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…

We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark

My thoughts

This was my first book by this author. I will read more by her but have to admit that I was disappointed in this one. It just let me down. I know most others loved it though.

This is a hard review to write. The story started out slow for me and only picked up at almost the end. Like at the seventy percent mark if not later. I liked the main character Arvelle. I did find her a bit tedious though. She took some chances that were kind of dumb. She was fighting to save her brother/brothers from a vampire. Yes this is about vampires. And other things. Arvelle has raised her brothers since the death of their mother. Seems their mother was a loser who put her addictions ahead of her children. Arvelle doesn't trust many at all. Who can blame her after all she's been through. She lost her best friends a few years prior and now needs that friends father's help. And of course he will help her. Why shouldn't he. Only she blames herself from her best friends death.

This book was a bit long and very detailed. I really got sick of hearing about Arvelle's bones, knees, back, you name it, screaming. It was just a bit over done for my taste. Maybe used as a filler? That and she just caves when she sees her old best friend/lover again, after he had left her. Not a word why or a goodbye or anything. Just gone. She has a right to be angry but she just seems to forget that and melts when she is alone with him. He sounds achingly gorgeous though. Arvelle is there to fight and her old flame is going to train her. 

No one except Leon, her best friends dad, knows that Arvelle is there to murder someone in order to save her brothers. She can't say a word. Literally she can't tell. She's a loner of sorts and pushes people away. She does however make a couple of good friends. It's a whole complex story that reminds me of maybe hunger games. Not the same but the same. If that makes sense. 

I enjoyed parts of this story don't get me wrong. It's ok but not in my top reads. It was just not a heart stopping story that pulled me in and kept me hooked. I had no problem putting it down. I was also happy when it ended but see that it is book one. I may read the next book when available because I did invest time in this one and want to know what happens to Arvelle and her family and friends. This one is filled with a lot of brutal death. It has some magic going on. A fantasy, romantasy, historical. It has a lot. 

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and it was my BOTM choice. I also listened to the audio. It was well done. Two very good narrators. They did a great job of bringing this book to life.

3.5 stars from me. 

About

From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

 My thoughts

This was a debut adult novel. To me it read more like a YA. I did like it though. I was also disappointed in it somewhat. 

Medusa/Meddy was the youngest child to a couple of very selfish and uncaring fallen gods. She had two sisters who were great for the most part. The three girls were very close. Medusa was mortal while the rest of her family were immortal. When Medusa gets a chance to be a priestess she jumps at it. Athena the goddess of Athens brings her to via for a chance. Medusa puts up with a bully and handles that well. I loved how she handled it actually. I don't like bullies. She also found a best friend.

When Medusa goes back home for a visit something happens to make her life change drastically. Boy how females were treated back then. Pretty much as they are now if raped. Molested. Taken advantage of. It's all their fault. Men are men it seems in every century. Medusa is cursed with a head of snakes. It seems even females didn't take up for each other. Medusa and both of her sisters are cursed. They learn how to use this curse too. Maybe not always in a good way but what do you expect.

I enjoyed this book a lot. One thing that drove me nuts though was how often the author mentioned Medusa's "locks." I really did get sick of hearing that word. But eventually those locks were shed and she got snakes so there was that. I liked Medusa. I felt sorry for her. I loved what she did to the holy man/priest. Well played. Very well played. 

The ending was good. Brutal, but what did I expect. 

Read the Author's notes. Quite interesting.

4 stars 

Ship of Dreams by Donna Jones Alward

 

My thoughts

I read and loved When The World Fell Silent. It was so good. I grabbed this one too with the highest of expectations....

This book is set aboard the Titanic. Two friends, Hannah and Lou, along with Hannah's husband Charles boarding. Both women have secrets. Even from each other. 

Hannah is hoping to rekindle the spark between herself and Charles. Since the loss of their first baby things have been pretty much nonexistent.. She is afraid that Charles blames her or has just fallen out of love with her. She also has something very important to say to Charles. This could be lifechanging. 

