous.
Will a thread on Reddit solve the mystery?
What IS actually in the “black box of doom”? I had a theory which was not correct, but I preferred what I was thinking to the actual ending, which to me was not only strange but very underwhelming.
The book is MORE “social commentary” than thriller and at 400 pages, it just felt WAY TOO LONG for this reader. I found myself wanting to skim days two through five!
Though not a fit for me, I’m guessing that those who regularly read the author’s work, and have a better idea of what to expect, may find this book more satisfying. Or perhaps it will work for those who enjoy participating in Social Media threads about current events or crime.
A buddy read with MarilynW and DeAnn! Watch for their reviews for additional insight!
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!...more
Based on the ADORABLE book cover and title, I expected a light, funny ROM COM, but this is more of a “life story” with MANY touLooks can be deceiving…
Based on the ADORABLE book cover and title, I expected a light, funny ROM COM, but this is more of a “life story” with MANY touching, heartfelt moments, and more depth than I expected!
Told in 7️⃣ parts, Part 1️⃣ opens in 2013 with an invitation to a birthday party, and each subsequent section, opens with a jump in time, and a NEW invitation to another “life affirming” event, until we reach Part 7️⃣ in 2021.
Natalie is a struggling writer and Gabby’s best friend.
Rob is a rigid Academic, and the best friend of Angus.
The only thing they share is their love and devotion to their respective best friends-recently engaged!
JUST as they are about to walk down the aisle as “Maid of Honor” and “Best Man” at Angus and Gabby’s wedding, Natalie finds out that Rob gave her newly published novel, Apartment 2F, the dreaded 1️⃣ ⭐️ review on Goodreads!!
Her book was described as the millennial perspective of a young woman living in NY, during the aftereffects of the recession, wondering if her generation could still find true love, a fulfilling career, and financial stability.
Could that description be any less enticing?!
And YET, her average rating, after fifty three reviews was respectable 4.3 ⭐️ UNTIL the latest review brought it TUMBLING down!
Rob, thought the book had opened strong, but when he got to page 2️⃣ 8️⃣-he was so incensed by “something” she wrote-that he posted his one star review-explaining how her star rating had dipped so precipitously!
Natalie is hoping that once they get through the wedding, she will NEVER again have to see Rob, but FATE (or more accurately-their best friends) will force them to co-exist on many more occasions as they celebrate many happy milestones from housewarmings to christenings, and a few “not so happy” over the course of the next eight years.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of this book, which didn’t start out as quite as expected, but by the middle of Part 2️⃣-I was HOOKED after reading one of my FAVORITE “grand gestures” EVER!!
And, by the time I had finished, this “enemies to lovers” romance-I was completely and utterly CHARMED! ...more
Maddie and Alex are as close as two sisters can be.
Their father left them when they were young, and their Mother has recently passed away, so when MadMaddie and Alex are as close as two sisters can be.
Their father left them when they were young, and their Mother has recently passed away, so when Maddie suddenly cancels plans to celebrate Alex’s birthday with her, Alex BEGINS to worry.
And, then, when Maddie’s phone starts to repeatedly go straight to Voicemail, Alex becomes CERTAIN that something is wrong.
Alex follows her sister's footsteps to the seaside resort known as “The Hamptons”. Soon after arriving, she meets the Blackwell family, who offered Maddie a place to stay in their pool house.
But despite the beauty of Blackwell Manor, Alex senses malevolence in the air. The family claims that Maddie left voluntarily with plans to return to her life in New York City, but Alex isn’t buying their story.
Patriarch James, Matriarch Katherine, and their two children, Theo and Lily, all seem to be hiding what they know.
And, ANY of them might be behind Maddie’s disappearance.
They will offer up their pool house to Alex as well-Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
As Alex follows the clues that local law enforcement seems keen to ignore, she will put herself in harm’s way, stopping at nothing to find her sister.…
The story unfolds from MULTIPLE POV’s with a few mystery chapters that take place from “The Wharf”.
I DID want to find out what happened to Maddie, but despite my curiosity I DIDN’T find this to be an “edge of your seat” type of thriller.
The pace was slowed by the background information from the sister’s childhood, and the present day narrative went in a direction I didn’t care for, making the story lose plausibility.
Maddie’s reason for choosing to go to The Hamptons was lost in the noise, and Alex’s relationship with Ben felt underdeveloped. I would have liked to have more focus on these two plot points.
Still, I rated the author’s debut novel, “The Guilty Husband” 5 stars, so although THIS story wasn’t a favorite, I will be eager to read what she pens next. The Guilty Husband: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Now available
Thank You to Bantam for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, I have offered a candid review....more
Lisa Scottoline is back with another highly entertaining, stand-alone thriller that has a “catchy” title, and a snarky, likable lead character who youLisa Scottoline is back with another highly entertaining, stand-alone thriller that has a “catchy” title, and a snarky, likable lead character who you can’t help but root for!
TJ Devlin is the only child who is not a lawyer at Devlin and Devlin, the highly successful family law firm which employs not only both parents but also both of his siblings.
Instead he holds the title of “Investigator” given to him by his family after time in jail for an alcohol related crime.
His sister Gabby is whip smart, but prefers her pro bono work- making his older brother John the family MVD (most valuable Devlin)
So TJ is pretty shocked when at their father’s birthday party, John confesses that he needs TJ’s help. It appears that he accidentally killed one of their clients, an accountant he’d confronted with proof of embezzlement.
TJ may have to OBSTRUCT justice to save John, but he wants to make amends with his family and prove his worth. At the same time, Gabby needs TJ’s help to GET justice for her dying plaintiffs-prisoners who were experimented on by a large pharmaceutical company,
This would be a lot for anyone but TJ will have to balance both cases while also dealing with his own personal demons-AA meetings-the loss of love-and a newly adopted, diabetic cat named Mango, who tolerates him at best.
Don’t let the 400 pages scare you away! The chapters are short and this is compulsive “just one more chapter” reading! I was engaged from the first page through the last.
And, this story COULD be the prequel for the next chapter in TJ’s life…...more
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