The Way We Weren’t is a poignant novel about the compounding effect that one event or decision can have on the path of your life, as well as the inner strength that is necessary to step back and change your path.
Marcie and Will were teenage sweethearts, married just out of high school. Their friends envy their seemingly perfect marriage, and Marcie and Will agree, they have it pretty good. Until one day, when they find they want different things in life. Marcie takes off on a mission to find herself, and makes friends along the way. The closest of these is Flint - a curmudgeonly old man. Flint finds Marcie in a bit of a predicament, and steps out of his comfort zone to help her. The banter between Marcie and Flint is entertaining, and I loved the rapport and understanding they developed for each other throughout the novel. What is Flint’s purpose on Marcie’s journey? How will Marcie and Will reconcile their differences? Will Marcie find herself and happiness? Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Phoebe Fox for the advance copy. Grab yours on Amazon using the link below!
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The saying “money can’t buy happiness” has never been more true than when it comes to Layla and Graham. They have a lifestyle that is unimaginable to most - their glamorous house is built into the side of a mountain, they have staff to take care of their every need, and money to buy anything they want, but yet they are bored. Instead of seeking adrenaline in a more traditional manner by skydiving or another risky hobby, they choose to rent out the house below them and then “play games” to mess with the tenant’s life. Does their tenant have a family? No problem, they’ll stage an affair and gambling problem. Or maybe they’ll find a way to get the tenant hooked on drugs. Or maybe they’ll make the tenant so miserable that they will commit suicide. It doesn’t matter, as long as the tenant loses and Graham is entertained.
Now it’s Layla’s turn to prove herself to Graham. Can she make the new tenant miserable and destroy her life? Or will the new tenant “win”? Good Rich People is twisted, gruesome, messy, and quite the page turner! As much as I would cringe on one page, I’d need to keep reading the next to uncover the next grisly turn of events. Kudos to Eliza Jane Brazier on a thriller that was both macabre and enthralling! Thanks to Berkley Books and Eliza Jane Brazier for the advanced copy! Good Rich People is on shelves today, January 25. Be sure to check it out! Wow! I have to say, The Shadow House was full of unexpected twists and turns. I should have expected this, since I read and loved Anna Downes' first book, but I didn’t expect it again and it was thrilling!!
Alex is running from an ex in an effort to protect her children. She seeks shelter at a small eco community. Strange things start happening almost before she arrives, and these twists and turns will keep the reader on their toes guessing what is to come. Dead animals, dolls, blood on the walls…what is next? When Alex discovers that the son of the farmer that previously owned the property disappeared, she nearly leaves the community to protect her children, as she sees startling similarities between the disappearance of the farmer’s son and the events she is currently experiencing. This story is told with flashbacks to the events leading up to the disappearance of the farmer's son, through the eyes of his mother, Renee. What is the common thread between Alex and Renee? Other mothers have lived on this property without experiencing these traumatic events. Will Alex's son disappear like Renee's? Or will Alex leave in time? What happened to Renee's son after his disappearance? Anna Downes keeps the reader guessing and questioning throughout this fast paced thriller. Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Anna Downes for the advance copy!! Preorder now so you don't miss the April 5, 2022 release date!! One of the most terrifying scenarios for any parent would have to be to fear for the safety of their child, and that is exactly the position that Natalie is in in D.J. Palmer’s latest, My Wife is Missing. Natalie has discovered that her husband, Michael, had an affair. She has witnessed him turn violent several times, and is petrified for the safety of her children if she confronts him. Instead, Natalie decides to take their two young children and run, and when she is safely hidden away, file for divorce. However, her plan doesn’t go as smoothly as she hoped, and Michael is working to hunt her down.