Lou is a strong woman. She marches for the betterment of women's rights. For them to not be treated so harshly. She also has a secret reason for going on this trip. Not just to spend time with her very best friend but she has a secret. Also she meets a man onboard that she falls head over heels for. Though she has always said she will never marry. Her father is forcing her to marry or be totally cut off from financial support. To a man she truly despises.

The first half of this book is a little slow. Repetitive. But also filled with information that lets you know what is going on. The second half is fast and furious. So so sad too.

This story takes you aboard the Titanic and then the rescue boat the Carpathia. How nice the passengers where on the Carpathia. And so understanding. These two women, Hannah and Lou, went through so much. But they were ever vigilant to each other. After one big hiccup that is. When Hannah found out what Lou was hiding... Oh my.

I shed so many tears reading this book. It was very good. Emotional is not the word for it. It was devastatingly sad in places. 

This book has one of the best last lines I've ever read: "I'm coming. Hold on, dearest." I left off the to and from for a reason. If you read this one you should know that line and how much it meant to these two women. Best friends. Sisters.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for this ARC. Beautiful story...

4 stars 

About

From the author of the internationally bestselling novel, WHEN THE WORLD FELL SILENT, comes a breathtaking tale of secrets, betrayal, and the enduring power of friendship. 

Aboard the Titanic, where opulence knows no bounds and the horizon seems limitless, two women fight for the futures they dream of, fraught with secrets that could change everything.

Hannah Martin is clinging to the hope that six days on this grand ship will heal the wounds in her marriage to Charles. Beneath her poised exterior lies a desperation to mend what was shattered and conceal a secret that could upend their lives forever.

Louisa Phillips, spirited and uncompromising, is escaping her family’s insistence on a passionless marriage. But this daring step could also sever the deepest bond in her life.

As the ‘unsinkable' ship strikes the iceberg, amidst the chaos and icy waters, lives are changed forever. In the face of impending doom, what dreams will Hannah and Lou decide are worth saving, and at what cost?

This evocative historical fiction will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, this is a poignant tale of love, choice, and survival against the odds.

Haven't Killed In Years by Amy K. Green

 My thoughts

This was truly a fun read. It was about the child of a serial killer but still enjoyable. I laughed in parts and yes cringed in others. It was a serious story in ways but also on the light side too. Hard to explain. It was just a good one for me. 

When Marin Haggerty was just nine years old she went through a lifetime of events. Her dad was a serial killer. Her mom was a bit cold and also knew what her dad was doing. Marin knew but she was a child. She had seen her dad kill. He was in many ways it seemed grooming her to follow in his footsteps. Until he got caught. With her parents in prison now, Marin was sent to a whole new life. Complete with a name change. 

Gwen Tanner is very reclusive. She goes to work. Goes to a pottery place and paints. She has very few friends. Gwen is almost thirty years old. Gwen has secrets and when body parts start showing up on her doorstep she thinks things are about to unfold. And boy are they. Gwen is in for a complete change in her life. In her friendships. In everything she thought she was keeping hidden.

You get to know these women/girls from when they were young. From a time before. There are several secondary characters to get to know but it's not hard to keep them straight. They each play a pivotal role in Gwen's life. Also in Marin's life. 

When things start coming together you get a whole new take on things. Yes this was a fun read. A serious one also. The author keeps you guessing and wanting to know more. So well written and easy to follow. I felt so bad for Marin and I truly liked Gwen. Gwen was resilient. Much more than she allowed herself to admit. 

I enjoyed reading this book. It's a page turner for sure. It's about the daughter of a serial killer and what all she goes through just to live an almost normal life after her parents are sent away.

About

No one is supposed to know harmless office worker Gwen Tanner is the vanished daughter of serial killer Abel Haggerty. But a low profile and a new name aren’t going to cut it when an obsessive new killer starts targeting her, in this lively and propulsive thriller with a standout voice.

Marin Haggerty, the daughter of a notorious serial killer, was only a child when they arrested her father. Ripped from her home and given a new identity, Marin disappeared.

Twenty years later, Gwen Tanner keeps everyone at a distance, preferring to satirize the world around her than participate in it. It’s for her safety—and theirs. But when someone starts sending body parts to her front door, the message is clear: I Know Who You Are.

