book lovers unite

by Chris Pavone

I just finished reading the book “Two Nights in Lisbon” by Chris Pavone. This story takes place in the beautiful capital of Portugal,, Lisbon. A place I absolutely love, so reading about places I have visited and enjoyed made me so happy.

The story centers around a couple (Ariel and John) who are in Lisbon for John’s work. One morning Ariel wakes up and finds that John is missing. She becomes frantic because there is no note and she cannot reach him by phone. SHe contacts the Police but they don’t seem too concerned, so she goes to the American Embassy where she is met with the same non-chalance. While looking for clues, she is approached by a mystery man on a motorcycle who hands her a phone, which begins to ring. When Ariel answers the phone, she is told that her husband has been kidnapped and she has 48 hours to come up with 3 million Euros. Where is she going to get the money? How can the police or the Embassy help her, and who can she trust?

Let me start by saying that this book is VERY long. I felt at times that is was too wordy, but it didn’t stop me from reading it. The twists and turns and mysteries and clues made it exciting and difficult to put down.

I also felt that there were SOOOOO many characters that it was hard to keep track of everyone. If you decide to read this book (which I hope you do), I will suggest that you read it every day so you don’t forget who is who.

The story is told from Ariel’s perspective, both past and present. You learn about her past which helps explain her present actions in the book. Bet there is one main question which is only answered in the end and WOW, is it ever a GREAT answer.

I really liked this book. It had everything a mystery thriller should have: a main character that was sympathetic and brave and totally rootworthy, and a villain that had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The other characters (Portuguese Police, the Reporter and John) were well written and equally interesting.

All in All a wonderful exciting, mysterious, thrilling, rollercoaster of a ride with such a great ending I can’t even tell you. Definately a MUST READ!

#twonightsinlisbon #NetGalley #ChrisPavone #strongfemalelead #needtoread #psychologicalthriller #bookofthe summer #mysterythriller

Happy Reading

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by Sue Watson

I jus finished reading “Our Little Lies” by Sue Watson. I would definately call this a domestic thriller because it deals with the relationship between a married couple and the lengths the wife will go to in order to keep her family together.

At first glance it appears, that Marianne and Simon are a happily wed couple. Marianne is dealing with past mistakes and struggles with mental health and trying to be the perfect wife and mother. Simon is a successful surgeon who is very handsome and connected and he wants to maintain a perfect image for himself and his family.

It slowly emerges that Simon is a manipulative narcisstic husband who verbally, and physically abuses his wife in order to control her. Marianne becomes convinced that Simon is having an affair and what follows is a discovery to find out what she is going to do about Simon and his affair.

I hated Simon. I have to give the author props for doing such a great job of bringing him to life. I wanted him to suffer and lose everything. I felt bad for Marianne, but at times I was frustrated both with her inaction and also with her inability to follow through. SHe came across as extremely weak at times, but I suppose that is what the author wanted to show the reader: the thought process behind women who are not treated well by their partners.
It was hard to read this book and I kept putting it down, the words that SImon used to berate his wife sometimes were too much.

I liked her relationship with Sophie and I knew that that was an important relationship that would save her. I didn’t like the ending because SImon went from being a complete douche to sacrificing himself and it just didn’t match up. I wish that he would have stayed wretched until the end. He deserved what he got.

So besides the ending, which might satisfy some readers, this book was well written especially in light of the topic. I think that this is a great book for female readers because it opens them up to what really happens behind closed doors. SOmetimes the most well put together families are the most fractured underneath. No body and nothing is as perfect as it seems…ever.
Happy Reading.

#ourlittlelies #domesticthriller #suewatson #femalelead #domesticabuse #husbandisadouche #finaltwist




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by Gillian McAllister

#needtoread #wrongplacewrongtime #psychologicalthriller #timetravel #femalelead #mysterytosolve #mysterythriller #gillianmcallister

I just finished reading “Wrong Place, Wrong Time” by Gillian McAllister. I chose this book because it was on Reese’s picks list and I am glad I did. It was such a departure from what I normally read in that it was a concept that was unique and extremely well-written.

The story is about a woman who sees her son commit murder. The following day when she wakes up, she realizes it is the day before the murder was committed. Each day that follows is further in her past, and is meant for her to understand what led to the murder and to somehow change the course of the future so that the murder does not take place. The story focusses on her relationship with her father and her husband, who are both not what they seem. At the end of the book there is a paragraph which explains the time travel part of the story.

