When Janie's boyfriend Max doesn't come home one night, she's doesn't know what to do. Why would he leave her and their baby daughter, with no explanation?
Then the police turn up, asking questions about the body of a woman found outside a local bar.
They want to know where Max was last night. Where Max is now - but Janie has no idea.
They want answers, but Janie only has questions.
She loves Max more than anything. But did she ever really know him at all?
And if he's capable of disappearing, could he be capable of murder too?
My Review *long read, sorry:
Janie awakens in the middle of the night by her crying baby but no Max, her loving, doting, boyfriend. As any new mother would, she soothes the baby back to sleep, to only be awakened yet again by her fussy baby but this time, she's all alone.
Let me just run down some main players:
Max just up and disappears and even though Janie feels that something isn't right; she's calling and texting with no response; she calls his parents and best friend -- both of which, act like there is no urgency to find him and Janie, just goes along with the sentiment.
Liana irritated my whole spirit!! She seemed to be in all the right places saying all the right things except, it seemed disingenuous. Something about her, I just didn't trust. Ugh, who wants to be around a "yes man" or as we used to call them, a "get with".
Molly is the best friend sent from heaven! More of her please because she was the only person in this whole book with some got damn sense!
Carl and Brenda whew, where do I really even start. Dysfunction and need to use their high-powered lawyer to divorce. She is a miserable shrew and he is a drunk.
Janie is insecure and naive. She really was not a character that I would typically root for. For context, both she and Max seem very accomplished in their careers and not poor or lower class by any means. I say that to say, she could have absolutely gotten the help she needed for her postpartum depression. Furthermore, the way that she has carried this "issue" with Bryan all the way through the story -- carried it like a 1ton weight and used it as a crutch to be self-loathing -- irritated me. She was not likable in a way that, I could not connect with her struggles, her story, or even her personality. I loved that Molly told her the 100% truth and then walked away when she wasn't ready to hear it but, kept the door open for her to come back when she was ready.
Final Thoughts: In all fairness, the characters made this a 1-star read for me but, as all the facts of the investigation are revealed, I gave another 'star' because I didn't see "that" coming. It was a quick read, definitely fast-paced, with only 1 POV and the whole story takes place over the course of 5 days, which means, there is not a lot to keep track of.
*Review edited 24 hours later: I had to drop some stars. After giving it a day, I really dislike Janie and just couldn't shake that the story could've been better; and the "twist" could have been more thought out. Janie was really insufferable.
#TriggerWarning -- r_pe and domestic abuse are discussed
by: Kristen Bird
Published: Mar 14, 2023
Genre: Thriller, Murder Mystery, Fiction
352 Pages, Paperback
★★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
Just days before her eightieth birthday, Pearl Williams has the gall to up and die on everyone. Now her granddaughters must make plans for a proper send-off…all while their own lives unravel a little more each day.
Tara, the pastor’s wife, makes a series of decisions that could scatter his flock. Then there’s June, who would do anything to have a baby of her own, even if her husband won’t. Clementine, the youngest, is entangled in an affair with her professor, desperate to ignore who he really is. Finally, there’s Stephanie, the sister-in-law—an outsider who knows all the family dirt.
But Gran won’t be the only one they’ll put in a grave this weekend…because now someone has gone missing in the dark Appalachian woods.
My Review:
Good read! I couldn't put it down.
The Williams Sisters are all but what meets the eye. Tara, the independent second mom -- is the oldest girl, so #IYKYK. June, the unlucky (unloved) middle child -- has a lot to work on and I hope she gets the help she needs. Clementine, the baby of the sisters -- she surprised me. Walker is the oldest and the only boy -- he really gives off that, I was raised around women and have been coddled my whole life, vibe. Stephanie, Walker's wife, is a Williams sister by marriage, and boy, does she fit right in with this band of misfits. Lottie is Tara's daughter and, let's just say, the apple didn't fall very far.
When a visitor goes missing while at their Gran's cabin, it's up to the Sherriff to uncover what has happened. But don't discount the Sherriff, she has a grudge to uphold and is not buying whatever the sisters are selling.
When the sins of Gran's past float up to the surface, they all are forced to shit or get off the pot, and, one thing is for certain, a man will never stand in their way!
