What I read/reviewed in February 2021

 

1:POSSESSION by Katie Lowe

2: ONE PERFECT GRAVE by Stacy Green

3: WAITING FOR THE NIGHT SONG by Julie Carrick Dalton

4: EVERY WAKING HOUR by Joanna Schaffhausen

5: PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane

6: UNTIL WE ARE LOST by Leslie Archer

7: THE INVISIBLE WOMAN by Kara Robuck

8: HADLEY & GRACE by Suzanne Redfearn

9: DO NO HARM by Christina McDonald 

All read and reviewed...

Spell "HEART" with books!

 

Thanks to these Litsy folks for today’s prompt:

#SHOWSOMELOVE

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

@TheKidUpstairs

 

Today’s Prompt: Spell "HEART" with books 

All of these are on my TBR list..

DO NO HARM by Christina McDonald

 

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell comes an unforgettable and heart-wrenching novel about the lengths one woman will go to save her son.

Emma loves her life. She’s the mother of a precocious kindergartener, married to her soulmate—a loyal and loving police detective—and has a rewarding career as a doctor at the local hospital.

But everything comes crashing down when her son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Determined to save him, Emma makes the risky decision to sell opioids to fund the life-saving treatment he needs. But when somebody ends up dead, a lethal game of cat and mouse ensues, her own husband leading the chase. With her son’s life hanging in the balance, Emma is dragged into the dark world of drugs, lies, and murder. Will the truth catch up to her before she can save Josh?

A timely and moving exploration of a town gripped by the opioid epidemic, and featuring Christina McDonald’s signature “complex, emotionally intense” (Publishers Weekly) prose, Do No Harm examines whether the ends ever justify the means...even for a desperate mother.

My thoughts:

This book is another WOW from Christina McDonald. How she can take a book and make it hit you deep in your chest. Right in the heart. Make you feel like you are right there. Like you are that main character. It's what makes a book great and this book is great.

I don't know why but this line is my very favorite one out of this book. It just seemed to sum up the love that I felt between Nate and Emma. "AN I KNEW. NO MATTER WHAT I HAD DONE, NATE HAD LOVED ME. ETERNALLY. "

That line just touched my heart and to be honest it made me weep huge big ugly tears.

What would you do to save your child? Emma and Nate are happy. They have a great life and a beautiful son, Josh. But when things go wrong and they are faced with the possibility of losing Josh what will they do. What will a mother do? You might be surprised what this mother is willing to sacrifice for her little boy's life. As a mother I am not shocked. I believe with all my heart that I would do the same. It's unconditional love between a mother and her child. 

This book is just so good. It did make me laugh a couple of times but for the most part I cried. I had some pretty big tears streaming down my face. How do you deal with what this family is facing. Being a doctor made it even harder for Emma. She took an oath to save lives and yet felt so terribly helpless that she couldn't help her son. Be warned, this is a very emotional story. It has lots of ups and downs. Lots of raw emotion. Lots of thrills to keep you on the edge too. 

Nate is a cop. He's sworn to protect people no matter what. He loves his wife and son with ever fiber of his being. What is he willing to do to save their son? He's a good man. He wants to do the right thing. I loved Nate. He was so easy to love. 

This book is about the opioid crises that this nation still faces. About the good and the bad of drugs. Not that there is really anything good about them but if you are honestly in chronic pain and need help it's hard because of the many addicts and dealers who abused the system. While this book deals with this a lot it also makes you understand why and how some people do get addicted to drugs. Not always because they are bad people. Not always because of doctors. It's a very hard thing to think about and this country really needs to get some kind of help for addicts. Help while they are still young enough to be helped.

This is a very good book. It will make you think about some pretty deep things. You will have feelings that maybe you haven't seen in a while. Compassion is sometimes a great thing to have. Actually, it's great thing to always have. Be compassionate to others before you judge them without knowing their story.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #ChristinaMcDonald, #Simon&Schuster, #GalleryBooks for this ARC. These are my own true feelings about this story.

5/5 HUGE stars and a very high recommendation. A must read.

Book Blogger Hop! 2/26/21

 

Q:   Do you use GoodReads to track your books? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

A: I do. I've been using Goodreads since 2012 and have reviewed many books. It's easy to use to keep up with my books.

Book Beginnings Friday and Friday's 56% 2/26/21

 

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. 

The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. 

Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

My Book Beginning:

THE KNIFE BURROWED INTO my side with a most thwump.

I looked down, confused. The blade was buried so deep that the hand holding it was pressed almost flat against my stomach. 

My pulse hammered against the steel.

56%

"My tummy hurt this morning but I'm better now. Grandma made me some soup, and it was yummy. I have these things in my mouth that hurt, though."

Starts with "S"

 

To be honest... I've read two of these: SILENT RIDGE and SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE. Both excellent. They are reviewed on my blog.

Have you read any? 

Do you have any that start with "S"..

