It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

 

My thoughts

I've read a couple of Mary Kubica's books and enjoyed them very much. This one is on a whole other level of thrills. It actually had me feeling tense and scared in places. I was thinking everyone was guilty at some point. I never, ever, never, thought of what was revealed. That was brilliant. It was masterful. The best kind of twist. Actually both twists were great but the first one left me speechless...

My favorite line and the saddest line in this story: But who's to say what a grieving parent sees when they want so badly to believe??? That line would haunt anyone.

Two families on vacation at a cabin resort. Four adults who are related and four children between them.... Cousins will be cousins and siblings will be siblings. At times you truly want to strangle them, but at a time when only horror has happened you want to be there. To do what you can. But how. If you are so afraid then how. 

Courtney and Elliott have a ten year old daughter Cass. They are the best parents they can possibly be. Courtney's brother, Nolan and sister in law, Emily, have three children. A daughter, Mae, who is Cass's age. The two are very close. They are trouble from the word go but only as most all ten year olds can be. They love teasing Reese, Mae's seventeen year old sister. Mae also has a brother, Wyatt, who is fourteen. He's that brother who loves to blackmail you if he gets anything on you. He does this to Reese repeatedly. 

The two couples are very close. They get together almost nightly while in the cabins to play games, eat, drink. Just be free to be free. Nolan and Emily are having big problems. Seems they are not getting along well at all. 

Then the unthinkable happens. Nolan and Emily are brutally murdered and their daughter Reese is missing. Their son Wyatt slept through it all. Thus the story begins...

This book is great. It has all the feels and all the tension you want from a thriller. It has plenty of twists and turns. Lots of people to blame. A whole lot of guesses. And that ending. That unexpected, dramatic, earth shattering, ending. Ok maybe not earth shattering but it's till fantastic.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row Books, HTP the Hive and Harlequin Audio for the arcs. 

The narrators, Jennifer Jill Araya; Brittany Pressley; Gary Tiedemann, did a great job with this story. Kept it moving at a great pace and portrayed the characters perfectly. 

I received a physical copy from Harlequin also. 

FIVE big stars 

About

Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller

A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.

A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.

A truth no one could have imagined …
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…

Red City (The New Alchemists, #1) by Marie Lu

 

My thoughts

Narrated by André Santana; Eunice Wong; Natalie Naudus; Sid Sagar  How wonderful they did bringing this story to life. Magnificent....

My first book by Marie Lu and I loved it. Adored it. Ravaged it. This book is so well written and so engrossing. I am mad at myself for starting it a few months ago and then laying it aside. I know there was a reason but for the life of me I can't remember now. This book was excellent. Just what I needed. Now if I could only get the sequel....

This is a modern day, fantasy, other worldly but set mainly in the US. It's not your typical modern day though. It is so much more. A friendship to somewhat enemies. A forever love. A story that will reck havoc on your heart but also keep you hopeful and turning the pages. 

It's kind of like a town with big gangs. Each trying to outsmart or outkill the other. You kill one of ours and we come after one of yours. 

Two key players are coaxed into these groups. Sam, a female whose mother came to find a better life. What she went through to provide for her only daughter. How she is involved in the Alchemists groups. What happens to her. Then to her daughter Sam. Sam who only wanted to be seen. Be loved. Be accepted. To provide the best she can for her mother.

Ari was taken from his family and his homeland. Put in the school to learn how to be the best of the best in Alchemy. How to use his inner self to do whatever it takes to survive. He is doing it for his family. He misses them so much. He and Sam become the best of friends. 

Sam/Samantha and Ari are friends. They are separated by the city elites. Each has to do what their superiors thrust upon them. Eventually they have to face each other. Will they fight. Will one kill the other. Or will their friendship prevail. Will their love?

There are a few characters in this story. A few I didn't like at all. But they are very relevant to the story. How they treat these two young people. What they make them do. And that ending. WOW.. Though it does end with a cliffhanger so be warned. 

I can't wait for the sequel....

I was given an ALC via NetGalley, MacmillanAudio. I also bought the book from BOTM. This is one good story. 

Five stars 

About

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.

The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates' brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.

Where He Left Me by Nicole Baart

 

My thoughts

This was such a good book. It took off and I couldn't put it down. This story had many feels, love, mystery, thriller, childhood trauma. It was one that kept me reading to find out what happened to Felix. To find out who Henry and Finn are. How do they all fit. Or do they. What will happen to Sadie after being left in a house in the mountains far from anyone during a snowstorm. Who survives. Who doesn't. 

This book kept me wanting to know the answers. Had me turning the pages to find out just one more thing until I found out everything. How sad it must have been to grow up like Henry and Finn did. How their abusive father treated them and their mother. Though you don't have to see or read much of that. It's from Henry telling Sadie about his dad. About things that happened. Henry was filled with anger. Though I think a lot of it was pure fear. He had a love for his brother Finn that could not be outdone. He was adamant about taking care of Finn. Finn was sick and Sadie was trying to help. Henry was just a child but he was also strong and a bit intimidating. With good reason.

Sadie came across as weak at times but proved how much love she had and how strong she could be. When push came to shove she did what she had to do to survive. 

My mind went in a whole other direction reading this book. I really thought it was going to be a book in a book. A dream of sorts. 

I really did enjoy this book so much. It isn't for everyone but to me everyone should enjoy parts at least. It's very good. Well written. Likable characters. A very unlikable villain who I felt sorry for in ways. Abuse can shape a person. A life living with addicts can shape a person. Not all can live that life and end up doing good. Some are beyond repair and lash out. 

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Publishers for this ARC. 

4.5 stars. 

About

“In every world, I’d find you.”

Sadie Sheridan’s new husband Felix, a professor of planetary sciences, has vowed to never leave her. But when Felix doesn’t return from a work trip, Sadie is stranded at Hemlock House, the remote mountain homestead where her husband grew up. Doubt creeps into Sadie’s heart. Then panic. Where is he?

Scared and alone in a place that feels haunted, Sadie struggles to make sense of what her missing husband left behind. But when she catches strangers lurking around the property, Hemlock House instantly becomes both a sanctuary and a prison. Navigating threats from outside and in, Sadie is forced to confront shocking secrets that leave her questioning whether she really knows Felix at all. As a powerful storm bears down, she must is she fighting only for her own survival now—or for the man who promised her the stars?

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.