I love it when someone’s surname seems to fit them to a T. Psychiatrist Dr Caroline Strange, is, well…strange. And I mean that in the best possible waI love it when someone’s surname seems to fit them to a T. Psychiatrist Dr Caroline Strange, is, well…strange. And I mean that in the best possible way. If you like characters who are snarky, and off their rocker, then you will enjoy her as much as I did.
The story is told from 3 POV: • Dr Caroline Strange • Ellen Garcia, a woman who has been kidnapped and held hostage. She may have questionable morals but she’s a badass and I enjoyed hearing her thoughts too • Gordon Strong, a person who may be more unhinged than Dr. Strange. It’s unclear at first the part he plays in the story but trust the author to bring it all together.
Dr Caroline, as she prefers to be called, has a patient who confesses that he is thinking about killing someone and tells the doctor ‘I know who you really are”. When she hears reports of a missing reporter, she wonders if her patient has made good on his threats of murdering someone.
But mostly she’s concerned about the latter part of his message. Just what does he know and how much of a threat is he to her? Dr Strange has a troubling incident from her childhood that she would prefer remain hidden.
When police discover the kidnapped woman is a reporter who named Dr Strange as one of the worst 10 doctors in their area, they set their sights on the doctor as their main suspect. Dr Caroline decides to do her own investigating and in doing so, her past seems to have caught up to her.
Did I ever love this one! The dark humor and Dr Caroline’s thoughts were an utter delight. If you love to hate unlikable characters who nonetheless makes you laugh, you will love living inside this character’s head too.
The plotting, the red herrings, and the characters made this a page turner with plenty of twists and turns and an ending that was satisfying while managing to take me completely by surprise.
Pop the popcorn and settle in for a fun read. The audiobook narrators were excellent: Megan Tusing, Robb Moreira, and Stephanie Németh-Parker
• I received a digital review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ...more
A very smart and clever thriller! I read a lot of thrillers and this is a must read because it’s so refreshingly different.
Martha is a quiet librarianA very smart and clever thriller! I read a lot of thrillers and this is a must read because it’s so refreshingly different.
Martha is a quiet librarian who thinks she’s destined to be alone, until she finds quiet, nerdy Alan, a salesman who travels for work. Life isn’t all that exciting after they marry, and she wonders how well she really knows Alan, but she’s content.
Until she finds a spot of blood on one of Alan’s shirts, and she witnesses him acting strangely. She does some sleuthing and discovers a pattern of unsolved murders in the cities Alan traveled to. Could she be married to a serial killer?
Martha enlists the help of her old friend Lily Kintner to assist her in the investigation, and eventually Henry Kimball is brought in as well. What they find is more twisted and darker than anyone could imagine.
I flew through this book and had to pick my jaw up off the floor more than once. I loved the characters and the dynamic between Kintner & Kimball.
Endings are difficult but Swanson nailed this one. It was perfect!
I highly recommend the audiobook. The full cast audio performance was excellent. ...more
This was smart, fun, and a wild ride. Breanna is supposed to be on a romantic vacation with her new boyfriend Ty in a luxurious rented house. EverythiThis was smart, fun, and a wild ride. Breanna is supposed to be on a romantic vacation with her new boyfriend Ty in a luxurious rented house. Everything is great until she wakes one morning to find Ty gone and a dead body in the living room.
In recent days, the disappearance of a young woman, Janelle, has gone viral and the public and the Internet is obsessed with the case. A famous influencer conducts her own investigation on social media.
When a dead white woman shows up in Breanna & Ty’s apartment you can imagine the mob mentality.
Meanwhile, Bree is all alone in a new city while being treated like the perp by the police and in the court of public opinion. She’s on a mission to figure out what really happened.
The plot is fast-paced and engaging, and for a popcorn read (meaning just enjoy the ride but don’t look too closely), this was great fun. ...more
How did the author manage to make a serious book about a woman shot in the head so FUNNY?!
Dr Charly McKenna is a dermatologist with a successful careHow did the author manage to make a serious book about a woman shot in the head so FUNNY?!
Dr Charly McKenna is a dermatologist with a successful career, a handsome husband, and an apt overlooking Central Park. Life is good until the night she’s shot in the head, leaving her with left neglect and no memory of what happened.
As she spends her days at a rehab hospital we get to know more about Charly as well as several of the patients & staff. The author is a physician, which lends authenticity to this part of the story.
I LOVED IT!! This is the most fun I’ve had listening to a book in a long, long time.
Although there is a mystery, don’t read this expecting a thriller. It is not, as the resolution is pretty obvious. Come for the characters, the charm, and the humor.