ONE PERFECT GRAVE by Stacy Green

 

She didn’t see the patch of black ice until it was too late. The car started to spin, and as it veered off into the deep ditch and the mounds of snow beside the road, she saw him. The little boy frozen in the ice.

When the remains of two bodies are found in an open grave along a desolate highway in Stillwater, Minnesota, Special Agent Nikki Hunt knows exactly who they are. The bright blue jacket lying on the frozen earth belongs to Kellan Rhodes, the missing boy she’s desperately been trying to find for the last two days. The other body is his mother Dana, who had been Nikki’s lead suspect.

Although the wounds on Dana’s body suggest she murdered her son and took her own life, Nikki finds evidence that suggests she was a victim too. Dana was desperately trying to regain custody of Kellan, and Nikki finds boot prints at the scene that belong to someone else.

When another child is reported missing, local journalist Caitlin Newport claims the cases are linked: Zach Reeves was taken away from his own mother in a custody battle, just like Kellan was.

Caitlin once helped Nikki find out the truth about her own parents’ murders, but her desire for a story nearly cost Nikki her life. Now, Nikki must decide if she can trust Caitlin again, before time runs out to find the killer and bring Zach home alive…

An unputdownable thriller that will make your heart pound until its final, shocking conclusion. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner and readers who want to binge read into the night.

My thoughts:

Another breathtaking read. The second in the Nikki Hunt series by Stacy Green. It's fantastic!

Kikki Hunt is back on the case in another heart stopping case. This time a young boy and his mother are both dead. Who could do such a horrible thing and can Nikki and her team find out and stop a killer in his tracks. 

This book takes you on a pulse pounding ride that will have you holding your breath until the very end. This book is edge of your seat thrills. From the very beginning I was hooked. I couldn't read fast enough. I have to admit that I did figure out who the bad guy was but that in no way took from this story. It's just that good. 

This story had me on the edge of my seat rooting for Nikki to find things. It's a great read.  What would you do if your child was in danger and you was the only one who could save him? Or if no one believed you when you said things were not as they appeared? You would definitely want the best of the best on the job. Most of the characters from the first book are back and things are pretty intense when another child goes missing. I felt so bad for some of the characters in this story and hated a few also. There were some that you wanted bad things to happen too. At least I did. But I also rooted for the parents and grandparents in this story. 

This is the second book in the Nikki Hunt series. I can't wait for the third. I know it will be another edge of your seat ride also. Stacy Green certainly knows how to tell a story that will keep you up late, turning pages, and crying your eyes out too. It's honestly that good. 

Thank you to #NetGalley, #StacyGreen, #Bookouture for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 stars and another high recommendation.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

 

I hope you had a great reading week.

********************

This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOKDATE! 

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

What I read:

1:PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane

Reviewed  2/21

What I'm reading now:

2: ONE PERFECT GRAVE by Stacy Green

3: DO NO HARM by Christina McDonald

4:THE CHILDREN'S TRAIN by Viola Ardone

5: THE FAMILY SHIP by Sonja Yoerg

6:THE GIRL WHO ESCAPED FROM AUSCHWITZ by Ellie Midwood

7: THE GIRLS ARE ALL SO NICE HERE by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

8: RUNAWAY JUSTICE by Chad Zunker

9: EVERYWHERE TO HIDE by Siri Mitchell

10: THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD by Melanie Benjamin

11: THE SPEED OF LIGHT by Elissa Grossell Dickey

12: EVERY LAST FEAR by Alex Finlay

13: THE STILLS by Jess Montgomery

14: ETERNAL by Lisa Scottoline

15: A MILLION REASONS WHY by Jessica Strawser 

16: THE LAST ONE HOME by Victoria Helen Stone

17: THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES by Barbara Linn Probst

I didn't read near as much as usual. ONE BOOK! My great grandson was born Monday February 15th and was put in the NICU right away. He is three weeks early. He's doing great but was not breathing as well as they wanted. My granddaughter and her husband had to leave the hospital without him Wednesday but of course are there every chance they get. He should be able to go home Monday.

My husband had to have surgery Wednesday February 17th. He had a blockage in his neck. It was a very long day, actually two days, because I could not be there. This Covid is stopping anyone from being able to be with loved ones when they need us. He's doing ok now. He feels awful and looks like someone beat the crap out of him, but he's home and healing. It was just a horrible yet joyful week! I was not able to relax and read. 

Everyone please stay safe and wear the mask when out around others. It's the right thing to do so we can get this virus under control.

Mailbox Monday!

 

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

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.

 ************
Here’s a shout out to the administrators:
Leslie @ Under My Apple Tree 
Serena @ Savvy Verse And Wit
Martha @ Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf 

 ************

                THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive. 

************
I hope you had a good mailbox.

I had a great mailbox!

