Blagica Jankuloska

This was a late addition to my NetGalley request. When I read the synopsis, I was intrigued enough to want to see how this story will develop. I love a good mystery. That said, don't expect a typical mystery or thriller; this one dances to the beat of its own drum. The story takes place in the not-too-far distant future. Characters wear arm-wrapping “sheaths” that, I suppose, replace the cell phones, GPS trackers, and such that we know and love; SocialHub has replaced Facebook, Instagram and all the other popular online gathering places we know and the COVID-19 pandemic is a thing of the past. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality are explored well in this novel and at times it left me intrigued and at times I was confused.
the story surrounds a mid-twenties woman named Linda, although it's not her real name. She's better known as Clone Girl - a child created by a mother who lost her beloved daughter years earlier and ever since has been trying to create an exact replacement. For a dozen years, Linda lived in secret, held behind walls at a remote Washington location, and for the most part left to forage for herself. One day, something bad happens and she runs away - managing to scale the wall and escape. Suddenly, she's in a whole new world - one filled with people who may or may not have her best interests at heart. She tries to live in seclusion, but keeping her location secret is difficult in this time of enhanced social media.

Then, Linda gets an unwanted knock on her door by a rather kooky-looking young woman named Anvi and her dog Nibbler. Her neibor in the new apartment building she is living in Even though Anvi doesn't seem to have an ulterior motive, Linda is reluctant to strike up any kind of friendship because she trusts no one and doesn't know the first thing about being a friend. This was a bit of a departure for me because I have a hard time finding my footing with science fiction novels and even though I am new to the genre I found this well written and easy to follow which I was grateful for.

Where the novel falls slightly short for me and why it is getting a three-star review from me is because I had a very hard time connecting with Linda as a character. I was able to follow the tech-talk in the book I wanted to know the mystery behind the “Clone Girl” but I could not get myself to like Linda. I would be interested to see what comes next if this will be a series or if the writer will create a new magical story for us to unfold.

I am on a roll this week it is the fourth of March and I have finished four books. This arc was given to me by Harper360 via NetGalley for my honest review. While I did enjoy this read It did teach me that an easy-breezy chit-lit read is no longer my cup of tea. I reflected and went through my Goodreads and realized that I prefer mysteries and horror above all else and that is the only reason this book is getting a three-star review. The book follows best friends Stella, Ana, and Dixie that are best friends who have seen each other through the good the bad, and in some parts of this book the ugly. Each woman is now at a crossroads in their own lives and trying to keep everything balanced while trying to keep their friendship intact.

Stella is the married woman of the group she is married to Jake who by the end of the book you will hate than love. They have two children. She had an awesome career which she traded in for housewife and mother duties and on top of it, all Jake is far from the perfect husband.
She has gone from having a high-flying career to being a housewife, worrying about her not-so-close relationship with her husband, who has been keeping financial secrets from her. Ana is trying to find the perfect man on paper. She and Rex are trying to take the next step in their relationship and have a baby. Mind you that throughout the novel you get the sense that Ana is not sure that what she thought she wanted on paper is exactly what she is looking for. Dixie the fiery redhead is my favorite of the three. She meets a mystery man and goes on this adventure that every woman should experience once in life. I do not want to give away too much of this book so I will say if you are looking for a summer read book that you can finish in one day that this book would fit nicely on top of your beach read pile. Thank you to all parties involved in my approval of this arc it was an enjoyable read.

Awesome Debut Novel!


This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and for good reasons. This was an easy five-star read and I didn't have to really think about the rating at all. I finished this in about three days. This book is an absolutely stunning thriller told from multiple perspectives and timelines that adds so much dimension. Matt is an NYU student whose family is of national acclaim after a documentary series that featured his brother's story. Danny is in jail for the murder of his girlfriend in high school, a crime for which he claims he is innocent. I found myself angry at the family's hometown because as you read you will learn that Danny's confession is so coerced, what you will see is a father who has spent a lifetime trying to prove that the wrong man is in prison.

While at NYU Matt is approached by FBI Agent Sarah Keller and told that while on vacation his entire family is found dead during a terrible misfortune and the only family he has left is Danny the brother in prison. However, this revelation is not the whole story, and as we investigate the case alongside Matt and Keller, the story takes us on unexpected paths to find out not only what happened to the Pine family but also what happened to Charlotte, the girl Danny was accused of murdering so many years ago.

I am trying to be stricter with my 1-5 star rating this year but I can say that this was easily a book that can be an all nightery kind of read. Every chapter adds more to the story making this a captivating and unputdownable read. The pace is stunning giving you just enough of the bread crumb to want to keep you up all night until you know who killed them. Without giving too much away I will say the ending is completely satisfying and very surprising. You will guess who did it and you will be wrong and you will love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and all parties involved in the decision of my receiving of this arc this was a fabulous read I can not wait to see what comes next from Alex Finlay.