My Final Thoughts: I pegged the missing person by Part II because if anyway was to come up missing... it would be them. I struggled through most of June's story because she is mentally unstable and I hated how everyone placated her and went along with it. I just couldn't see that as being realistic, which annoyed me so much.
Clementine (I hate this name, BTW) also frustrated me early on. With everything she knew, how could she assume she would be any more special than the others? I hated that for her but was so glad when she bossed up.
The story jumps between a past and present timeline, with points of view from all the Williams sisters and 1 chapter from Lottie. It's a great whodunnit and an easy read. It wasn't predictable because there are some twists and turns, but it was a good story; with good writing; and a good plot.
My one gripe would be the mention of southern women and how they held up the country and households; that felt flat to me like it was just thrown in there as a sign of "strength" but I don't think it was needed. Also, what's to come with the Confederate cash?
by: Gytha Lodge
Published: Aug 8, 2023
Genre: Thriller, Murder Mystery, Fiction
416 Pages, E-Book ARC Courtesy of NetGalley
★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
Panic about the "bonfire killer" quickly spreads through the sedate, suburban area of Southampton. Women are urged not to travel alone at night, and constant vigilance is encouraged among the local residents. But single mom Aisling Cooley has a lot to distract her: two beloved teenage sons and a quest to find her long-lost father, whom she hasn't seen since she was a teenager growing up in Ireland.
After much debate she decides to upload her DNA to an ancestry website, and when she gets a match she is filled with an anxious excitement, that her questions about her father's disappearance from her life might finally be answered.
My Review:
To me, this was a difficult read and it took me wayy too long to get through it. I fell asleep reading this book many times!
A town is ripped apart by the idea of a serial killer on the loose. Meanwhile, Aisling Cooley, a single mother of two is searching for answers about her childhood and the whereabouts of her father, who left her and her mother when she was very young. In search of him, Aisling uploads her DNA to a genealogy website and what-do-ya-know, she shares DNA with the suspected killer! Expect, no one knows who he or she is.
Detectives turn over every stone and followed every lead. I appreciated reading about good police work. However, there are many characters at play in this story, enough to keep you guessing in every chapter.
A random turn of events changes the entire trajectory of the story and (to me) this is where things started to pick up.
Part II is really where the meat and potatoes start to get some flavor. Aisling is not who we assume her to be. Ethan and Finn are hiding something from everyone. Who is Jack O'Keane and where did he come from? Could the killer be right under our noses the whole time?
My Final Thoughts: I think the language and descriptions made this difficult for me to read but, I appreciated the glossary of British policing terms! To my own account, I tend to not read books not written in American English because I spend too much time looking up the words so that I can understand the context -- which usually adds to my reading time. Again, this one picked up for me in Part II but, I struggled for 50% of the book. Would I recommend it? Sure.
by: Liv Constantine
Published: May 23, 2023
Genre: Thriller, Murder Mystery, Fiction
320 Pages, E-Book ARC Courtesy of NetGalley
★★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
After a tragic chain of events led to the deaths of their spouses two years ago, D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery are finally starting to move on. The horrifying ordeal drew them together, and now they're ready to settle down again—with each other.
As Sloane returns to the world of White House dinners and political small talk, this time with her new husband, she's also preparing for an upcoming hip replacement—the latest reminder of the lupus diagnosis she's managed since her twenties. With both of their hectic schedules, they decide that hiring a home health aide will give Sloane the support and independence she needs post-surgery. And they find the perfect fit in Athena Karras.
Seemingly a godsend, Athena tends to Sloane, and even helps her run her charitable foundation. But Sloane slowly begins to deteriorate—a complication, Athena explains, of Sloane's lupus. As weeks go by, Sloane becomes sicker, and her uncertainty quickly turns to paranoia as she begins to suspect the worst. Why is Athena asking her so many probing questions about her foundation—about her past? And could Sloane be imagining the sultry looks between Athena and her new husband?
My Review:
WOW! What a great story of twists and turns. After Slone's husband is sadly murdered, Slone's life is flipped upside down by s series of events that seem far too coincidental.
Two years after the murder-suicide of her husband and his cousin, Peg, Slone has remarried Peg's husband, who survived the "incident". Slone found love with Whit by some twist of fate and restarted her life only for the proverbial rug to be pulled out from under her. Surgery. Lupus. And a new home health nurse. Will Slone's life ever be the same?
