Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story by Debbie TungMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Review: Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story by Debbie TungMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Review: The Girls Weekend
The Girls Weekend by Jody GehrmanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book and read part and used the audiobook for part. The story was good but somewhat predictable.
The story is based on a group of college friends who were very tight in school and have drifted apart over the following years. The protagonist, June Moody, initially hesitates to attend due to her difficult relationship with the friend who is hosting the event. The host is Sadie, who has always been June's nemesis. They both were in love with the same guy during college with June initially having a relationship with him but rejects him and he marries Sadie. June decides to attend and things are awkward from the beginning.
During the weekend, a murder occurs and the remaining women were left to try to figure out who to trust and who may have done it. Meanwhile, they don't know if they can trust each other.
There are lots of things to like about this book. The interaction between characters, backstories and then the murder are all interesting aspects of the story. The audiobook was well done with a terrific narrator who added a lot to the story and pacing. My criticism was the fact that there wasn't much about this that was new to this sort of story.
Quick and decent story. Worth a read if you like who-done-it type stories with unreliable characters.
#TheGirlsWeekend #Netgalley #CrookedLaneBooks
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Review: With or Without You
With or Without You by Caroline LeavittMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a story that evolves around a relationship between 3 main characters. There is Stella, the trustworthy RN who is in a live-in relationship with her partner, Simon, who is a musician. Early in their relationship, everything revolved around Simon's career and touring with his band. As they have matured together, he is itching to go back out on tour and Stella is longing to have a baby. They are having a massive discussion around these topics when they decide to drink and party. The following morning, after having decided nothing, Simon finds Stella unresponsive. He rushes her to the hospital and her best friend is the doctor that takes care of her. As the story evolves, we get to hear the POV of each of these main characters and their interactions with each other and the world around them.
I enjoyed the POV from Stella the best because it seemed the most creative and insightful, as well as challenging to write. Her entire story arc is engaging. All three are unique and captivating in their own way.
I think my hesitation in giving this a full 5 stars was the essential problem that seemed to hold all the characters back in their lives, a lack of understanding and communication with their own families. Although it was interesting to see the backstory and how misunderstandings were a huge part of what shaped these characters, it was frustrating for them to make so many decisions through avoidance rather than engagement, but then the story is wrapped up a little too neatly anyway. It felt to me like the character traits that lead someone to make poor decisions throughout their lives are not the sort of thing that magically disappear as a behavior pattern once there are more facts out in the open. This did not feel completely realistic to me.
I do recommend this as a completely enjoyable and relationship based novel.
#WithOrWithoutYou #Netgalley #AlgonquinBooks
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Review: The Night Swim
The Night Swim by Megan GoldinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Early review...pub date August 2020...more to come.
This was a good one!
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Review: The Vacation
The Vacation by T.M. LoganMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another page-turner from TM Logan. I adore his writing and this was no exception. This is a fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. This was my experience with his last thriller as well and this one is as good.
My only critique is about the choices in title and release. This was originally written and released in the UK (about a year earlier) under the title "The Holiday" and then "adapted" for US release by trying to make the title more American-friendly. Number one, I don't like the different release dates between the UK and US, as either can simply order from the other country. And secondly, the story takes place in Europe and the characters are clearly not American, so then why did some of the terminology/sayings need to be Americanized? I would argue that anyone who reads authors from the UK or other European countries, expects the differences and has adapted to it. That is just my opinion but I always find slang or phrases or words in an altered book to not quite be right and would rather it not be attempted.
Definitely recommend, especially for thriller lovers and fans of TM Logan.
Thank you for the early copy for review.
#TheVacation #Netgalley #StMartinsPress
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Review: The Suicide House
The Suicide House by Charlie DonleaMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is my first Charlie Donlea book and once I realized it is the second in a series, I was concerned that would make it less enjoyable. Absolutely the contrary! These books are meant to stand alone and only have overlapping characters and references to previous books, but the stories are completely unto themselves. Do not let the series aspect keep you from picking up this one first.
This is a well paced thriller set at an isolated prep school for high school kids. When they start their junior year, a small group are tapped by the senior class to be inducted into a secret society on campus. This particular year, as a group of 6 juniors are going through the various challenges to enter the society and things do not go as expected.