Interesting Page Turner


This is one of the better books that I have read this year. I have read The Night Before by Wendy Walker which I loved and this is no different. I can for sure get behind the obsession that is Don't Look for Me. I actually received an arc of this book when it was first published and for some reason never got around to downloading it. My apologies. So, when I saw it at Barnes and Noble on my last trip I knew I had to have it. The cover really draws you in. Now let us talk about the book.

Don't Look for Me is a book about a mother who goes missing and her fierce daughter who is determined to find her. Nicole will find her mother regardless of all the evidence leads to the fact that her mother does not want to be found. The main theme in the book is child-parent bonding and the strong love of a mother who fights to survive. It addresses loss, grief, and guilt. If those are your triggers please give yourself time to heal before you pick this one up but it is for sure with the time.

It is well-written and character-driven. The story is told from two different points of view, Nicole the daughter and Molly the mother. When a family experiences a traumatic loss, each family member griefs differently and this was addressed in the book gently. It was also the main inner drive between Nicole and Molly. This is known to the reader because it was very well described and beautifully depicted in the writing. It's a fast-paced read that will keep you turning every page just to find out what happened to Molly. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. I hope you get to meet Alice, a character I loved! You might not understand her in the end but you will love her.

I have heard that Gregg Olsen is one of the best true crime writers. This story, starring Michelle “ Shelly” Knotek, and her clueless third husband shows how they got away with torture and murder for years. My friend Anna read this and said it was one messed up book and I needed a break from fiction so I decided to shift gears and go back to my favorite thing's true crime. I finished this 411-page book in three days so I can tell you it's good. It is so good that I have to sit down and look at other true crime books Gregg Olson has written.

Shelly's daughters and nephew had no idea how evil she really was. She degraded them, broke them down, so they had no idea what was normal, or what she was truly capable of. With his mindless acceptance, compliance, and avoidance, David Knotek made her job much easier. He spent much of his life at work, only coming home on weekends. He mindlessly carried out whatever she said. Unbelievable. Her other 2 husbands left their children as sacrifices to get away from her. David wanted to see the best in her without seeing the damage she was causing even to him.
I can see this happening. The rest of us travel to the other side of the street to stay away from people like this. We sometimes see the damage but we don't know how to help without causing more harm. The horrendous things they do and get away with, because no one gets close enough, blind and deaf to dysfunction and plain bizarre, because “She's crazy. “ I'm sure there's teachers, neighbors, mailmen -and the coworkers -with stories that are just way out there. And likely if they had reported them, the police would've done exactly what they did when Nikki and Lara approached them. This story should make us all look a little closer. There are many more Kathy's out there. More children need help much sooner than these three girls.

When I saw that this was on NetGalley I got excited. Even though I got declined for an arc of the story I just used it as a friendly reminder that the next book would be out. Short, quick read. Felt rushed in parts and dragged on in others. Wish the author would find a balance in the way the story progresses. She tends to drag out descriptions and history that we don't really need or at least I didn't considering that this is book 28 and I have read them all to date. Some parts were really well written and some parts could have used some tender love and care. I felt as though Anita has become more compliant where it comes to her relationships. I didn't think Anita would acquiesce to her relationships as easily I am so used to her being a spitfire. I know that Anita has her regulars and that poly is a big theme in this series but some of it comes across forced. Don't hate me I will pick up book 29 with a big smile if it is anything like book 27, I loved the story and crime-fighting of 27. I just wish there was a little bit more to the story my favorite parts were from chapter 24 until the end. I only hope that Neva is in the next book the witch is my favorite new addition to the series. With all this being said this is going to be my first Anita Blake book that is getting a 3-star review.

The Book is Better!

The second book in the All-Souls Trilogy picks up where the other left off with our heroes traveling back in time. Most of the story takes place around 1590 but the future (or present) is never too far away. What I liked most about this story; it never lets you forget that everything happening in the past was connected to the current or present struggle. I also loved that the magic and the study were present in this one as well since that was my favorite aspect of the first book.


So, we have Diana and Matthew taking on vampire clan relatives, the School of Night and other London societies, witch covens, and even creation. A lot is happening in the story, but not a lot happening for long periods of time. This story seems to focus on the universal theme of relationship drama, which usually boils down to communication issues. Diana with all her magic and Matthew with all his might, the two of them get caught up in a lot of drama that could have been avoided. But that is the story being told and if you love these characters, it all sucks you in.

