Goodreads

Release date: October 10, 2023

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

Come home to Shelter Springs this Christmas, where hearts are warm and hopes are bright…

Growing up at the Shelter Inn hotel, Natalie Shepherd envied guests who could come and go as they pleased. So when it was time to finally leave for college and put the lush green mountains around Shelter Springs—along with the cloud of loss that seemed to follow her family—behind her, she swore she’d never come back. But now her sister McKenna needs a favor. On pregnancy bed rest at doctor’s orders, McKenna needs a helping hand with her two young daughters and someone to take over the inn during the hectic holiday season, and Nat can’t refuse. And just when things can’t get worse, she runs into her late brother’s best friend, Griffin Taylor…

Griff has mixed feelings about Natalie’s return. She’s just as beautiful and full of life as he remembered, but there’s a secret he’s carried for years about her brother—and the guilt is eating away at him. Still, Christmas in this small town is filled with treasured traditions and new adventures that hold the promise of something sweet and lasting. From matchmaking seniors to rambunctious nieces, it seems everyone is hoping Nat and Griff will put loss behind them and find a happy new beginning…

Review:

This was such an adorable read, from the minute I started it I was transported to Shelter Springs and I kind of never wanted to leave. Natalie is home to help her sister with her kids while she’s on bedrest and while she loves her family, she’s in town begrudgingly. Griffin was her brother’s best friend and when he tragically passed away they didn’t stay in touch. I enjoyed that while this was wholesome and sweet both Natalie and Griffin had some darkness in their pasts they had to overcome before they could find their way to each other. The senior residents of the Shelter Inn were a crack up and I loved the little community they forged together. Add inn Hazel and Nora, Natalie’s super cute nieces and this was beyond cozy and fun. If you want a feel good holiday read this is such a good choice.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 3, 2023

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

Sunny, Arianna and Molly are three women having three very different but equally terrible Christmases. Sunny is a newlywed with two new stepkids who want nothing to do with her; Arianna is newly divorced, living with her mom again and hates sending her daughter off to spend the holiday with her dad; for Molly, nothing is new, but her job at the post office is getting very, very old—with all the customers worrying about getting their holiday packages off in time, she doesn’t have a moment to enjoy the season herself, much less spend time with her daughter and granddaughter.

The whole Christmas season has been a bust. All that work for just one day that went by so fast, and not at all how they’d planned. But Sunny and Arianna have a wild idea: What if they extended Christmas into January? February? Saint Patrick’s Day?

Love and joy and peace on earth, or at least with their families and neighbors–Christmas all year long. What could that look like? As these three determined women chase the perfect holiday through twelve months of cooking disasters, over-the-top festivity, and lots of laughter and tears, they’ll discover perfection is way overrated.

Review:

I’m not totally ready for holiday reads yet but I couldn’t pass up the chance to read Shelia Robert’s latest, her books are so cute and cozy and even though this was Christmassy, it could definitely be read and enjoyed at any time of the year. this follows three women, Sunny, Arianna and Molly over the course of a year. All three have awful holiday celebrations so they decide to have a do over and they celebrate once a month for a year. While this was sweet and heartfelt with plenty of lighthearted moments it was also realistic and showed the lows in the women’s lives as well. If you like stories about found family, spreading cheer all year long and a little bit of romance this one was really fun!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 24, 2023

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Audrey Singer revels in her position as the admissions director of an exclusive Manhattan private school. Parents cater to her whims and desires, desperate to give their children an edge. Audrey’s power is undeniable; privilege comes with the territory. Her perfect marriage completes the glossy picture of her life.

Until the arrival of the neurotic, vulnerable Sarah Price. Determined to get her son into the city’s most coveted kindergarten class, Sarah inserts herself into Audrey’s world, testing boundaries at every turn. For Sarah, everything Audrey has is a potential target: her job, her friends…even her marriage.

But what seems to be another ploy by an overachieving mother takes a dark and ominous turn. Sarah seems to be hiding secrets of her own. Are her designs on Audrey’s life purely about getting what she wants for her son?

Or is there something more sinister at play in this cutthroat game?

Review:

I didn’t really have any firm expectations about this one before I started it, I just knew I wanted something suspenseful and the whole private school admissions vibes sounded like an ideal fall read. It definitely delivered on both the suspense and the fall vibes but it also surprised me by how twisty and addicting it was.

