If Something Happens To Me by Ales Finlay

 

My thoughts

Alex Finlay is one of my favorite authors. This book to me was one of his best. I've enjoyed a few and though I did see what was coming at the end of the first part it did not take away from the story for me. There were to many things going on for it too cause to much stress.... 

A girl goes missing. Her boyfriend is knocked out and dragged from the vehicle. He wakes and both her and the vehicle are gone... What happened? Who could or would do such a thing and why? Alison and Ryan are out in her father's BMW at Lovers' Lane. A make out spot. When it starts raining they run get into the car. After that Ryan's world and life will never be the same. 

What happened to Alison? Did Ryan do something to her or is there really a person with no pinky's who dragged him out of the car and took her. If so why.

This story goes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Leavenworth, Kansas. From the United States to France to Italy. A journey to find the truth and run from something. This is a story of young love mixed up in so much. Quite a few characters involved. All to find out what happened to Alison? Maybe a bit more. 

There are a couple of gruesome scenes in this story but they are so necessary for you to get the whole picture of how bad a man named O'Leary is. A suicide. Some teens killed or overdosed. A family who will never be the same. Actually at least two families who will be affected. 

I enjoyed this book and read it in one day. I didn't want to put it down. It's very descriptive and makes you cringe in places. Gasp in others. Enjoy the scenery in some. I even cried in a couple places. I laughed a time or two. It was good but not necessarily for the faint of heart. I also loved how the title of this book played into the story.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AlexFinlay, #StMartinsPress, #MinotaurBooks, for this ARC. This is my own honest opinion of this book.

FIVE big stars and a very high recommendation. 

About

For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night. The car door ripping open. The crushing blow to the head. The hands yanking him from the vehicle. His girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken.

With no trace of Ali or the car, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Ryan. But with no proof and a good lawyer, he’s never charged, though that doesn’t matter to the podcasters and internet trolls. Now, Ryan has changed his last name, and entered law school. He's put his past behind him.

Until, on a summer trip abroad to Italy with his law-school classmates, Ryan gets a call from his father: Ali's car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Then, halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.

As Ryan races from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to a rural village in the UK, to the glittering streets of Paris in search of the truth, he has no idea that his salvation may lie with a young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas working her first case, and a mobster in Philadelphia who’s experienced tragedy of his own.

In classic Alex Finlay form, If Something Happens to Me is told by several distinct, compelling characters whose paths intersect, detonating into a story of twist after pulse-pounding twist. The novel cements Finlay as one of the leading thriller writers today.

Disturbing The Dead by Kelley Armstrong

 

My thoughts

I usually don't read many time travel books but these have been so good. This author has go beyond the realm of what my imagination looks forward to and I've enjoyed this series very much. 

Mallory has been stuck in 1869 Scotland for what seems a lifetime. It's been six months though. She was a housemaid but has become an assistant to her employer now. They solve crimes. They work well together and seem to like each other. I think it's love but who knows. Maybe in the next book...

While I throughly love this series I was a tiny bit disappointed in this book. In this story. To me it was so obvious what was going to happen with the unwrapping of the mummy. That didn't make me want to stop reading though. I also figured out fairly early on who the actual murderer was. But again it didn't make me want to stop. I could have been wrong. (I wasn't.)

There was another part that I was truly disappointed in but I don't know how to explain that without giving away what is possibly a bit part of this book. I'll just keep that to myself and think on it. No need of ruining it for anyone else. It has to do with Mallory though. After she is attacked in the tunnel. I also knew in my heart who was telling secrets to a writer, about Mallory and Doctor Gray. 

I have enjoyed this series and do look forward to the next book. I think there has to be a next. I like the characters and the storyline. The women who were determined to go to school and become doctors even though it was just not done in this time. That was a good thing for sure. 

This is a very good book. Just because so many things were obvious to me does not mean I didn't enjoy it. It really made it a bit better proving that I was correct. There were clues that gave it away for me. I look forward to reading more about Dr Gray and Mallory. They are truly a force to be reckoned with. I'm anxious to see what they uncover next...