On the other hand, Michael is worried sick about his children. He knows that Natalie is struggling from the effects of significant, long term insomnia, to the point that she has been hallucinating. When his family goes missing, he is desperate to find them, as he fears what will happen as Natalie’s insomnia causes her to be increasingly delusional. I’ve heard that there are 3 version of every event - yours, mine, and what actually happened. My Wife is Missing leaves the reader continuously questioning whose version of events is accurate. Is Natalie reliable as a narrator, or is she paranoid? Is Michael a violent man, or the victim of his wife’s delusions brought on by her insomnia? As the tale unfolds and we learn more about each character, we are caught up in an increasingly complex web of events that propel us forward to a dramatic conclusion. My Wife is Missing has elements of mystery, drama, psychological thrillers, and a parents worst nightmare. Don’t miss out on this one!! Coming to bookshelves near you May 10, 2022, but available for pre-order already! Thank you to D.J. Palmer, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the early copy! Heartbreaking and gut wrenching. The Last House on the Street is an utterly captivating and horrific story about racism in the south and irreparable divides in a family.
Ellie is coming into her own in the 1960s, and becomes passionate about equal rights. She joins SCOPE, an organization that was working to inform black US citizens about a possible change to voter registration laws, against her parents wishes. Kayla is a widowed architect, raising her little girl in her own and moving into the house that she and her husband designed prior to his untimely death. She runs into present day Ellie, who seems very different from the Ellie of the 1960s. As the dual storyline emerges, we learn more about Ellie’s experiences while working for SCOPE, including needing to hide from whites while canvassing with black SCOPE volunteers. Ellie is passionate about civil rights, and working for SCOPE helps her see the great divide in living conditions and opportunities for blacks and whites, as well as the blatant racism of the KKK and towards blacks in general. However, her passion for this cause has repercussions for her family - her dad loses customers, her mom is kicked out of bridge club. Ellie is forever changed, and cannot go back to living her old life. Frightening things begin happening to Kayla and her daughter as she prepares to move into her new home. A strange woman threatens her, her daughter disappears. Who doesn’t want Kayla in the house at the end of the street? What catalyzed the changes that we see in Ellie? This is one you won’t be able to put down. Diane Chamberlain has eloquently put into words the horror of racism while weaving a compelling narrative around this tragedy. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy. Sarah Pekkanen and Grier Hendricks are on fire with The Golden Couple! I’ve loved all their books, and this is another page-turner to add to your suspense/thriller collection.
Marissa and Mathew seem like the Golden Couple, but Marissa is hiding a secret - she cheated on her husband. She decides to take him to therapy to tell him and get everything out in the open, to heal their marriage. However, she doesn’t choose just any therapist, but Avery. Avery is no longer licensed, due to her unorthodox procedures, but Marissa is hoping she can work miracles and save her marriage. Marissa breaks off communication with the man she cheated with, but he won’t take no for an answer. Notes, flowers, and Mathew is even assaulted. How far will her lover go to try to claim Marissa for himself? These overtures continue to drive a wedge between Melissa and Mathew, and Marissa is concerned that even the miracle worker Avery won’t be able to repair the fissure in their marriage. Narration alternates between Marissa and Avery. This adds to the story, as we are able to see the same event from various perspectives. I've always heard that there's your version, my version, and the truth is somewhere in the middle, and that is definitely the case with the Golden Couple. Will Avery be able to repair their marriage? Will Marissa choose Mathew or her mysterious lover? Will Marissa's family stay safe? Whew! One I couldn't put down!! Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the early copy!! This gem is coming out March 3, 2022. Pre-order it now!! Charlotte McConaghy is back with an amazing second novel with Once There Were Wolves!! She continues with her uniquely lyrical voice and writing style, and her detailed descriptions make the reader feel immersed in the Scottish Highlands. Once There Were Wolves is an atmospheric novel set in the future, after humans have carelessly destroyed Earth's environment. Forests around the world have nearly disappeared, including the Scottish forests. Biologist Inti is working to rebuild the ecosystem by introducing wolves. However, Scottish farmers are understandably worried about the wolves hunting their livestock, and this causes significant tension between the biologists and the townspeople. When Inti discovers a farmer that has been killed, with injuries similar to those a wolf would inflict, tension skyrockets. Who or what killed the farmer? Can Inti convince the farmers not to harm the wolves? What lengths will Inti go to to protect her animals?