The story starts out s-l-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-w, it really took me a while to get into it. Even though the story drags for a while, the whole plot and twist are right in our faces the entire time but you just don't want to believe it. Since I don't want to spoil it, let's run through the characters and some crucial scenes:
Rosemary - Slone's (ex) Mother In Law, Robert's mother, and Peg's Aunt -- She reminded me of Verna Thornton from Scandal, she is who I pictured when reading from Rosemary's POV. She is a strong woman and refuses to let the people around her, play in her face. She had great intuition and I loved to see it.
Athena - Slone's New Home Health Nurse -- She's tricky because I didn't trust her but, once everything was revealed, I still was waiting for another shoe to drop. I didn't like her tie-in with the tragedy but loved her redemption story.
Emmy - Slone's Daughter and, Rosemary's Grandaughter -- Girl, you needed a leave of absence and to go see about your mother.
Whit - Slone's Husband -- Narccisst. I knew he was up to go good from chapter one.
Slone - Took her way to long to sniff out the trouble but, I get it, you need to build up the drama. Once she got wind of everything, I loved the comeback.
Character development was great. The writing was good. Again, my only gripe was the pacing, it drug along pretty slowly for me. However, I enjoyed the story as a whole and was fond of Slone, Emmy, and Rosemary. This was a great quick read and I would absolutely tell others to check it out.
This was my first read from the duo, but based on this book, I will add a few others of theirs to my TBR.
by: Tiffany D. Jackson
Published: Sep 15, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Murder Mystery, Fiction
384 Pages, Paperback
★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields? Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.
My Review:
Enchanted said that everyone says she is mature for her age, even her mother. I would say, all those people were lying.
Enchanted Jones is naive, immature, and insecure and rightfully so, she is seventeen. She does not have experience in the world that would give her the instincts to protect herself from Korey Fields. Even though, she used great instincts when it came to Creighton.
This story screams, Robert Sylvester Kelly: the grooming, the abuse, the personality of Korey, everything about this whole story is ripped from reality. A sad reality. Enchanted's parents allowed her to go on tour with Korey despite the fact that it was in the middle of the school year. Korey weaves a tale of lies to convince Enchanted that her family doesn't love her or want her and that they, "begged" him to take her. This is typical grooming and emotional manipulation.
My thoughts were to give this 4 stars before Enchanted makes the revelation about the watch but doesn't tell her lawyer or her parents. After that, the whole thing falls off the rails for me. I hated that she wanted to be a vigilante and take matters into her own hands - you have a lawyer and a supportive family, now is the time to start being honest and telling them everything!
Then, the whole story of Gabriela blew me. The group chats with the Will and Willow kids also blew me. Derrick was useless and, you guessed it, blew me.
Final Thoughts: the ending wasn't what I expected but, it wasn't terrible.
One-Word Summary: Bright Eyes
Other Tiffany D. Jackson books I've read & reviewed.
The Weight of Blood
Tasha Jenkins has finally found the courage to leave her abusive husband. Taking her teenage son with her, Tasha checks into a hotel the night before their flight out of D.C. and out of Kordell Jenkins’s life forever. But escaping isn’t so easy, and Tasha soon finds herself driving back to her own personal hell. As she is leaving, a white woman pounds on her car window, begging to be let in. Behind the woman, an angry man is in pursuit. Tasha makes a split-second decision that will alter the course of her she lets her in and takes off.Â
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Tasha and Madison Gingell may have very different everyday realities, but what they have in common is marriages they need out of. The two women want to help each other, but they have very different ideas of what that means . . .
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They are on a collision course that will end in the case files of the D.C. MPD homicide unit. Unraveling the truth of what really happened may be impossible‒and futile. Because what has the truth ever done for women like Tasha and Madison?
My Review:
Uhhhhhhh, where to begin?
I love a good murder mystery but I hate terrible, unlikable characters. Tasha and her son, Ghalen are both.
An unsuspecting Tasha invites a stranger, Madison, into her car to save her from her abusive husband - or so she thinks. Madison then reaches out to thank Tasha, invites her to lunch, then drops a bomb on Tasha as she is heading to the METRO to get home. Tasha is a victim of domestic abuse and ultimately, she is returning home from this lunch right back to the man who has been holding her captive!
