Really great suspense with an underlying romance. The characters were all excellently written, from Wade and Aaliyah to the villain and the side characters. Sometimes in suspense you have a lot of eye roll moments at the dialogue or decision making and I didn’t feel any of that. 

It wasn’t super unpredictable, but there was enough action and lead-in that it didn’t feel disappointing. My only wish with the book is that it was longer and had a just a little more character/story development. It just felt short and really fast. 

Well written and I really enjoyed it. I love the rest of Ms Wrights books that I’ve read so far and I’m looking forward from more in this genre from her. 

Thanks the Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

The history and landscape in this was so rich and the characters really well done. It gave a really transparent look at the colonization of Ceylon, which is apparently now Sri Lanka, and the subjugation of their people under the British. It exemplified how unfortunate and arrogant that treatment and view was trying to force out a culture just because it was different. I enjoyed learning of the history as unfortunate and dismaying as it was. The contrast of characters between Norton recognizing something wasn’t right and the other officials enforcing things was well done, and immersive. It helped me feel invested in the situation the way it was written. 

The incorporation of the lack of women’s rights and recognition was also presented well with Stella and her research and family struggles, and everything else she went thru. It was certainly a difficult and frustrating position to be in as a woman during that time, without a lot of good options. 

I enjoyed the book and the characters and would definitely be interested in the next in the series. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine. 

Super heartfelt, lots of funny moments and endearing moments. The bulk of it felt really sad and heavy to me tho and the ending wrapped up super fast. But I loved the truths of family, love over pride, and sacrifice. Really loved both Samantha and Xavier as characters. 

Definitely a bit of an odd book once you get into it. But the friendships between the women and concept of if-only’s and regrets being a big black hole that doesn’t solve anything, but sometimes end up being what makes you the best of who you are, was really good. 

Definitely fun and lighthearted murder mystery. Both MCs are great of course, but the side characters added so much to it. 

Excellent research on Japan during the end of WW2 and interesting what-if scenario of a 3rd atomic bomb, undetonated, in Japan. 

I’ve not read much, of Japan itself during the war, mostly the countries it occupied or the POW camps in isolated places, so I liked reading about the landscape and attitude from that perspective. 

There is so much controversy and moral dilemma about the atomic bombs, whether it was necessary to end the war, and regardless, the depravity of doing so on civilians. I thought this was presented well and the information in the author’s notes was super interesting to that effect. 

The characters - both heroes and villains - were well written, and I enjoyed the story, as sad as the undertone was. It touched on grief, duty, loyalty, fear, friendship and sacrifice, while also building the story and setting of Japan during the war. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine

Good suspense and action. I liked the 1st more but still well done. I just didn’t care for Luke’s character in this as much.  

I thought this was very well written and the concept and emotions and feelings of loss with dealing with a chronic health condition was accurate and well done, from some level of my own first hand experience. 

While the story was of course, sad on many levels, it was also real. The relationship between Marco and Nadia gave it some lightness even though it had a sad undertone for obvious reasons. And the fact that both MCs each dealt with their own struggles with brokenness of a different kind made it more endearing and identifiable. Even with their flaws, I loved both of them, as well as their friends and family. 

The audio was great. The narrator made each character, the accents and the Italian family mannerisms, come alive. Enjoyed it a lot. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine. 

Great military/government thriller. Kind of reminiscent of the old show, 24. Couple far fetched minor things but excusable. I felt like the ending wrapped up super fast tho. 

There wasn’t as much about the Kingdom of Happy Land as I hoped there was. The American Queen by Vanessa Miller was a much more rich version of the story. With this one, I struggled with the constant tension and bitterness in the women in Nicki’s portion of the timeline and in Luella’s, there were things in the storyline that were mentioned that she faced or felt and then never was addressed or developed. It felt half done. Also really not a fan of the love triangle situation.