Category: Book reviews

#ThrowbackThursday Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

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Release date: July 26, 2016

Publisher: Crown

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller

Blurb:

“Are you happy with your life?” 


Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. 


Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. 


Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” 


In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.


Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.


From the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

Review: 

I’m joining in again with Throwback Thursday which was created by my good friend Renee at It’s Book Talk. She started this weekly feature as a way to highlight old favorites and read books that have already been published. I have so many older books on my TBR that get ignored in favor of review copies and I figure participating in Throwback Thursday will help me to read at a least one older title a week!

Dark Matter is a book way outside of my usual preference and one that I’ve had sitting on my Netgalley shelf for far too long. I originally requested it last year because everyone I knew was raving about it and I have a serious case of fear of missing out. I finally decided to grab it this week and I’m completely blown away. I am SO glad that I took a chance on a book that’s outside of my comfort zone, it paid off in a big way. 

This book was like nothing I’ve ever read before and that may be because it’s not my go to genre but I don’t think so. I still firmly believe that DM is highly original and insanely creative even within it’s genre. It defied all of my expectations and then some and has such an insane premise that I’m not even going to attempt to speak to it because I know I wouldn’t be able to discuss it in the manner that it deserves. Just think mind bending matrix/inception type of stuff, it’s actually best not to think too hard about the details anyway. 

The biggest surprise for me here was how deeply and intricately complex this book was. Yes, it’s highly intelligent and deals with topics that are beyond my normal level of comprehension but Crouch details scientific methods in a way that even a dummy like me could understand. This was a surprisingly emotional read for me, no one warned me that it would make me cry! It was so thought provoking and touched something right at my core, I’m just mind blown by how much I loved this book. 

If you’re like me and have been on the fence about this one, give it a try. I don’t think anyone will be disappointed, it’s intense, profound, smart and extremely well written. I can’t say enough good things about how this book made me feel and that’s one of the main reasons I love to read in the first place, to feel something outside of my everyday life. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

Review: The Goddesses by Swan Huntley

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Release date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Doubleday Books 

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Blurb:

The Descendants meets Single White Female in this captivating novel about a woman who moves her family to Hawaii, only to find herself wrapped up in a dangerous friendship, from the celebrated author of We Could Be Beautiful.


When Nancy and her family arrive in Kona, Hawaii, they are desperate for a fresh start. Nancy’s husband has cheated on her; they sleep in separate bedrooms and their twin sons have been acting out, setting off illegal fireworks. But Hawaii is paradise: they plant an orange tree in the yard; they share a bed once again and Nancy resolves to make a happy life for herself. She starts taking a yoga class and there she meets Ana, the charismatic teacher. Ana has short, black hair, a warm smile, and a hard-won wisdom that resonates deeply within Nancy. They are soon spending all their time together, sharing dinners, relaxing in Ana’s hot tub, driving around Kona in the cute little car Ana helps Nancy buy. As Nancy grows closer and closer to Ana skipping family dinners and leaving the twins to their own devices she feels a happiness and understanding unlike anything she’s ever experienced, and she knows that she will do anything Ana asks of her. 


A mesmerizing story of friendship and manipulation set against the idyllic tropical world of the Big Island, The Goddesses is a stunning psychological novel by one of our most exciting young writers. 

Review: 

I’m pretty conflicted trying to decide exactly how I feel about this one, there were many things that I really liked and then there were also many things that bothered me. Middle of the road reviews are my least favorite kind, I have the hardest time writing them, but I think I’ll stick to the format that’s worked best for me in the past. I’ll share what I liked, then what didn’t work for me with the hope that I’ll give you guys enough information to decide for yourselves if you want to try this one or not. 

The premise of this is great, I loved the mention of Single White Female and there is definitely a SWF vibe here. Huntley is a really strong writer and I loved her prose, there was something really delicate and pretty about it that was uniquely her own. It’s set in Kona and she also did a fantastic job of bringing the setting to life, it felt like a secondary character and the imagery was great. There are several scenes where Nancy and Ana are in Ana’s jacuzzi that overlooks the ocean and I could imagine these scenes easily. 

The basic bones of the plot were solid and I was really curious to see where things were headed but unfortunately in the end, everything fell flat for me. I feel like it could’ve been executed better, again everything was set up for something SO great but then I was really underwhelmed by the conclusion. I knew Nancy was on a downward spiral the whole book, that’s part of what made this a compulsive read, but then it sort of just…ends with no resolution and it was anticlimactic at best. 