In this book, I found that many of the side and supporting characters were my favorite parts. I loved the collaboration of like minds despite their faiths. Seeing the cooperation between Pagan, Christian, Jewish, and more was refreshing.

Where the first book teased you with sensuality without leaving you wanting, the second book takes you into the bedroom of a deeply committed couple and holds nothing back. While not suitable for teens and below, this isn't an explicit romp of ‘how much can the author get away with?'

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but there was still something, not quite tangible, that kept me from loving it. In any case, I must finish this series at some point. Now that I have finished the second book, I can watch season two of the show and see how I feel about it. For now, in my opinion, the books are better than the show.

Did I enjoy this book? Did it confuse me? Yes, to both of those questions now my big dilemma what do I say without giving away too much. 4 stars for Jude and Kate the killer couple. Jude a hitman, Kate a serial killer, so I guess it is only fitting that they are married. A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written psychological thriller book. It was not always very easy for me to read or follow but there was never a dull moment. Each chapter is told either from Kate or Jude's point of view which makes it interesting to see how they are both seeing their situation at any given point. The story as a whole is about how they met, how they fell in love and who they killed in between. I will say that I did find Jude's chapters a bit more engaging in the beginning and then toward the middle of the book it was the opposite and that was an interesting turn of events for me.

They say you aren't supposed to love killers but both Kate and Jude are likable characters and I found myself in part routing for them and in part waiting for one to kill the other which was amusing to say the least. I also think this book would be what Dexter the tv show would have been if Dexter had married Hannah and I am here for it. The only reason this did not get a 5 star for me is because I was disappointed that Kate lost her baby even though the guy who hurt her died in the end. I will also say that this book is the second book I have read by Britney King if you are looking for something else The Book Doctor was also an amazing read.

Female submission by sadistic, narcissistic males. Doesn't sound very original? Well think again. This story is that, yes, but it's also so much more. I'm not sure if it's considered YA but it seems much too dark for that qualification in my opinion. What I love is that the witches in this book are real! Finally, a story about truly creepy, powerful, shaking in your shoe's witches! Lately any title with the word “witch” ends up being ok. I did Finish the second book in the A Discovery of Witches series but, that's more time travel and magical. This is more a chill you to the bones kind of read.
The Year of the Witching is set in a fictional puritanical society similar to that of Salem, where women are persecuted for witchcraft and other crimes that the men of cloth get away with scot-free. Bethel is a society based in hypocrisy and its history is riddled with untruths. I appreciated how Alexis Anderson told a feminist story in which the main character, Immanuelle, is a strong female who is dedicated to changing Bethel for the better by protecting the vulnerable and punishing those who abuse their power behind the Church.

There were some positively spooky scenes set in the Darkwood and the witches were both frightening and captivating. Yet, towards the middle of the book, the story began to slow for me a bit. For one, I wanted more interactions with the witches and more magic. I felt the story stalled a bit until we reached the climax. I also felt the relationship between Ezra and Immanuelle was more of a friendship and I could never buy their romance. Their relationship needed to be more developed and I would have loved to delve more into the relationship between Vera and Immanuelle as well. Overall, this was a good debut, there were just certain elements I wanted more of that I hope to get more of in a second book maybe?

My family has had Amazon Prime for many years and I will admit that I have picked my early release books religiously but this has to be one of the few times a book has caught my attention to want to read it as quick as I have.
This is the true-life first-hand story of Will Jordan, a sociopath-psychopath grifter, a con man who left women in dire straits in both the UK, Mexico, and the US. His pattern was to attract them online, commit bigamy in many cases, impregnate them, extort money from them and then abandon them.

The author follows not only her story but that of other women victimized by Will Jordan, who was also apparently a pedophile. His trail of victims led to tragedy including suicide. The victims banded together via Facebook and shared information about the crimes, which in past were often covered up out of shame and embarrassment.

The Facebook group also gave information on Will Jordan, who having been convicted and imprisoned, was trying to have his sentence reduced to minimum supervision to have his sentence carried out as “community service” rather than in jail. This man was not only a sociopath, he was deemed a psychopath because his score on the scale of abnormal reactions and emotions was so high. Because of the Facebook group, eight additional women testified along with one woman against the reduced sentence so that a judge denied the request for inclusion in this minimal program–the power of social media in communication, exchange of vital information, and cooperation cannot be over-stressed. A fascinating case.

The group also found gaps in the reporting system for recording pedophiles and sex offenders–a simple lack of putting in data to the system and there was no record of him in the system at one point.

