book lovers unite

by Margot Hunt

I just finished reading “Lovely Girls”, by Margot Hunt. Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I am struck by the irony of the title. The girls in this novel are not lovely in any way. They are absurdly mean and vicious, expecially the ring leader Daphne, who is absolutely despicable. The story takes place in small town Florida, when a mom (Kate) and her daughter Alex move there to get a fresh start. Alex is a senior at the local high school and right away becomes a target for the mean girls (Daphne, Shae and Callie).. Kate in turn, befriends the. moms of the girls, despite many warnings to stay away from them. What follows is a look at how mothers enable their daughters to do monstrous things and are monsters themselves.
There is a murder that takes place towards the end, that begins the process of settling the conflict between Kate and Alex and the horrible mean girls and their equally horrible mothers.

I thought this book was a little cartoonish at times. It is hard to believe that these girls and mothers could get away with such atrcocious behaviour, and that noone would fight back or expose them. The main characters of Alex and Kate were a little flat and not very interesting. I didn’t feel compelled to wish for their happiness.

I did finish the book, quite quickly in fact. It was a very easy read, and well paced. The characters all had essential roles to play in the story and it moved along quite quickly. But I just felt …meh…about this book.

I feel like this storyiine is nothing new and while it was intersting and I finished it…it didn’t blow me away.

Happy Reading!

#netgalley #lovelygirls #margothunt #suspense #meangirls #femaleleads #ThomasandMercer



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By Megan Goldin

I just finished reading “Dark Corners” by Megan Goldin. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I didn’t realize that this book was the second in a series featuring the main character Rachel Krall, who is a true crime podcaster. She tries to advocate for men and woman who have been unjustly put in prison for crimes that she did’nt commit. This time she is called to Florida to help solve the mystery of a soon to be released prisoner who is about to be released and who has talked about her to another young influences (Madison) who has disappeared. What follows is a series of events told in the past and in the present, includinng one section by a mystery character who is utterly evil and smells really bad (believe me when I say this is important)

Rachel decides to investigate Madison’s disappearance at the same time as the FBI agent (Joe) and the two go through many hurdles and mysteries to uncover the truth which is very satisfying.

What I liked about this book was the grit and determination of Rachel Krall. She is a great character and i now wnat to read the first book in the series. I also liked the covergence of all the characters at the end. It was very well written and not confusing at all. The author did a great job of creating rootable characters who weren;t perfect but were intertesting and entertaining. I also liked the exposure of the world of influencers by the author. It was an interesting look into a world that I have no understanding of. I also loved how the main bad guy was
writen: methodically and deliberately as if the author was slowly pulling the reader into his madness.

Was there a part I didn’t like? I feel like some of the questions I had while reading the story weren’t answered. If I say anymore then I will ruin the story, So I will end with this…

A great book that I had a hard time putting down. It was filled with mysteries and revelations that kept coming until the very end. This is the second book that I have read by this author and it certainly won’t be the last.

Happy Reading!

#netgalley #mustread #psychologicalthriller #megangoldin #darkcorners #femalelead #stmartinspress


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by T.M. Dunn


I just finished reading “Her Father’s Daughter” by T.M. Dunn. Thanks to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about secret lives and finding the truth, and horrible parents, and relationships between daughters and their fathers. Linda, the main character is very close to her father and they own an exterminating company. She wants to leave her dad to go to college, but before she leaves she is called to do one moe extermination at a ritzy complex in New York where she finds a woman dead. What follows is a. mystery as her Dad becomes a suspect and disappears leaving Linda with ALOT of questions…Why did her dad leave? What is he hiding? And then she finds his journal….BOOM..

The story is written from the perspective of the father and the daughter, so we know about the Father’s secret life but reading about how Linda finds our is riveting and incredible. To say anymore would be to spoil the story…so I will just say…Read this book. You will not regret it. It was a pretty incredible ride and surprising and horrifying and the perfect thriller.

What I liked about this story was that the characters were very imporatant to the story. There was no useless story telling..it all had a point. I liked how the story unfolded slowly, how I coldn’t believe what. was reading and I was so intrigued by the father and daughter and the mother as well. I read this book very quiclkly becuase I could not stop thinking about the tragedy surrounding the realtionship between the father and the dauther.

Was there anything I didn’t like? Not really, It was a very satisfying read. Well written and well paced with an icredible and unique storyine.

