The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

 

My thoughts

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. While it had me totally confused throughout it was still good. The last few chapters really came through. I finally understood pretty much what was going on. I was lost during a lot of this book. It had footnotes that really confused me for a bit but am glad they were there now. I will read this one again so I can really enjoy it. I had a hard time with it this time. But it was still pretty good. The author did a good job with character development and descriptions of the areas. 

The story starts out in 2013. Sebastian is writing a book. His story of a Revolution. A hunt for a monster. The story of The Red Winter. Sebastian is very old. Like hundreds of years old. He meets and falls in love with Antoine in 1766. 

Sebastian has a dwelling in his head, Sarmodel. You will hear a lot from Sarmodel. His thoughts are very important. He and Sebastian only communicate through thoughts. No one else can hear them. 

Sebastian meets Jacques, who is Antoine's son, in 1785. Jacques has tracked Sebastian down to beg for his help. There is a monster who is killing not only animals but humans. Jacques has read his father's letters from Sebastian and knows that he might can help. 

Sebastian and Jacques set off to find this monster and along the way Sebastian tells Jacques the story of The Red Winter. Of him and Antoine. Of all that happened. 

During this story it jumps back to 1437 and y0u meet a woman. Livie. Also the Archangel Michael. Michael you heat from in both 1437 and later. Later when the fight with the monster comes. When so many people are killed. They people revolt against the bishop and Antoine. They are tired of being hungry. Of being taken advantage of. Of being treated poorly. It's a big battle and a lot of loss. 

The author did a great job of character development. The descriptions of the areas were great. While I was a bit aggravated with the footnotes at first they did grow on me as I learned a lot from them. I was listening to the audio and would get a bit lost at times... 

Overall the ending was great. I think it may have been set up for a possible sequel. Maybe. We will see. 

The two narrators did excellent. Rory Barnett and Imogen Church. If not for them I may not have been able to finish this one. I'm truly glad I did though. It's long. It has a few things going on. Not a lot of characters to keep up with so that was good. Three timelines. The ending was in 2013 also, so many I should say four timelines. 

Thank you to TOR Publishing Group and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs. 

4 stars. 

About

A devastating love story. A bewitching twist on history. A blood-drenched hunt for purpose, power, and redemption.

In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave receives the news he fears most: the terrible Beast of Gévaudan has returned, and the French countryside runs red in its wake.

Sebastian knows the Beast. A monster-slayer with centuries of experience, he joined the hunt for the creature twenty years ago and watched it slaughter its way through a long and bloody winter. Even with the help of his indwelling demon, Sarmodel – who takes payment in living hearts – it nearly cost him his life to bring the monster down.

Now, two decades later, Sebastian has been recalled to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a terrible secret with Sebastian. Drawn by both the chance to finish the Beast for good and the promise of a reconciliation with Antoine, Sebastian cannot refuse.

But Gévaudan is not as he remembers it, and Sebastian’s unfinished business is everywhere he looks. Years of misery have driven the people to desperation, and France teeters on the edge of revolution. Sebastian’s arcane activities – not to mention his demonic counterpart – have also attracted the inquisitorial eye of the French clergy. And the Beast is poised to close his jaws around them all and plunge the continent into war.

Debut author Cameron Sullivan tears the heart out of history with this darkly entertaining retelling of the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan. Lifting the veil on the hidden world behind our own, it reimagines the story of Europe, from Imperial Rome to Saint Jehanne d’Arc, the madness of Gilles de Rais and the first flickers of the French Revolution.

Behind These Four Walls by Yasmin Angoe

 

My thoughts

This is my first book by this author. 

While I did think this was a slow burn story and it drove me crazy in places, it was an ok read. I didn't like a lot of the characters and could not connect with them. I really didn't like the main character Isla. She could have been a very strong woman but in so many places she came across as weak. At first she is ok but then she does a lot of stupid things that someone in her line of work just would not do. 

This really was a slow burn story. The beginning will pull you in but then about a third of the way it loses something. But when you hit the seventy percent point it seems to take off again. 