What I loved about this book is that it brought me back to my college days and I loved it. I learned all about the PCL-R I own a copy of The Mask of Sanity, so to be able to remember as much as I did while reading this was lots of fun. I commend Mary Turner Thomson for her bravery in being able to speak to all the women that reached out to her with such an open mind and an open heart. I am not sure that many people in her shoes would be able to do the same. I have already decided to read the other book that is linked to her marriage and can't wait to see how it expands my understanding of this book.

Before I start my review, I want to say I am sorry to NetGalley and the publisher and author for my delayed review. I downloaded it on my kindle early and then for some odd reason it didn't show up until I reloaded it. That being said this was a very different read for me. I always enjoy a good edge of your seat true crime, but I sadly had a tough time getting into this book. Now I will say that I felt that the case was presented well and that by the end of the book I hated Dr. Li. Not only did I hate him I was thrilled with the sentence he received for his part in the deaths of the people in the story and also in his part for making things so much worse for the opioid crisis. What I enjoyed about this book is the passion for getting the conviction that every member of that team had. While the legal system isn't perfect it was refreshing to see a group of people put everything they had into something to get the desired outcome.

On the other side of the coin, however, is what I didn't enjoy. I had a very hard time keeping up with the chapter transitions and headings. Unlike many of my fellow reviewers, however, I did not mind the bits and pieces that were included about the author's life. It gave me the reader a chance to process some of the harder parts I had read while I received a better understanding of the life that the author was trying to lead while trying to put an evil man behind bars. I was actually surprised by some of this read it was very well explained. My only downfall and why it's getting a three-star rating from me is because the headings with how many days before and after the trial made things confusing where I found there were parts I had to go back and reread.

As I sit here writing this review, I am a little at a loss for words. I truly did enjoy this read but trying to explain the story without giving away too much is proving to be hard. My friend Simon says I should just say it was good because insert spoiler here and you should go read it. When I read an author for the first time, I try to give a solid review without giving too much away. Ten years ago, Hannah McLelland's husband Graham is murdered. Her name has since changed and she is doing the best she can to move on with her life. She has even moved out of London and is now living in Hawkwood. Everything seems to be going well for Hannah and her daughter Evie. She is in a stable loving relationship and is trying to make the best of it given her circumstances. Then it all comes crashing down when Conviction comes knocking. A podcast that works to exonerate the wrongfully committed. You see while police did suspect Hannah of the murder a young man was convicted for the crime. The story unfolds as Hannah starts to remember things that took place ten years ago and it slowly starts to tear her life apart. Did she do it? Did someone else do it and why? So many questions and they are all answered by the time you reach the last page.
One of my favorite parts of this read is the dark atmosphere that the author puts together. I as the reader found myself feeling sorry for Hannah and at the same time in parts I felt bad for her dead husband. Is she hearing voices is she going crazy? I found this a hard one to put down and will continue to read books by Katie Lowe. I read the synopsis for The Furies and it seems to have a dark feel just like this book so I will be going back to read that as well as I wait for something new in the future.

So, this series holds a very special place in my heart and it might be the only Young Adult series that I inhale in three days tops. I was such a big fan of this series that I actually called four of my local Barnes and Nobel to see if their shipment had come in so that I could go pick it up on the 26th so that I can review the whole book instead of just the excerpt provided by NetGalley. Sadly, I was not able to get my hands on a physical copy but now own an ebook audiobook and a physical book. I also went ahead and bought books one and two in paperback so I could have the series considering I will for sure read this series again. I love all the characters. Harper, Rhen, Grey, and Lia Mara are all back in an installment that will leave you breathless. If you read A Heart so Fierce and Broken then you know Grey is the rightful heir to Emberfall. The book is told from 4 points of view of the four major players in the second book. What I loved is how all four of these characters are beautifully flawed yet motivated by duty, honor, and the fear of the unknown to do the right thing. The chapters that intertwine with Harper and Rhen are devastating not only is Rhen dealing with the betrayal of his brother but the wicked sorcerous Lilith reappears in this book and as wicked as she is I really would have been said if there wasn't a Lilith appearance. I will say that this is the only book in this series that is getting a 4-star rating. Why you might ask? Well, let me explain. While all the loose ends are tied up and we got a semi- satisfying ending I felt like there was more story to be told. Is there a book four that is the only question I have left? Now I will be happily waiting for Defy the Night that comes out in September of this year.

