Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Ragnar Jónasson for this chilling nordic story. It’s about a sanatorium in the 1980s in northern Iceland. A nThank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Ragnar Jónasson for this chilling nordic story. It’s about a sanatorium in the 1980s in northern Iceland. A nurse is found murdered and there are five other workers, all who may have motive. Then the chief physician is found dead and though it looks like a suicide, it is suspicious timing and odd motive. The case is closed, and 30 years later the case comes back up when a young police officer decides to write his thesis on the murders. As he starts to look more into the past, he finds that everything is not as open and shut as it seemed, and there may have been someone who got away with murder.
Thoughts: This book was just okay for me. I loved the setting of the sanatorium and the deaths in quick succession. The set up to this story was chilling and the characters involved caught my interest. It was a slow burn police procedural that had many mentions of Golden Age mysteries which I truly loved.
The story was a bit abrupt, which could be attributed to the translation. However, all of the mysteries in the book fell flat for me. The minor twist was a bit boring and the murderer was extremely predictable. The ending was so abrupt that it actually confused me and left me with an odd feeling of unease. 3-stars ...more
Thank you so much to Simon Audio and Laurie Elizabeth Flynn for my copy of this book! This book is about June, a woman whose husband drowned on their Thank you so much to Simon Audio and Laurie Elizabeth Flynn for my copy of this book! This book is about June, a woman whose husband drowned on their honeymoon. Now ten years later, right when June is engaged and ready to move on, she sees her first husband Josh and goes into a tailspin. Is he alive? Is it just guilt talking?
She tries to forget what she saw, but then she finds a website for a winery in Napa and the owner’s picture is her first husband. With a wedding coming up, June needs to find out what really happened in the past and decides to go searching for answers. What she finds is buried family secrets that are much more than she could have bargained for.
Thoughts: I love that this book is set in St. Helena and the Napa Valley, because this is right where I grew up. The two narrators were intriguing and I couldn’t wait to see how they were connected. This book was more domestic suspense than thriller, but the mystery was good enough that I couldn’t put it down. There were so many secrets and pieces to the puzzle that it left me guessing until the end.
I did not like the ending at all. I thought there were too many plot holes and not enough explanation to have it make sense. However I did enjoy the themes about motherhood, marriage, and family secrets. The author is a fantastic writer and I can’t wait to pick up whatever she writes next. 4- stars. ...more
Thank you to Penguin Audio and Andrea Mara for my copy of this book. It’s about an online trend of videos being posted online. A masked person comes fThank you to Penguin Audio and Andrea Mara for my copy of this book. It’s about an online trend of videos being posted online. A masked person comes from the attic into someone’s house to promote a reality show. But while Anya is taking a bath one night, the attic hatch opens and she is found dead. Across town her friend Julia sees a video posted online of her house with someone coming out of the attic. Is this real? A warning? And why is Julia being targeted?
Thoughts: This premise is so amazing. I love the idea of videos being filmed in someone’s house because it is so creepy. I can’t imagine what I would do in that eerie situation. Of course I would probably stay home and make sure no one is in my attic, but that’s just me. There was some fun drama in this book and an interesting backstory.
The plot was a bit weak and seemed like it might have been overblown. I can see how Mara created the story, but the connections were a bit weak. I did like how creepy this story was and how many different suspects there were throughout the book. In the end, it was a bit predictable, and still didn’t make much sense, but it was a fun book. 3-stars ...more
Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing, Simon and Schuster Audio, and Ruth McIver for my copy of I Shot the Devil. This story was based on the satThank you so much to Blackstone Publishing, Simon and Schuster Audio, and Ruth McIver for my copy of I Shot the Devil. This story was based on the satanic panic and six friends, three of whom end up dead. Erin is a journalist, and is looking deeper into what happened in the past. She was there, and still doesn’t know what exactly happened. She wants to write a story, but also learn about her friends who died, especially Ricky Hell who was killed and blamed for the deaths.
Thoughts: This book was about teenage hysteria, sexuality, and the dark parts of childhood. There were SO many triggers including child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, drug use, suicide, violence, etc etc. There are satanic and cultish themes, as well as a twisted story about the police, teens, and a lot of corruption.
I thought this story was really interesting and twisted. The characters were monsters and it was hard to read, but also believable. There was a good mystery going on and I wasn’t sure what really happened because there were so many evil things going on. It got a bit confusing, but I still enjoyed the journey. 4 stars for this one. ...more
IF YOURE GOING TO READ THIS BOOK, STOP READING NOW.
I have a whole review for this but I’m too mad to post it. I listened to this on aSPOILERS SPOILERS
IF YOURE GOING TO READ THIS BOOK, STOP READING NOW.
