|
Two teens on the opposite side of the social tracks come together and go apart as an annual monster, named the "May Day" killer, terrorizes young women. Years go by and Quinn and Jules have more in common than they think as they both try to rationalize what happened and hunt down the killer before he can grab another girl. Twisty listen as you try to put the pieces together as the clock clicks down. My thanks to the publisher and Libro.fm for the advance listen. The narration keeps you at the edge of your seat and not wanting to hit the pause button. 4 stars 
0 Comments
On a tube platform stand five people and we, the reader must guess who will die within a few minutes when the train pulls into the station. We then delve into each of the characters stories - all their messy little lives, hardships and secrets. You will judge each of them (how can you not) and choose the one you think will not see daylight again but it will not be until the last few pages before you see if you are correct (don't peek!). The author puts the reader in the unenviable position of playing God in this clever speeding train of a thriller. Cancel your plans for the rest of the day because you won't want to stop reading until the end of the line. 4 1/2 stars  A young married couple return to the Philippines and Carlos' childhood home to debunk the rumor that the house is haunted and put it on the market. Carlos has a reality show in Canada debunking ghost stories so this is a perfect fit. The house is a class A haunted house with shrouded mirrors, insect infestations, whispers and poltergeist incidents which only get worse after Carlos is bed ridden after a serious car accident. Avery and the family's elderly housekeeper care for him even as the house and spirits grow more active. This takes its toll on their already frayed marriage which leaves Avery, Carlos's sister and the family priest to find who is controlling Carlos and put the spirits to rest. Creepy haunted house story mixed with Fillipino myths, culture and food. 3 1/2 stars  A mom gets a message from an unknown caller telling her that they have her teenage daughter and the only way to get her back unharmed is to do everything they say and of course - no police. If it were only money Simone would gladly pay but she is desperate and defying her husband, goes along with their demands. This story does not end with Lucy's rescue instead plunges them both into a deeper hole they have little chance of recovering from. Along with an unusual footnote to a kidnapping tale the surprise ending adds to the stress of this thriller. It is a story every parent will be on Simone's side for and most would act exactly the same. 4 stars  Natalie takes her aimless husband's family money and carefully plants a seed. That seed grows into a booming social media empire based on their " live off the land " traditional lifestyle on their family ranch. Her posts are sugar-coated blessings of her and her family's daily life but reality comes creeping in threatening to tear it all down. She wakes up one morning in a filthy cabin surrounded by a Caleb and kids she doesn't know living the real life of a rancher's wife of the past. The real life on this ranch is anything but sugar-coated and she can't figure out how to escape. A biting commentary on how easily we buy into the heavily directed and edited golden lives on the small screen. Dotted with dry humor this is a reminder to be careful of what we wish for. What LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE was really like and a treat to read. Book clubs will have much to discuss and laugh about with this one. 4 1/2 stars  A group of writers covering several genres are invited to an exclusive island in Scotland as guests of a legendary mystery writer. They then learn that said writer has died and they are invited to compete against each other for a ton of money and 3 year contract. All they have to do is race to finish the unfinished manuscript of his beloved series with the perfect ending. Easy right? As the authors meet their unfortunate demise the pressure on the others is not only to finish in first place but survive to get the money. This is a classic game of cat and mouse mystery set in Agatha Christie style with a bit of KNIVES OUT sarcasm about the highs and lows of the publishing industry. Full of twists you would expect to find and a few I didn't see coming. Don't feel bad if you don't feel bad for any of the characters. You can tell this must have been a dream project for these two author friends to write. Both lovers of classic mystery and those who prefer a campy satire will enjoy this. 4 1/2 stars  The final chapter in the popular Cal Hooper series continues the story of our misplaced ex-Chicago cop as he does his best to fit into a real Irish village after his retirement. Cal has a huge heart which extends to his quiet guidance and care of a troubled teen, Trey and his girlfriend, Lena as they continue to push back their wedding date much to the dismay of the community. He also cares and worries about his friends and neighbors at the local pub although he keeps some of them at arm's length. He can't shake his cop roots and doesn't always understand the deep seated and sometimes flawed thinking of the community. Change is coming to Ardnakelty and sides will once again be taken when a young woman is found dead. I really enjoyed the audio on the previous books especially the wise cracking pub life. 4 -4 1/2 stars  Based on the author's relatives this pioneer gothic story revolves around powerful men of the Mormon church and the women at their disposal. Hazel is spurned by the man she loves so she accepts an arranged marriage to become a plural wife according to Mormon law. Hazel complies even though polygamy is unlawful in 1880's Utah and this marriage gives her no rights only that she must defer to her husband and church elders. Hazel endures being the newest wife, the unfriendly house complete with a ghost and her lack of freedom. She is plagued with nightmares, isolation and fear of the spirit that haunts her. A classic ghost story written in a unique time and place making it appealing to historical fiction readers as well as horror. 3 1/2 stars  Lillian gets dumped (for no reason) by her boyfriend so she gets drunk with a friend and puts a hex on him (take that). The sad part is that he is found dead and she becomes a suspect (not her fault ). She goes off the deep end and cozies up to his other girlfriend at his funeral and generally gets deeper into this than she needs to. I tried really hard to like or even feel sorry for Lillian but her narcissistic behavior is over the top. It does make for a fun romp and it will resonate with fans of the series by Caroline Kepne and tv series YOU. 3 1/2-4 stars  Elodie leaves Australia with her new husband and six year old son for the U.S. She is constantly anxious with a capital A about her possibly autistic son coping with all the changes. It doesn't help that she is pregnant and the crumbling house that her new husband is renovating for all of them is less than the mansion he spoke of fondly. We follow Elodie through her increasing problems with the menacing house as well as the iron grip she has on her son's affections. Is this a haunted house novel? a parent's anxiety of trying to do it all and please everyone? or a psychological Alice in Wonderland tale of a woman losing her mind? Yes to all of it. The only reason I didn't rate it higher was I really didn't like Elodie or her husband Brin. The only character I felt sorry for was Jude the six year old. The audiobook was first rate in regards to the high level of fear and anxiety in the narration. 3 1/2 stars  |
I love to read good books and share the new books that are available and those that are coming soon
Adult Genres
General Fiction Historical Fiction Thriller / Mystery Fantasy / Sci-Fi Non-Fiction All Adult Genres Other Genres Young Adult Genre Kids Books Genre Follow Kim
Review Archives
May 2026
|
RSS Feed