The story is extremely well written and well paced in short chapters that were told from the point of view of the main character (Jenn) and an undercover police officer Ryan (who we find out later is someone else) Each chapter provides a clue as to what led to the crime being commited and unearths secrets which leave Jenn both devastated, and questions not only her decisions but also her relationships.

I really liked this unique brand of story telling, and because the chapters were short, I was able to keep up with the timeline. I would recommend that anyone reading this book do it over a short period, because important details arise in each chapter, which are crucial to the enjoyment of the book, and if the book is put down for too long, then these important detail may be forgotten.

Super excited to say that this was a pleasant surprise because I enjoyed it more that I thought I would. Sometimes it is a good idea to try a new author or a new style of writing…you may be pleasantly surprised as well.
Happy Reading!




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by Rachel Hawkins

I just finished reading “Reckless Girls”, by Rachel Hawkins. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
For starters, I have read alot of books by this author, and have enjoyed them all…but this one not so much.
It is about a group of young people who take off for an adventure at a deserted island. While there, they encounter another couple…and everything is going well…until it’s not. Somehow, secrets and lies are exposed, and nothing is as it seems.
It all seemed a little too convoluted for me. I felt like there was just too much in the book that didn’t make sense. Without giving anything away, I didn’t get a strong feeling for any of the characters and there were things that happened in the book that didn’t make all that much sense.
For me to enjoy a book, I need to be vested in the characters…and I just wasn’t. I didn’t care for any of them. I felt that they were all pretentious, spoiled, and vacuous. The story was too difficult to process at some points. I almost felt like I was missing something important.
Maybe it will appeal to a younger audience sho can relate to the characters sense of entitlement. I am not sure. Suffice it to say…this book just wasn’t for me.
Happy Reading.

#recklessgirls #rachelhawkins #netgalley #stmartinspress #femalelead #psychologicalthriller #mysteriousisland


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by Lisa Jewell

I just finished reading “The Family Remains” by Lisa Jewell. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with a free copy of ths book in return for an honest review. A fabulous author who has written another fabulous book. I didn’t realize this was a sequel, it was so well written, I didn’t feel like I missed out at all not having read the first book. Lisa Jewell creates rich characters with interesting backstories. She begins the novel with four separate sub-stories and somehow manages to bring all the characters into one singular story by the end of the novel.
The story centers around a murder, a family and a young girl who meets the wrong man. Somehow all these sub stories connect to reveal what happened long ago in a rather toxic home where most of these people lived. It was defenately a page turner and I couldn’t stop reading the book. It is written from 4 different perspectives, which keeps it interesting and mysterious
I loved the family drama, the characters and the evolution of the storylines I loved that every character in this story had a purpose. I loved the twists and turns, and the evolution of the characters and the story. The only negative was that the family tree was somewhat hard to follow, especially because some of the characters changed names. But, at the beginning of the novel, there is an explanation of the family tree. I loved the character of Rachel whose story was interesting, as well as Henry, who was a conflicted and flawed character that I had great empathy for.
Overall, this was a great book. Loved every second of it and I was sad when it ended. Lisa Jewell is a magnificent writer and I am never dissapointed in anything I read from this author.
Happy Reading!

#thefamilyremains #lisajewell #femalelead #toxicfamily #thriller #needtoread

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by Rachel Hawkins

I just finished reading the book "The Villa", by Rachel Hawkins.  Thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.  Rachel Hawkins is an excellent writer who has a very steady and well paced writing style.  This book is what people call a slow-burn.  No real big moments or reveals, but steady progress towards a resolution.
The story is two fold: surrounding an event that occured in an Italian Villa decades ago, which involved a murder and a mystery.  Fast forward four decades, and two writer who are also best friends go to the same villa to finish their own books, and one of the writer stumbles upon the murder mystery and decides to delve further into it...while trying to finish the book she is currently writing.
There are many characters in this book which the author brings to life quite vividly.  She does an excellent job of breathing personality and urgency into all the characters in the book.  I enjoyed both parts of the book:  the past and the present.
This story is definately worth reading because it is well written and has consistent action.  Even though there are not big moments is has enough action and mystery to entertain the reader, whomever they are.
Happy Reading Everyone!
#thevilla #rachelhawkins #netgalley  #thriller #murdermystery #femaleleads #needtoread

by Miranda Cowley Heller

I just finished readiing “The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller. I first time author which very much impressed me because it was so well written and wonderfully paced.