Parallel to the storyline of Inti in Scotland, the reader also gets the story of “before,” when Inti and her twin Aggie grew up, and then moved to Alaska to help with reforestation efforts there. This story arc gives insight into events that have shaped both Aggie and Inti and led them to where they are at present in the story. Charlotte McConaghy's writing style draws me in every time, as her words flow smoothly and are so descriptive. I can completely envision myself in the setting of her stories. I also liked how she alternated storylines throughout the novel, giving me little peeks here and there at the backstory of the characters to help develop them as well as increase my connection and empathy with their present situation. Once I started, I couldn't put this book down and I stayed up way too late reading! The enticing storyline of Once There Were Wolves combined with the writing style makes for an ethereal story. Be sure to snag a copy of this futuristic mystery for yourself!! Look for it in bookstores beginning August 3, 2021, or use the link below to order on Amazon. Thank you to Charlotte McConaghy and Flatiron books for the advanced copy!! Lily Atwood is a TV personality and reporter who presents a seemingly “perfect” persona. #perfectLily isn’t quite as perfect as she seems, and her producer’s job is to not only help find stories for Lily to cover, but to help protect her perfect image. These two even have a mystery source that has supplied them with intel on some big stories - but then their source begins to share Lily’s personal info with her producer - information that Lily hasn’t shared with anybody.
How does their source know about Lily’s missing sister or about the father of Lily’s child? And what is his motivation? These questions drive the story of Her Perfect Life forward to its shocking conclusion. Hank Phillipi Ryan has written another edge of your seat, nail biting thriller! You won’t be able to put this one down. Coming to shelves September 14, 2021. Thanks to Hank Phillipi Ryan, NetGalley, and Forge Books for the advanced copy! Reckless Girls is another fantastic thriller by Rachel Hawkins! Her first novel, The Wife Upstairs, was a gripping page turner, and Hawkins does not disappoint with this sophomore novel.
Lux is living in Hawaii with her boyfriend; they are working to save up money to repair his boat and sail around the world. Nico, her boyfriend, meets a couple of college aged girls that offer him an obscene amount of money to sale them to Meroe Island. Meroe is deserted, but there are many sinister tales of individuals meeting their demise while on the wild shores of Meroe. Lux and Nico agree to sale the girls to Meroe, but upon arriving after days of sailing, they discover that they are not the only ones seeking adventure on the isolated island. Although the two groups befriend each other, there are the expected tensions between groups of people staying together that are essentially strangers, and this propels the story to its unexpected ending. Reckless Girls is the story of 6 individuals on the isolated shores of Meroe and how their experience changes each of them and brings out their true colors. The story is mostly told from Lux’s point of view as she develops her sense self and her own dreams for her future. I couldn’t put this one down!! What a page turner - I kept trying to connect the pieces! Not one to start at bedtime. You’ll want to grab a copy of this when it’s available; you can pre-order using the link below!! Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of Reckless Girls. Pub day is January 4, 2022!! Where I Left Her is the sophomore work of Amber Garza, and she has continued to develop her voice as writer in this new novel.
Initially, I was quite empathetic with Whitney, as I identified with her as a mother. The idea of your child missing is absolutely terrifying! However, this part initially seemed a bit drawn out and to overemphasize Whitney as a controlling parent that was struggling with allowing her teenager to grow up and my sympathy began to wane. Later, I realized that this was quite intentional on the author’s part and was a crucial part of the story. The second half of the book, I couldn’t put it down! The storyline quickly developed and had me guessing at different possibilities. The storyline of Whitney’s missing daughter, Amelia, is interrupted with another story. The reader is led to make assumptions about how these two storylines fit together. When the connection is reveled towards the end, I was surprised, and appreciate all the intricate details that Amber Garza wove together in this dark and engaging tale of a mother’s love and how the past shapes the present. Thanks to NetGalley, Amber Garza, Mira Books and Harlequin Publishing for the early copy of Where I Left Here!! You can preorder at the link below, and find it in bookstores beginning August 24, 2021. |
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