You get dual perspectives, Audrey who is head of admissions at Easton and Sarah who is beyond desperate to secure a spot for her son in Easton’s next kindergarten class. Sarah’s desperation causes her to develop an unhealthy obsession with not only the school itself, but with Audrey too and nothing in Audrey’s life is off limits. That’s all I’ll say but I loved how the author explored obsession and how not only was this a tense ride, there was an emotional complexity to the characters that sucked me in. I loved the creeping sense of dread that intensified as the book progressed, I loved the NYC setting and I loved the explosive ending. Definitely recommended as a really great fall suspense read.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 10, 2023

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis:

Astrid Johansen swore she would never return to Heron Bay, Washington. In that idyllic coastal town, her little sister, Nina, drowned in a reflecting pool under Astrid’s watch seventeen years ago. Though guilt has kept her away, Astrid can’t ignore her aunt Maude’s urgent plea to come back. Maude claims to have found a letter that will change everything about the past.

When Astrid arrives in Heron Bay, she finds Maude unconscious, perhaps the victim of an attack. As Maude lingers in a coma, Astrid uncovers alarming evidence that Nina’s drowning that tragic night was no accident. But in a town rife with secrets, and in a family still fractured by grief, who knows the truth?

Astrid’s investigation leads her down a trail of dark memories, lies, and betrayals that will shatter her perception of everyone she thought she knew—even herself.

Review:

I know when I picked up one of the authors books I’m getting an engrossing and fast paced read that I can finish in just a few sittings and this one delivered on the expectation. As much as the pacing was swift I would say this was more of a quieter style mystery with lots of long buried family secrets and drama that entertained. Tragedy fractured Astrid’s family with the death of sister and things splintered as a result. I love when an old case comes back to life and the merging of what really happened the night Nina died and present circumstances was interesting and surprising. The author always manages to trick me in the most subtle way and she did it again here, definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a quick and satisfying read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 3, 2023

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

For fans of Verity and A Flicker in the Dark, this is a twisted tale of murder, obsessive love, and the beastly urges that lie dormant within us all…even the God-fearing folk of Bottom Springs, Louisiana. In her small hometown, librarian Ruth Cornier has always felt like an outsider, even as her beloved father rains fire-and-brimstone warnings from the pulpit at Holy Fire Baptist. 

Unfortunately for Ruth, the only things the townspeople fear more than the God and the Devil are the myths that haunt the area, like the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to steal into sinners’ bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. When a skull is found deep in the swamp next to mysterious carved symbols, Bottom Springs is thrown into uproar—and Ruth realizes only she and Everett, an old friend with a dark past, have the power to comb the town’s secret underbelly in search of true evil.

A dark and powerful novel like fans have come to expect from Ashley Winstead, Midnight is the Darkest Hour is an examination of the ways we’ve come to expect love, religion, and stories to save us, the lengths we have to go to in order to take back power, and the monstrous work of being a girl in this world.

Review:

I have to start by saying that I think that having the right expectations are super important before you read this book. Yes, it’s a thriller but it’s also part dark love story at its core and the mystery itself is somewhat quieter with a sinister edge than a true fast paced and exciting thriller. I also think this will be a polarizing read for most, you’ll either really like the unique way the story unfolds or you’re hate it and I fell on the side of really liking it. There are quite a few triggers but there are content warnings at the beginning of the book and if you like The Last Housewife this one wasn’t quite as dark. It explores religion, small town small mindedness, child abuse and sexual abuse alongside this dark and unsettling mystery that is very haunting. I don’t want to really dive into the plot but if you like really different thrillers with a strong atmosphere and a truly WTF ending this was great.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 3, 2023

Publisher: St. Martins

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case. 

When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s quest for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her? 

As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?

Review:

This one started a little bit slow for me but once it picked up I was all in. You get two viewpoints, Madison and Kathryn and i enjoyed both characters. There are quiet a few side characters as well and it was complex but once I figured out who was who and what their purpose in the story was I understood the need for so many different threads and angles. Some aspects of the fairly complicated plot seemed obvious but I didn’t have everything totally figured out. The suspense factor was high throughout the story and the tension only ramped up in the end, exactly what I like in a thriller. Overall a fun cat and mouse type of thriller that kept me engaged.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 31, 2023

Publisher: Wednesday

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, YA

Synopsis:

Ten teen influencers come to a remote island to star in a reality show, but when one of them winds up dead, they realize that this time, the price of being “cancelled” could be their lives.

A reality show on a remote Caribbean island. Ten teen influencers. One dead body.