I am trying to do the 2021 Popsugar Challenge this year. Or should I say I am trying to complete more than eight tasks that I did last year. I am happy to announce that I am halfway there and with this book, I have completed four tasks.
When I first started reading this book, I was intrigued by the concept. Rose, the main character, develops the ability to feel the emotions of the people who have cooked anything she eats. The book starts well as Rose begins to understand her “abilities” and is written in a way that seems realistic for a girl her age who cannot quite figure out what is going on. As the book progresses, Rose begins to identify upsetting information related to her mother. While all this is going on, her brother, who is described by the author as a bit of an oddball with no real explanation, also begins to act strangely. Then there is the backstory of Rose's distant relationship with her father, which climaxes with a story about his own family that relates to Rose's own powers. The problem I had is that there was a lot of emotion in the food and it was described beautifully, but none of it played out successfully within the family. It was just sort of left hanging. Additionally, the story with the brother and his own “gifts” was almost overload, nor was it well explained. The ending felt very rushed to me, as if the author had some great ideas, lumped them all in one book. I wish some details were better explained even if that means the book would have been a bit longer. This is my first book by Aimee Bender and also my first 3-star read this year. While I gave it a lower rating than you might expect I will be interested to read something new by the author if something becomes available soon.

I seem to be way behind where this series is concerned. When I saw it on NetGalley I thought the premise was interesting and I requested it not knowing that it would be the sixth book in the series. Do not worry I have already picked up book one and plan to work my way backward to learn all there is to know about Evan Smoak. I will say this reads well that you could read this and have no issue following the story. The cast of characters all seems to be dealing with deep-seated and often denied emotions brought on by abandonment and/or failure. Not knowing the full backstory made me wonder why Evan was left as an orphan, to begin with. Which you will get an answer by the end of the book which is really good. My favorite part of the story though is the weapons and the villains. The way that the drama unfolded made this enjoyable. I wish that some of the tech described was real. Not so that people could die. I just think that the science used to make the weapons described might make a difference in science and health care. I loved the attempts at normalcy from Evan and the people he chose to surround himself with. Thank you, NetGalley for my arc of this book. I will be picking up more books from this author seeing as how I enjoyed this very much. The only reason this is getting a 4-star rating is that I want to read more of the series to get more of an understanding of the entire story.

If you read my reviews then you know I prefer thrillers to anything remotely romantic. I will say that this must be one of the cutest books I have read in a long while. This makes me want to pick up more romance this year which is an accomplishment. I love Bae and the cast of supporting characters that are in this book. I have never felt so connected to a modern romance as I have with this book, and the fact that Bea is a plus-sized beautiful human makes this so much more enjoyable and relatable. I love that this gave such a different presentation of beauty and it is fantastic. I wish I had half the budget to be able to buy some of the things that are so beautifully described in this novel. While other books have given me the romance, for example, pick up any book by Penny Reid and you have a great read. the spectacular plot and all the laughs you can get, this ONE gave me something I didn't have before: an emotional connection to it. It was because of the emotional journey of the main character. Not being a perfect size two myself this book gave me a feel-good love is possible for all people kind of feeling while giving me beautiful scenery. This is one of those books that I cried with and I was not bothered by it at all. I liked the journey that this book took me on and I can simply it was unforgettable. I recommend this book to all lovers of ABC's The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, and the hopeless romantics because the journey was great. I will for sure be reading more from Kate Stayman-London for sure.

Diana, a witch who avoids using magic, is studying alchemical history when she finds an old book covered in magic; she returns the book to the library archives, but witches, vampires, and demons are all hunting it, some bringing danger for Diana, and others. Especially ancient vampire Matthew. Who wants to know what is in the book as much as he wants to know Diana which in turn makes for a good story. Romance, supernatural, science, and history combined in an adventure story that makes the 600 pages just race by. I loved the relationship between Diana and Matthew and look forward to what happens next. I have started the show and prefer Mathew in the book versus the way he is portrayed in the show. The book is not a traditional romance but rather feels the story marries the supernatural and scientific as the story is based on Matthew's investigation of the scientific origins and perhaps extinction of the supernatural “species”. All the scientific investigations are combined with Diana's interest in history so this is really a book that requires lots of thoughtfulness and time. – and there is a lot of adventure as well. While I love the main characters, I will say that the supporting cast of characters is well done and well developed with lots of depth for example I love Mathews Mom and Diana's aunts. I know that the whole vampire, witch, demon thing has been done, done, and overdone throughout the years.... however, it is the strong characters and premise around the book that make this series for me. I cannot make the comparison like some readers that this is Harry Potter and Twilight I just do not see it at all. I love the setting and, the plot keeps you turning pages. This is day two of my snow day and, I have finished seven books and, the second in this series is being listened to as I write this. I am pleasantly surprised and slightly addicted to the story and writing style.