The main characters that are originally introduced in the first book, are a couple, Rory and Lane, who are the brains behind solving some of the most difficult cold cases. This is why each book can stand-alone, the setting and cases change, but these two are the glue holding the series together. In The Suicide House, they are brought into this prep school case, where two murders have occurred during the initiation into the secret society and the case that appears to be closed may have holes. This pair are intriguing and unique characters whose story is interesting on its own. But there are layers and layers to this story.
I was immersed in this world and am looking forward to going back into the previous books by this author.
Highly recommend!!
Thanks for the early copy for review.
#TheSuicideHouse #Netgalley #KensingtonBooks #Kensington
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Review: The Shadows
The Shadows by Alex NorthMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was hooked on this story very quickly!
I was reading the physical copy of this and enjoying it but today received the audiobook and it really added to the whole atmosphere and creepiness of the story. The narrators, #JohnHefferman and #HannahArterton did a wonderful job capturing the sense of fear and foreboding in this book. Once again Alex North has brought a terrific story through his writing.
The story is compelling in the plot and dual timeline, being told from the perspective of the characters and story of a horrific murder that occurred 25 years before in this small town and the current day timeline of one the main characters being summoned back to town for his mother's failing health. Paul had moved away for university and tried to not think about the events he lived through as a teen. This strategy was somewhat effective until he returned back home to handle his mother's final days. He is quickly drawn back into the previous events and then current events that seem to follow the same course. I enjoyed some of the locales and the references to North's prior book, The Whisper Man.
My only critique of the story is a pet peeve of mine, and may have to occur when marketing the same book in the UK and USA. There are many phrases and terms used throughout the audiobook that were believable as read by narrators with UK accents and the story is clearly set in England. There is also the reverse where terms are artificially changed for the US crowd and it sounds awkward with an English narrator. I found several instances where the physical book had one version and the audiobook had the other. I don't believe there is anything lost in a novel that is kept in its original form, be that UK or USA. Most of people reading these books have enough experience with the differences in terms that we get it.
5/5
#Netgalley #NetgalleyAudiobooks #TheShadows #CeledonBooks #MacmillanAudio
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Review: The Dilemma
The Dilemma by B.A. ParisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book! Aaagghhh! The story is told hour by hour on Livia’s 40th birthday, as she is anticipating her party that she has dreamed about for years. The party is over the top because she had a shotgun wedding that her parents did not approve of and one of her biggest wishes for the party is that her estranged parents come and they reconcile with her and her family. In the meantime, as each chapter alternates from a different character’s perspective, time is ticking away and Adam, Livia’s husband, realizes some possible awful news that he knows, if true, will break his wife’s heart.
The questions become what do you know, when did you know it and when do you share it? These are a few of the heart wrenching questions that this family must face in the days and months. This makes for a page turning premise for a book.
I really loved most of this book, the story for sure and the writing were good. The only thing that I disliked, and this may have been only me, was the constant repetition of pieces of the story or the characters’ inner thoughts and imaginings. At first, this was a tolerable method for the story to go but eventually it became tedious. I don’t think it distracted so much that I disliked it, I just wanted to get on with it.
Definitely recommend. 4/5
Thanks for the early copy for review. #TheDilemma #Netgalley #StMartinsPress
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Review: The Second Home
The Second Home by Christina ClancyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a beautifully written book about siblings who return home together after many years. They discover the challenges and changes that occur when people return to their roots. What a great story of the messiness of life and family drama. This is the type of book that draws you in and embraces the difficult relationships people have as they grow up and apart, told in a lovely way.
Thank you #Netgalley #StMartinsPress and #TheSecondHome for the early copy to review.
Definitely recommend.
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Review: Home Before Dark
Home Before Dark by Riley SagerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Sagar’s previous book, Lock Every Door, so I had high expectations for this one. I was definitely not disappointed! I thought I had figured out “the twist” about 2/3 of the way through the book but the twists kept coming to make this a roller-coaster of a story.
This is a story within a story with dual timelines and one of those timelines told from the perspective of the Book, a nonfiction account written by the father of the protagonist’s time living in this expansive house when she was five. The family knows that the house has a creepy history and when Maggie inherits the house as an adult, she is determined to uncover the truth about the past and what is written in the Book, which she has always questioned as truth.
The pacing of this was his best yet. It really kept the pages turning. I also loved the Gothic haunted house setting and not knowing who was a reliable character. This really left the story wide open and a great read.
Highly, highly recommend this!
#botm #HomeBeforeDark #Dutton #RileySagar
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Review: The Book of Accidents
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