To preserve her secrets, Gwen must hunt down the killer, a journey which immerses her in the twisted world of true crime fandom and makes her confront her past once and for all. Maybe she is capable of deep, human connections, but she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Will opening herself up to others help her find the killer, or remind her why it was necessary she hide her true self in the first place?

The apple never falls too far, after all.

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester

 

My thoughts

I have to admit this is one of my favorite books. From the first page to the last. Yes it made me cringe in so many places and parts were pretty sickly. The thought of what was happening was truly sickening. Not just the things that were happening to some of the women inside themselves but how the so called religious men treated them. 

Three time frames. Three women. All interconnected by blood. The horrors of what happened. This book is not for the faint of heart in any way. But it's so good. I devoured it. From 1750, 1953, and 2007. The women in each time are expected to be so obedient and godly. Wifely. Motherly. To be just what their husbands want them to be. 

In 1750 there was Anna Bolton and her daughter Florence. They had to flee their home for a new place because of being accused of being witches. Florence was so angry at her mother. The land they called home began to flourish. Some others came there and they all seemed to do good. Until something happened. Then it was darkness and dread to be passed down for ages...

In 1953 you meet Mary. Mary was a descendent of Anna and Florence. Mary fell in love with the wrong person. She was married and had a child. A little girl. Her friend Vera also had secrets. The men made the rules and women had to abide them or face the consequences. 

In 2007 there is Camilla. A young lady who wants more. She has always been the obedient preacher's daughter. A good girl. Her mother was a descendent of Anna and Florence also. And of course of Mary. This era was about Camilla though. Anna's daughter. Anna was a resilient and courageous young lady. She tried to do what was right but when she reached her limit things happened.

Through this whole story there is a tree. A mighty Walnut tree....

Thank you St Martin's Press and Brilliance Audio for this ARC. Also thank you to St Martin's for the beautiful hardcopy they sent me. 

Five stars 

About

Three women. Three centuries. One legacy of fury, love, and a power that refuses to die

In this fiercely captivating novel, horror meets historical fiction when a curse bridges generations, binding the fates of three women. Anne Bolton, a healer facing persecution for witchcraft, bargains with a dark entity for protection—but the fire she unleashes will reverberate for centuries. Mary Shephard, a picture perfect wife in a suffocating community, falls for Sharon and begins a forbidden affair that could destroy them both. And Camilla Burson, the rebellious daughter of a preacher, defies conformist expectations to uncover an ancient power as her father’s flock spirals into crisis. 

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

 

My thoughts

Another winner from one of my favorite authors. 

How do I begin. This book took me completely by surprise in many ways. A lot of people were killed writing this one. In a manner of speaking. I didn't figure it out. I didn't figure out which sister was the murderer. Maybe it was both. 

Two sisters. Both accusing the other of murdering their father. He was not just murdered, he was demolished. Shredded. Picturing the scene was gruesome indeed. Each sister called the police. Each blamed the other. Could they have been working together to get the millions that awaited them. Or was one just greedy enough to want it all for herself...

There were a few times I gasped out loud reading this book. It felt so real. The speed of the motorcycle. The rush of the wind. The plunging of an ax into a person or person's head. The howl of a dog. The opening of the doors and holding your breath until you find out who was taken out. The reason you already know. No lose ends. Tie it all up. Set up your sister. Inherit it all. You are set for life. And you have one of the best lawyers there is; Eddie Flynn. 

This book kept me turning the pages. I found it to be both heartbreaking and making me hold my breath. How can two sisters be so filled with hate. What happened to cause that. One seemed to be emotionless in so many ways. The other maybe a bit to emotional. Maybe.

Thank you Atria Books for this ARC.

4.75 stars 

About

Two sisters on trial for murder. They accuse each other. Who do you believe?

“911 what’s your emergency?”

“My dad’s dead. My sister Sofia killed him. She’s still in the house. Please send help.”

“My dad’s dead. My sister Alexandra killed him. She’s still in the house. Please send help.”

One of them is a liar and a killer.

But which one? 

The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini

 

My thoughts

First thing you need to know about this book is that it's so good. 