I have a whole review for this but I’m too mad to post it. I listened to this on audio which was great, BUT OMG. This audiobook has one narrators for everyone but one character. Hmmm, I wonder who the murderer is….
The audio ruined this book for me. Why would only one character be narrated by someone else? It’s so obvious that this character is important and clearly the killer. There were lots of red herrings and the story was interesting, but if you listen to this on audio it’s literally pointless. Story- 4 stars, audio- 1 star.
Thank you so much to Natasha Preston and Delacorte Press for my copy of this book. This book was about Marley and her friends senior year of high schoThank you so much to Natasha Preston and Delacorte Press for my copy of this book. This book was about Marley and her friends senior year of high school. As is the tradition, the seniors embark on a series of dares, more troublesome than the last. But when Marley and her friends accept a dangerous dare, something awful happens and they have to live with the consequences. And now someone knows, and they’re threatening to tell everyone.
Thoughts: Classic YA page turner. This book was full of teen drama, unlikable characters, and a plot that was hard to believe. I think this book would be perfect for me in high school. There were a few twists that were thrown in and my main issue was all the plot holes. Why is there a family who has a bunch of secrets about everybody and forces them to do dares? Why are these kids so easily involved with murder? Why do Marley’s friends not care about killing a person? How can they so easily get all of this done? I read it fast, there were short chapters, but it didn’t make much sense. 2 stars ...more
What in tarnation. Thank you to Berkley for this wild book. It was about Hannah, a girl who becomes obsessed with a true crime case. She learns about What in tarnation. Thank you to Berkley for this wild book. It was about Hannah, a girl who becomes obsessed with a true crime case. She learns about the four murders that handsome lawyer William commits, and deep dives into the case. She joins forums online, talks to everyone she knows about the case, and starts to write him letters as an outlet for her rage. She is very surprised when he writes back, and seems normal.
The letters become more frequent, and Hannah becomes more obsessed. When she loses her job, she decides to drive to where the trial is held to support him. She becomes enamored with his family, following them around and trying to figure out if William is innocent or guilty. But then a fifth woman is killed, and Hannah realizes there is more going on than meets the eye.
Thoughts: This book was deranged. I understand being obsessed with true crime and the way our society turns horrific crime into entertainment. We have all sorts of shows and podcasts dedicated to consuming other people’s tragedy. Hannah embodied this unhealthy obsession, and took it much further. This story was compelling and I couldn’t stop reading it. I had to know what was going to happen next, and if Hannah was really as delusional as she seemed to be.
The author did a good job of describing “those women” who fall in love with serial killers and have an unhealthy obsession. I couldn’t stand Hannah, and found her the most delusional character of them all. That’s saying a lot compared to a rich privileged family and a man in prison for killing multiple women. The ending was odd and strange and unsatisfying, but somehow fit the rest of this story. 3-stars...more
Thank you so much to Penguin Audio and Danielle Vega for my copy of this book. It was about Casey, a girl fresh from rehab who’s parents apparently leThank you so much to Penguin Audio and Danielle Vega for my copy of this book. It was about Casey, a girl fresh from rehab who’s parents apparently let her go to an all night rave immediately. No worries, it’s just in the underground tunnels under the New York City subway. And it’s okay, she’s with her friends Shana, who essentially forced her to take drugs, and Julie, who is found murdered in the tunnels.
Thoughts: It wasn’t for me. The premise was ridiculous. The group was all drugged and irresponsible, and somehow locked in the sewers even though everyone else got out. There was something hunting them, but maybe not because they were hallucinating. There was some rehab backstory, but it wasn’t interesting or very relevant. The plot was very disjointed with random things thrown together and very slow. The monster made no sense and there wasn’t much sense of foreboding. I could go on, but I think I will just say it’s not for me at all. 1-star...more
Thank you so much to Random House and Laura McHugh for my copy of this book. It was about sisters Amelia and Kylee, who are trying to find out what haThank you so much to Random House and Laura McHugh for my copy of this book. It was about sisters Amelia and Kylee, who are trying to find out what happened to their cousin Grace six years after she vanished while babysitting them. She left behind a bloody mess, but the sisters were found unharmed. Grace was just about to leave her small town and be the first in her family to go to college, but her disappearance came as a warning to anyone trying to get out and do better. Now as Kylee and Amelia get ready to graduate high school, they start to really look into what happened to their cousin. When human remains are found, secrets start to come out.