Classifying this as a suspense/thriller is a mistake, I think readers expecting a story filled with tension and twists will be disappointed, any twists were predictable, especially if you’re a reader of the genre. If you are looking for a book that focuses more on characterization and female relationships with a side of intrigue, this could work for you. Or, if you don’t read many thrillers but want to dip your toe into the water, this would be a good place to start. Bottom line? A well written book with strong writing and interesting characters but was lacking in terms of the overall plot and sense of closure. 

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to Booksparks for my review copy. 

Blog Tour: The Queen of New Beginnings by Therese Loreskar @loreskar @bombshellpub

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Release date: August 10, 2017

Publisher: Bombshell Books

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

Kajsa lives in a large house in Stockholm along with her three children and their dog. Since coming clean about lying on her popular blog she no longer has any work. Not only that but she has kicked her husband out because of his sex addiction.


 


While her husband is in rehab trying to fix his little problem, Kajsa’s mother in law is thrown out of her retirement home and comes to live with her daughter in law.


 


Then Kajsa receives an unexpected offer to move to a fashionable part of London. But having to look after her mother in law makes life complicated.  


 


Can Kajsa rid herself of her baggage and make a fresh start with her children in England?


 


This laugh-out-loud comedy looks at the daily struggles we all face with our families and asks if starting again is ever really possible. 


Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Queen of New Beginnings.


Review:

This is the second book in a series, I read the first, The Queen of Blogging right before this one and since I didn’t post a full review, I’ll quickly share my thoughts on that book before this one. 

Queen of Blogging

Kajsa is a hilarious and quirky character, she made the book for me personally, she was just so much fun in an over the type kind of way. She was kind of a mash up of Bridget Jones and Becky Bloomwood, she finds herself in these outrageous situations, mostly due to the fact that her whole blog is a total lie. She’s supposed to be this fitness guru and she hates to exercise and she posts pics of her meals that she finds using Google. It’s told through diary entries and was a quick, light read. The ending did feel a bit rushed and there wasn’t a lot of resolution, so I was happy I had the next one to start immediately!

Queen of New Beginnings 

This one picks up three months after the first book ends and Kajsa is separated from her sex addict husband and struggling as a single mom. It’s told in a similar structure as the first book was and once again, it made it really easy to just keep turning the pages. She’s as funny as ever in this installment and finds herself in several awkward and embarrassing scenarios. I especially liked the relationship between her and her mother in law, they’re at odds most of the time and they both say and think the funniest things!

Kajsa has definitely shown growth and development throughout both books but she’s still a lovable hot mess underneath. This was such an easy read that made me giggle, a super fun book to read in an afternoon. The ending was a bit abrupt again but I’m hoping this means there’s a third book in the works?! 

Overall rating: 4/5

About the Author: 


Therese Loreskär started her carrier in 2010 as a Swedish author. She self-published her first novel which was very well received and quickly sold out!


 


In 2014 she signed up to a publishing house. Her novel called “The Queen of Blogging” was released and the feedback was overwhelming! People referred to the book as a modern “Bridget Jones” and couldn’t get enough of the main character, Kajsa. The next book “The Queen of Blogging 2” was released shortly after to all the reader’s delight.


 


Therese has since then published 4 bestselling children’s books as well. She often does tours at different schools and talks about her books. The children love her visits and Therese always enjoys talking to her little readers.


 


“The Queen of Blogging 1 & 2” have also been recorded and launched as audiobooks in addition to paper backs in Sweden. Her biggest dream is to have “The Queen of Blogging series” made into films, and she secretly keeps a list in an old drawer of presumptive actors that would do the characters in her books justice.


 


Her never-ending energy for writing and entertaining people with her characters is her biggest trait.


 


Therese lives in the countryside along the west coast of Sweden. She has a rather big and busy household, with (one) husband, two children, one deaf cat, five hamsters and a grandmother.


 


When she’s not busy making up stories and writing silly things, she enjoys the nature, people, history, redecorating the house without asking anyone for permission, and all other kinds of creativity.

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Review: Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent @lizzienugent

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Release date: August 22, 2017

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Blurb: 

“I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.”


So begins Liz Nugent’s astonishing debut novel—a chilling, elegantly crafted, and psychologically astute exploration of the nature of evil.


