Many thanks to my friends at @bookclubfavorites @atriabooks and @simon.audio for the #gifted free copies of this book.  

 

THIS BOOK!

 

Chilling.  Mind blowing. Unputdownable.  Quite possibly THE perfect psychological thriller. 

 

It’s been a long time since a thriller has WOWed me like this.  I went in with extremely high hopes, and still, this was so much more than I had anticipated. 

 

Deftly crafted with incisive layers, Jewell kept me on the edge of my seat, never quite sure what to trust.  The brilliance of the novel is in its title after all.  

 

The unique formatting- with short chapters that are part narrative, part podcast transcript, and part documentary- added to the sense of foreboding and kept the plot moving at a breakneck speed.  

 

I was completely absorbed, loving every twisted detail, right down to the last explosive revelation.  And what a discussion I had with @bookmarked.by.becky and @rachellelovesreading after closing that last haunting page.  

 

Two recommendations:

-       Go in blind.  The less you know the better.

-       Find a buddy to read it with.  This book begs for discussion.  

 

This one is worthy of all the praise, from the eerie atmosphere to the crafty characterization and the expert plotting.  But ultimately, the best acclaim I can give is this: You NEED to read this book!  

 

Truly, it’s Jewell’s best to date! 

 

🎧 With a full cast and background sound effects, the audio was a standout.  It made the podcast and documentary sections truly come alive and gave the characters a distinct voice in each narrative section.  

Many thanks to my friends at @simon.audio for the #gifted copy of this audiobook and to my friend @getlostinabookwithme for sharing her extra copy with me!  

 

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things."

 

Smart. Shocking. Addictive.  The “Queen of Twists” is back with another winner!  

 

Two Mothers’ Days twenty years apart.  One results in a stolen baby.  The other in a murder.  

 

In Feeney’s latest, which is more domestic suspense than thriller, her signature style takes on a brilliantly fresh tone.  Delving into the world of mothers and daughters, Feeney mixes emotion with suspense in a way that fully captivates.  

 

An inventive character driven puzzle, this book opens at the end and ends at the beginning.  It’s cleverly plotted with crisp and quoteworthy writing. Perfectly timed reveals are interspersed with contemplative themes.  

 

I was hooked from the first gasp-worthy chapter.  And while the pace varied between the “can’t read fast enough,” and the “slower and more introspective,” I found this blend highly satisfying.  

 

There’s a complexity to mother/daughter relationships.  Good Bad Girl is steeped in that intricate emotional balance that often dances between love and hate.  The depth of character development, with fully fleshed out perspectives, adeptly brought those intricacies to life.  

 

But it was the expertly crafted examination between good and bad that elevated this murder/kidnapping mystery.  I loved the thought-provoking narrative nestled within the suspense.  

 

Truly, Feeney never disappoints!  You’re going to want to grab this one on pub day, next Tuesday!

 

🎧  Stephanie Racine is back (big cheer!) and is joined by Katherine Press.  The narration is fully infused with tension, emotion, and drama, making this an excellent audiobook that I highly recommend.  

Many thanks to my friends at @simon.audio for the #gifted free audiobook. 

SO STRANGE. But SO GOOD! An absolute standout and favorite read of the year. 

The opening scene: Sally incinerates her recently deceased father and has no understanding why the town is in an uproar. 

Me: SOLD! And from that point forward, I couldn’t listen fast enough. 

Dark. Disturbing. Riveting. This is an unsettling look at abuse and trauma that begs the question: Can brokenness be healed or only endured? 

Brilliantly executed from beginning to end, Nugent delves into the deepest recesses of the human psyche creating a narrative as unique as it is bingeable. The storytelling is crisp, wasting no words. The plot is meticulously layered; a slow release of the truth that builds both tension and atmosphere. But it was the rich characterization that stood out most for me. 

Sally completely won me over. She’s both eccentric and exasperating. Her directness often provided well timed laughter. But ultimately, it was the stark reality of her situation, having endured what no one should, and how that affected her everyday life that held me enrapt. I found her character arc fully authentic and sadly believable. 

I love books full of gray areas. And Nugent excelled at creating a haunting portrayal of monsters, some easily identifiable and others hiding behind elusive veils. It’s a harrowing reminder that no one is purely good or evil. 

Worth noting: US readers get an additional chapter at the end. However, my dark heart much preferred the more realistic, albeit bleaker, UK ending.

WHAT A BOOK! I’ll be thinking about Strange Sally Diamond for a long time to come. 