Here are some areas where things fall off the tracks for me:
Tasha leaves the hotel to return to Kordell because her 17-year-old son wants to stay. He is 17. He can make that decision for himself. If he is unwilling to see his father for who he really is and has your best interest at heart, LEAVE HIM THERE WITH THAT MAN AND GO ON ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
Madison's proposition to Tasha. Madison is not an intelligent criminal if this was her plan all along because now, you've been seen in public with this woman. You've messaged her on IG - which could be used as evidence. Not only with Tasha but, you're talking on the phone with Summer about committing a crime. That's like, the number 1 rule when doing dumb sh*t; don't leave a paper trail or have conversations on the phone. Word to American Gangster!
Morris was way too nice and way too willing to go along with Tasha's dumb sh*t. As a man, how could you walk around with this woman knowing what her husband is doing to her? Why not go to the police to try to save her?
Ghalen! I saw his abusive tendencies coming a mile away. Sadly, Tasha is a mother that we all know; a mother who loves her son instead of raising him. That boy is immature and emotionally stunted and from the moment he was able to discern what was going on around him, he should have been in therapy. For seventeen years he witnessed his father abuse his mother. Not only that but, his mother has only babied and pacified him, his actions, and his behaviors. He was insufferable.
For a murder mystery, it had a great twist. But for me, when there are no redeemable characters, and no one to root for, it makes it hard for me to "like" the book as a whole. Detective Simmons was the only character who had some sense and even he got on my nerves. You cannot function off of lack of sleep and 12 cups of coffee.
I've said it before about murder mysteries: usually, the cops are useless and dumb but, Simmons sniffed out the right clues immediately.
Final Thoughts: The story was cool, I'd give it a 4/5. The characters killed it for me tho, they're a 1/5.
Liza B.--the only DJ who gives a jam--wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly--but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she'll settle for getting him out of her head.
At first, Dorsey writes off Liza Bennett as more interested in performing outrage than acting on it. As the adopted Filipino son of a wealthy white family, he's always felt a bit out of place and knows a fraud when he sees one. But when Liza's protest results in a viral meme, their lives are turned upside down, and Dorsey comes to realize this irresistible revolutionary is the most real woman he's ever met.
My Review:
This was a s-l-o-w burn for me. I found that the more I read, the more I was interested in the story but for 75% of the book, I was quite over Liza and Dorsey.
This love story, in the foreground of Washington DC, didn't curl all the way over for me. Liza and her sisters are known for their beauty throughout the city: The Bennett Sisters with her oldest sister being a former beauty queen. Through their own trials and tribulations, all three Bennett sisters live in a two-bedroom apartment with their mother and grandmother.
Liza is fighting the good fight against gentrification in their neighborhood when she meets, uber-billionaire DOrsey Fitzgerald. This is truly a 'Pretty Woman' story -- that reference is used a few times in the book.
Here's where the story lost me:
Beverly Bennett is an awful mother who has cast her own insecurities and fears onto her daughters and, is jealous of them. She wants nothing more than for them to marry rich. The whole scene at the awards banquet was cringe-worthy. Ms. Payne, you could have given this family so many other struggles but this was too much for me.
Liza is a beautiful, educated young woman who is pining after a job with WCO, a foundation that Dorsey's mother created. While that is noble and great, however, in DC with her education, there would be plenty of non-profits that she could have worked for to get her experience. It seemed to me like she just wanted WCO or nothing else and that was frustrating.
How did Chicho get back to DC from Philadelphia after the gala? She rode up there with them as Maurice's plus one but, when it's time for them to leave, there is no mention of Chicho in the van.
The whole story with LeDeya and WIC (also, I hate this nickname), hated it. There could have been a better way to have Dorsey swoop in and save the day but, this?! Sidenote, so Janae is Danny Ocean now? She can hack accounts and create false wire transfers?! That was just too much.