Thoughts: This book was sad and triggering and claustrophobic. The tiny town of Beaumont felt oppressive and the reader feels just as trapped as Kylee and Amelia. The description of a small town with limited opportunity was so well written and sucked me into the story. I felt for everyone, and wished they all could get out and have a better life.
There were SO many triggers in this book, but the one I want to mention is child sexual abuse. It made me really squeamish, so keep that in mind if you’re going to pick up this book. The ending wasn’t what I expected at all, and though it was resolved, it also felt heartbreaking and tragic as a conclusion. 3-stars for this one. ...more
Thank you to CJ Tudor and Random House for my copy of The Gathering. It was a very unique book about a small Alaskan town near a vampyr colony. When aThank you to CJ Tudor and Random House for my copy of The Gathering. It was a very unique book about a small Alaskan town near a vampyr colony. When a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all his blook drained, they call in a detective who specializes in vampyr killings. Detective Barbara Atkins shows up to determine if this was a colony killing, and see if she needs to authorize a cull. She joins a local sheriff in uncovering the secrets of the town, and works to figure out if she is hunting a monster, a psychopath, or both.
Thoughts: This was such a captivating book. The supernatural elements were used perfectly, essentially equating the vampyr colony to an ostracized racial group. The way that elements like racism, bigotry, and hate were discussed in this book was so poignant and purposeful. There are so many storylines in this book, including teens faking a vampyr turning, a pious reverend trying to turn people to god, and illicit blood and meat trade, and town members who don’t seem to age.
It’s hard to put into words the twisted and well crafted plot of this story. CJ Tudor is a fantastic writer and she slowly revealed the history between vampyr and human in the story. We didn’t get bogged down with history, and what she did share was interesting and relevant to the plot. There was a slow build of tension and I couldn’t put this book down. The only reason I’m not giving it 5-stars is that there were SO many characters and they became hard to follow. 4.5 stars for this wonderful book. ...more
Thank you to Stacy Stokes and Viking Books for my copy of this book. The premise of this was amazing and wild. It’s about Whitney, a girl who has the Thank you to Stacy Stokes and Viking Books for my copy of this book. The premise of this was amazing and wild. It’s about Whitney, a girl who has the power to see death. When someone is in danger of dying, Whitney is able to see a dark cloud over their head. Sometimes she can save people from the darkness, and does everything she can to help. But what happens when she saves the wrong person? A person that goes on to commit a horrible crime that she could have stopped.
And now someone knows what she did. Whitney starts getting threatening letters from someone who knows about her ability and how she used it. Someone wants her to pay, and she needs to find out who before it’s too late.
Thoughts: I loved this book! It was such a fun YA story with a unique premise. It was so well written and the idea that someone has the power to see incoming death sounds outlandish, but was written so well into this story that it seemed natural. This book covers a lot of trigger warnings, and it was helpful that they were addressed in the beginning of the book.
The story was fast-paced and fun to read. I was both right and wrong about the ending, which is always a lot of fun. There were a lot of topics that are much deeper than they appeared, and though this book could be taken at face value, there is also a much deeper conversation going on underneath. 4.5 stars! ...more
I love a book about psychopaths. Thanks to PRH Audio and Jessie Q Sutanto for my copy of this book. It’s about Jane, a girl who has always been unhappI love a book about psychopaths. Thanks to PRH Audio and Jessie Q Sutanto for my copy of this book. It’s about Jane, a girl who has always been unhappy. First it was when she was younger, trying to fit in with her peers as a psychopath. She was quick to anger, easily overwhelmed, and found it very hard to make friends. Now as an adult, she is a struggling author trapped in a marriage in a life she doesn’t want.
There has only been one person who has ever made her happy, and that’s Thalia, her best friend from her master’s program at Oxford. Those were the best years of Jane’s life, until one night ruined it all and Thalia disappeared. But now she’s back at the opt of the New York Times best sellers list, and Jane thinks she wrote about their friendship. She decides to go to New York and find out where Thalia has been all this time, and make sure she doesn’t lose her again.
Thoughts: I loved this book! I loved the setting of Oxford and the descriptions of the graduate program. I loved that Thalia and Jane were both writers and the setting of the New York crime writer’s convention. I loved the theme of psychopathy and the different perspectives in this book. I’m so glad I listened to it, because the narrator did an amazing job and made the book fly by so fast.