This would have been a five star if not for Mallory's parents. That's all I have to say about that...

Thank you #NetGalley, #KelleyArmstrong, #StMartinsPress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Four stars and I do recommend this series. 

About

Disturbing the Dead is the latest in a unique series with one foot in the 1890s and the other in the present day. The A Rip Through Time crime novels are a genre-blending, atmospheric romp from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Victorian Scotland is becoming less strange to modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson. Though inhabiting someone else’s body will always be unsettling, even if her employers know that she’s not actually housemaid Catriona Mitchell, ever since the night both of them were attacked in the same dark alley 150 years apart. Mallory likes her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray, and is developing true friends―and feelings―in this century.

So, understanding the Victorian fascination with death, Mallory isn't that surprised when she and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing when it comes time to unwrap the mummy, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. And upon closer inspection, it’s not a mummy they’ve unwrapped, but a much more modern body.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week

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Warning:  Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at  MAILBOX MONDAY.

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Here is a shout out to the administrators

Serena @ Savvy Verse and Wit

Martha @ Reviews By Martha’s Bookshelf

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THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.

NetGalleys this week

Exposure by Ava Dellaira

A life-changing moment encompasses conflicting truths that echo across time, in this powerful, provocative debut.

One night, two people, four sides of a story.

In 2004, Juliette Marker, a white college freshman, and Noah King, a Black high school senior, are two lonely souls who enter each other’s orbit, forge a connection, and, after a chance meeting, go home together.

Twelve years later, Noah has done the impossible and made it in Hollywood. His first film is about to be released, and he and his beloved wife Jesse, a successful writer herself, have just had a baby. Meanwhile, Juliette’s best friend Annie, in the throes of grief, makes a decision that threatens to blow up the life Noah has struggled to build.

Spanning decades, from California to Chicago, and told from Annie, Juliette, Noah, and Jesse’s perspectives, this sharp, timely novel delves into one fateful night and the complex lives and relationships of those affected by it, brilliantly exploring how race, artistic ambition, and grief shape the way they—and we—see their story.

The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff

Unforgettable and utterly romantic, The Days I Loved You Most is a heart-wrenching, life-affirming novel that asks, How much would you sacrifice for the one you love?

In the summer of 1941, on the New England shores where they were raised, Evelyn and Joseph fell in love. Now, more than sixty years later, with a lifetime between them, they have gathered their three grown children to share the staggering news: she has received a tragic diagnosis, and he cannot live without her. So in one year’s time, they will end their lives on their own terms.

As the couple comes to grips with their fate, they retrace their past—the joys and regrets, the laughter and the sorrow—that brought them to this moment. They embark on a journey to live out their greatest dreams and to comfort and connect with each of their children before they're gone. But as their final days draw closer, they must confront the stark reality of what they are about to do, and make peace with the legacy they will leave behind for their family.

Spanning the twentieth century from World War II to 9/11 and beyond, The Days I Loved You Most is a timeless tale of unwavering devotion -- a moving tribute to the enduring power of love and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope and beauty to be found.

Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols

 

My Thoughts

I've had a lot of firsts this year. First time reads that is. Another new to me author that I will be looking out for. This book was great.

This is a dark story but it has a lot of things that I didn't expect. From fear to laughter to holding my breath. Yes there is a serial killer out there murdering teen boys. Cutting them open. Yes the killer is evil to the core. Yes he went through a lot in his life. Not an excuse for what he is doing though. I have to admit that I laughed in parts in a scene close to the end. I could not help it and believe anyone reading will do the same. Though I felt bad for the woman and I kind of felt bad for the killer during that scene. It didn't last long though. The feeling bad for him. I also had the killer narrowed down to two people, him being one of them. I was right and it did not at all in anyway take away from the story.