🎧 This audiobook is already being lauded in the Top 20 Best of 2023, and I absolutely agree. Narrated by Jessica Regan, Stephen Hogan, and Sara Lynam, this was a performance in which I could not stop listening. was held completely captive, unable to push the pause button. Impeccable!

Many thanks to my friends at @tornightfire and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Complex.  Weird.  The perfect mix of confusion and satisfaction.  

 

“It was me that was haunted, not the place.” -Ward in conversation at @politicsprose.

 

There’s a certain genius with which Ward writes horror.  It’s never simplistic: mere violence and fear.  Instead, it brims with a passionate intensity and steeps in perplexity, leaving the reader haunted by the writing itself.  

 

And Ward’s newest may be her most haunting yet.    

 

On the first summer holiday in the idyllic coastal town, Wilder is determined to find love.  And he does.  Those friendships of youth burgeon with a special intensity.  But things change when the friends make a terrible discovery. And it will haunt them for the rest of their lives.  

 

What opens as a coming-of-age tale swiftly shifts to a disturbing circular narrative.  A story within a story within a story, blurring the lines between fact and fiction to create a horrifying sense of uncertainty.  

 

This is a wildly ambitious plot, unpacking the traumatic effects of violence while pondering the authenticity of memory and storytelling.  And on both accounts, Ward excelled.    

 

While many felt the plot confusing and convoluted, that’s where I thought Ward’s narrative stood out.  The meticulous layering (though necessarily befuddling at times) created an intimate and resounding portrait of trauma.  It was a look within the mind of survivors, narrating the distortion and horror, unlike any I’ve read before.  

 

The more I sit with this story, the more I appreciate it’s brilliance.  I can’t wait to see what Ward does next!

 

🎧 You’re going to want a physical copy of this one, if for no other reason than to reread sections for clarity.  But the audiobook is a great accompaniment.  Full of emotion and nuance, I found myself lost in the voices created by narrators Christopher Ragland and Katherine Fenton.   

 

Many thanks to my friends at @simon.audio for the #gifted free copy of this audiobook.  

 

The Unhoneymooners was my first CLo read, and it set the bar high for all rom-coms from there out.  So, when I learned that a full-cast audio original sequel was available, I couldn’t download it fast enough.  

 

This short audio novella follows Ami (Olive’s twin) and Brody (Ethan’s best man) as they plan the perfect Hawaiian wedding for Olive and Ethan.  

 

The full cast narration with extra sound effects was a completely entertaining experience.  And for that reason alone, this audiobook is a winner.  

 

But clocking in at just under 5 hours, there was little room for depth and development.  And in such, this new romance came across lacking substance.  

 

While I wish this one had been full length, it was worth returning to the world of The Unhoneymooners for a quick and easy summertime romp, especially in the captivating hands (voice) of Harry Shum Jr.    

 

Many thanks to my friends at @prhaudio for the #gifted free audiobook. 

Long walks in the sand. ✅
Cocktails and acoustic music ✅
Second chance at romance ✅

There’s a deep sense of nostalgia in returning to the places of youth, especially when they involve first love. 

Sam returns to her family’s Long Island beach cottage in search of the perfect wedding venue. But before she can embrace the future, she must grapple with the past… and the intoxicating sound coming from the guitar next door. 

Monaghan perfectly captures the essence of young love and that first heartbreak. But what drew me in most was the seaside setting and memories of summers at the beach. 

Oh Wyatt! Quite possibly the perfect cinnamon roll hero. (I have a thing for guys with guitars.). And yet, there was something that held me back from being fully sold on this romance. 

Monaghan’s last book, Nora Goes Off Script, is one of my all-time favorite romances. It’s about a middle-aged heroine finding love amongst the mundane parts of life (around dinner tables and on grocery store runs). 

And so I think: Maybe this book didn’t resonate to the same degree because it felt more YA, and I’m in my “mature” adult era. (It’s me. I’m the problem. It’s me.)

Still, I finished this in no time. It really is perfect for the pool bag. 

But I’d love to see Monaghan circle back to a middle-aged woman navigating life and kids… 

🎧 I listened to this one and found myself seeking out extra tasks that allowed me more listening time. Brittany Pressley is a favorite narrator, and she was partnered up with Dan Bitter. Together they created a perfectly angsty narration that I didn’t want to pause. 

Many thanks to my friends at @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Compulsive.  Addictive.  Bingeable.  This book came in the mail on Saturday, and I closed the last page on by Sunday! 

 

Deception abounds in this unique storyline, and Pekkanen adeptly plots each reveal creating a propulsive read.  