My Final Thoughts: It was a cute love story. From the beginning, as a reader, I saw where it was going. Did it take too long to get there? Yes. Did I hate the book? No. Would I read a book solely about Janae and David's romance with backstories about both of them? Maybe.
by: Mackenzie Reed
Published: Oct 31, 2023
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Fiction
368 Pages, E-Book ARC Courtesy of NetGalley
★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
Lily Rosewood dreams of taking over her family's company one day. Her grandmother, Rosewood Inc's current chair, has always encouraged her, and Lily can't wait for Gram to teach her everything she needs to know to run the business.
But then Gram dies suddenly, and Lily's world is upended. When it's revealed that Gram's quarter of a billion dollar fortune is missing, Lily can't fathom what her future will hold now.
Even in death, Gram has a few tricks up her couture sleeve. A last letter from her with a cryptic clue sends Lily and three other teens on a treasure hunt that could change their lives forever-if they can survive it. And if they pull it off, they may be rewarded with more than just money. But they're not the only ones hunting for Gram's treasure, and soon the hunt becomes more dangerous than they ever could have imagined.
My Summary:
Silly hijinx. Teenagers. Family drama. This hunt for the Rosewood fortune gives National Treasure but with teenagers.
We're introduced to Lily Rosewood, the eldest granddaughter of Iris "Gram" Rosewood who is at the helm of the Rosewood family business. Lily is looking forward to taking over as Owner/CEO of Rosewood upon the death of Gram but instead, she is sent on a high-stakes treasure hunt for the billion-dollar fortune left behind by Gram.
With riddles and puzzles and clues to gather from all around town, Lily, with the help of some friends - who also have a connection with Gram - must get to the treasure before the treasure hunters who are also looking for the money.
My Review:
The Rosewood Hunt was a slow burn for me. It took me a few days to get into it and even once it started getting better, I skipped the descriptive paragraphs and only read the dialogue. The whole premise and plot felt dry to me. I sniffed out where the treasure would be; who was involved with the hunters, and figured out the ending almost to a "T".
The book's pacing was slow in the first half but, once it picked up toward the middle, everything moved quickly with the exception of a big final moment where there is way too much talking and observing when they should have been moving! To be fair, I also hate this in movies but, why is there so much dialogue and reflection with others when someone is chasing you?... R U N!!
This idea of a treasure hunt has been done before. There is a need for antagonists and others who throw a wrench in the plan, to throw you off the hunt. That's a given. The family drama is not new either. But my one real complaint is that I wish the drama had some more depth. For me, it seemed like all the conflicts were surface. The two cousins, once their "issue" is revealed is something so basic and immature -- well, they're young so *shrug*. Then the family drama with Nonna and Leo also made no sense. Why would his grandmother have an issue with HIM, of all people involved, his own grandson? That didn't make sense to me. However, I did like Caleb's story about being brave.
Final Thought: Where are Lily and Daisy's mothers? Why did they just run away never to be heard from again? That has bothered me since I finished the book.
by: Zariah L. Banks
Published: Mar 23, 2023
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction
358 Pages, E-Book ARC Courtesy of NetGalley
★
GoodReads Synopsis:
While recovering from her explosive breakup, Patience is finally determined to focus on defining happiness. So, when she crosses paths with Mr. Charisma, Lennox Davenport, while on a business trip out of town, she's open to spending the night with the handsome stranger. Lennox is everything Patience didn't know she assertive, encouraging, inquisitive, and has a sex appeal that leaves her senseless. As their interactions quickly intensify, she realizes she doesn't know herself at all.
Patience wants much more from her casual relationship with Lennox and begins recognizing how the relationship residue left by an absent father and a manipulative ex poses harm to her growth, healing, and happiness. Is she ready to finally release her emotional baggage and love freely? Or will her toxic habits resurface to sabotage yet another chance of finding real love with the man who has finally managed to behold her beauty within?
My Review:
As much as I wanted to enjoy this book (for multiple reasons), I just didn't, for multiple reasons. I wanted to like it because I enjoy stories about black people, black culture, and black love but, this was not that.
The first thing I couldn't get past was the writing style of the author. I have not read any other Zariah L. Banks novels but, if this story is any indication of her writing style, I would have to respectfully not engage. Of all the highlights and annotations I did in this book, 99.9% of them were surrounding her use of certain words and her writing style. Here are a few words I had questions about:
"Dead-ass facts" -- New York City people, isn't "deadass" and "facts" the same in this context? Like redundant? Get back to me.