This town is rocked by the murder of a teenage boy. A boy who wasn't even missed by his so called family. "Aw he's just staying with a friend."Yeah right. What mother does not know where her child is. Well obviously this one didn't. I did not like her at all. My heart broke for Shane. He did not deserve anything that happened to him. Most importantly being killed. He had a horrible life at, well I would not call it home, that house. He was well loved by his friends though.

When Shane's body was discovered the other teens in his life were scared. Who could have done such a horrid thing. Who might be next. Though they should maybe have taken it a bit more series. A killer was among them. When the next boy is murdered the two remaining, Ethan and Sohpie, are truly terrified. Ethan is convinced that he will be next. Sohpie's dad is a detective and her mother is a nut. She is still so afraid though. She and Ethan decide to stick together. To leave town and find a safe place but it's not meant to be....

This book is a story of such deep loss. You will see what makes a serial killer. Or at least this one. The depths a mother will go for her child. To keep that child protected. The people in the town of Granite Harbor, Maine are faced with something dark and sinister. Why is this happening in their small town. Who's child is next???

About

A small town in coastal Maine is shaken to its core by a serial killer in this crime novel from Peter Nichols, bestselling author of The Rocks

In scenic Granite Harbor, life has continued on―quiet and serene―for decades. That is until a local teenager is found brutally murdered in the Settlement, the town’s historic archaeological site. Alex Brangwen, adjusting to life as a single father with a failed career as a novelist, is the town’s sole detective. This is his first murder case and, as both a parent and detective, Alex knows the people of Granite Harbor are looking to him to catch the killer and temper the fear that has descended over the town.

Isabel, a single mother attempting to support her family while healing from her own demons, finds herself in the middle of the case when she begins working at the Settlement. Her son, Ethan, and Alex’s daughter, Sophie, were best friends with the victim. When a second body is found, both parents are terrified that their child may be next. As Alex and Isabel race to find the killer in their midst, the town’s secrets―past and present―begin bubbling to the surface, threatening to unravel the tight-knit community.

At once a page-turning thriller and a captivating portrait of the social fabric of a small town, Granite Harbor evokes the atmosphere of HBO’s Mare of Easttown with a villain reminiscent of Thomas Harris’s Silence of the Lambs.

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

 

My thoughts

This book is not at all what I was hoping for. It's was a first for me by this author and I'm so disappointed. 

Parts of it was very good. The parts about the trip to Paris and the foods. The people Stella met. The fact that she finally met and liked her father. The descriptions were great. But the story itself drove me nuts. Stella was, in my opinion, very childish about things. There is caution then there is just stupid. She spends the day with an older man then freaks out that he may be nefarious with things. She describes him as much older too. I understand as she was molested as a young child and that plays a part. Kind of. It didn't bother her when she spent the whole day with him though and later when she meets men. Not that she is loose in any way. She's a very uptight woman. She had an awful mother. Though said mother didn't abuse her. But she was cold and still dated the molester. I didn't like her at all. 

The dress sounds beautiful and I guess that is what made Stella feel so different. Like she was truly beautiful instead of plain. Though she did apply some makeup and if memory serves me she fixed her hair a bit. That helps. I just didn't like her. I didn't like any of the characters. 

The Shakespearean Bookstore sounds great. Thought you won't fine many that let you just take up residence there. Sleep there. I understand that this bookstore was real and that the owner did allow people to read free and sleep in it. 

I can sum this one up as a DNF and didn't enjoy what I did finish. I read enough to write a review and to say that this book was just not for me. I understand that most loved it. I didn't.

I think it was well written and the author put her heart and soul into it. That makes it worthy of the stars I gave it. The Author's Note is worth reading. Please do that. I'm so sorry for this author's loss. That was sad. I feel awful that I didn't like this book but it happens.

Thank you #NetGalley, #RuthReichl, #RandomHousePublishing, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

3/5 stars for me. 