 

A mother and daughter against the world, until secrets start to crack that once firm foundation, begging the question: just how well do you know those you love?

 

Many thrillers beg that question.  And yet, Pekkanen manages to do it in a fresh and innovative new way, creating a unique balancing act between love and deception that thrills.    

 

This was a perfect summer read for me- fast paced, cleverly executed, and fully entertaining.  I can’t wait to see what Pekkanen does next!  

 
🎧 I partnered my physical book with the audiobook, and it was a winning combination!  Actress @katemara narrates the audiobook, and she creates a full-bodied execution of the novel, allowing both POV a distinct voice.

Many thanks to my friends at @marysueruccibooks and @simon.audio for the #gifted free copies of this book. 

“The main ingredient in transformation was not magic. It was pain.”

Wildly imaginative. Wholly unforgettable. 

It’s a fully absurd idea… a genetic mutation that turns a husband into a shark. Unbelievable and ridiculous. And yet, Habeck completely convinced me. 

THIS book. It was so much more than I expected. I bought into this WILD premise with abandon, completely immersed and utterly swept away. 

Brimming with emotion and deeply contemplative, this is a love story in three parts: between romantic partners, between friends, between mother/child. The fragility and tenacity of love is on full display. It is vulnerable and tender. It’s a bittersweet ache. Even so, there is a hopefulness that permeates. 

Habeck boldly experimented with the structure of the story, where she created a unique blend of prose that meandered between the poetic and simplistic and a format that was neither straightforward nor linear. Together, it added to the overall bizarreness in a weirdly wonderful (wonderfully weird?) way that kept me spellbound. 

It’s the originality- both in premise and formatting- that makes this book stand out. 

This is a special book, the likes of which don’t come around often. A book about a shark that brimmed with humanity. What an unforgettable debut! 

🎧 I highly recommend combining both print and audiobook the full experience. There’s a uniqueness to the print page that demands the eyes. But the audiobook is exceptionally narrated by a full cast: Karissa Vacker (a favorite!), Shaun Taylor-Corbett, and Soneela Nankani. They brought a vividness and nuance to each character that heightened the overall experience.

Many thanks to my friends at @getredbookspr @stmartinspress  and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Hot off a binge read!

 

I had big plans of starting this book right when I returned from vacation last week.  But then our plane got hit by lightenening, meaning our trip home was delayed… and everything got pushed off schedule.

 

Ultimately, I didn’t need that extra time with this book.  This is the kind of book you want to finish in less than 24 hours.  

 

Pour a glass of wine, grab the popcorn, and plan to get lost in the juicy drama on Alton Road.  

 

A murder takes place on the night of the annual block party.  Anyone could be the victim.  Anyone could be the culprit.  This is a neighborhood full of scandal, and no one is exempt! 

 

Addictive and dishy.  Full of secrets and lies.  The more gossip that got passed around the block, the more I became addicted.

 

The best part of the book: Lettie!  I loved her internal dialogue and appreciated the level of maturity she brought to the story.  

 

Thankfully my own cul-de-sac is markedly different from the Alton Road cul-de-sac.  But boy did I enjoy that large dose of escapism and fun on Alton Road.   

 

🎧 Narrated by Megan Turing and Suzy Jackson, the audiobook is the way to go!  The dual narration adeptly characterized our 2 main POV, giving each a nuanced voice.  

 

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy of this book.  

 

Looking for a totally easy pool read?  That’s exactly what this book provided as I lounged in the heat, drenched in sunscreen.  

 

When a popular infuencer goes missing, podcaster Rachel Krall joins investigators to uncover the truth.

 

I queued this one up on audio and found the fast-paced storyline and full cast narration an easy escape.  With podcast episodes interspersed and the addition of extra sound effects (chairs scraping, doors opening), this format worked well for me.  

  

While I was drawn into the storyline, it’s important to note that there’s little to no mystery found here.  The killer is identified from the very beginning.  The slow unfolding focuses on the connection between the characters and the serial killer.  And as such, the plotline loses its primary capacity for tension and thrill.  

 

Much of the plot revolves around the world of mega-influencers.  Snobbery and fakeness are on full display. I found this interesting but much like the BuzzCon scene, I also found it lacking depth.  

 

The biggest miss for me was the impulsive relationship between Krall and the FBI agent.  It didn’t feel organic, nor did it add to the overall premise of the storyline.  

 

This wasn’t exactly what I expected of my first read by Goldin.  But knowing how widely she is loved in the community; I will be anticipating her next read.