The narrator was superb. She had just the right tone and brought the characters to life. I absolutely recommend listening to those one!...more
This is a fun one, perfect for an escapist summer read.
The authors describe it as “Succession-esqe” and more than one reviewer has described the stor This is a fun one, perfect for an escapist summer read.
The authors describe it as “Succession-esqe” and more than one reviewer has described the story as Pretty Woman meets Succession.
Of course it’s much more light-hearted than Succession. Anna Green is our quirky but sweet Pretty Woman. She enters into a fake marriage in order to get student housing but they barely see or know each other when they part ways 3 years later.
She thought she was divorced but it seems she didn’t read the papers and she discovers she is still very much married to Liam.
Turns out Liam’s wealthy family thinks they are still married and his inheritance is dependent on him staying that way. So he makes Anna an offer she can’t refuse and they take off for a lavish family wedding weekend on a tropical island.
Anna is the yin to Liam’s yang, which makes for a fun dynamic. Anna is an extroverted pink-haired starving artist while Liam is strait-laced and buttoned up. But we discover there’s so much more to both of them.
This, combined with the lush tropical setting, the OTT wedding, and the Succession- type family dynamics, made for a fun engaging read.
Note that the bedroom door is wide open - very spicy! I don’t understand the need to include such explicit sex scenes. I’m no prude but this was OTT and cringey, what I would call erotica. The story would have been stronger if the authors had toned it down. ...more
A little bit of froth and a side helping of romance, along with a murder.
The Saint is an upscale 5-star resort on an island 3.5 stars - a good read!
A little bit of froth and a side helping of romance, along with a murder.
The Saint is an upscale 5-star resort on an island off the coast of Georgia. If you grew up going here every year as a guest you were a “Saint”. If you grew up unable to vacation there, but were part of the summer service staff, you were an “ain’t”.
Ouch
Devious characters, murders to solve, family drama, and juicy secrets keep this from being the frothy read the cover suggests.
At 400 pages, there were a lot of characters and side plots but the author did a great job of bringing it all together. It was interesting with great character development but would have been even stronger with 75 or so less pages.
* The narrator of the audio book, Kathleen McInerney was excellent.
* I received a digital copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own....more
Five years ago, Lucy was found walking by the side of the road covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood and suffering from amnesia. The town is convinFive years ago, Lucy was found walking by the side of the road covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood and suffering from amnesia. The town is convinced of her guilt, although police were unable to find enough evidence to charge her. Lucy moves away to escape the suspicion, but has now returned for her grandmother’s birthday.
Ben Owens, who has a true crime podcast, Listen For the Lie, arrives in town to cover the cold case and hopefully solve Savvy’s murder. Lucy’s grandmother’s convinces Lucy to help Ben.
I loved the humor and snark, and the short chapters and podcast sections worked particularly well on audio, and contributed to the fast pace. What I didn’t love was the voice in Lucy’s head grew tiresome after a while, and the denouement was somewhat less than satisfying.
However, the plusses outweighed the negatives, and it was an enjoyable read.
The audiobook narrators, January LaVoy and Will Damron, were excellent....more
When children’s librarian Daphne is dumped by her fiance Peter for his longtime best friend Petra, Daphne finds herself stranded in a small Michigan tWhen children’s librarian Daphne is dumped by her fiance Peter for his longtime best friend Petra, Daphne finds herself stranded in a small Michigan town and moving in with Petra’s ex-boyfriend Miles.
Sound convoluted??
It is. And you know where this is going. The joy is in the journey. I love a fluffy summer read with substance, with humor & snark, and this book delivers. A lighter read with substance is one of my favorites.
I loved the Michigan setting, the friendship plotline, and the emphasis the author puts on the MC learning to make a life for herself without a partner.
Another winner! I can’t wait to see what next summer brings! ...more
I loved the PEI setting and the characters (who wouldn’t love a hunky guy who is an avid reader?) but I usually prefer more comedy or snark in my rom-I loved the PEI setting and the characters (who wouldn’t love a hunky guy who is an avid reader?) but I usually prefer more comedy or snark in my rom-coms and I prefer the bedroom door firmly closed (this was wide open).
Bridget’s BIG SECRET was annoying after a while and even more annoying when finally revealed. The story would have been strong enough without this side plot.
BUT, and this is a big BUT….the story left me with all the feels at the end so there’s that. It was sweet, I was rooting for the characters, and I was completely charmed. I especially loved the author’s note at the end. ...more
It’s a curse: every woman Justin dates goes on to find her soul mate when they break up. Emma, a traveling nurse, is a victim of thWhat a fun premise!