A story of two friends. Best friends. One is an orphan who left the home she was in. Isla and Eden became the best of friends. Eden was caring for her mother who was dying and Isla was there helping. Eden loves her mother very much and has hostility for her father. Isla has no idea what is in store when they leave to. Eden says she has some loose ends to tie up after her mom dies. She needs to take care of something. When she hops in the van and leaves it's the last time Isla sees her friend.

Isla wants to know what happened to her friend. It's ten years later and she makes it her mission to find her or find out what happened. It's all tied to the mega rich family. The Corrigans. Victor Corrigan is being presented an award. He is not that excited about it but does let Isla follow and write a paper on him and how he came to be who he is. The things she uncovers are suppose to be kept buried though. She also finds out things about her best friend, Eden. So many secrets her friend has kept from her. 

Each Corrigan family member seems to have big secrets. Especially Victor's wife. I really disliked her. She was a bad woman. She was also Victor's second wife. 

There are four Corrigan children, until there is not. Until there is only three. The Corrigan's are multi billionaires. More money than sense it seems. I liked Victor but he could be brash at times. Though I guess he had to be. But he was human. He had heart. 

The last thirty percent of this book had me captivated. I didn't want to put it down. It saved the whole story for me. I'm glad I finished it even though I didn't like the whole story a lot. It dragged in places that could have been so much better. Not that I'm an author but I do know a good story when I read one. This one was ok. Not great. Just ok.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

3 stars 

About

From the author of Not What She Seems, Yasmin Angoe’s thriller explores revenge, morality, corruption, and wealth as a woman sets out to uncover the truth behind her friend’s disappearance and expose the powerful family behind it.

Isla Thorne had a rough start in life. Orphaned young, she spent her formative years in a group home where she met her best friend, Eden Galloway. At sixteen, they decide to run away to LA…but Eden never makes it.

It’s been ten years since Eden vanished. And Isla’s determined to find her.

She begins at the last place Eden visited: the Corrigan mansion in Virginia. Eden claimed to have unfinished business there. Posing as an aspiring journalist, Isla insinuates herself into the wealthy family’s home and begins searching for the truth.

The more she digs, the more Isla discovers Eden isn’t who she thought she was. Was she even a victim, or did Eden plan this all along? Desperate for answers and to keep her identity hidden, Isla finds an ally in one of the Corrigan sons. But as she wades deeper into this power-hungry family’s secrets and lies, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a bloodline that’s more lethal than loyal.

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman

 

My thoughts

This is a book you don't want to miss. If you like historical, it's a must read. Based on the author's mother, aunt, and grandmother's time during the war. During WW2. This is such a good book. Very emotional but so beautifully written. It's obvious it was written with much love. Right from the author's heart and soul. 

This book is written from two timelines. Zoe Rosenzweig is a struggling writer who wants to know what happened to her family. Her recently deceased grandfather left some things that let her know it was time to get to know her lost relatives. Or what is left of them. Zoe is working as a writer and talks her boss into sending her to Australia where she will meet the elusive Henri Martin. Henri and his late wife were bakers. Very famous bakers. The story that Zoe hears tells her so much about not only Henri's life but her grandfather's also. 

You'll hear the story of Chana Rosenzweig and her family. How they lived before all was lost to them. How they endured life after the war. After being in a camp. After the loss of her dear father. How she met and fell in love. What became of them. How they interconnect with Henry and his family. 

This is one of the best books I have read about WW2. It's very emotional. It's filled with so much that happened. And the Author's Notes, I heard at the end of the audio as it's not in my ARC of the book, is not to be missed. So much info there. 

I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you Penguin Group Viking Penguin/Pam Doorman Books for this arc. 

5 stars 

About

An historical novel inspired by the experiences of the author’s own family after the Holocaust, a sweeping saga about survival, loss, love, and the reverberating effects of war

In 2018, Zoe Rosenzweig is reeling after the loss of her beloved grandfather, a Holocaust survivor. She becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to her family during the war.

Vienna, 1946: Chana Rosenzweig has endured the horrors of war to find herself, her mother, and her younger brother finally free in Vienna. But freedom doesn’t look like they’d imagined it would, as they struggle to make a living and stay safe.