"I'm not gon' cap." -- Do twenty-somethings speak like this? I wouldn't know, I'm a thirty-something. Let me know.
"On fleek" -- Is this still a thing?
"Gully" -- pretty sure this is a 90s thing.
"Respeck" -- Just. Make. It. Stop
Then, there are the awfully written sex scenes. THRASHING. JOYSTICK. YONI. APRIL. SLIPPERY FOLDS. ROOFTOP. Literally, nothing about the writing of the sex scenes was appealing. Every word made me cringe.
Number Three. Patience is immature, emotionally inept, and so far from self-aware. She admitted to taking a backseat to her ex while propping him up and forgetting about her own needs. Then leaves that situationship for another, with no time in between to figure out herself. That bothered me. Patience needs therapy badly but instead, the people in her life just overlook her bad behavior, Lennox included.
My Final Thoughts: Don't read this if you don't have to.
by: Sarah J. Maas
Published: May 5, 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction
419 Pages, Paperback
★★★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
My Review:
If Beast and Belle were in a mythical land of fairies and shape-shifting royalty, it would be A Court of Thornes and Roses!
Let me preface this review by saying... this is my first step into fantasy fiction -- well since I read the first Harry Potter in the 6th grade. I also read the first Hunger Games, even though that's not really fantasy. Anyway, I wasn't sure what I was getting into and it did take me about, the first hundred pages, to really get into it.
How-Be-Ever! When I got into it, oh man!!! I wasn't ready.
Fayre - a mere mortal living in the human world when the seams of her world begin to unravel after a day in the woods hunting. Fayre is ripped from her world and all that she's known, and thrust into Prythian. Initially, Fayre annoyed me! Girl, you got a Picasso in your house. Word to ATL, #IYKYK. Just live in the lap of luxury and shut up. But ripped from the only life she knew, leaving behind her family, it was only right that she longed to go back and save them from a war that they didn't know was coming.
Tamlin. Beast. I mean, swoon. He's kind and gentle but, massive and dangerous when the land and people that he loves are threatened. His power knows no bounds when it comes to protecting his court, his land, his Emissary, and Fayre.
Sarah Maas knows how to write! Even with the language of this world; the names; and places, I still understood everything effortlessly.
The romance is there, without the smut. I loved that! As the reader, I could feel the heat between Fayre and Tamlin from the moment he brought her to the Spring Court. I'm glad the pages were not full of heavy petting and the secks.
TEAM LUCIEN ALL DAY. He gave real "Big Bro" vibes and I loved how he and Fayre's relationship grew. I loved that he admitted to hesitating and that they overcame that.
Rhysand. Rhysand. Rhysand. I knew you were up to no good at the Rite.
Final thoughts. Loved it. Will pick up the rest of the series and hope to finish before the TV adaptation begins streaming.
by: Tiffany D. Jackson
Published: Sept 6, 2022
Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Fiction
416 Pages, Hardcover
★★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation... Maddy did it.
An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she's dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.
After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High's racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school's first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it's possible to have a normal life.
My Review:
Maddy knows that she is different, she is not like the other kids in Springville: she knows this, everyone knows it, so why can't they just let her be?
In her small town of Springville, Georgia, Maddy wants to disappear into her surroundings and let the rest of her high school class enjoy their senior year without even noticing her. She is perfectly fine going the rest of the school year, 100% unnoticed. That is until a brief, freak rainstorm rolls in out of nowhere and upends everything that she knows to be true, thus far.
This is... She's All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Carrie (the original, not the 2013 remake) all smashed into one book. With the backdrop of a racially divided small town and social media.
I enjoyed the writing style. I enjoyed the characters. I could have passed on the podcast interjections but, I didn't hate them. Maybe if they were police interrogation transcripts, I don't know -- but again, didn't hate it.
I hope there is another book to follow this, I'd love to hear about Wendy and how her life turned out; Kendrick and where he is, hopefully living his life to the fullest; and of course, where is Maddy?!
by: Emma Rosenblum
Published: May 23, 2023
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
272 Pages, AudioBook ARC from NetGalley (HH:MM) 08:45
★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
None of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder?
Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he's the tennis pro or someone else's husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as quietly as any other.