My congratulations to the author for weaving such a wonderful and horrifying story together in such a creative way. I have found a new must-read author, and I am exciited to read more books by this author. Well Done…
Happy Reading!

#herfathersdaughter #tmdunn #netgalley #needtoread #thriller #femaleleadcharacter #psychologicalthriller #fathersanddaughters

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by Shanora Williams

I just finished reading “The Other Mistress” by Shanora Williams. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. In order to properly review this book you almost have to divide it into two parts…before the reveal and after…More about that later.

This book is about a very successful woman, Adira, who is afraid that her husband is having an affair. She turns to his other mistress Jocelyn, to get the other woman out of the picture so she can have him to herself. As I was reading this book, I kept wondering why such a beautiful and successful woman like Adira would want to remain with a loser like Gabriel…he was unemployed, lying to her and being unfaithful. I was almost going to put the book away because I was unimpressed with Adira until…the big reveal>. Which changed my perspective on Adira and Gabriel and their relationship. In the end, everything came together perfectly, there was even a delicious finale which kept the reader guessing.

What I liked about this story was that the author wrote it in a way that left the reader shocked with the big reveal. It was crafty and well written.

What I didn’t like was it almost took too long to get to the explanation for Adira’s actions. I was almost going to put the book down. In the end I am glad I didn’t.

Well written characters, important relationships that played important parts in the ending of the story, and an almost perfect ending. (Gabriel was a little too perfect in my opinion). All in all, a unique story idea that created an entertaining read.
Happy Reading!

#theothermistress #netgalley #shanorawilliams #psychologicalthriller #femalelead #bigreveal #secretlife


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by Jamie Day

I just finished reading “The Block Party” by Jamie Day. Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in return for an honest review. Here are my thoughts.
This book has many characters but each character has an important role to play in this masterfully written book about what. happens in a suburban street during an annual block party. This book is about relationships family, friendship, grief, and revenge, and whether or not it is truly satisfying.
The story begins at the end and then goes to one year before the event happened and the reader gets to know all the characters and their relationships with each other. The author gives just enjough information to create intrigue and interest in the story and what happens at the block party. I loved the female characters in this book. While not perfect they were well written and rootable. The men..not so much, but. maybe that was the point. The character I was most intrigued by was Jay Kumar…was he good or bad…or a little of both.
What I liked about this story was that there were alot of things happening that led to more interest into what happeded at the Block Party. I loved that I couldnt figure out who the bad guy was… I mean I had some ideas but I was pleasabtly shocked be some of the reveals at the end, especially with Riley… I also really liked )or was interested in Mandy Kumar’s back story.
What I did’nt like. I didn’t really like the male characters as I said…but I suppose that was the point. In the end, I am glad that some of the men were written the way they were….except for the Bug Man…what was the point of that other that to expose the truth about the main bad guy?
Overall, a great read by an author who masterfully took 10 or so characters and somehow found a way to intertwine them into a great story from start to finish..

#theblockparty. #jamieday #netgalley #stmartinspress #psychologicalthriller #mysterythriller #needtoread #toreadornottoread #strongfemalecharacter #revenge #menbehavingbadly

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by J.T. Ellison

I just finished reading “It’s One of Us” by J.T. Ellison. Thanks to Mira Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a couple with a rich and entwining past that are trying to have a baby but are unsuccessful. Two events happen which brings forward a rash of secrets and betrayals that are bound to tear the couple apart and expose their lies. The couple finds out that a woman they know was murdered and that the main suspect is related to the husband (Park) who maintains that he has no children. What follows is a series of lies that are exposed to reveal that years previous, Park had donated his sperm and as a result fathered many childre, one of whom is the murderer. Meanwhile the wife, Olivia, has just suffered her fifth miscarriage and is filled with rage that her husband has been lying to her, but she has secrets of her own, and they enter the picture as well.

What I liked about this book was the compelling story. The family of Park, the police, and the families of the ‘halves’ that were both intriguing and interesting. I liked that the story slowly unraveled in a way that was very dramatic and interesting. It was a hard to put the book down and attend to my chores. I loved how Olivia’s story ended and how she was happy.