************

Received February 17th:

1: THE NOTE THROUGH THE WIRE by Doug Gold

Courtesy of William Morrow from NetGalley

2: WHAT'S LEFT UNSAID by Emily Bleeker

Courtesy of Lake Union from NetGalley

3: ONE YEAR GONE by Avery Bishop

Courtesy of Lake Union from NetGalley

Received February 18th:

1: THE PASSING STORM by Christine Nolfi

Courtesy of Lake Union from NetGalley

2: THE FAMILY PLOT by Megan Collins

Courtesy of Atria from NetGalley

3: WHERE THE TRUTH LIES by Anna Bailey

Courtesy of Atria from NetGalley

PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane

 

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

Named a recommended read by Huffington Post, PopSugar, Refinery29, Goodreads, The Skimm, Book Page, Style Caster, and a New York Post Best Book of the Week

Debut author Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldn't a dead husband stay dead?
Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isn't what she seems.
A student vanished months ago. Now, Lila's husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until it's discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth....

With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. She's definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now it's gone.

My thoughts:

This is one twisted story. It's full of ups and downs. Ins and outs. It has so much going on and was so much fun to read. It really was. 

This is the story of Lila. Lila is married too Aaron. Aaron is the high school teacher that everyone loves. He is missing and it seems he went missing twice. You will know from the start who did something to Aaron, but not the why or what exactly. There are lots of things happening. Several missing people. Mostly young women but the the main person that is looked for here is Aaron. The beloved high school teacher and girls field hockey coach.

Lila came from a horrible childhood as did Aaron. Seems like they were made for each other. But as in most books, looks, feelings, thoughts, actions, marriages, can be deceiving. Aaron's brother, Jared, plays a huge role in this story also. He wants to know what happened to his brother. He stands by Lila when the police detective starts questioning her. Ginny is a smart detective and has a theory as to what happened but can't quite prove it. Yet!

This book has so much going on that if you are not careful you can get lost. Most likely if you love a good thriller you will find it easy to follow though. There is just so much. Between the husband, wife, brother-in-law, best friend, school principle, college professor, everyone involved looks guilty of something in one way or the other. 

While I did figure out who did what in one way I still absolutely loved and enjoyed this book. All the things that led up to the big showdown were great. It was well written and the imagery was done in such a way as to make you feel you was there. I didn't really like any of the characters until close to the ending. Then I did like Lila. I rooted for her throughout the book but didn't really like her until the end. I felt bad for her from the start almost. I like Ginny somewhat as she was very good at her job. But she still lacked something. I just haven't yet figured out what. 

You will enjoy trying to figure this one out. I promise.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #DarbyKane, #HarperCollinsPublishers & #WilliamMorrowPaperbacks for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

I gave it a big 5/5 stars and a high recommendation. 

Mailbox Monday! 2/15 - 2/22

 

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

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.

 ************
Here’s a shout out to the administrators:
Leslie @ Under My Apple Tree 
Serena @ Savvy Verse And Wit
Martha @ Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf 

 ************

                THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive. 

************
I hope you had a good mailbox.

I had a great mailbox!

************

Received February 9th:

1: THE GIRL WHO ESCAPED FROM AUSCHWITZ by Ellie Midwood

Courtesy of NetGalley & Bookouture 

 

Received February 10th:

2: THE HIVE by Gregg Olsen

Courtesy of NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer

Received February 11th:

3: THE BOOKSELLER'S SECRET by Michelle Gable

Courtesy of NetGalley & Harlequin Graydon House

It's Monday! What are you reading? 2/15 - 2/22

 

I hope you had a great reading week.

********************

This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOKDATE! 

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

What I read/reviewed last week:

1:THE INVISIBLE WOMAN by Erika Robuck 

Review and spotlight posted February 9th! 

2: WAITING FOR THE NIGHT SONG by Julie Carrick Dalton

Reviewed 2/10

3: UNTIL WE ARE LOST by Leslie Archer

Reviewed 2/12

   

4: HADLEY & GRACE by Suzanne Redfearn 

Reviewed 2/14

What I will be reading:

1:PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane

 

2: ONE PERFECT GRAVE by Stacy Green

 

3: DO NO HARM by Christina McDonald

4:THE CHILDREN'S TRAIN by Viola Ardone

5: THE FAMILY SHIP by Sonja Yoerg

6:THE GIRL WHO ESCAPED FROM AUSCHWITZ by Ellie Midwood

7: THE GIRLS ARE ALL SO NICE HERE by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

8: RUNAWAY JUSTICE by Chad Zunker

 

9: EVERYWHERE TO HIDE by Siri Mitchell

 

10: THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD by Melanie Benjamin

 11: THE SPEED OF LIGHT by Elissa Grossell Dickey

 

12: EVERY LAST FEAR by Alex Finlay

13: THE STILLS by Jess Montgomery

 

14: ETERNAL by Lisa Scottoline

 

15: A MILLION REASONS WHY by Jessica Strawser 

16: THE LAST ONE HOME by Victoria Helen Stone

 

17: THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES by Barbara Linn Probst