Until a body is discovered, face down off the side of the boardwalk.
My Review:
It's giving, One of Us is Dead or The Hunting Wives... way too many characters, way too much going on, and way too much to follow.
Scandal. Affairs. Frenemies. And tennis. As Summer approaches, the four couples descend to Fire Island to escape the misery that they live the other 9 months out of the year in New York City. With all the gossip and secrets flying around this island, we get the point-of-view of all characters involved; the Nanny and Bartender included.
With all the many stories and characters to follow, this got really tiring for me and I lost interest halfway through. Here are my takeaways:
Too many characters to follow. For me, when there are multiple POVs and he's sleeping with her; and she's sleeping with him, it becomes confusing. I was already 6 characters/chapters in when I realized that I should've been taking notes but, I did not go back and actually take notes :(
Lots of side stories that actually have nothing to do with the plot. Just things to throw you off, I guess. That's usual.
Tennis! Lots of tennis. I'm guessing this is what the rich do in their free time.
I guess Sam needed some drama to light a match to his inner turmoil but, his job "situation" I felt was unnecessary and fell flat.
Final thoughts: Cool, I guess. I could see some version of this whole story being a mini-series on Netflix or something. It gives very much so, Big Little Lies or Pretty Little Liars vibes.
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
My Review:
Millie is down on her luck and in desperate need of a job to get her out of sleeping in her car -- Nina Winchester enters the chat. Enticed by the requirement to be a live-in housekeeper as well as the good pay, Millie can't say "no" to this once-in-a-lifetime offer. However, it only takes a day before Millie's luck runs out -- Andrew Winchester enters the chat.
We get the initial story told from Millie's point of view. With little to no context behind it, Nina is unhinged from day one. As the story progresses and things between The Winchesters and Millie become undone, it makes no sense why Millie is still there, day after day -- you need to quit this job! Go back to living in your car, it was safer.
When Millie enters into an illicit affair with Andrew, that was the beginning of the end.
Absolutely great writing and great character development.
The plot wasn't rushed and the ending fell right into place, it all made sense.
Enzo was endearing, even though for a while, I wanted him to be in on it, I'm glad he wasn't.
Cecelia, I'm so glad that she is okay.
Officer Conners, way to go!
There aren't a lot of characters thrown into the mix to confuse you, like some other mystery thrillers.
Final Thoughts: Everything was great. I was hooked until the last page. Literally, binge-read this in one day.
by: Jeneva Rose
Published: Apr 25, 2023
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
350 Pages, AudioBook from Audible (HH:MM) 08:01
★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
Grace Evans, an overworked New Yorker looking for a total escape from her busy life, books an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. When she arrives, she's pleasantly surprised to find that the owner is a handsome man by the name of Calvin Wells. But there are things Grace discovers that she's not too pleased about: A lack of cell phone service. A missing woman. And a feeling that something isn't right with the town.
Despite her uneasiness and misgivings from Calvin's friends and family, the two grow close and start to fall for one another. However, as her departure date nears, things between them start to change for the worse. Grace grows wary of Calvin as his infatuation for her seems to turn into an obsession. Calvin fears that Grace is hiding something from him.
My Review:
gas·light (v): manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning
If Gaslighting were a fictional, murder mystery novel written by Jeneva Rose, it'd be this book.
Grace was aptly named because she gave Calvin and this whole town much more grace than she should have. Did she not read the reviews from other guests on this Airbnb? Even if she didn't, from Day 1 everything about Calvin and this home in the middle of nowhere was all the more reason for her to get out of there quick.
After a near, cross-country trip from New York City to the middle of Wyoming -- Google Maps says it's over 1,900 miles and about 30 hours to drive -- Grace finds herself on a beautiful ranch with a beautiful man, Calvin. Calvin is more than hospitable and willing to do and say anything for Grace to enjoy her stay and relax. From day 1, Calvin is drawn to Grace and we (as the reader) know that a romance is coming.
Grace is floating on cloud 9, enjoying her vacation and not even realizing that she has unplugged from her busy life -- she's done this inadvertently because there is no cell service or wifi on the ranch. It isn't until the Sheriff shows up to ask about a missing woman that Grace starts to question everything that Calvin is telling her. Every time, Calvin is saying all the right things. He's poised and collected, his body language doesn't tell what he's really thinking. Grace is starting to fall hard for Calvin but he's not telling her the truth and somehow, he's made her question everything that she's seen and heard. Grace, you in danger girl.