I am a Wicked big fan of Olivia Wildenstein and have been for a very long time. The first book in her Masterful Series is one of the first books I was given to review on NetGalley when I first started and that was a fantastic read. If you have not read that series, I highly recommend it. Katie Hayoz is new to me but I plan to do some book research on her as well because this duo writing was amazing. The atmosphere set around Brume and the magical history of the area was exquisite. When you can picture a place in my mind and it has got its own personality and life then you know the author did a stunning job bringing the place to life. The characters were a group of interesting humans that all had their own personalities and dimensions. I loved Cadence and Slate as a couple and I loved the slow buildup that was their relationship because it made it feel real and not something that these two authors put together just to fill pages. What I really liked was the magic and the challenges that each character had to go through to get their leaf.

I am invested in the magic I am invested in the characters and I cannot wait to see what comes next in this story. January 11th, 2022 cannot come soon enough. I cannot wait to see what comes next for Cadence and Slate and all the other characters that made this read such a magical ride. I only stopped reading long enough to let my kindle charge and I enjoyed every minute. Thank you, NetGalley and these lovely women for giving me the chance to be part of this magical journey.

Mommy Dearest


Mothers have a biological intuition on what to do once a baby is born. You feed them you make sure they are dressed and make sure you know they are loved. On occasion, however, things go wrong, and mothers think of harming their children. In this book, we meet an array of mothers, some more capable than others. Some calmer than others too.

Liz, Jess, Charlotte, and Mel met in a prenatal group ten years ago, when each woman was expecting her first child. The mothers remained friends ever since, though life's responsibilities - and growing families - limited their social interactions.

Liz is now a senior doctor of pediatrics at St. Joseph's Hospital in West London. One Friday night Liz is called down to the ER when a ten-month-old baby is brought in. According to the intake notes, the infant is nonmobile, irritable, drowsy, tearful, and has vomited. A glance at the child's name, Betsey Curtis, shocks Liz. This is her friend Jess's baby!

Jess, in turn, is relieved to see Liz. She exclaims, “Oh, thank god it's you. I didn't think we should come, but Ed was adamant. It's so unlike him to worry, it panicked me into bringing her in.”

It turns out baby Betsey has a fractured skull, and Jess's only explanation is that Betsey was trying to pull herself up on the refrigerator and fell. Jess suggests this must have caused the injury, which she hadn't noticed before bringing the baby to the ER. Furthermore, Jess is acting suspiciously like there is more to the story.

Liz can't allow herself to think her friend Jess purposely harmed Betsey but knows she has to report the incident to her superior, Dr. Neil Cockerill. Cockerill INSISTS Liz to call social services and then removes Liz from the case.

Little Betsey is admitted to the hospital; the police question Liz and her husband Ed; forensic experts examine the couple's home; a social worker speaks to the couple's two older sons; neighbors and local shop owners are interviewed; and so on. The outcome is that Jess is suspected of harming her child, and a social worker, Lucy Stone, is assigned to oversee Jess's interactions with Betsey. Her sister is asked to stay in the home to watch the other children while the case is being investigated.

Liz KNOWS she did the right thing calling social services, but still feels guilty about putting her friend Jess in this predicament. Jess always seemed to be the perfect mother. She took excellent care of her children; kept an immaculate home; prepared delicious meals; and kept up her appearance. On top of that, Jess did all this with minimal help from her hard-working husband Ed, who was strictly a hands-off father outside of taking the boys to sports.

Though Liz has faith in Jess, she knows from experience that some women aren't good mothers. Liz has memories of her own troubled, hard-drinking mother, whose neglect caused a terrible injury to her brother. Liz also has vague memories of seeing something happen to a baby when she was a toddler.

The novel is too long, with sections that don't move the story forward. That said, it's a compelling narrative about motherhood - a hard job made easier with support from the father, family, and friends. Even so, some women aren't up to the task - temporarily or permanently - because of stress, anxiety, fatigue, frustration, post-partum depression, mental illness, or other vague factors.

The novel is billed as a psychological thriller, but it's more of a domestic drama with a suspenseful thread. Several characters are keeping secrets, and I was curious to find out what these were. If you are one of those readers who follows stories closely some of the twists will come easy to you. This was given to me by NetGalley when the book first came out and I forgot to download it. I am rather disappointed that I did not get to sing this book's praises when it first came out but I will be looking out for more books by this author.

If you would like to buy a copy of Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan please click the link below.

Don't Talk to Strangers
Back in 2018, I was lucky enough to get an arc of Under My Skin by Lisa Unger while I said I would add this author to my normal rotation I sadly failed. This was in fact only my second book. I will say that everything so far that I have gotten my hands on has been a 5-star read and this is no disappointment. This psychological suspense will have you scratching your head from the first page to the last. Powerfully written, the story is told in rotating first-person accounts by chapters, not always in chronological order. Which for me added to the suspense


This tense drama surrounds Selena, a professional mother of two, and her chance encounter on a train with a strange woman, while coming home from work late at night. Within days, Selena's whole life will change forever in a series of unimaginable events that will shake her world and everything she thought she knew.