It also has a few triggers. Miscarriage, though it's only talked about lightly. Also the death of a baby. Not elaborated on but mentioned. 

I listened to the audio and it was great. The three narrators kept this story going at a great pace and gave much emotion. Brought it to life. Made it feel more realistic. I appreciate that. 

When Lauren is confronted with the suspicion that the little boy she has was taken from another couple she is distraught. It can't be happening. She has his birth record. His passport. He is hers. Or is he? She does the only thing she knows to do.... She runs. With the help of her very understanding neighbor Gabe, Lauren has a place to go. To hide. To come to terms with what is about to happen.

Hope and Drew are new parents. After three miscarriages they are finally going to have the baby they dreamed of. What more could they want. Drew it seems wants other women. Or another woman. He has an affair but confesses to his wife. Hope of course is devastated. She is also way more understanding that most women would be. Especially when it came out. When Drew told her. He wasn't to bright. But then was it truly over. When Hope goes into premature labour then their baby has to have surgery they have to work together. For the sake of their baby they put everything else aside. Some very big secrets.... 

This is a heartfelt book. I didn't find it to be a thriller but a who is who. Who was this woman that took Sam. Why did she take him. Whose child is he. Was he the product of a surrogacy or is it the mental derangement of a women who has nothing left to lose. Who truly believes he is hers. Or is this a punishment for something way more sinister. Still not a thriller. But a heartbreaking story of two mothers, one father, and a little boy. 

I cried my eyes out in the last few chapters. It was a very good story. From start to finish. Even when things started coming out it was surprise after surprise for me. I had no idea. This story was truly easy to follow. It was a very quick read for me too. 

Thank you Harper Perennial and HarperAudio Adult for the ARC.

4.75 stars 

About

The internationally bestselling author of The Woman on the Ledge returns with a twisty thriller about a missing child and three adults whose shared secrets and hidden history could prove deadly.

“I need to report a crime. My baby has been stolen.”

All Lauren wants is a new life in Spain. She’s suffered an unimaginable loss, but at last she has found a home in the pretty seaside town of Mantilla de Mar. Everyone deserves a new start, and Lauren needs to put her past firmly behind her.

Hope has an interesting career as a therapist, an attractive husband, a dream home in the countryside - and, finally, the baby she always longed for. Sam. Her beautiful boy.

But Sam has gone missing.

So when the police tell her that a woman has been found in Spain with a child matching Sam’s description, Hope thinks that her nightmare might be coming to an end.

But Lauren is insisting Sam is her baby. She even has his passport and birth certificate to prove it.

So what really happened to Baby Sam? And who still has secrets to hide?

One child. Two mothers. And a past that won’t let them go.

The Devil's Glove by Lucretia Grindle

 

My thoughts

I’m not sure what to say. I was expecting a story about witches. No mention of witches until the last couple of chapters. I’m not saying this book was bad though. It was just not a book about witches. Witch trials. Accusations of witches. Anything witches. The last few chapters brought out talk of the main character and her mother possibly being accused of being witches. 

I was going to go right into the second book and may still. At this point maybe it will be what I expect. 

A story of a girl who lives with her mother in the 17th century while it seems her father is abroad working. Maybe he just left them. Who knows. Not a whole lot about him. 

I’m really at a loss as to what to say about this book. It was good but not a story about witches or trials or witchcraft. No accusations of witchcraft really. Talk of it near the end is all. It was good but left me with a lot of head scratching. I’m hoping that when I do read the second book I’ll be able to give a better review. I can’t even remember names in this one. Well except Abigail. Abigail was somewhat of a wild child. Possibly even a murderer. And Thaddeus. He was Abigail’s older brother and a love interest to the main character. 

I gave this one 3 stars. It will not be a memorable read for me. 

About

Northern New England, summer, 1688.

A suspicious death. A rumor of war. Whispers of witchcraft.

Salem started here.

Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They're known as healers taught by the local tribes - and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.

Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when they are summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.

As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew - about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.

THE DEVIL'S GLOVE is a meticulously researched tale of supernatural suspense and intrigue, based on the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village's dark and mysterious past?