Oliver Ryan, handsome, charismatic, and successful, has long been married to his devoted wife, Alice. Together they write and illustrate award-winning children’s books; their life together one of enviable privilege and ease—until, one evening after a delightful dinner, Oliver delivers a blow to Alice that renders her unconscious, and subsequently beats her into a coma.


In the aftermath of such an unthinkable event, as Alice hovers between life and death, the couple’s friends, neighbors, and acquaintances try to understand what could have driven Oliver to commit such a horrific act. As his story unfolds, layers are peeled away to reveal a life of shame, envy, deception, and masterful manipulation. 

Review: 

In terms of opening lines, Unraveling Oliver has one of the best I’ve ever read. “I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.” Its chilling and really sets the tone for the book, it sure grabbed my attention and held onto it. This is definitely a one sitting type of read, not only because it’s under 300 pages, but because it’s compelling and even if it had been much longer I still think I would’ve been just as hooked. 

What makes this such a standout, for me at least, is the narrative style combined with excellent characterization. This is told from multiple perspectives and each chapter switches POV. While Oliver himself does narrate, the rest of the cast really made this a memorable read for me. They’re a mix of friends, family and acquaintances of Oliver’s, people whose lives has intersected with his in some way. Nugent switches narratives seamlessly which can be very difficult to pull off as it can sometimes feel a little jarring and abrupt. Each character has a very distinct voice and the entire thing reads like they’re giving an interview giving the whole book an intimate feel. 

I don’t want to discuss any plot points because I feel it’s best to go into this as blindly as possible, but I will say that it’s heavily character driven with a focus on human psyche and behavior, but not in a clinical manner. It’s more of a nature versus nurture type of thing, a deep character study of one complex man that’s very well written and super smart. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #imwayr

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly post to share what you recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this week. It’s hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate.

What I Read Last Week: 


Are You Sleeping was a really cool thriller.

The Address was a gorgeous historical fiction.

Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove was an adorable read.

You was my throwback Thursday pick and was such a unique read.

The Room by the Lake was a good read about a cult.

The Silent Girls was a creepy, atmospheric thriller.

Blind Side was a different type of thriller. 
Currently Reading: 


Up Next: 


I’m not sure what else, my TT will be either Find Her or Dark Matter. 

How was your week? 

Blog Tour: The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky by Summer Heacock @Fizzygrrl

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Release date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb:

In thirty-four days, it will have been exactly two years to the day since I’ve had sex.  


Having sex wasn’t exactly high on Kat Carmichael’s priority list while her successful bakery was taking off, especially since things hadn’t been working very well in that department. And the last time she and her boyfriend, Ryan, even attempted the act, they found it to be physically impossible—resulting in pain and disappointment for Kat instead of sunshine and orgasms.


With just over a month until their four-year anniversary, Kat calls for a break in her relationship with Ryan, encouraging him to see other people while she throws herself into physical therapy. Yet even with the well-intentioned (but wildly inappropriate) attempts at help from her best friends, Kat quickly discovers that a solo mission may not be the best approach.


Fortunately, physical therapist Ben Cleary, the shop’s best (looking) customer, volunteers to help out—strictly as a friend, of course. But as the line between love and friendship begins to blur, Kat stands to lose much more than a functioning set of lady bits if she can’t figure out what to hang on to…and what to let go.

Review: 

From the blurb I had assumed this would be a typical, lighthearted read with a focus on vaginas, a dash of romance and a pretty predictable plot. I couldn’t have been more wrong, this is anything but formulaic, it’s a refreshing read that’s SO much more than your average women’s fiction/chick lit read, I LOVED it!

Kat has a broken vagina. Yes, that’s a thing but it’s actually called vaginismus and it sounds completely and totally awful. After two long years with the condition she decides it’s finally time to get it fixed with the help of her three best friends and coworkers, Shannon, Butter and Liz. I want Kat to be my new BFF and I want a job at the bakery, this group of women are amazing and Heacock created the most relatable, realistic characters I’ve come across in quite awhile. When they were together and just chatting I felt like I was eavesdropping on an awesome group of friends, the dialogue and structure was perfect. 

While there is romance here that isn’t the central focus, instead it’s about this group of badass women who handle life’s awkward moments with humor and as much grace as they can. There are so many hilarious scenes that had me cracking up, I’m talking tears streaming down my face type of funny. On top of all of that fun, there is a swoon worthy romance AND cupcakes, it doesn’t get much better than that! Except it does because some of the delicious sounding recipes are included at the end of the book.

