I really liked the premise here, I can’t even imagine waking up alone on a cruise ship and I was so curious about what direction the author would take here. How did an entire ship full of passengers vanish into thin air? I had zero idea where this was going and as thing started to be revealed I was skeptical. You have to be able to suspend all disbelief here to even begin to enjoy this because there are a lot of things that happen that will make you go, umm no that doesn’t even make sense. But I went along with it for the most part and I would say I mostly enjoyed the ride. It did feel a bit drawn out and long winded at points for me, I think it could’ve been a little shorter and the ending did throw me for a loop. Not sure if I loved the clever last chapter or not but it made me think. This definitely won’t be for everyone, I can see it being very divisive but that’s always kind of fun for me to see different perspectives. I can’t really say anything else without verging into spoiler territory but this one was definitely unique.

I know some people are getting sick of social media influencers as characters in books but I eat that shit up. I love seeing everything from the darker side of SM to how huge influencers run their accounts and create their content so that aspect was what first drew me to this one. I also immediately liked the cat and mouse vibes and for about the first half I thought it was going to be an enjoyable, albeit predictable read and then things shifted and I was fully invested. This was addictive and gripping with a fast pace and a mixed media approach that I really liked. Every chapter starts with either a quote or tweet or comment from Molly and then there are snippets from a Reddit snark forum that just rags on her really showing just how nasty the internet can be. I think people who enjoy a lighter style of thriller will enjoy this, perfect for a summer binge read.

This is exactly the fun type of popcorn thriller I enjoy, especially in a thriller. It read really fast, it has multiple POVs, and it has a compelling plot that definitely had me dying to know what happened to Adrienne. Did she flee on her own as it wouldn’t be the first time she flaked? Or was something more sinister at play? So many questions and the path to get to the answers was pretty twisty and fun. Some things will be obvious to avid thriller fans but there is one component that completely caught me off guard in the best way. As much as I would say this is a popcorn thriller there was church trauma explored and the way both Tatum and Adrienne were controlled by Pastor Shane was chilling. The last bit was really tense and creepy with everything coming together in a pretty satisfying way.

I always love a mystery where the character heads back to their hometown after they fled due to a tragedy but this had a slight twist. Greer’s sister was murdered and her killer was caught and even executed but something about the whole case is off for her and when two more teens are murdered in a similar fashion she knows it’s time for her to return home. So a solid setup for me and I was into it at the beginning. As the plot progressed in a slow manner what kept my attention was how the author showed the effects of these murders on Greer’s family and the entire small town. It’s character driven and heartbreaking but along with that strong aspect I wanted some more suspense and tension. Things do ramp up in the end but the motivation behind the murders was really weak and didn’t make much sense to me. Overall great themes and writing I just wanted more suspense and reasoning in the end. 

This series has me in a chokehold and if I could bribe @laurapavlovauthor to give me the next books the minute she finishes them I would give her basically anything she wanted. 

This book is Brinkley and Lincoln’s story and tropes include enemies to lovers, sports, forced proximity and fantastic banter. Being back in Cottonwood Cove with the Reynolds family was just as fun and charming as I remembered it being and seeing them welcome a new member into their clan just made me fall in love with them even more. Their family group chat gives me life and makes me cackle every time. I really enjoyed that Brinkley and Lincoln’s love affair took some time to heat up as they have a super rocky start, watching them slowly get to know and open up to each other was magical and sweet. Adored this one as much as the first two books and if you like small town romance with some heat you have to read this series. 

I really liked the premise of this and was intrigued by the whole Romeo and Juliet retelling with a reincarnation twist. It sounded fresh and romantic and a little bit whimsical which is totally my thing. It definitely was and I liked how the author explored Romeo’s immortality and how he dealt with his grief over his incredibly long lifetime. I also enjoyed the travel aspect, it gave it a very summer vacation vibe and the dual POVs worked well for me too. There were some seriously beautiful romantic quotes about love and loss as well that made me swoon. It ended up losing me a bit in the end though as there was a kind of convoluted storyline involving Helene’s ex husband and then the ending was left very open and I was hoping for a more concrete and well defined conclusion. I listened to most of this one audio the narrators were fantastic and definitely added to my enjoyment. Don’t miss the authors not at the end 🥹 it had me teary. 

Getting a new Karin Slaughter book every year is always super exciting for me but getting a new Will Trent book makes it all the better. This series is hands down one of the best crime fiction series around and every time a new book is released they get better. A question I always get when a new book in this series is released is can it be read on its own? Yes, technically you can because the author does an excellent job of providing any pertinent background information but the series as a whole is so incredibly good I always say read the whole thing if you have time. 

If you’ve read the author before you know she is unflinchingly dark in the stories she writes and this was particularly harrowing as it deals with brutal instances of sexual assault. It’s definitely difficult to read about at times but at the same time I couldn’t stop reading because the writing is so damn good. As disturbing as certain scenes are to read I always feel like her books are such important reads as she gives a voice to voiceless women and she does so with a particular brand of care and consideration. Her writing is so bold that it’s not the type of book you finish and forget about. I finished yesterday and still cannot get the characters out of my head. Speaking of the characters it was so amazing to be back in this world and see what Will, Sara, Faith and Amanda were up to. I have such a strong attachment to this group of people and it’s always a treat to check in with them. If you like your thrillers dark this one is a must read, so well written, so disturbing and so gripping. Highly recommended.

This is tricky to review without giving too much away so here’s what I think you should know before reading. 

From the synopsis: Reminiscent of the works of Patricia Highsmith and Lucy Foley, a compulsive psychological thriller—“the perfect poolside reading” ( Guardian )—involving gorgeous grifters on the loose in the south of France who prey on a group of unsuspecting vacationers . . . and each other. The heat is intense. The secrets are stifling. And there is no escape. 

So a perfect summer setting with some glitz and glam, con artists masquerading as people they aren’t and plenty of drama and intrigue. This is the definition of a slow burn with things leading to a sizzling conclusion that was very satisfying and worth the wait for me. It had the vibes of a sophisticated beach read, maybe because of the setting but overall this was a delicious slow burn thriller that I really enjoyed.