(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 16 March 2022 Publisher: Inkubator Books
Plot
C(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 16 March 2022 Publisher: Inkubator Books
Plot
Charlene is in a happy marriage with her husband, Christopher. Until he died and her world shattered.
While unable to get over the past she meets Samuel, a delightful, well-educated and charming man and over time Charlene gradually lowers her walls and lets him in. After a few alarming incidents between Samuel and herself, she starts to have suspicions and her trust in Samuel decreases. The suspicions increase and what she discovers is not expected.
Thoughts
This was my first book from Cole Baxter. I really liked the cover too, it's why I requested for the ARC. The start got me hooked but then it died down in the middle and towards the end it picked up again. The book felt too long and the story could have finished definitely faster. I could understand Charlene's grief but I could not stand how naive she was. She portrayed herself as someone who could be walked over and I thought being in the circumstances that she was in, she should have been a little more assertive. Though, I felt that it was a book well focused on the main characters. There were supporting characters but they didn't overwhelm the story. I would say the end was mainly unpredictable and it increased the overall rating. Overall, it was readable.
Merged review:
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 16 March 2022 Publisher: Inkubator Books
Plot
Charlene is in a happy marriage with her husband, Christopher. Until he died and her world shattered.
While unable to get over the past she meets Samuel, a delightful, well-educated and charming man and over time Charlene gradually lowers her walls and lets him in. After a few alarming incidents between Samuel and herself, she starts to have suspicions and her trust in Samuel decreases. The suspicions increase and what she discovers is not expected.
Thoughts
This was my first book from Cole Baxter. I really liked the cover too, it's why I requested for the ARC. The start got me hooked but then it died down in the middle and towards the end it picked up again. The book felt too long and the story could have finished definitely faster. I could understand Charlene's grief but I could not stand how naive she was. She portrayed herself as someone who could be walked over and I thought being in the circumstances that she was in, she should have been a little more assertive. Though, I felt that it was a book well focused on the main characters. There were supporting characters but they didn't overwhelm the story. I would say the end was mainly unpredictable and it increased the overall rating. Overall, it was readable....more
(Thank you J.M.Elliott for the eARC in exchange for a spoiler free review)
This review is for Ravenous by J.M.Elliott.
I was so happy after reading an e(Thank you J.M.Elliott for the eARC in exchange for a spoiler free review)
This review is for Ravenous by J.M.Elliott.
I was so happy after reading an excerpt of another book Elliot is working on because it was right up my alley. I’m grateful to be in her ARC team!
It was straight to the point which I loved, how raw and honest Erin was. All is fun until something bad happens and these few chapters kept me on my toes, that cliff hanger though?! It really isn’t enough. And the twins? *gulps*. Yeah, didn’t have enough of them.
I can’t wait to see them in Scythe!
********************************** Decided to read the rest of the book since I've got Covid and I should be resting my mind and eyes (finished after recovering from C+ on 21/11)
Bad Heir - too long and uninteresting. I was barely swiping the pages on my e-book. 2/10
Wish You Hell - nice start, bad end. 5/10
A Monstrous Deal by M Bonnett- was interesting, will look out for it in 2024. 8/10
Actus Reus by YD La Mar - 9/10, a must read thriller of this anthology
Debts Owed by Teegan Wylde - a good mafia break, 7/10
His Inception - skipped because it was not interesting at all
Ensnare by Kristina Brown - stockholm syndrome gone wrong, 2/10
Heist by Haley Tayler - masked men and a bank heist? hot. will look out for the The Marauders in 2024, 7/10
Mine to Break by Victoria Ellis - a better buildup would have been more impactful. 5/10
Monsters We Crave - skipped, couldn't get into it past the first chapter
My Darkest Knights - would love to see this as a full length book. 8/10
Northland by Loren Hart - skipped, setting is not something i'd read
Primal Games by Bex Dawn - interesting kind of erotica I've never read of before but god that's something I'd never do. 5/10
Six Feet Dark - skipped, blurb wasn't interesting
Skin - good start, weird end. 3/10
The Sons and Daughters of Sin- the names though, Lower Princess of Lust had me cracking up, 2/10
This Haunting Obsession - 5/10
Through the Wringer by Weli Sane - what the hell was that, such a great buildup just for it to end abruptly. UGH, this better come out as a full length book. 8/10
To Dimitri with Hatred - skipped
Trickster by Simran - the last story and clearly a good end to the anthology. Simran, please make this a full length novel! 9/10...more
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 09 August 2022 Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Thought(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 09 August 2022 Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Thoughts
2.5 ⭐
This is my first book from this author and I chose this book for the blurb. It sounded like an interesting thriller, I usually do not go for books that has forgotten/recalled memories but made an exception for this.
I did not have a good first impression of Hallie because of how fast she decided to give up. She didn’t keep up to the description of her by the author. I thought she was quite messy and quick to jump into making decisions. Somehow I didn’t like her throughout the book.