What I didn’t like was the fast ending. It was finished so quickly and I found that it was less than satisfactory. I would have liked a more satisfactory ending that I could have been more fully detailed so that I could have been more satisfied. I also feel like there were some plot holes that were not fully deveoped.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was a great story that kept me reading and entertained until the very end.

Happy Reading Everyone!

#itsoneofus #jtellison #netgalley #needtoread #femalelead #twinaction #liesandbetrayal

#whodidit #pshycologicalthriller #mysterythriller



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by Samantha Hayes

I just finished reading “The Engagement”, by Samantha Hayes. Here are my thoughts. I LOVED this book. I read it in one day and couldn’t put id down. It has excitement intrigue, conflict, lies, secrecy, and an overwhelming show of the love between parent and child.

This book is about a woman named Hannah who has a daughter named Belle. The two characters are very close and when Belle decides to return home from France, Hannah decided to surprise her with an 18th birthday party. The surprise though is on Hannah when Belle brings with her a fiancee (Jack) who Hannah knows and has a past with. Jack has changed his name and his real motives are revealed. Can Hannah and her husband Rob stop lying to each other long enough to get through to Belle and save her?…Read and find out.

What I liked about the book. The Epilogue. OHMYGOD! It was so good!!!! I had a feeling it was going to go that way but still…the final reveal was outstanding! Kudos to the author. What a stroke of genius! I also liked the fast pace of the story and how interconnected all the characters were. It was so well written. Thank You to NetGalley and BooKOuture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

What I didn’t like. I thought the character of Belle was written to be a bit too stupid. Hello Girl! RED FLAG…RED FLAG! it took her a while to recognize the truth about Jack and I was getting frustrated with her naivete.

This is definately a need-to-read . I am quite sure it will thoroughly entertain.

Happy Reading

#theengagement #samathahayes #netgalley #bookouture # #generalfiction #adultfiction #mystery #thriller #needtoread



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by Amy Stuart

I Just finished reading the story “A Death at the Party” by Amy STuart. Here are my thoughts. It was a well. paced and unique story about a woman who is planning her famous mother’s 60th birthday party. The story takes place in one day and is divided into three parts and told from different perspectives. There are alot of sub-plots going which are creatively interwoven together to end in a huge BIG reveal at the end of the birthday party.

What I liked about this story was the relationship between the mother and daughter, and the feeling that they hav to protect each other at al costs. I love that every character in the book is important and has something to contribute to the book. I love that there are tiny hints and reveals throughout the book and the the author gradually reveals the main question or mystery in the book. I love that the characters are flaswed but ultimately there is a human side revealed.

What I didn’t like about the book. I didn’t like that the main character was unfaithful. And Im not sure why that had to occur.

Other than that, it was a great book that I devoured quickly. I wanted to get to the end so that my questions could get answers and was pleasantly surprised that the ending was not what I expected. Well written and well paced with exciting reveals in interesting characters with intermingling backgrounds made this book a great read. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

#adeathattheparty #amystuart #netgalley #simon&schuster #generalfiction #womensfictio #myster #thriller


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By Freida McFadden

I just finished “The HouseMaid) by Freida McFadden. Here are my thoughts. This book is about a young woman named Millie who takes a job as a housemaid for a wealthy family. She needs to do a perfect job as she is an ex-convict and she is living in her car. Her job is to do housecleaning and cooking for the Winchesters: Nina (the wife who is demanding and seems to sabatoge her at every step, Cece (the spoiled-rottern daughter) and Andrew (The gorgeous husband who seems to be perfect). What follows is a series of strange occurences where nothing is at it seems and everything is strange and bizarre….until somethimg MAJOR happens and then things begin to make sense.

What I liked about this book is that it was action packed, filled with surprises and revelations that I wasn’t expecting. I liked the main character. She was trying to fix her life in toxic circumstances. The plot went along quickly and there were alot of surprising revelations which made this book a quick read.

What didn’t like. I’ve read books like this before, so I felt like the book wasn’t a unique plot. In fact, I’ve read quite a few books like this. The typical “things aren’t what they seem” type of pscychological thriller. The only thing I appreciated about the plot, is how they set up the character of Millie for another book.

Overall, in spite of the similarities to other books, I enjoyed the read…enough to read the sequel.

Happy Reading..

#thehousemaid #freidamcfadden #netgalley #goodreads #psychologicalthriller #femalelead #fiction #thingsarentwhattheyseem

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