About

Bestselling author Ruth Reichl takes readers on an adventure of food, art, and fashion in 1980s Paris in this dazzling, heartfelt novel

Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean... Oysters, she thought, where have they been all my life?

When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual a one-way plane ticket and a note reading Go to Paris . But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a childhood trauma has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. When her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.

Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and, for the first time in her life, Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress and together they embark on an adventure.

Her first iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters, and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces her to a veritable who’s who of the 1980s Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, Stella begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.

As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.

Summers At The Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

 

My thoughts

I can't believe this is the first Mary Kay Andrews book I have read. I've seen several and even own two besides this one yet have not read her until now.

I started this book and fell in love with it's beauty. The beauty of the words and people. The way the words flowed so effortlessly through the pages. It's a long book but a quick read. I didn't want to put it down and didn't except to do things that absolutely had to be done. It swept me away to a beach resort in Georgia. This was a fun read but also had a mystery/thrill going on. A few things that had to be brought to justice. 

This story contains a murder. A past rape. An illegitimate child. A secret that spanned quite a few years and that NO ONE knew except the two involved and their lawyers. Until one snooping, nosey, hateful, woman found out and caused so much to happen. There's a fire. Theft. So much and still it's a light hearted story that keeps you wanting more. 

This author did such a good job of pulling everything together. Even a love interest or two thrown in for good measure. This resort sounds like a great place to vacation. Until things go bad. Then you might need to run. There are two young ladies who may be able to help. They are pretty good at solving a mystery when they are trying to survive. 

Most all of the characters in this story are so likable. They made it so easy to love this setting and area. To let go of the bad characters enough to keep reading and hoping they would be caught and brought to justice. Yes this is a wonderful book. This author knows how to weave a story and through in a few knots along the way.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MaryKayAndrews, #StMartinsPress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and a very high recommendation.

About

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

 

My thoughts

I can't believe this is my first book by this author. It was excellent. Very well written and researched. Based on a true story. One that I had no idea existed. To move a library underground was such a great thing to do. It helped people who did not have access to it before. And there is the fact that it was bombed and needed to be moved....

You meet three young women in this story and each tells their story. Their hopes and fears. The ways they coped. How these three became the best of friends during a very dark time in the world's history. Sofie, Rachel, and Juliet all met in Bethnal Green. In the library. 

Juliet was the Deputy Librarian. She got the job because there was no man to take it. The war had called most me to battle. She had many grand ideas, many of which the head librarian shot down. A man of course. He wanted things to be as easy as possible for himself. But Juliet would not let that stop her. She aimed higher and made it the best library they could possibly have. 

Sofie who fled her home for a safer place. She was working for a hard mean man. She worked very hard for him despite all of his abuse and meanness. The best thing that happened to her was when he sent her to the library for a map. There she met Juliet. Juliet was going to help her in ways she could not have guessed. 

Katie was a young girl who's fiancé was sent to war and went missing. Maybe killed. She is pregnant and scared. Barely out of school and terrified of how her family will react. She hides the pregnancy for as long as possible. When her mother finally finds out Katie knows things will be so bad for her. She's brought such a shame to the family. When she meets Juliet her life is changed also. So much will happen for her.

This book has a few secondary characters that I loved also. One of my favorites being Sebastian. He sounds like the almost perfect man. I was very leery of Victor. I just didn't trust him. The Miss Ridleys were wonderful as was Marigold. I didn't like Ernest Wainwright either. 

This is a story of friends during a horrible time. A time when Jews were singled out and deemed less than human. When Hitler decided that they needed to be gotten rid of. During a time of book banning and burning. A time when anyone with a sickness was consider less and needed to be put away. A very dark time for the whole world. I certainly hope it never happens again. But never think it can't...

Thank you #NetGalley, #JenniferRyan, #RandomHousePublishing, #Ballantinebooks, for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

FIVE huge stars and one of the best I've read this year. 

About

When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn't the bustling hub she's expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?

Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she's only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.

Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.

When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city's residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever?