The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Two of my favorites are back for another mystery book and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers. Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate. When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

These two just KNOW how to write a good mystery novel together. They just really never disappoint! The ending was jaw-dropping (as always). I literally could not put this book down for a second. This was written very much like their earlier novels, which I greatly appreciate it. They showed me that they aren’t even close to running out of ideas and stumping the reader and I’m here for it!

5/5 Stars

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

I really enjoyed the thrill ride that Rachel brought us in her last book “The Wife Upstairs”, so let’s see if it can happen again!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. The two women say they want to travel off the beaten path. But like Lux, they may have other reasons to be seeking an escape. Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are a true golden couple: gorgeous, laidback, and if their sleek catamaran and well-stocked bar are any indication, rich. Now a party of six, the new friends settle in to experience life on an exotic island, and the serenity of being completely off the grid. Lux hasn’t felt like she truly belonged anywhere in years, yet here on Meroe, with these fellow free spirits, she finally has a sense of peace. But with the arrival of a skeevy stranger sailing alone in pursuit of a darker kind of good time, the balance of the group is disrupted. Soon, cracks begin to emerge: it seems that Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest with Lux about their pasts––and perhaps not even with each other. And though Jake and Eliza seem like the perfect pair, the rocky history of their relationship begins to resurface, and their reasons for sailing to Meroe might not be as innocent as they first appeared. When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.

While this wasn’t as big of a hit for me as her previous novel, I’m not mad that I read it. On the other hand, this novel is a little out there. There are a lot of situations in this story that just don’t seem possible or don’t make sense. It’s not enough for me to have walked away from it, but not something I would read again.

3/5 Stars

The Resting Place by Camilla Sten

The Lost Village was an intriguing read for me, and Camilla’s newest novel just sounds even better!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Deep rooted secrets.
A twisted family history.
And a house that will never let go.

Eleanor lives with prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize a familiar person’s face. It causes stress. Acute anxiety. It can make you question what you think you know. When Eleanor walked in on the scene of her capriciously cruel grandmother, Vivianne’s, murder, she came face to face with the killer – a maddening expression that means nothing to someone like her. With each passing day, the horror of having come so close to a murderer – and not knowing if they’d be back – overtakes both her dreams and her waking moments, thwarting her perception of reality. Then a lawyer calls. Vivianne has left her a house – a looming estate tucked away in the Swedish woods. The place where her grandfather died, suddenly. A place that has housed a chilling past for over 50 years. Eleanor. Her steadfast boyfriend, Sebastian. Her reckless aunt, Veronika. The lawyer. All will go to this house of secrets, looking for answers. But as they get closer to uncovering the truth, they’ll wish they had never come to disturb what rests there.

This one was dark and twisted and oh so good! Face blindness in a thriller?! You can’t go wrong! It’s such a brilliant plot idea! Despite the multiple characters introduced in this story and the dual timeline, I was still completely engaged. I love the short chapters and twists and turns at every corner. You can kind of figure out the ending of the story by the clues she leaves, but it was a wonderful thriller in my opinion!

4/5 Stars

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

One of the greatest things to come with diving into the social world of the love of reading is discovering new authors. I discovered Diane about 3 years ago, and have loved her books ever since. I wish I had known about her for much longer!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: When Kayla Carter’s husband dies in an accident while building their dream house, she knows she has to stay strong for their four-year-old daughter. But the trophy home in Shadow Ridge Estates, a new development in sleepy Round Hill, North Carolina, will always hold tragic memories. But when she is confronted by an odd, older woman telling her not to move in, she almost agrees. It’s clear this woman has some kind of connection to the area…and a connection to Kayla herself. Kayla’s elderly new neighbor, Ellie Hockley, is more welcoming, but it’s clear she, too, has secrets that stretch back almost fifty years. Is Ellie on a quest to right the wrongs of the past? And does the house at the end of the street hold the key? Told in dual time periods, The Last House on the Street is a novel of shocking prejudice and violence, forbidden love, the search for justice, and the tangled vines of two families. 

Diane’s books are just some of the most wonderful stories I’ve read that stick with you for the rest of time. This is one of those stories. While many of my readers know that I’m not a huge fan of alternating timelines, I get so excited when I find authors that do it well. This is one of those authors. The historical context was captivating and impeccable. I found myself wanting to know more outside of the book. I highly recommend this book for you to read.

5/5 Stars

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Have you ever watched “Black Swan”? It was such an interesting movie, and I’ve been on a kick of books related to such topics lately.

Thank you St Martins Press for my gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she’s been away…and some secrets can’t stay buried forever.

I think I went into it with this whole “Black Swan” mantra, and soon realized it wouldn’t live up to those expectations. It’s a slow burn, a bit too slow for what I wanted. I think the author did an amazing job delving into the art and world of dance. I honestly haven’t read a book that did so well in putting the reader in some ballet shoes of their own. I didn’t really get a mystery-vibe from this book. I think this author has extreme potential and I am ready and willing for her next read. I think this book would be appreciated more by those who have a background in dance, but it’s not something I would pick up again.

3/5 Stars

Heard It In A Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves

I was really moved by the last book I had read from Tracey, so I’m excited to be back in her world of writing.

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Layla Hilding is thirty-five and recently divorced. Struggling to break free from the past—her glory days as the lead singer in a band and a ten-year marriage to a man who never put her first—Layla’s newly found independence feels a lot like loneliness. Then there’s Josh, the single dad whose daughter attends the elementary school where Layla teaches music. Recently separated, he’s still processing the end of his twenty-year marriage to his high school sweetheart. He chats with Layla every morning at school and finds himself thinking about her more and more. Equally cautious and confused about dating in a world that favors apps over meeting organically, Layla and Josh decide to be friends with the potential for something more. Sounds sensible and way too simple—but when two people are on the rebound, is it heartbreak or happiness that’s a love song away?

Oh man, this kind of story is my favorite trope. I love me a good second chance at love. I feel like those are the most authentic love stories, and Tracey did not disappoint with that in this book. Just like her previous book I read, “The Girl He Used To Know”, he characters are so well developed and multi-layered. It’s always such a joy to read her books because of that. While their love story was a slow burn, I felt it completely necessary in this book. What I did struggle with, and tend to do so in many other books, is the alternating chapters between the character’s viewpoints. It wasn’t as seamless as I had hoped it would be. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book.

4/5 Stars

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

Have you ever picked up a book based on advertisements you’ve seen randomly across the internet? I think my phone and computer has learned of my taste and books, and I stated to see this book advertised everywhere website I went to! It worked, because I immediately had to read it!

Thank you St Martins Press for my gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town. Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed. Gone is the bold, courageous surgeon, and in his place is a terrified, paranoid man—one who cannot tell reality from nightmare, and fears Jane is an apparition, come to haunt him. By morning, Augustine is himself again, but Jane knows something is deeply wrong at Lindridge Hall, and with the man she has so hastily bound her safety to. Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, Starling crafts a new kind of gothic horror from the bones of the beloved canon.

I first want to mention – how gorgeous is this cover?! I think it’s absolutely stunning. While I thought this would be more of a suspenseful story, it’s definitely more of a gothic horror tale. With that being said, it was mind-bendingly insane. It’s creepy and twisted and will keep you up on night thinking about it in the best way possible. It’s magic meets a haunted house – what more could you ask for in an October read? I will say the plot got a little muddled half way through, but wasn’t enough to keep me from reading on. If you are there, I encourage you to keep going.

4/5 Stars

Maiden Voyages by Sian Evans

I really have to give myself a pat on the back this year because I’m so dang proud of myself for stretching out and reading more nonfiction! I’ve definitely reached more for the science nonfiction, but I have found what intrigues me the most!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: During the early twentieth century, transatlantic travel was the province of the great ocean liners. It was an extraordinary undertaking made by many women, whose lives were changed forever by their journeys between the Old World and the New. Some traveled for leisure, some for work; others to reinvent themselves or find new opportunities. They were celebrities, migrants and millionaires, refugees, aristocrats and crew members whose stories have mostly remained untold—until now. Maiden Voyages is a fascinating portrait of these women as they crossed the Atlantic. The ocean liner was a microcosm of contemporary society, divided by class: from the luxury of the upper deck, playground for the rich and famous, to the cramped conditions of steerage or third class travel. In first class you’ll meet A-listers like Marlene Dietrich, Wallis Simpson, and Josephine Baker; the second class carried a new generation of professional and independent women, like pioneering interior designer Sibyl Colefax. Down in steerage, you’ll follow the journey of émigré Maria Riffelmacher as she escapes poverty in Europe. Bustling between decks is a crew of female workers, including Violet “The Unsinkable Stewardess” Jessop, who survived the Titanic disaster. Entertaining and informative, Maiden Voyages captures the golden age of ocean liners through the stories of the women whose transatlantic journeys changed the shape of society on both sides of the globe.

You can really tell that Sian did her research on this one! This book just takes you back in time and paints a great picture of what life was like on ships and what life was like as a woman working on a ship. With that being said, it was way more detailed than I think it needed to be. I wanted a little more about the women in specific, not necessarily the history of the ships and the culture surrounding specific timelines focused throughout the book. I wanted more emotion, not necessarily repetitive factual information. If you enjoyed Radium Girls or Hidden Figures, I think you will really like this one!

3/5 Stars

The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison

Nicola Harrison is one of my most favorite authors. I absolutely fell in love with her previous novel Montauk, and was so excited to get my hands on this one!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for my gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more–even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way. Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy–the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways–her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

As if Nicola couldn’t get any better! I’m not a historical fiction reader, but this book was phenomenal. I couldn’t help to feel for Olive. I just had such a big heart for her. She went through so much in this book, and I just wanted to be her best friend and steer her in the right path. I really felt like I was in the 1920s reading this novel. Nicola has such an awesome talent for writing such beautiful and captivating stories. This comes highly recommended!

5/5 Stars

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

Ah, Sandie Jones. She’s a go-to author of mine that I never want to miss! I’m excited to share her latest novel releasing today!

Thank you Minotaur Books for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Six friends. Rachel and Noah have been friends since they met at university. While they once thought that they might be something more, now, twenty years later, they are each happily married to other people, Jack and Paige respectively. Jack’s brother Will is getting married, to the dazzling, impulsive Ali, and the group of six travel to Portugal for their destination weekend. Three couples. As they arrive at a gorgeous villa perched on a cliff-edge, overlooking towering waves that crash on the famous surfing beaches below at Nazaré, they try to settle into a weekend of fun. While Rachel is looking forward to getting to know her future sister-in-law Ali better, Ali can’t help but rub many of the group up the wrong way: Rachel’s best friend Paige thinks Ali is attention-seeking and childish, and while Jack is trying to support his brother Will’s choice of wife, he is also finding plenty to disagree with Noah about. One fatal misunderstanding . . . But when Rachel discovers something about Ali that she can hardly believe, everything changes. As the wedding weekend unfolds, the secrets each of them hold begin to spill, and friendships and marriages threaten to unravel. Soon, jumping to conclusions becomes the difference between life and death.

Okay, so maybe this wasn’t my favorite book of hers. That’s alright! I think the problem for this book was that it was really similar to her style of her previous novels. I was hoping for something a little more dramatic and something that would stand out a bit more. The characters were unlikable for me and there was too much conversation going on between them that I really could care less about. It was a middle-of-the-line thriller for me. Not bad, but not one I would read again or jump to recommend to others.

3/5 Stars