This is not my usual choice for reading, but I was intrigued by the description at the back. It is hard to describe what this story is about without revealing too much. Basically it is about unrequited, childhood love and the consequences of the choices we make, secrets that we keep and connections that we make. It is about love, and family and childhood memories and trauma…quite a bit of it actually. What really matters in the end is how this book makes you feel. I felt happy, nostalgic, sad, angry, compassionate and sentimenal. I laughed, almost cried, felt envy, felt empathy…all of these emotions, while reading this book.

It is cleverly told within a 24 hour period in the present, and then in small parts explaining the past. The main character is wonderfully flawed, and I enjoyed all the characters…the villain of the story was well written and I felt the vile and repulsion in my soul when I was reading those parts of the story.

It is a fairly long read, but I found myself stealing moments throughout the day trying to read snippets at a time. Every page served an important purpose, even if you didn’t understand why at the time of reading it.

Overall, a great book, and I can understand why it was so highly recommended.

#thepaperpalace #needtoread #mirandacowleyheller #strongfemaleleade

Happy Reading!



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by Heidi Perks

#heronemistake #heidiperks #needtoread #psychologicalthriller #domesticthriller #strongfemaleleads

I just finished reading “Her One Mistake” by Heidi Perks. Your typical domestic thriller about two friends who develop a friendship, both have secrets. One day one of the friends (Charlotte) takes her kids and the other friends (Harriet) kids to a fair…and the Harriet’s child goes missing. Everyone blames Charlottte, but the truth about Harriet’s slowly unravels and reveals a dark and sinister plot behind the whole event. I’m not sure if the one mistake is Charlotte taking the kids to the fair, Charlotte trusting Harriet, or Harriet thinking she could get away with her plans.

What follows is a thrilling search for answers told from both women’s perspectives, both in past and present tense.

Although it was hard to follow at times, and slightly unbelievable at others, it was an interesting look at how quickly public opinion changes when something bad happens (like a child goes missing). I felt great empathy for both characters, especially when the main character seemingly lost all community support, because they blamed her for the lost child.
I thought the villiam was written with alot of thought and precision. I actually hated the villain and I wanted him so badly to suffer.

The female characters were also well written and I liked their backstories. I think that the backstories are what made this book more enjoyable, especially Harriet, the woman whose child goes missing. I really wanted her to be happy throughout the book and I wanted her child to be okay.

So did Harriet reunite with her child? Did Charlotte restore her reputation and heal from the accusations that she faced? What happened to the main villain? All these questions are answered in the final chapters of this book. You will not regret reading this, especially if you enjy psychological thrillers.
Happy Reading!



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by Geneva Rose

Would you defend your husband if he was accused of killing his mistress? Read “The Perfect Marriage”, by Jeneva Rose.

I heard so much about this book and was so thrilled to finally be able to read it. It started off with a bang…right away, there was mystery and intrigue. Did he actually kill his mistress? Would he go to jail? Did his wife believe him?

At the beginning I really liked this book. It was exciting and interesting and super mysterious. But as I continued reading I just got more and more frustrated with the characters, especially the male lead. One minute he loved his wife…the next he was doing something completely stupid. And the wife… she as so incredibly unlikeable…I could not understand her motives.

She was mean and nasty and selfish and condascending.
I was hoping for a stronger story, maybe more courtroom drama, but there were too many red herrings and loose ends, to truly say it was enjoyable.
In the end… I was not overly satisfied and found it tough to recomment.
Just my opinion.

#theperfectmarriage #domesticthriller #genevarose #femaleleadcharacter



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by Lisa Jewell

I just finished reading “Then She Was Gone”, by Lisa Jewell, who is very quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. This is a true psychological thriller, told from many different viewpoints.

It follows the story of a mother who is trying to move on from the disappearance of her wonderful daughter when she was only 15. Her daughter is desribed as perfectly wonderful, the apple of everyone’s eyes. The dissapearance of ther daughter causes the family to fall into turmoil, eventually ending in divorce.

Fast forward 15 or so years, and the mother meets an alluring man and begins to fall for him and his daughter “Poppyy” who bears an uncanny ressemblance to the daugher who dissapeared all those years ago.

What’s the connection? What happened to the daughter? Who is Poppy? All these questions are answered slowly and carefully in a series of tales told from different points of view.
I really liked this book. The characters were well written and vey likeable, but mysterious at the same time. The author took her time setting up the story and the way she told it from different perspectives made it extra entertaining.

It was not too long, actually, the perfect length, with a satisfying and somewhat happy ending.

#psychologicalthriller #thenshewasgone #strongfemalelead #lisajewell #mysterythriller

Happy reading!

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