Final Thoughts: It's a lot going on and even with the twist in the end, it doesn't really explain anything; it's just... a twist. Grace is an unlikeable character, she's naive and blindly goes along with whatever these strangers say. There are a lot of characters around to throw you off the scent, which... okay, seems to be a Jeneva Rose thing. But eh, I wanted more from the 'why'. The lack of a good 'why' really made me rethink how I was feeling about the whole book.
One-Word Summary: Gaslighting
Other Jeneva Rose books I’ve reviewed:
The Perfect Marriage
One of Us Is Dead
by: Lauren North
Published: May 26, 2023
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
327 Pages, E-Book ARC Courtesy of NetGalley
★★★★
GoodReads Synopsis:
‘It’s me,’ says the voice on the other end of the line. It’s been thirteen years and I still recognise it. Thirteen years of nothing. Silence. Not even a birthday card. ‘It’s time for you to tell the truth. It’s life or death.’
Three hours later, car tyres screech and the air bags release. For a second, nothing happens. There’s only stunned silence and a ringing in my ears.
I peel open my eyes. What have I done? There’s a groan, and I gasp, terrified, at the sight of the man next to me. This is all his fault.
My Review:
It's been thirteen years since Lucie, Celia, and Henry were all together. Now they're faced with a secret that they'd kill for, but who has the most to lose?
Celia is a controlling shrew who cannot function without structure,, lists, and schedules. This could be an undiagnosed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but, whatever it is, she needs to seek help for it.
Henry is your typical seventeen-year-old boy, focused on his studies and determined to go to university to study medicine.
Then there is Sam, who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and is now wrapped up in a murder and kidnapping. Lucie was mere weeks away from fulfilling one of her dreams and it was snatched away from her too soon.
This story had me hooked -- I could not put it down and (minus 40 or so pages) I read it in one sitting.
Excellent police work, finally! Detective Sato asked the right questions, followed the suitable leads, and didn't back off when the case seemed, "open & shut" -- like in most thrillers.
The story's pacing was easy to follow and moved quickly, just like a good thriller.
The characters were all fleshed out, and the descriptiveness of each character made you feel like you can picture them -- you can picture their mannerisms.
Great read! Great thriller! Great story. It kept me on my toes up until the very end. I can usually spot the plot holes and predict the ending but, this one... I did not picture that. Bravo Ms. North!
When the body of disgraced reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found on a playground in the Bronx the morning after her 25th birthday party, the police and the media are quick to declare her death an overdose. It’s a tragedy, certainly, but not a crime.
But Desiree’s half-sister Lena Scott knows that can’t be the case. A graduate student at Columbia, Lena has spent the past decade forging her own path far from the spotlight, but some facts about Desiree just couldn’t have changed since their childhood. And Desiree would never travel above 125th Street. So why is no one listening to her?
My Review:
Very slow to the draw. 90% of the story is played out very slowly and doesn't pick up until the last chapter. While I didn't expect it to be fast-paced all the way through, most of it was very lackluster. Let me back up.
Instagram model/influencer, Desiree Pierce is found dead of a drug overdose but her sister, Lena immediately suspects foul play.
I've said it before in other reviews, cops in these stories are so useless and it infuriates me that they are always written this way. Case in point: see The Perfect Marriage. Detective Green and Detective Zizza were imbeciles.
Over the course of about 10 days, Lena is turning over every leaf and following every lead, to figure out what happened to her sister -- something that should be the NYPD's job. Of course, she is met with many roadblocks; her father is unhelpful and almost comes off as a suspect, there is an old family friend who is mixed up in Desiree's life, a new "best friend" who isn't who she says she is, and a pesky reporter who flirts with Lena at all the wrong times.
There are enough characters in this story to keep you guessing. However, the final climax left much to be desired for me -- it was very anticlimactic.
Aunt E was the scene stealer! I'd love to read a story about her and Gram.
Final thoughts, it was an easy read and despite my best efforts, I was unable to predict the ending for that alone, it gets an extra star! I'm usually pretty good at pegging the "suspect" early.
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