The author did a great job of moving from cozy mysteries to this great psychological thriller. There were slow parts to this book that got a bit bogged down, but I’m happy it picked back up again. There were also a few too many unbelievable or convenient aspects in this story, and the ending wasn’t really my favorite. I felt the reveal was obvious, but still enjoyed the journey and the two main characters a lot. 4 stars! ...more
Thank you to PRH Audio and Maren Stoffels for my copy of this book. It was about Lexi, a girl who gets an invitation to join a brand new kind of escapThank you to PRH Audio and Maren Stoffels for my copy of this book. It was about Lexi, a girl who gets an invitation to join a brand new kind of escape room with her best friend Tess. They recently suffered from a tragedy and need a distraction, so they decide to do it. When they get there, they meet Beau and Zora, also best friends doing the escape room. But once they arrive, the learn they are actually competing against their friends, and even worse, if one person succeeds, the other will pay the price.
Thoughts: This was a fun and straightforward YA book. I think it was marketed as more horror, and it didn’t quite make it there. The premise was interesting and if I had to describe it, it would say a children’s version of the SAW movies.
The characters were one dimensional, but I was still interested in their backgrounds and what would happen in this book. It was SUPER short which was actually nice, and it was just a fun and quick read. If you want to bring a book to the beach to start and finish, this is the one for you! 3-stars! ...more
Thank you to Penguin Audio and Ashley Elston for my copy of this popular book! At first it didn’t sound like something I’d enjoy, but boy was I wrong!Thank you to Penguin Audio and Ashley Elston for my copy of this popular book! At first it didn’t sound like something I’d enjoy, but boy was I wrong! This book is about Evie, a woman who’s wonderful boyfriend Ryan just asked her to move in with him. Except Ryan is her mark, and Evie isn’t her real name, and she is on the job. Evie is trying to accomplish a goal that she doesn’t know yet, and has to be perfect, after what happened on her last job. But now someone using her real identity waltzed into town, and Evie realizes there is something much deeper going on. She needs to stay one step ahead of her boss, Mr. Smith, before it’s too late.
Thoughts: This book was so much fun! I didn’t know how much I would enjoy a con artist book but it was super exciting and I flew through it. I really loved Evie as a main character and it was easy to root for her. It isn’t your classic domestic thriller, but an interesting game of cat and mouse where you’re not sure where it will end. There were lots of interesting plot points that were woven together and I especially loved this book on audio.
The ending was not necessarily surprising and felt a bit rushed/twisted. It was fine, but I think the last third of the book was so complicated that I really didn’t follow as much as I did with the rest of the book. Regardless, there were some fun twists and I really enjoyed the journey and where it took me! 4-stars! ...more
Thank you so much to Pamela Dorman Books and Tracy Sierra for my copy of this book. It was a creepy domestic thriller about a mother home alone with hThank you so much to Pamela Dorman Books and Tracy Sierra for my copy of this book. It was a creepy domestic thriller about a mother home alone with her two children during a blizzard. Then she is woken up in the middle of the night by heavy footsteps on the stairs. She sees a man appear at the end of the hall, so she wakes up her kids and rushes them into a secret alcove hidden behind a wall.
The intruder is trying desperately to get the children to let him know where they’re hiding, while the mother tries to stay calm and keep them quiet. She needs to escape, find a weapon, or get help, but then she sees his face, and everything changes.
Thoughts: The premise of this book caught my attention right away and I couldn’t help but read it immediately. It was very claustrophobic and eerie and the horror built the further I got into the book. There is so much tension, and even though not that much happens, it was deeply psychological and terrifying. The book started out with a bang, but all of the flashbacks took me out of the action and those chapters were a lot slower for me. It did drag, but then picked back up again and I’m happy I kept reading.
This book is about men not believing women and the pattern of the way men treat women when they think they have all the power. This book made me so mad and upset and triggered and frustrated because of the way women are treated by men in all types of settings. It rang just a little bit too true and that was the most horrifying part of this book. It was such a great debut, and even if the characters didn’t have names and it was written in third person I loved it. 4.5 stars for this terrifying and eerie domestic thriller. ...more
Thank you so much to Natasha Preston and Penguin Audio for my copy of The Island! From the moment I heard the premise, I knew I had to get my hands onThank you so much to Natasha Preston and Penguin Audio for my copy of The Island! From the moment I heard the premise, I knew I had to get my hands on it. It is about a group of influencers who go to a private theme park for the weekend to promote it on social media. Paisley runs an account all about true crime, and she can’t wait to go to a spooky island full of fun rides. But when they get to the resort, something is off. Even though it is the dream weekend, the eerie setting and skeleton crew is unsettling. Then one of the influencers goes missing, and Paisley begins to wonder if she will get off the island alive.
Thoughts: This book was like a YA version of And Then There Were None. I loved the premise and thought it was really fun. Natasha Preston is a great writer and the story is both fast-paced and claustrophobic. The thing about YA books is that the characters always seem pretty dumb. They don’t think and the plans they come up with are so basic and unthought out, which is both funny and frustrating.