Welcome to “In Real Life,” the hot new reality show that forces social media’s reigning kings and queens to unplug for three weeks and “go live” without any filters. IRL is supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime, watched closely by legions of loyal followers. But for these rising stars–including Elody, an Instagram model with an impulsive streak; Kira, a child star turned fitness influencer; Logan, a disgraced TikTok celeb with a secret; and Max, a YouTuber famous for exposés on his fellow creators—it’s about to turn into a nightmare.

When the production crew fails to show up and one of their own meets a violent end, these nine little influencers find themselves stranded with a dead body and no way to reach the outside world. When they start receiving messages from a mysterious Sponsor threatening to expose their darkest secrets, they realize that they’ve been lured into a deadly game…and one of them might be pulling the strings.

With the body count rising and cameras tracking their every move, the creators must figure out who is trying to get them canceled—like, literally—before their #1 follower strikes again.

Review:

This is the kind of book I would’ve been totally obsessed with when I was in high school. It’s juicy, scandalous and full of catty behavior and plenty of lies. I really liked the locked room style setting but make it a private island with a mansion and no way off the island. So the vibes were great as far as setting goes but it lost me a bit with trying to keep everybody straight when a few characters were very similar. There are four points of view but ten total characters and most of them were awful, think super privileged TikTok influencers with a slew of first world problems. Parts of it bordered on silly but I grabbed this when I wanted a popcorn thriller so I wasn’t mad at some of the ridiculousness but the overall mystery was wasn’t anything amazing. It was decent though, I just wish there was more suspense instead of them deciding to play spin the bottle while people are getting killed.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 26, 2023

Publisher: Bantam

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut. 

Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.

But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

Review:

There was a lot here that I enjoyed but there was also a lot that was iffy for me so I’m somewhere in the middle of the road for this one. I know it doesn’t matter but the cover is gorgeous and that’s initially what caught my eye and then the creepy house renovation sealed the deal. It was also fast paced and twisty even if many of the twists were pretty obvious for me but the combination kept me reading. Where things fell flat for me were in the characters, Sarah was just awful and hard to listen to at times and I usually do ok with unlikable characters but this was a little too much for me. It got a little repetitive too and maybe that’s because I feel like the tropes have been done before in a very similar way in other books. Overall just ok for me, but if you don’t read many thrillers it may work better for you.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 31, 2023

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

She thought she’d escaped her poisonous past…

Thirteen years ago, Maggie Ellis left her small town and vowed to never return. In her rearview mirror were two men she loved and an ominous secret that would forever haunt her.

Now, tragedy has brought her back, and she’s determined to forget that fateful night. But in a town like Myers, with familiar faces and chilling memories lurking around every corner, moving on is easier said than done.

Before the ink can dry on the closing documents for her new residence, Maggie begins to feel unsettled. In every room, there’s the unmistakable sensation she’s being watched. The strange sounds, odd smells, and bizarre occurrences only add to her paranoia.

There’s something sinister about her new home…

When she discovers the devastating truth about the house and its grim history, Maggie’s worst fears are realized. In order to survive, she must unearth the secrets she’d always planned to keep buried.

After all, they say that home is where the heart is, but as Maggie knows, home is also where the skeletons lie.

Seamlessly blurring the edges between psychological thriller and romantic suspense, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a dark and twisted romantic thriller, perfect for fans of Verity , Tell Me Lies , The Ghost Writer , and YOU .

Review:

This is a bit of a departure from the authors usual style of super fast paced thrillers, it’s more of a subtle slow burn and it’s also a romantic suspense which I have been obsessed with lately. There are two timelines, a now and then that switches back and forth in alternate chapters and almost every chapter ended with a new question making it impossible for me to stop turning the pages. There was an emotional component here too, definitely great for fans of angsty romance and the combination of that and a creepy house, the authors signature twists and an unsettling vibe just worked really well for me. Fans of the author will be pleased I think and if you’re new to her work this is a fantastic place to start.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 29, 2023

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can’t be taken back

Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.

So when Dawn doesn’t show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell—beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running—is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…

It turns out Dawn wasn’t just an awkward outsider—she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who’s the real victim?<

But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.

Review:

One thing I know when I pick up one of the authors books is that I’m going to get a story that is pure entertainment and just a blast to read. Her books are the very definition of popcorn thrillers and beg to be read in just a couple of sittings and that’s exactly what I did with this one. Fairly early on I knew where this one was probably going and I was right for the most part. The big twist that happened when it switched to part two was predictable for me but there were some smaller, but still fun twists that I didn’t guess that helped make this a pretty solid read for me. If you’re looking for a juicy book that is addictive this is it, I was definitely never bored despite having aspects figured out and I wanted brain candy when I started it and no one does that better than this author.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.