If you’re looking for a fresh, modern read with sassy characters, snarky, witty humor and a wickedly funny storyline, look no further. I’m sort of bummed that this is Heacock’s debut because I have to wait another year to read more of her work and I’ve never read anything else quite like this book. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Summer Heacock is an author of contemporary women’s fiction and prances through life like a Disney cartoon that says the “F” word a lot. She lives in a teeny Indiana town, where she’s a stay-at-home-mom to two scampy tots, wife to an amazingly understanding husband, herder of a rescue critter menagerie and collector of life-size celebrity cardboard cutouts. When not writing or hoarding jellybeans, she’s a member of the Midwest Writers planning committee and a cohost of PubTalkTV. She can be found at http://www.Fizzygrrl.com and on Twitter as @Fizzygrrl. The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky is her debut novel.

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Review: Blind Side by Jennie Ensor @jennie_ensor

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Release date: July 22, 2016

Publisher: Unbound

Genre: Thriller 

Blurb:

Can you ever truly know someone? And what if you suspect the unthinkable? 


London, five months before 7/7. Georgie, a young woman wary of relationships after previous heartbreak, gives in and agrees to sleep with close friend Julian. She’s shocked when Julian reveals he’s loved her for a long time. 


But Georgie can’t resist her attraction to Nikolai, a Russian former soldier she meets in a pub. While Julian struggles to deal with her rejection, Georgie realises how deeply war-time incidents in Chechnya have affected Nikolai. She begins to suspect that the Russian is hiding something terrible from her. 


Then London is attacked… 


Blind Side explores love and friendship, guilt and betrayal, secrets and obsession. An explosive, debate-provoking thriller that confronts urgent issues of our times and contemplates some of our deepest fears. 

Review: 

This book ended up being a very different read than what I was expecting it to be, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. It was deeper and more profound than your average psychological thriller and if pushed I would say it was more of romantic suspense with political tones than a straightforward psychological thriller. 

Georgie, Nikolai and Julian are the three main characters and all of them are well drawn and complex. They were very realistic and their fears and motivations were also easy to identify with. This is set in London in 2005 right before and during the 7/7 bombings and Ensor did a fantastic job of depicting the sense of fear and paranoia that I can only imagine was the general feeling during that time. 

There are some heavy themes explored here, but not the same type of themes that you usually find in a psychological thriller. Generally they are dark maybe even graphic in terms of violence but this time the themes are dark in a different way. Ensor explorers racism, terrorism, immigration and obsession all in a smart and profound way. There is the same sense of uneasiness and not knowing exactly who to trust, but Blind Side is a wholly unique read, one I think that leaves an impact on the reader in the end.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy. 

Review: The Silent Girls by Eric Rickstad @ericrickstad

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Release date: January 27, 2015

Publisher: Witness Impulse 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller 

Blurb:

With the dead of a bitter Vermont winter closing in, evil is alive and well . . .


Frank Rath thought he was done with murder when he turned in his detective’s badge to become a private investigator and raise a daughter alone. Then the police in his remote rural community of Canaan find an ’89 Monte Carlo abandoned by the side of the road, and the beautiful teenage girl who owned the car seems to have disappeared without a trace.


Soon Rath’s investigation brings him face-to-face with the darkest abominations of the human soul.


With the consequences of his violent and painful past plaguing him, and young women with secrets vanishing one by one, he discovers once again that even in the smallest towns on the map, evil lurks everywhere–and no one is safe.


Morally complex, seething with wickedness and mystery, and rich in gritty atmosphere and electrifying plot turns, The Silent Girls marks the return of critically acclaimed author Eric Rickstad. Readers of Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo, and Greg Iles will love this book and find themselves breathless at the incendiary, ambitious, and unforgettable story.

Review: 

The Silent Girls opens with a shocking and creepy prologue that made me eager to learn more. It was so crazy, intense and scary that I read it out loud to my husband so he could be creeped out as well, and he is NOT a reader whatsoever and even he was captivated. It’s Halloween in 1985 and a woman opens her door to a trick or treater expecting to have an ordinary interaction and it’s anything but. I’ll just say there is bloodshed and the hair on the back of my neck was standing up, a truly chilling opening to a really gripping book. 

