Hello book friends, I hope you are all doing well?

I am not a huge paranormal reader, but occasionally one hits my radar and I have to check it out!

This was the book that did it for me!

Ok so I have to admit, this was a bit of a "Bookstagram made me do it" kind of thing, everyone was talking about this one, and I don't like to be left out Lol

So I had a spare Audible credit, and checked to see who was narrating it, when I saw it was my favourite narrator Bahni Turpin, I was sold!!

I'm so glad I did, because I loved it!!

There is something about a book set in the South that gets me all grabby, I'm not sure if it is the accent (I think that's what it is) or just the thought of one day travelling there myself, but I'm all in either way.

Hailed as Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula, this book is exactly what it says on the tin, a Southern Book Club.

Patricia is our MC in this story, she is married with a couple of kids, and is in a marriage that isn't perfect, her kids are brats, and her husband need Yeeting into a distant planet in my opinion!
The only thing that Patrica looks forward to every week is her Book Club, with the other local women of the Charleston neighbourhood.
After a rocky start with the group, with book choices etc. they eventually start reading True Crime stories and Thrillers.

When a handsome stranger moves into the neighbourhood, he is the new topic of conversation amongst the women, and Patricia in particular is intrigued.

She gets even more intrigued after a series of incidents involving children, especially after they go missing.

Patricia automatically goes back to her True Crime novels and assumes that the new stranger is involved and is some kind of serial killer, but she uncovers something a lot darker than she expected.

I absolutely loved this story, it was funny but also dark in some places, a few people have said that it was gory, I didn't find that myself, but I am a Horror reader, and this wasn't gory to me at all, but I can see some parts being a bit gruesome for some.

I would absolutely recommend the Audiobook, Bahni Turpin is an absolute genius at narration as always, she always brings an extra oomf to a story, and that is why she is my favourite!

Hannah and Nathan are married with a teenage son.

They have a beautiful house, Nathan is an established Lawyer and does a lot to help in the community, everyone loves Nathan.
Hannah is a Housewife.

From the outside, Hannah and Nathan have a perfect marriage, they are happy and loving life.

But behind closed doors, Nathan is a controlling Narcissistic Douchebag!

He controls everything that Hannah does, from what she wears, to what she spends her money on, or should I say *his* money, because Hannah has to produce receipts for every purchase that she makes, even counting the change, if it is wrong, then a swift punch will set her right!

He is manipulative and gaslights her at every opportunity to make her think that she is going crazy. Hannah knows what he is doing, but is helpless to do anything about it, as she is powerless in this relationship.

But this story isn’t just about Coercive Control, it also delves into the past, and you find out how a happy young Hannah, can eventually end up being a beaten down shell of what she used to be.

Because Hannah is living with the consequences of a night that she will never forget, and knows that she can never escape, and Nathan will make sure of this!

This book was a tough read, I have recently left a toxic marriage, and although it was nowhere as bad as what Hannah endured, I was still reminded of the manipulation, and gaslighting.
People need to realise that domestic abuse is not always a black eye, sometimes the bruises don’t show on the body, sometimes they are on your heart, and they take longer to heal.

A great read, but please take heed of the Trigger Warnings for Domestic Violence.

Pippa (Pip for short) is working on a school project for her final year, choosing a topic is difficult and she is finding it really hard. She wants to be a journalist when she leaves school, so wants to really prove her worth.

So what is the best thing to do as a budding journalist? Well investigate a crime of course! But not any old crime, she decides to investigate a crime from 5 years ago, where a young girl in the town was murdered by her boyfriend, only she thinks that he didn't do it, and she's going to prove it!

A body was never found, and some blood in a car, and a text on the evening of the murder was all the police needed to pin the murder on Andrea Bell's boyfriend Sal, but little things seem to be out of place for Pip, because Sal then killed himself in the local woods, which then adds to the guilty verdict.

And so her final year project is chosen, Pip along with the help of Sal's younger brother Ravi, start to investigate the murder, but not everyone wants her to interfere into something that is already closed!

For a debut novel this was such a fun read, and I've already bought book 2, although i'm holding out for the audiobook.

Narration was so brilliantly done, it is a full cast, and done exquisitely, if you loved Sadie last year, then you'll love this one too

One of my favourite tropes, friends to lovers.

The rom-com queen is back again with another knock out!
I can't get enough of Lauren's books, she makes a dull day much brighter.

I listened to this whole book with a smile on my face, and I can't wait to see what she has got coming next.

Shane East, Andi Arndt, Joe Arden, Kit Swann AKA "The Dream Team" made this so much fun to listen to.

I am currently writing this review from my shower, as I had to hose myself down, I was happily listening to this masterpiece narrated by Joe Arden, Emma Wilder & Jacob Morgan, when I inadvertently burst into flames, and could only be cooled down by a cold shower, THAT's how hot this book is, you've been warned!!!!