The Haunting Of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

 

My thoughts

This book is so good. A bit over the top, but still so good. It has just enough family drama, inheritance info, creepy vibes, scary and thriller effect, to keep you wanting to know the truth. Is it really a family curse, a family gift, a folklore, or just someone playing a mean cruel trick?

Samantha inherits nothing when her grandfather dies. Well she can inherit quite a bit if she stays in the family home for a month. Just one month. Other family are upset over this. They think they should inherit this. So Sam does along with her aunt. Almost immediately Sam's aunt goes missing. The local sheriff is called and things go from there. The caretaker is a man who Sam knows. His younger brother was killed on this land. By Sam's dad. Or at least that is what Sam always said. Her grandfather was angry over this. He insisted that Sam was wrong and he wants her to stay on the land in hopes of her finding the truth.

This book is another great by Kelley Armstrong. One of my favorite authors. She writes in a way that you begin to believe in things that are in no way possible. Or are they? This book kept me on edge in a few places and had me questioning everyone. I had so many suspects that I may have invented a few. I was wrong on every account.

Sam needs this inheritance to help her mother stay in an assisted care facility. For herself to be able to go back to college. And to help Ben, the one whose brother was murdered. Or to continue with the helping of his dad. Sam and Ben work together to solve the mystery of what happened to Sam's aunt and maybe what really happened to Ben's younger brother.

I enjoyed this book. It would be a perfect Halloween read. Maybe even a book group read. All the mystery and edge of your seat thrills. Along with a glimpse into the legend of the headless horseman. Only he is on this land now. And he will hurt anyone who hurts "HER."

Thank you St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for this ARC. It was my BOTM choice last month ago also.

4.5 stars

About

From New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a nail-biting supernatural horror about a haunted lakeside property and twisted family secrets.

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child’s body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.

Fallen City by Adrienne Young

 

My thoughts

To say that I enjoyed this book is not even close to realistic. I loved it. I devoured it. This one captured me and now I have to wait for the sequel.....

A boy and girl fall in love story and so much more. Told from the before and the now. By Maris and Luca. As their love story unfolds. As a war begins. As they are torn apart.

Maris and Luca are both being used. Maris's mother and Luca's uncle only need them in a political way. Maris will carry on after her mother dies and Luca after his uncle. They are from different places and not suppose to be together. But they are. They fall in love. They are meant to be together despite all that stands in their way. 

This story keeps you turning the pages. Keeps you wanting to see Maris and Luca end up together. For each to be able to do what is needed for their people. But some things are just destined for a different outcome. 

Well written and with so much love. So much meaning. There is a lot of action in this story. A lot to take in. Quite a lot of characters, but not where you have to keep them straight. They are just there. In the fighting. In the friendships. In the play. In these two fall in love even though it was very much forbidden. From two different worlds and on opposite sides in a battle raging on the horizon, they fall deeply in love. But will they be able to hold on to that love. Will it work out for them or against them. I guess we will find out in the sequel. 

The ending or last few chapters had my heart breaking but hopeful. 

Thank you St Martin's and Saturday Books, Macmillan Audio, for this arc. 

5 stars 

About

In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate's daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casperia was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

The Mad Wife by Meagan Church

 

My thoughts

This author is an automatic go to for me. I read her first two books and grabbed this one as soon as I could. It is her best yet. Though the other two were so good too.

I listened to the audio along with reading an ARC. The narrator did a magnificent job. She gave this story so much life and depth. Made it come alive. 

Living in this timeframe had to be so hard for women. The 1950s. It's before I was even born so I wonder how the women in my family dealt. The best they could I suppose. 

The women in this story are all neighbors. Friends. All mothers and wives. They had schedules. Actual schedules that they were expected to adhere too. A layout for their days. Cleaning, primping, cooking, laundry, visiting each other. And yes they judged each other. Why women never have stood together is more than my fickle mind can comprehend. Together possibly we could make it a much nicer place. But that was not how it was nor is it how it is now....

When the huge twist is reveal, and I mean huge, I actually gasped out loud. I also broke out in tears. After that what happens is beyond barbarrick... A woman's biggest fear I suppose. Back then anyway. As I was reading I tried to picture what was going through this person's head. I mean really going through it. Not what I read but if she had been real just exactly how scared she must have been. How scared any woman was back then when threats of being institutionalized seemed to be normal. And they did lobotomies. Actually did them. And electro shock. Good grief what it mush have been like. Please don't let us go back to a time like that....

This author wrote a story that will pull you in and make you turn the pages. It was sad but lyrical. Haunting but real. A gut wrenching story of how things were for women back in the 1950s. 

You really need to read this book. It's beautiful in a scary sort of way. Jaw dropping. Heart melting and heartbreaking. The prose is spot on. One that will definitely stick with me. 

Thank you Source Books and RBmedia for this ARC.

Five big stars and will be in my top twenty for the year.

About

They called it hysteria. She called it survival.

Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the perfect 1950s housewife. Despite the tragic memories that haunt her and the weight of exhausting expectations, she keeps her husband happy, her household running, and her gelatin salads the talk of the neighborhood. But after she gives birth to her second child, Lulu's carefully crafted life begins to unravel.

When a new neighbor, Bitsy, moves in, Lulu suspects that something darker lurks behind the woman's constant smile. As her fixation on Bitsy deepens, Lulu is drawn into a web of unsettling truths that threaten to expose the cracks in her own life. The more she uncovers about Bitsy, the more she questions everything she thought she knew—and soon, others begin questioning her sanity. But is Lulu truly losing her mind? Or is she on the verge of discovering a reality too terrifying to accept?

In the vein of The Bell Jar and The Hours, The Mad Wife weaves domestic drama with psychological suspense, so poignant and immersive, you won't want to put it down. 

Her One Regret by Donna Freitas

 

My thoughts

This book left me speechless. It was truly one of the best I've read. 

I read some of the reviews and was flabbergasted at the a couple of very low stars and saying hardly anything other than "it's not a thriller." Or that it was flat. I so disagree. Yes most of the way it was more mystery. But it did have some parts that kept me on the edge. Parts that shook me to my core. This is a subject that needs to be talked about more. Women go through a lot after giving birth. Yes some have big regrets. I believe most of us do to an extent. That doesn't mean we don't love our babies more than life itself. It's just something that happens. Being a mother is hard. The hardest job we will ever face. And yes there are times when a woman can feel regret at becoming a mother. Just like she might regret becoming a wife...

This book is about three women. Three mothers. Three wives. Each has a story. Each has a child or children. One goes missing and you won't know what happened to her until almost the end. There are actually two mysteries going on. One is the next door neighbor. What might he be hiding. The other is, what could have happened to Lucy. Was Lucy really taken or did she run. 

This is a very touchy subject. One I really never gave much thought to. I think in many ways we all have some postpartum going on after giving birth. I mean your body goes through so much and what happens to your brain is just unbelievable. Hormones going nuts. And a crying baby that is totally dependent on you. But it seems you can't really talk about it or you get crushed. The judgement is awful. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford therapy it might help. 

Having a best friend to talk to is the best. Even when what you have to say is not what she wants to hear. Such is the case with Lucy and Michelle. They have been friends since college. The best of friends. They know everything about each other. Almost... 

This book is about Lucy, Michelle, and Julia. What each women is dealing with. What secrets they have. How they feel about being new mothers. About being a wife too. The book gives you a fairly deep look at how some women feel about being a mom. How other women judge them if they feel it was a mistake. 

Julia was, in my opinion, the one going through the most. She didn't have anyone to confide in. No one to talk to about how she was feeling. No one to give her any relief or time to just be herself. Her son was with her all the time no matter what. And boy did he cry. That didn't mean she didn't love him. Julia really needed someone...

No woman should be shamed for what she deals with being a mother. You have no idea what she's going through or gone through. Every woman is different. What may appear to be the perfect life could be one you would never imagine...

Thank you RBmedia and BOTM for this book/audio. So worth reading.

4.85 stars 

About

From the author of the book club favorite The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano comes a riveting feminist thriller that tackles an unspeakable taboo: regretting motherhood.