Masterfully designed, Lisa Unger's convoluted plotline weaves a suspenseful tale through a labyrinth of seemingly isolated events that converge upon Selena, threatening to tear her family apart and challenging her identity and safety. No one is safe. Nothing is for sure. No one is who you think they are until the very end. Set in primarily in the greater New York City area, the story follows three major characters, all women, each struggling to find happiness amid the unpredictable and corrupt people around them.

I liked how the author's storytelling energy forced me to keep reading into the unknown, while never getting all the answers and only raising more surprising questions. People are dying and disappearing under suspicious circumstances. Lines between victims and villains blur until all motives and facts get questioned. Lies, power struggles, and manipulations are everywhere. I did also get the audiobook while I followed along with my e-book and that did add to my reading experience. I did like the fact that the author was able to answer most my questions by the end of the story giving me a satisfying ending.

This has been one of the most anticipated horror novels of 2020, so I am a day late and a dollar short yet again. From the title and description, I expected to read a fairly classical Gothic tale, with the Mexican culture transposed and a spooky feel. This gothic expectation was partly fulfilled, though there is a lot more going on in this book than the established tropes of the Gothic genre.

The important thing to know about this book is that, though it is a horror novel, the horror elements are fairly understated throughout most of the book. It is very much a slow-burn story, allowing the reader time to gradually get to know the characters and the setting before delivering its climax. On many levels, this is effective, though I do think the pacing is a little off. I do not mind a slow burn of a story, but after an intriguing opening, the middle section seems to drag on a bit longer than it should in my honest opinion, offering small bits of information about the horrific mystery at the novel's heart in small doses and in a way that does not particularly add to the story's tension as much as I would have hoped. Once the stakes have been established early, these revelations do enrich the reader's understanding, page by page, of what is really going on, but the pacing in the middle is so slow that it does not really add much to the story.

The slow-burn character of the novel does finally reverse itself in the final third or so of the book, when a final set of revelations come in rapid succession, building to a true climax. In fact, these climactic revelations seem to come a bit too rapidly, once again short-changing dramatic tension in favor of bringing the plot closer to its conclusion. The novel's pacing could have been better had the revelations built more gradually to a buildup.

Issues with pacing aside, I found it overall to be an enjoyable read. The reader will have no trouble liking or disliking the characters according to how the author means them to be viewed. While some characters are better-developed than others, they do provide an interesting ensemble. The writing style occasionally veers toward the wordy or “flowery,” but always stops just short of the point at which it becomes too much, giving the book a haunting, almost meditative sort of characteristic.

Endings in horror are often difficult to get right because once one knows what the evil actually is, it immediately loses much of its power to terrify. Undeniably, the revelation of this novel's big bad strains the limits of the willing suspension of disbelief a bit, but it nevertheless leads to an ending that is more satisfying than I expected. Glad I read it honestly wish I would have read it sooner. Four-stars all around I cannot wait to see what comes next for this author.

Dark Read... Slightly Predictable



This is my first arc for NetGalley for the year 2021 and my first book by P.J. Tracy. I did enjoy the storyline my only downfall and the only reason that this is a four-star read is that I saw lots of the twists coming and for a person who loves thrillers that is not always a good thing.
Two different storylines are featured here, the first of which is catching the person, or persons, who have been racking up murder victims along Los Angeles' Miracle Mile. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner, Detective Al Crawford - plus another notable character or two - are on the case but not having much luck. On the other, Sam Easton, a former electrical engineer who is suffering from PTSD as a result of an Afghanistan attack that killed everyone in his squad except him, is working as a bar back in a popular local pub. His wife has left him, so he is alone with his nightmares and hallucinations and has only his job for solace. But when his co-worker, Melody, gets beaten by her snobby boyfriend, he is eager to help.

But the next day, Melody's boyfriend dies of very unnatural causes, Maggie and Al are called in and Sam quickly becomes a prime suspect - at least in Al's eyes. Maggie is not as quick to put the finger on Sam, though; she recently lost her brother who was serving overseas, making her more sympathetic to what Sam's going through. A day after Melody's boyfriend is killed Sam's wife is killed brutally as well.

What follows in the pages to come is a who done it that tries to keep you guessing and a couple in Melody and Sam who need answers. I enjoyed the dynamic of the LAPD partners and will read more in this series I only hope that it is less predictable. Thanks to NetGalley and all involved for my arc of this book worth the read.