The ending was both unsurprising and thrown together. It didn’t really make sense why things unfolded the way they did and seemed like a stretch to me. Even the misdirection made no sense and seems like such a big stretch to commit to. There are also so many characters that it is hard to keep track of who is who and why they matter. It was such a fun plot, but the last 20% was disappointing and that was such a bummer. 3-stars.
Merged review:
Thank you so much to Natasha Preston and Penguin Audio for my copy of The Island! From the moment I heard the premise, I knew I had to get my hands on it. It is about a group of influencers who go to a private theme park for the weekend to promote it on social media. Paisley runs an account all about true crime, and she can’t wait to go to a spooky island full of fun rides. But when they get to the resort, something is off. Even though it is the dream weekend, the eerie setting and skeleton crew is unsettling. Then one of the influencers goes missing, and Paisley begins to wonder if she will get off the island alive.
Thoughts: This book was like a YA version of And Then There Were None. I loved the premise and thought it was really fun. Natasha Preston is a great writer and the story is both fast-paced and claustrophobic. The thing about YA books is that the characters always seem pretty dumb. They don’t think and the plans they come up with are so basic and unthought out, which is both funny and frustrating.
The ending was both unsurprising and thrown together. It didn’t really make sense why things unfolded the way they did and seemed like a stretch to me. Even the misdirection made no sense and seems like such a big stretch to commit to. There are also so many characters that it is hard to keep track of who is who and why they matter. It was such a fun plot, but the last 20% was disappointing and that was such a bummer. 3-stars....more
Thank you to Natasha Preston and Penguin Audio for my copy of The Haunting. It was such a fun and atmospheric story. The book was about Penny, a girl Thank you to Natasha Preston and Penguin Audio for my copy of The Haunting. It was such a fun and atmospheric story. The book was about Penny, a girl who’s ex’s father went on a killing spree last Halloween, murdering four teens. She is trying to stay away from Nash and his family, but as next Halloween approaches, the town is getting nervous. When Penny goes to the Halloween store to find a costume, she finds a body instead. It looks like there is a copycat, and no one is safe.
Thoughts: I loved the Halloween atmosphere of this book. The town had so many fun festive activities and it made the book feel chilly and creepy. The premise was good and I thought it was a fun YA thriller. Sadly, in the first 15% of this book I wrote down what was going to happen and I was 100% right. This book was pretty predictable and felt like the entire story was leading you from the very beginning. 3-stars ...more
Another hit from the AMAZING Angie Kim. Thank you to Hogarth for my copy of this book. Happiness Falls is about Mia and her family, and the days afterAnother hit from the AMAZING Angie Kim. Thank you to Hogarth for my copy of this book. Happiness Falls is about Mia and her family, and the days after their father goes missing. When her younger brother Eugene returns from a walk without her dad, Mia isn’t worried. He must have lost his phone or stopped for something. Unfortunately she can’t ask Eugene what happened, since he has a rare genetic condition and can’t talk.
What follows is a slow burning investigation into what happened in the woods. It’s a family mystery about a missing person, but also a rich tapestry about immigrants in America, the human connection, and what truly makes us happy.
Thoughts: The themes in this book were amazing. I loved the deeper questions about love, language, race, and happiness. Angie Kim does something unique in her writing that immediately connects you to the characters she writes about and has you walk in their shoes. I loved the characters in this book and each of their unique perspectives. I felt for Eugene, not being able to speak but having so much to say.
This was a long book that I flew through. The story is a mystery, study on character and family, and philosophical analysis of happiness and how we communicate. I really liked the notes peppered through the book with Mia’s thoughts. It was wonderfully written and I recommend reading the author’s note at the end. 5-stars! ...more
Thank you to Penguin Audio and Ashley Audrain for my copy of The Whispers. This book was about a child that fell from a window in the middle of the niThank you to Penguin Audio and Ashley Audrain for my copy of The Whispers. This book was about a child that fell from a window in the middle of the night and is now in a coma. His mother won’t speak to anyone, and no one knows what really happened. Back in the neighborhood, everyone is gossiping and dealing with their own role in what happened that night. There are a few main women involved, and the story talks about motherhood, friendship, and the complexities of being a woman.
Thoughts: This book was so so super depressing. It was about infidelity, infertility, child loss, and emotional trauma. It was extremely triggering and dramatic and was full of a ton of internal dialogue. I was hoping this book would be about creepy kids, but it was about badly behaved adults. The audiobook narrator did a good job, but this story wasn’t for me. ...more
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