It’s a curse: every woman Justin dates goes on to find her soul mate when they break up. Emma, a traveling nurse, is a victim of the same curse, and they find each other on Reddit.
So, they hatch a plan: date each other for the summer and break up. Then, voilà, their next date will be “The One”.
What could possibly go wrong? Haha
I really appreciate the depth of the characters and their emotional issues. I found myself rooting for both Justin & Emma. Fans of the author’s will recognize characters from previous books (unless you’re like me and have a brain like a sieve). Don’t miss the author’s note at the end - so fun!
The author gets people and relationships and provides the perfect light read with depth. Theres a realism to her characters with no automatic HEA. It’s all hard won and relatable.
I loved it and now I will read anything this author writes. Highly recommended, don’t miss it if you need an uplifting read with substance. ...more
This is the second in the author’s crime series featuring Welsh detective Ffion Morgan, who we first meet in THE LAST PARTY.
Seven people sig4.5 stars
This is the second in the author’s crime series featuring Welsh detective Ffion Morgan, who we first meet in THE LAST PARTY.
Seven people sign up for a Survivor-type series…but unknown to the participants, the stakes are high as each contestant has a deep dark secret that is threatened to be revealed live on air. The motive to keep the secrets hidden is strong, and when one of the contestants is missing – are the secrets worth murder?
As with the previous book, what makes this one stand out is not only the Welsh setting, but the characters, especially Detective Ffione, and her neurotic flatulent rescue dog, Dave – I LOVE him, and he provides the necessary lightness to the story. Ffione’s personal life is a also a huge part of the story and I was completely invested.
Fast-paced and entertaining, this works especially well on audio. The ending left me looking forward to the next in the series!
I’ve never been a fan of most contemporary historical fiction. Why read fiction when the true story is riveting 5+++ stars!
And this is how it’s done!
I’ve never been a fan of most contemporary historical fiction. Why read fiction when the true story is riveting and rivals anything an author could imagine?
This book is the perfect example of narrative non-fiction at its finest.
Every word, every thought, every conversation is corroborated in the historical record, and Larson brings the characters to life for his readers. I was riveted from beginning to end, and felt I was living this time period alongside them.
Just as the author brought the events preceding WWII alive in his book, In The Garden of the Beasts, the author brings the events preceding the Civil War alive in this book.
I went into it thinking I knew the nuances and the history from the time prior to Lincoln’s election to the firing on Ft Sumter, the official beginning of the Civil War. I was wrong. My knowledge was incomplete.
What a treasure we have in Erik Larson. I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. It was also excellent on audio....more
Hazel, the daughter of Mirror Lake’s detective, inherits her childhood home when her father dies. She finds herself drawn back to the town she left beHazel, the daughter of Mirror Lake’s detective, inherits her childhood home when her father dies. She finds herself drawn back to the town she left behind almost a decade earlier.
A drought provides rich atmosphere as Hazel uncovers long-hidden secrets, namely the traumatic events of her childhood, including evidence that may explain her mother’s disappearance many years ago.
The author has said in interviews that she enjoys exploring how the past impacts the present, and how a place is tied to memory. The author delivers these themes expertly in this highly atmospheric, character-driven mystery where the setting is as much of a character as the characters themselves.
I found this a tense compelling character-driven novel that I couldn’t put down. It had everything I love in the genre.
* I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own ...more
If you’re a fan of the Horowitz & Hawthorne duo, then you need no introduction to the characters. If you haven’t met them, do yourself a favor and staIf you’re a fan of the Horowitz & Hawthorne duo, then you need no introduction to the characters. If you haven’t met them, do yourself a favor and start with book one.
Horowitz, the character, is under a deadline to produce a book. In desperation he decides to write about one of Hawthorne’s old cases, a murder that took place 5 years ago in the seemingly idyllic cul-de-sac community of Riverview Close.
The residents have lived in peaceful harmony for many years until the neighbor from hell moves in. When he’s found on his doorstep with a crossbow to the chest, there is no shortage of motives among the quirky eccentric neighbors. As we get to know each of them, Horowitz’s detection skills are put to the test.
Very clever! The breadcrumbs are all there but my detection skills were put to the test too, and I was surprised at the resolution. The author has written a smart whodunit featuring my two favorite characters, and did so while keeping things fresh. The relationship between Horowitz & Hawthorne remains amusing, and the neighbors were delightfully annoying and fun (as long as they aren’t MY neighbors).