Promising Yet Odd


When I went through NetGalley and I saw this book it instantly pulled my curiosity so when I was approved for the advanced reader's copy of this book I was thrilled. While it had major promise for me it fell a little flat. Mother and daughter, Cassie, and Alex respectively, took part in a scientific memory transfer with Alex being the recipient of her mother's memories. The memory that was transferred involved Cassie's life when she was the same age as Alex presently, 21. This was also the time period in which Cassie was pregnant with Alex. At first, Alex thinks this is her mother's way of making a quick buck, but when the memory transfer begins to work and Alex gets bits and pieces of the memories, she has always been curious about them set off on an adventure.
As they continue their journey and the memories continue to pass from mother to daughter you as a reader get this underlining fear that creeps in because you do not know what to believe who is telling the truth and who is not. I am hoping that this book is part of a series because with the way that this ended, I am for sure in need of knowing what happens next.

The Comforts of Darkness


This is my second novel by Amy Engel I read The Roanoke Girls last summer and loved the dark feel of that so when I found she had put out a second book I had to pick it up. This story is do not waste a word to craft a story to keep you moving from page one to the very last page. It explores the dark sides of living in a small town. It also explores the strong will of a mother. A mother who will do anything and everything to find out what happen to her little girl and bringing that person to justice.

Eve and her brother, Cal, were raised in squalor by an abusive, drug-addicted mother with a succession of unsavory boyfriends. She physically punished her children for infractions such as crying because they were hungry, telling them, “You had it coming,” a phrase that came to be thought of by her children as her manta expressing her philosophy about life. Eve and Cal lean on each other to try and get through their childhood.
Evie ends up pregnant and vows that her daughter Junie will live a different life. Cal does everything she can to help her stay on an even path.


In response to motherhood, Eve changed. She quit drinking, smoking, and getting in trouble. She gave up men. Well, except for Jimmy Ray. And ultimately, she did what was required to extricate herself from that abusive relationship. She continued working as a waitress at the diner, and Junie's needs have always been her priority. Motherhood is not easy, of course, but unlike her own mother, Eve has been an affectionate, supportive, and caring mother, despite lacking the financial means to give Junie everything she wants and deserves. Junie's presence made Eve's life bearable. Eve even went as far as to cut ties with her mother from the day Junie is born.

Cal has always been a doting uncle. And to Eve's surprise, Junie developed a strong bond and tight friendship with a girl her age, Izzy Logan, the daughter of Jenny and Zach. Jenny went away to college, but opted to return with her husband, Zach, who is in line to take over her father's boat dealership, to raise their daughter in Barron Springs. The Logans' affluence was never a barrier to the girls' relationship.

Despite all her efforts, Eve has carried a sense of dread and foreboding, worry that something horrible would happen to Junie. As the story opens, Junie is expected home after spending the night at Izzy's house. Instead, Cal arrives at the diner to inform Eve that the girls' bodies have been discovered in the local park, their throats slit. That was never the horror story Eve envisioned.

After the death of Junie and Izzy we the readers watch a woman who is determined to find out what happened to the girls in a small town where no one will even look at her because of her past and her mother. The police bombard her with questions about Junie's father and making her feel like a criminal rather then the grieving mother that she was. This was a quick and dark read that makes you angry at everyone who is suppose to be helping solve a crime.
The Familiar Dark is an absorbing look at small-town America – it is ugliness and beauty. It is an intricate and remarkable tale about how secrets and betrayals can harm innocents. The story is peppered with details of Eve's past and circumstances that lead to the sad deaths of the little girls. This story explores the concept of what a mother is willing to do to get justice for her daughter and the circumstances that make Eve more “comfortable in the dark.” This tale is perfect for anyone who likes a gut-wrenching dark tale that stays constantly in the dark and keeps you engrossed from page one all the way to the end.

So, I made it to my 80-book goal and I am so happy that this is my last book of the year. Sophie Sullivan you made me laugh out loud and made my sister think I have lost my mind with this read and for that I thank you. Have you ever felt like a book just gets you? Ten Rules for Faking It is a romcom with a great deal of substance along with the expected witty banter and funny situations, and it totally gets me.
What I loved was the banter between all the characters. The inner monologs that had me snorting while in bed reading and for the record, I want my own Stacey. I love the way that Everly tries to break her norms and get past her anxiety to find a better version of herself. Hello Chris awesome job for knowing when to say all the right things and to understand a girl. This book gave me all the feels. I loved the attraction, undeniable chemistry and slow-burn romance between radio producer Everly Dean and her station manager Chris Jansen. I will for sure accept this rose and read anything by Sophie Sullivan hands down. Now go read this book my best friend is already getting a copy.