The Wasp Trap – Mark Edwards
I am going to lead with the fact that this book benefits significantly from the fact that I have an incredibly difficult time rating a book less than 3 stars. I came very close to giving up on the book pretty early but I have only actually quit on maybe 3 books in my life.…
It Should Have Been You – Andrea Mara
This was an interesting book. The story starts with the main character, Susan, sending a message meant for her sisters to the neighborhood WhatsApp group. As someone who has done this more times than I care to admit, this was a unique hook I could get behind. Susan’s mistake is screenshotted and shared all over…
The Bridesmaid – Cate Quinn
The book opens with Holly Stone, a forensic specialist, being called in to support an investigation into a bridesmaid who was murdered the night before Adrianna Kensington’s dress fitting. Adrianna Kensington is the heiress to an international business empire and is set to marry Mark Li, a tech entrepreneur. Holly Stone quickly learns that the…
Everyone is Watching – Heather Gudenkauf
This was definitely a fun one. Everyone is Watching is set at an isolated estate where a reality tv show is being filmed. Pretty early on, it becomes clear that there is more to this show, “One Lucky Winner”, than originally meets the eye. This one is told from multiple points of view and includes…
The Perfect Hosts – Heather Gudenkauf
The Perfect Hosts starts with Madeline and Wes Drake inviting two hundred of their closest “friends” and family to their gender reveal party. This party is themed “pistols and pearls” and involves the firing of a gun that sets off an additional explosion. ATF special agent Jamie Saldano is called in to investigate. He has…
What the Wife Knew – Darby Kane
This was a book that hit the ground running on page one. It went way past “just one more chapter” and quickly became “how did I finish this in a day?” I went into this expecting a decent thriller, especially after being let down by social media recommendations lately but this completely pulled me in…
The Last Word – Taylor Adams
I can’t wait to finish writing this review so that I can go read every other review I can find. I had a list of 4 books to choose from for my next book and I went with The Last Word because it was the highest rated on StoryGraph. I am now confident that this…
Someone We Know – Shari Lapena
This one fell really flat for me. There were two story lines here: one is based on break-ins in the neighborhood and one based on the murder. The break-in story line was interesting when first introduced. Why would this teenager be breaking into houses? But that story line just refused to develop in an interesting…
The Clinic – Cate Quinn
This book starts by introducing us to Meg, an addict, who works catching bad guys for a casino. She learns of her famous sister’s death. She cannot wrap her brain around the idea of her sister, Haley, committing suicide and decides to check into the same high end rehab center where Haley’s life ended. Meg’s…
The House Across the Lake – Riley Sager
I have seen recommendations of Riley Sager on Twitter, Reddit, and then random book lists forever and yet never even felt compelled to read the book jacket to see what a single one was about until this one. But did I miss the memo that Riley Sager does paranormal things in his thrillers? Or is…
Anatomy of an Alibi
I might have gone into this one with my expectations too high. I love Ashley Elston and I fear that may have played a role in my disappointment in the ending. This book starts out with an interesting premise of Aubrey Price acting as Camille Bayliss for 12 hours so Camille can spy on her…
The Overnight Guest – Heather Gudenkauf
I spent the first half or so of the book waiting for the moment that I wouldn’t want to put this book down. At first, I wanted to say Heather Gudenkauf did a great job of building suspense but after thinking on it for this review, I realize that isn’t right and that is why…
Fake Skating – Lynn Painter
This was a classic Lynn Painter young adult romcom book. The best part of a YA romance like this is you know the tropes and yet you love them anyway. The book opens with Dani moving back to the United States with her mother after her parents break up. This means moving to the town…
You Shouldn’t Have Come Here – Jeneva Rose
This book wasn’t meant to be a twist right? We all knew what was happening from the first like twenty pages right? I am confused by all the people who said they were shocked by the twist. This thriller is about a woman named Grace, who rents an Airbnb on a Wyoming ranch. The Airbnb…
Home is Where the Bodies Are – Jeneva Rose
This book was simply a mediocre, not very thrilling thriller. If you read the acknowledgments you learn that Jeneva Rose sets this one in the small town she grew up in. This story follows three estranged siblings as they try to uncover the truth about a missing child from their childhood. All three of the…
Long Time Gone – Charlie Donlea
I wanted to enjoy this story but I kept getting pulled out of the plot by the author’s repetitive writing. Events were restated constantly, as if the reader might forget what had just occurred immediately after reading it. This constant repetition made the book feel more like the work of a middle school creative writing…
Darling Girls – Sally Hepworth
Daring Girls was a fantastic thriller that I couldn’t put down. Jessica, Norah, and Alicia find themselves at the heart of a mystery surrounding their childhood foster home, Wild Meadows. This is far from a unique premise and yet it was captivating. I thought the author did an incredible job introducing the three sisters at…
No One Can Know – Kate Alice Marshall
I would say this book was a 4 star read that lost half a star in the final couple chapters. I felt like the author wasn’t even sure what she wanted the ending to be. The book starts with Emma returning to her hometown, to the house where her parents were murdered when she was…
All the Other Mothers Hate Me – Sarah Harman
This book was such a fun, fast-paced adventure. If I wrote this review within 10 minutes of finishing I probably would have made it 4 stars. The more I think about it though, the more I remember all the times I rolled my eyes or said “that makes no sense”. The other moms definitely hate…
Guess Again – Charlie Donlea
I have no idea how I did not know of this author before yesterday. This book was unputdownable from the minute I started it. This book starts with a former detective, who is now an ER doctor, is tapped back into the criminal investigation world to try and solve a cold case. You are rapidly…
The Heiress – Rachel Hawkins
While the concept provided a fun break from the usual thriller I read, something about this book just fell flat. Hawkins was never able to get me all that invested in any of the characters. The book did pick up pace after a slow start and I was mildly curious what would happen next throughout.…
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