When successful Rhode Island real estate agent Lucy Mendoza vanishes, leaving her baby behind in a grocery store parking lot, the news quickly makes national headlines. Lucy’s best friend, Michelle, is devastated, and terrified that Lucy’s life is at stake. But she knows something that could complicate the police investigation. Lucy had confessed something unspeakable: She regretted becoming a mother so much that she’d fantasized about faking her own kidnapping. If the police and media were to find out, Lucy would become a monster in public opinion. Michelle is sure Lucy would never abandon her daughter. But could she be wrong? Could Lucy have been so desperate she chose to escape her life?

Bestselling author Donna Freitas has drawn from ground-breaking research to bring readers this unforgettable novel. Her One Regret is at once a pulse-pounding feminist thriller, a moving depiction of the realities of motherhood, and a rich exploration of a subject our culture and society have rendered nearly verboten—the possibility that for some women, motherhood is an unfixable mistake.

A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan

 

My thoughts

This is a debut book and it's so good. Very well written and puts a whole new spin on witchcraft and WW2. 

Could Witches have help to make or break WW2. Could Hitler have taken over the world if they would have helped him?

This isn't really a book that goes into what happened during that time period. It's a story of what might have happened had witches been involved. Had some of them been followers of Hitler. Had they wanted to help him take over everything. The fallout that would have caused. 

History is an amazing thing. Writing is also very amazing. When an author writes a debut that keeps you wanting to know more then you can bet it's a good book. But thank goodness it is only a story and not what happened. This book will keep you turning the pages. 

A coven of witches are tasked with finding a book. A book called Grimorium Bellum. It's a book of what I'd call horrors. Not a good thing by any means. And it's up to Lydia to find this book. To bring it back with her so the Nazi witches can't use it's power for evil. Or destroy it. Whichever way is best. 

Lydia is on a mission to save the world. She has some selfish reasons for doing what she does too. The loss of her best friend being one. 

When Lydia Polk, Rebecca Gagne, and Henry Boudreaux all meet this story is on a whole other level. They go through a lot of fighting and pain. Henry also has some magic. He and Lydia seem to like each other. They fight to help each other until the very end. 

A story that will make you laugh out loud and cry hard ripping tears. A lesson in trust. Friendship. Family. A lesson steeped in magic and bloodshed. 

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was very good and as a debut this author has to feel very proud of her work.

Thank you Penguin Group Viking Penguin for this ARC.

4.5 stars 

About

RESISTANCE IS MAGIC

“War II meets A Discovery of Witches…I raced through this one.” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

“Historical fantasy at its absolute best.” —Alexis Henderson author of The Year of the Witching and An Academy for Liars

As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands

Stubborn, plain-spoken and from an unimpressive family, Lydia Polk never expected to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. Now, with Hitler’s army rampaging across Europe, the witches of Britain have joined the war effort, and Lydia is key to the she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. When a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, the coven is left shaken, exposed and divided. The elder British witches have no interest in further loss of coven life in service of a government that has forced them into hiding for decades, no matter the consequences to the world. But with the discovery of the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book that leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes, Lydia knows her mission has never been more urgent.

Alone and woefully outnumbered, Lydia makes her way to the heart of occupied France, where she finds allies in Rebecca Gagne—a fierce French resistance fighter chockful of secrets—and Henry Boudreaux—a handsome Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. Together, they traverse the country, stalked by the natural and supernatural alike, in search of the grimoire. But, as Lydia soon discovers, finding the book is only half the battle—the Grimorium Bellum has a dark agenda all its own. Lydia must subdue it before the Witches of the Third Reich can use it—but she’ll have to survive the book herself, first.

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

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 My thoughts

Another excellent book by Chanel Cleeton. I loved her last book, The House on Biscayne Bay, very much. I look forward to more by this author. 

A book about a book. What could be better? Not much. This one is told in three timelines by three women. They are very different and at the same time so alike. How this book touches each woman is woven perfectly into this story. From start to finish I was captured. 

It starts out in London the year 2024. Margo is a very ambitious young lady who finds lost items for people. In this case it's a book. She is hired to find a book titled A TIME FOR FORGETTING by Eva Fuentes. 