Despite the danger, Chana sneaks out most nights to return to the hotel kitchen where she works as a dishwasher, using the quiet nighttime hours to bake her late father’s recipes. Soon, Chana finds herself caught in a dangerous love triangle, torn between the black-market dealer who has offered marriage and protection, and the apprentice baker who shares her passions. How will Chana balance her love of baking against her family’s need for security?

The Lost Baker of Vienna affirms the unbreakable bonds of family, shining a light on the courageous spirit of WWII refugees as they battle to survive the overwhelming hardships of a world torn apart.

Make It Out Alive by Allison Brennan

 

My thoughts

I always enjoy a book by this author. Though I have not read all the previous books in this series this one did perfect. You don't have to read them all in order. 

An action packed story of intrigue and murder. This story keeps you guessing as you go through all that is happening. It's a very intense and edge of your seat thriller. I never guessed this one. Though you are told up front who it is. A justification for murder by his partner. Never at fault. Always a victim seeking revenge.

When two FBI agents go missing you can bet everyone sits up and pays attention. No matter what they must be found. They posed as a married couple yet are truly in love with each other. The killer took them not knowing who they really were. They were put where it was next to impossible to escape. At every turn they were in danger of being killed. Talk about an escape room. A whole escape factory is way more intriguing. 

This book had me cringing and gasping so much. It would make a great scary movie. I could almost picture that. With all the things that were happening to them. Then the woman and her child. Oh my that part scared me. Had me holding my breath. What a mother will truly do for her child...

This is a great book. It has all the feels you need for a great thriller. It will keep you turning the pages until the very ending. I didn't want to put it down. 

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade and Harlequin Audio for this ARC.

4.75 stars... 

About

Allison Brennan returns to her bestselling series with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that thrusts Quinn and Costa into the crosshairs of a sadistic serial killer.

Three newlywed couples have disappeared from an exclusive resort in Florida, only to turn up dead soon after. With the location and the similarities between the female victims as their only leads, it’s up to the FBI Mobile Response Team to catch a serial killer before anyone else ends up dead. And they have the perfect bait—Detective Kara Quinn, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the targeted women.

Undercover as newlyweds pretending to enjoy their honeymoon, Kara and FBI Agent Matt Costa set a flawless trap. When their plan works and they arrest the predator, Matt sends the rest of the team home so he and Kara can have the weekend for some much-needed R&R. But on Monday morning, the couple doesn’t show up to work, and the MRT learns they never checked out of their hotel.

As their team tries to find them, Matt and Kara learn the truth—the killer wasn’t acting alone. He had a partner who succeeded where he failed. Kidnapped and forced into a twisted escape room, they need to find a way out, because if they don’t escape, they’ll die.

The Fair-Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia

 

My thoughts

The last book I read by this author was The Business Trip. It was a good one.

This story was good but the last part let me down. Part three. I suspected this was going to happen but to me it just didn't play out as smoothly as I had hoped. After the initial twist it did get better. I just think that one thing took away from this story. I know it was necessary but it just let me down. Also the part where a certain person got in trouble for murder and was innocent. That was just wrong. No matter what it was wrong.

I did not like Faith or Hope. The two sisters in this story. I like most all of the other characters but those two were petty and just not likable to be. Even as the weather girl Faith seemed to be so hateful to others. I did sympathize with her about the younger sister who was killed. That was horrible and made me dislike Hope all the more. If Faith would have been a kinder person I think I could have liked her. Yes she suffered from extreme anxiety but still she didn't have to be so mean and hateful to others. She was just to petty for me.

Then there was Olivia. I really liked her and her aunt and uncle. They were characters in themselves. They loved Faith. Thought she was the best. Olivia was an intern where Faith worked as the weather girl. She got all the inside info about her and shared it with her aunt.

Other people in this story were secondary and all were suspects in Faith's murder. It appears everyone or almost everyone had some bad experience with Faith. You'll even learn about some of her college antics. Not good people. Not good at all....

This was an intense thriller until it wasn't. At least for me. I just thought that one part of Part Three could have flowed smoother and been revealed in a better way. I have no idea how since I am not an author. But still it was just thrown in and then proceeded to tell what happened....

I loved the ending. I didn't see that coming at all. Though now I think I should have. I just didn't like Hope.....