It flips to 2011 and you’re introduced to Frank Rath a former police officer turned private investigator living in Vermont. I’m a big fan of a PI as a lead rather than a cop as I love how they can skirt the boundaries of the law and Rath definitely toes the line. He was a really strong protagonist and was crafted extremely well, I totally felt like I had a solid sense of who he is and what motivates him by the end. The secondary characters were also well drawn, they were mostly detectives who were working alongside Rath and you can definitely tell that Rickstad is laying the groundwork for a series. 

The writing style was smart and very distinct, I think I could pick up another one of the authors books with no name on the cover and still know that it was his work. It’s dark and gritty at times, a great companion to the stark setting in the lead up to a brutal Vermont winter. The plot was well constructed and kept me guessing and the subplot surrounding Rath’s personal life really piqued my interest. And that ending, talk about an explosive cliffhanger, I am SO glad that I’ll be reading the second book in this series really soon! 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy. 

Review: The Room by the Lake by Emma Dibdin @Hoz_Books 

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Release date: August 10, 2017

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Genre: Thriller

Blurb:

When Caitlin moved from London to New York, she thought she had left her problems behind: her alcoholic father, her dead mother, the pressure to succeed. But now, down to her last dollar in a foreign city, she is desperately lonely.


Then she meets Jake. Handsome, smart, slightly damaged Jake. He lives off-grid, in a lakeside commune whose members practise regular exercise and frequent group therapy. Before long, Caitlin has settled into her idyllic new home.


It looks like she has found the fresh start she longed for. But, as the commune tightens its grip on her freedom and her sanity, Caitlin realizes too late that she might become lost forever… 

Review: 

I’ve had a long fascination with cults, it’s always so interesting to see why an average person would ever join one. Was it just because they were at a vulnerable time in their life? Were they targeted and stalked like a hunter circling their prey? And how were they roped in to a place where they have to cut off contact with the outside world? 

Caitlin was definitely in a tough time in her life and I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. She was fragile and very easily manipulated and cult leaders are generally very adept at spotting this and using it to their advantage. Don is the leader of the group Caitlin joins and she is instantly mesmerized and intrigued by him, he has a charisma that speaks to her. The cast of characters here were well drawn and complex with histories and backgrounds that made it easy to see why they were drawn to “The Group”.

This was a slow burn with a lot of psychological insight as group members all participate in both individual and group therapy sessions. The bulk of this novel focuses on Caitlin and her sessions and as human psych interests me, I liked it. Things do get intense the further you read, there is a sense of discomfort and uneasiness because you know sinister things are lurking just beneath the surface. If you like books that explore cults and the behavior of their members, this is a solid read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

#ThrowbackThursday You by Caroline Kepnes 

26 Comments


Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: June 16, 2015

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler

Genre: Thriller

Blurb:

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.


There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.


As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

Review:

I’m joining in again with Throwback Thursday which was created by my good friend Renee at It’s Book Talk. She started this weekly feature as a way to highlight old favorites and read books that have already been published. I have so many older books on my TBR that get ignored in favor of review copies and I figure participating in Throwback Thursday will help me to read at a least one older title a week! This week I chose You as it was highly recommended by many people and it won the poll I posted on Twitter haha. 

I have a confession to make. Sometimes when a book is super over hyped I refuse to read it just to be stubborn. Why? I don’t even know really, sometimes I think it’s because if I wind up hating it I’ll just be irritated that I gave in. Or maybe it’s because I like knowing I have a highly recommended book in my TBR to look forward to. So that’s why I’ve avoided You for the past two years but I finally felt like it was time for me to see what all of the fuss was about and I’m really glad I quit being so damn stubborn and gave in.

Joe has one of the most oddly unique and powerfully strong voices I’ve ever read. It’s told in the second person as he is speaking directly to the object of his obsession, Beck which gave this such an intimate feeling. He rants, raves and rambles incessantly but it really works well here. It also gives you an extremely in depth look into the mind of a sick and deranged individual, so why in the hell did I like Joe so much?! I really did, despite his many flaws I enjoyed him and was kind of charmed by him even though it creeps me out just typing that. He captivated me and I couldn’t wait to see what he would do or think or say next. 

This is a super dark tale of obsession and manipulation that had me feeling uneasy and nervous the entire time. The creepiness level is at an all time high, some of the lengths Joe will go to are downright disturbing. It is sexually explicit with strong language, just a heads up for people that may not like that. But it’s also insanely well written and has an almost hypnotizing style, it’s honestly not like anything I’ve ever read before. I’ll be picking up the sequel, Hidden Bodies very soon!

Overall rating: 4.5/5