Then we go to Havana in the year 1966. Pilar just lost her husband to the horrors of Cuba's leader Fidel Castro. He was taken into custody by the secret police. Her neighbor was getting out of Cuba but had a book that she wanted Pilar to take to it's author. The book was A TIME FOR FORGETTING.... Eva read the book several times. And she does go in search for Eva Fuentes to return this book.

Eva Fuentes lives in Havana. In 1900 she is a teacher who goes to the US to Harvard to study. While there Eva meets a man and falls hopelessly in love. Of course there is a man right... Things don't quite go as planned with him. Once she returns to Cuba she finds herself in trouble. Eva returns to the US and when she can't work things out with James she starts writing a book. A TIME FOR FORGETTING.

This book was so touching. Kept me wanting more and I hated for it to end. There are a lot of emotions in this book. A big mystery too. A little bit of a thriller in places too. A very well written book that kept me turning the pages. 

Be sure and read the Author's Notes at the end. A bit of good info there. An excellent book that I think anyone who loves a good historical will appreciate. 

Thank you @Berkley for this ARC.

4.5 stars 

About

London, 2024: American expat Margo Reynolds is renowned for her talent at sourcing rare antiques for her clients, but she’s never had a request quite like this one. She’s been hired to find a mysterious book published over a century ago. With a single copy left in existence, it has a storied past shrouded in secrecy—and her client isn’t the only person determined to procure it at any cost.

Havana, 1966: Librarian Pilar Castillo has devoted her life to books, and in the chaotic days

following her husband’s unjust imprisonment by Fidel Castro, reading is her only source of solace. So when a neighbor fleeing Cuba asks her to return a valuable book to its rightful owner, Pilar will risk everything to protect the literary work entrusted to her care. It’s a dangerous mission that reveals to her the power of one book to change a life.

Boston, 1900: For Cuban school teacher and aspiring author Eva Fuentes, traveling from Havana to Harvard to study for the summer is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a whirlwind adventure that leaves her little time to write, but a moonlit encounter with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. The story that pours out of her is one of forbidden love, secrets, and lies… and though Eva cannot yet see it, the book will be a danger and salvation for the lives it touches.

The Widow by John Grisham

 

My thoughts

I throughly enjoyed this book. John Grisham has talent for pulling a reader in. This one seemed to be dragging until I realized that without all of it you had nothing. As the story shapes and molds, you have to know exactly who Eleanor Barnett truly was. To see who Simon Latch was. You had to know all the details.

This book had me holding my breath. Not a thriller but a what is going on here. Who did this awful thing. Will it turn out to be the lawyer? 

Greed pulled Simon in. Murder had him wishing he had never met Eleanor. This was a chance of a lifetime for Simon. He was in a horrible marriage. In the process of divorce. He has three children who he loves with all his heart. His law practice is barely keeping him afloat and he seems to gamble to much. But Simon is a good guy. Isn't he?

As this story progresses you find out a lot about Simon and Eleanor. Also about how many innocent people are wrongfully convicted in this country. You learn a little about the law and a lot about how prosecutors and cops consider a case closed once they find a defendant. Once they say you are guilty their jobs are basically over. Well not the prosecutor. They have a lot to do and will go to any measure to convict.

You get to know the people in this story. Simon's children. His exwife. His girlfriend from college. And the Widow Eleanor Barnett. You also get a good look at her two stepsons. They are true pieces of work. There is a lot that goes on in hospitals that you learn about. Maybe more than you want to know.

I did enjoy this novel. It was an eyeopener for me in so many ways. I thought I had it all figured out but I was way off base. Of course maybe Mr Grisham planned it that way. ha ha

Thank you to the publisher for the ARCs. Both a hardcopy and an ecopy. This book was very good. 

4.5 stars 

About

Simon Latch is a lawyer in rural Virginia, making just enough to pay his bills while his marriage slowly falls apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune, and no one knows about it.

Once he hooks the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar. But soon her story begins to crack. When she is hospitalized after a car accident, Simon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn’t commit: murder.

Simon knows he’s innocent. But he also knows the circumstantial evidence is against him, and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. To save himself, he must find the real killer….