Thank you St Martin's and Macmillan for the ARC.

3.75 stars.

About

The next gripping domestic suspense novel from Jessie Garcia.

It's always sunny in Detroit for Faith Richards. The popular TV meteorologist, endearingly referred to as "The Fair Weather Friend" by her viewers, has the world by the tail. But one night, Faith leaves work on a dinner break and never returns. Her body is found the next morning.

The town is reeling, suspects emerge, and long-buried secrets are uncovered. While her allies rally, her list of adversaries also grows. Little does anyone know that only the deepest secrets will expose the truth.

In this riveting thriller from the author of THE BUSINESS TRIP, Jessie Garcia's signature multi-POV, rapid-fire style will propel you into the heart of a mystery no one could have forecasted.

The Bookbinder's Secret by A. D. Bell

 

My thoughts

I read this and listened to the audio. This book was excellent. A story to end all stories. 

What would you do for love? What would you do for the person you loved? 

Isabel lived with her father. He was a very rich man and intended for her to marry someone who would further enhance his fortune. But Isabel was in love with another. Isabel loved William with all of her heart. She told her father but he forbid her to ever see him again. Isabel was heartbroken. 

This is a story of books and a woman who has a job of fixing the binding on books. When Lily Delaney started on her journey to find the books that this story is about she had no idea what was fixing to unleash around her. So much heartache and death. She would lose so much but didn't give up. She was determined to find the books with the letters hidden beneath their bindings. To find out what happened to the young lovers. 

This book takes you on a journey. A long journey that has so much going on. It's a love story and a book about a book/books. It's two love stories in one. The one from the letters and the one Lily is so afraid of. 

This was one of the best books I've read. It held my interest and kept me turning the pages. I wanted to know what happened to Isabel. To William. And to Issac. Of a Dr who just wanted to do what was right. This was a story that will stay with me a long time. It's that good.

Thank you St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs. 

5 stars. 

About

Every book tells a story. This one tells a secret.

A young bookbinder begins a hunt for the truth when a confession hidden beneath the binding of a burned book reveals a story of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.

Lilian ("Lily") Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life. She is trapped between the oppressiveness of her father’s failing bookshop and still being an apprentice in a man’s profession. But when she’s given a burned book during a visit to a collector, she finds, hidden beneath the binding, a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder.

Lily is pulled into the mystery of the young lovers, a story of forbidden love, and discovers there are more books and more hidden pages telling their story. Lilian becomes obsessed with the story but she is not the only one looking for the remaining books and what began as a diverting intrigue quickly becomes a very dangerous pursuit.

Lily's search leads her from the eccentric booksellers of London to the private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, deep into the heart of the mystery. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything for the books, Lilian’s world begins to fall apart and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth the risk to her own life.

* This stunning edition includes full-color designed endpapers, unique foiled front and back case stamps, and special interior design elements. While supplies last! *

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

 

My thoughts

I loved this book. It kept my interest all the way to the very end. A storm is coming. Both literally and figuratively. Set in Southern Alabama. Along the coast. Right where hurricanes hit...

Three best friends. One huge secret. Actually there are more than one but one is really huge. One that changes the course of these three girls/women's lives. Breaks their friendship bond. There was a few twists that I didn't see coming that made it even better. 

Lo Bailey, who left after she was accused of murder but acquitted. Geneva Corliss, who is the now owner of an Inn, the Rosalie Inn, which has withstood all past storms. All the hurricanes. It still stands. Rosalie is the daughter of the former owners of the Rosalie Inn. Her mother is in a memory care facility. 

When a reporter, August Fletcher, comes to this small town he brings Lo Bailey with him. He is writing a book about the murder and wanted to come to where it happened. Where so many secrets are buried. 

This is a great story. All is revealed. I guessed nothing except who August might be. It held my attention and had me turning the pages as fast as possible. I wanted to know why Lo would murder the Governor of AL's son. She supposedly loved him. But did she really do it. Or was it The Storm?

Well written and the setting is great. Lots of great detail and some twists to give you a few gasps.

I read this book quickly.

Thank you St Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the arcs. 

5 stars from me. 

About

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…