I did like the minor twists in the book, the antagonist was easy to spot but the method was not easy to decipher. This book also had some sci-fi aspects in it which kept the book interesting. The side characters made this book worth reading till the end....more
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 02 August 2022 Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Plot
A(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 02 August 2022 Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Plot
A criminal reporter named Geneva Chase investigates a case in which an anchor-man held his wife captive because of being threatened with extortion by an escort company called The Whisper Room. But when escorts who worked for The Whisper Room are found deceased, Geneva is convinced that there is more going on. Will she be able to discover the truth prior to any further fatalities?
Thoughts
This is my first book from this author and I chose this book for the blurb. It’s also part of a series which I didn’t the previous books of but was still able to read it without feeling lost.
This book was fast paced, making it easy for me to read without putting the book down. I read it in one sitting because of the mystery it had. I liked Geneva’s resilience, she had her own issues in life but she got through them and put them aside for her to solve the case.
However, the book had a lack of flow at certain points and it also didn’t seem believable because of the sub plotlines. There also wasn’t much about Genie (Geneva’s) past other than in passing but I think it could have made her character development better. ...more
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 16 June 2022 Publisher: Avon Books UK
Plot
Ralph's (Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 16 June 2022 Publisher: Avon Books UK
Plot
Ralph's 45th birthday is approaching and he intended to celebrate in a lovely home on the Amalfi coast with a huge group of people: his girlfriend Gemma, his children, ex-wife Sarah and her boyfriend Jack. When the past meets the present, who will make it out alive?
Thoughts
The blurb made it sound like those closed room mysteries which was why I requested for this ARC, even though I've not read any of the books from this author before.
The pace of the book was fast which is good because given the amount of characters in this book, it could have gotten boring too fast but the pace made it light too. However, the POVs were all over the place because they were in 2nd person. I had to go back to see whose POV is it in because it was a little messy and confusing to follow along, could be a case of bad formatting/editing. I also couldn't make a connection with the characters because some were fillers and unnecessary. ...more
An attempt to break into an apartment to steal prescribed drugs by two teens Jesse and Jenny ends with their disappearance. Sheriff's Deputy Ben Packard is then tasked to find them again as a series of events and secrets are revealed. Will the teens be found or is it just the beginning?
Thoughts
I liked this book for a debut by the author, Joshua Moehling because it had a balance of both Ben's POV and the perpetrator's POV. The book wasn't too heavy to read and it took place in a small town with a tight knit of characters who supported Ben. However, it did not give the thriller aspect as the blurb described it to be but instead seemed like an adventure Joshua brought us along for - there were no worthy plot twists or mystery as the perpetrator is revealed from the start. Therefore it didn't keep me as excited throughout the book. At times it felt like I was rushing to get through the book just to complete it instead of wanting to read the plot because it was unnecessarily long. Please do check out trigger warnings before reading. ...more
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 26 May 2022 Publisher: Avon Books UK
1.5 ⭐
Plot
Afte(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 26 May 2022 Publisher: Avon Books UK
1.5 ⭐
Plot
After a tragic accident on the eve of her wedding day in which her deceased husband, Matthew was involved, Ali had to deal with the aftermath in her life. She then began to unearth truths that Matthew hid from her as the months pass but was she really as close to her husband as she believed she was? And why can't she get rid of the notion that he's still living somewhere?
Thoughts
The starting of the book was fantastic, I was reading page after page and it just made me want to continue. But the high didn't stay for as long.
There were a lot of recurring information that started being told about 1/4 into the book and it repeated so much that it dulled the mystery and thrill. The side characters seemed to be all over the place with their appearances, totally unnecessary and it was a little too much for me because it made the book uninteresting. I didn't care about the side characters at all. The buildup was good but the ending unfortunately didn't maintain that level. It's a short and fast read but that is really it to the book. ...more
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 12 May 2022 Publisher: HQ
Plot
Esther has lived in (Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 12 May 2022 Publisher: HQ
Plot
Esther has lived in a war bunker since she was a child since her mother, Hannah convinced her that it was in her best interests. She'd never left it and interacted with anyone else, so how could anyone else know her name and that possibly she was deceived by her mother all these years?
Would Esther take a brave step forward?
Thoughts
I liked that it was a dual POV book (although third POV but it wasn't as bad) because that gave a lot of insight into Esther and Hannah's thoughts. I could feel the emotions described in the book which is definitely a strength of the book. The first half was very imaginative and captivating, it gave a very good buildup. However the second half of the book became a little repetitive and unrealistic. (view spoiler)[I would think that given the type of girl Esther was, it'd take more getting used to the real world but she assimilated pretty quickly which couldn't quite seem believable to me. (hide spoiler)] The pace of the book was medium: slow and fast at times, especially fast towards the last 20% of the book. But the way the book was written was really good, very creative and it felt like I was watching a show. ...more
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 27 April 2022 Publisher: Boldwood Books
Plot
Lexi J(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 27 April 2022 Publisher: Boldwood Books
Plot
Lexi Jakes believed she could escape the past. Lexie's biggest nightmare comes true when her biological mother is discovered dead, strangled with a red silk scarf and grasping a chess piece. The murder bears the MO of her father, infamous Peter Graves who was a serial killer then imprisoned. Now that her own precious daughter's life is in jeopardy, what would Lexi do?
Thoughts
I was so intrigued by the plot, especially as someone who spends a lot of time watching serial killer documentaries on Netflix.
The beginning was good but it reached a point where it was not fulfilling the thriller/suspense aspect of the book because it was predictable. I couldn't keep the interest in the book as the chapters were too long and slow. I also found some scenes unrelated to the plot and emphasis on the side characters is not needed such as the romance aspect.
Though, I did appreciate the serial killer's POV as it did help to at least know the killer's thoughts.
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 01 March 2022 Publisher: Bookouture
『• • • PLOT• •(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 01 March 2022 Publisher: Bookouture
『• • • PLOT• • •』
Jane Preston has all that she wanted: a nice little cafe, her perfect husband and her best friends with whom she has a running club. Her life was going well until Lexie Lane, a newcomer shows up in her small neighbourhood.
Lexie has been attempting to cause rifts between Jane and her best friend Sophie with any possible reason. Sophie and Lexie's friendship instantly grows but they become especially close after learning that they are both having children at the same time. Jane is ecstatic for her friend, but she can't help but be envious due to her inability to bear children.
By coincidence at the joint baby shower of Lexie and Sophie, Jane found out that Lexie isn't pregnant after all. At the same time, Jane's husband Frankie also got himself into ludicrous problems.
Jane has her suspicions and she starts investigating despite her falling out with her best friends. Will it be too late to know uncover Lexie's secrets?
『• • • THOUGHTS• • •』
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Usually my firsts from the author is not good but this I would say was good. Initially, getting into the 3rd person POV was difficult and I couldn't find myself understanding her world. There were also additional POVs in the beginning that popped out of nowhere, with the time lapses it was also hard to understand the whole picture. It was a little draggy up till about half of the book. After which the pace quickened, it got better and I read it finish.
It did keep up to the thriller aspect because the second half had me wanting to read more. I was curious as to how it unfolds, even though it is quite predictable at times I found myself thinking otherwise. It also had a very important message in the book that I liked because of the relevance and it not being spoken much.
The dynamics of the small town was also nice to read. The friendships with one another, Jane and Frankie's marriage, it felt like a closely knitted community. A problem with those however is the inability to prevent gossip.
Overall, a good read that suited the genre. Quite forgettable but it was nice reading it. ...more
This was not even on my tbr shelf, I went in blindly bc it was everywhere on gr and I wanted to know what is the big deal. I read this in one sit3.5 ⭐
This was not even on my tbr shelf, I went in blindly bc it was everywhere on gr and I wanted to know what is the big deal. I read this in one sitting, I ended the book at 1.44am and I had good sleep after that.
I can’t explain the mind of a writer to you, Jeremy. Especially the mind of a writer who has been through more devastation than most writers combined.
『• • • THOUGHTS• • •』
I have questions but I know I won't get them answered.
The start of the book seemed good, I was curious and I kept reading, until I had to stop. I had to stop because I was giving real time updates to my bf and we were discussing how Jeremy was suspicious. Didn't it seem to all fit in nicely, as if it is too right? And then I carried on reading until the halfway mark and I realised I pitied Verity. I pitied her for the world she was living in because of her own actions. Perhaps a little annoyance to as to how self-sabotaging she was. Her autobiography was pitiful to read, it screamed ugliness and desperation to me and it was not a nice view. And then towards the end it turned into more sympathy, she could have made better decisions. She could have been more responsible, even this book was not spared from the "not communicating/miscommunication" trope. I did not like the end because I knew what was going to happen due to the foreshadowing throughout the book.
I also have to mention some parts of her autobiography (especially the first few chapters) made me physically sick. I felt like I was going to puke because of how disgusting and unacceptable her actions were.
Jeremy seemed to be everywhere, with Lowen, in Verity's autobiography, as a father and a man who was lost. But it made me very wary of him. It seemed like he was setting the stage for everything to fall apart. And Lowen just couldn't make up her mind if she wanted to stay or leave because of how good Jeremy was. Lowen's mood swings were a little irritating to read: she was either scared or needy or hesitant and I thought she should be more decisive. I know our emotions all change with time and circumstances but every 3 pages she wanted out and came back in.
The sex details were unnecessary, her obsession with it was a turnoff. The plot was really good but the way it was delivered did not hit wow for me. Verity was not creepy and I pitied her alot. I really did because she brought that upon herself. What she needed was not Jeremy but help. Any form of help. I really thought this book was going to creep me out like what others said but was slightly disappointed in that aspect. Maybe because this just seemed like a Netflix/TV show and it was entertaining to see Verity's antics to the extent I was smiling.
I will end this off by saying that Hoover should write thrillers instead of romances. And if you want to read this book, go in with 0 expectations and 0 fear....more
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