Excellent - all the stars! My reading buddy, Marialyce, and I thoroughly enjoyed our yearly dose of H&H and we can’t wait for the next book....more
Charlie, a successful screenwriter, needs to write a rom-com. His problem? He wrote one but it’s bad. Very, very bad. He thinks romance is a Ponzi schCharlie, a successful screenwriter, needs to write a rom-com. His problem? He wrote one but it’s bad. Very, very bad. He thinks romance is a Ponzi scheme and doesn’t believe in love.
He needs help. And fast. Enter Emma, an aspiring screenwriter who has been hired to re-write Charlie’s script.
Her problem? She’s the full-time caretaker for her dad, who was injured in an accident that took her mother’s life. But her sister steps in to help so Emma can fulfill her dream to write for Charlie, her writing hero. Dreams can come true.
Now her problem is how to thaw Charlie’s cold heart and make him believe in love and rom-coms.
In true Katherine Center form, this book has the perfect blend of romance and comedy, but with substance and depth. The witty banter gets me every time.
I closed the book with a full heart and a smile on my face.
I also loved the theme in defense of love and rom-coms, a theme the author continued in her note at the end of the book. Don’t miss it. Finding joy in adversity is another overriding theme that I loved.
I read a variety of genres and rom-coms will always have a place in my heart and on my shelves. Especially one written by this author. A well-done rom-com requires serious writing chops, and Katherine Center is among the best. She is able to write a story that has the perfect magical blend that captivates this reader.
My only regret is I now have to wait another year for a new Katherine Center book.
Don’t miss this one. A pure delight from start to finish! 5+ stars!
* I received a digital copy plus the audio version, via NetGalley. All opinions are my own...more
I’ve owned this book in hardback since 2018 snd finally just hit around to listening to it on audio (perhaps one habit to work on should be reading boI’ve owned this book in hardback since 2018 snd finally just hit around to listening to it on audio (perhaps one habit to work on should be reading books on my shelves!)
I love reading about habits…how to form new ones and break old ones. The author does a great job in breaking it down into clear, actionable steps. Nothing too difficult or time consuming. The author did a great job making it highly entertaining as well.
I’m glad I listened but I’m also glad I have the hardback on my shelf to refer to when needed.
A practical guide that can benefit everyone! ...more
Have you ever been on an online dating site? It’s practically a full-time job with a parade of potential dating partners. It’s easy to be picky when tHave you ever been on an online dating site? It’s practically a full-time job with a parade of potential dating partners. It’s easy to be picky when there is a sea of choice.
(Full disclosure: I’ve been happily married for many decades but I have kids who have participated in online dating. Quite happily I might add - our daughter met her husband on Match - but I’m well aware of the pitfalls, especially for men.)
The paradox of choice: Too much choice causes the feeling of less happiness and less satisfaction with the constant search for what might be better out there.
I think we’ve all found ourselves caught in the endless search for the best of something: who hasn’t gone down that online rabbit hole?
But what if you had an endless choice of husbands with the lure of someone better right around the corner (or, in this case, up in the attic?).
When Lauren returns home one evening her husband Michael is waiting. The problem? She’s not married.
When Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb, a new husband descends. It seems Lauren has a magical attic with an endless supply of husbands. Switching husbands is as easy as swiping left. Some get an immediate “hell, no” and are immediately sent back up to the attic, while others stick around for a while before being sent away (sound familiar?….swipe left, swipe right…)
The dilemma: when so many different people offer you so many different things how do you settle? When there’s a niggle of dissatisfaction, why not see who is next?
The tone is light-hearted and I had a lot of fun with this story. Many of the situations Lauren finds herself in are quite humorous (an IRL version of a dick pic? Off to the attic!), while others are a bit tense.
The crux of the problem is when do you say enough, and stop looking for something better and be content with the life you have?
This is compulsively readable and expertly executed, yet also thought-provoking when viewed from the lens of online dating and modern life. Highly recommend!...more
A historical rom-com which was silly but fun. Bonus: there are dogs involved!
This is described as a retelling of Bringing Up Baby. Two identical dogs A historical rom-com which was silly but fun. Bonus: there are dogs involved!
This is described as a retelling of Bringing Up Baby. Two identical dogs get switched by mistake, and one (the wrong one) is dognapped. The dogs are Identical only in looks, but the exact opposite in personality. One is serious and reserved while the other is an extroverted dynamo of energy. Just like the main characters, who join forces to find the missing dog. Hilarity ensues (and no dogs are harmed).
A fun historical rom-com, excellent on audio.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley ...more
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