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by Kaira Rouda

I just finished reading “The Widow”, by Kaira Rouda. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in return for this review.

I would call this a domestic or political thriller. It deals with lies and manipulations of Washington politics. A power couple of a congressman and his ambitious wife and all the dealings they do to hold on to power. Ultimately all the characters in this book (except the daughter Charlotte) come across as self-serving and immoral, but that is the point of the book…to point out the dealings and secrets and exposures that often go on in political arenas. I have to admit, I often thought of the show “Scandal” as I was reading and how similar it was to the story in this book.

The main character “Jody” is a political wife who does everything she can to retain her position in Washington. She enjoys the prestige that her title affords. When her husband suddenly dies (is he poisoned…that was never answered) she steps into the role as his “widow’ and learns to play the game…and after some mishaps…end up playing it very well.
She is not perfect, but worthy of some admiration for finding a way to survive in the hostile world of politics.

This is a good book, easy to read and full of saucy incidents and enough intrigue to keep the reader interested. The big reveal at the end was unecessary, in my opinion..it did nothing to make me like the book more.

I enjoy reading books by this author, and her latest I am sure will be enjoyed by many readers like me.

#thewidow #netgalley #strongfemalelead #powercouple #politicalthriller #washingtonpolitics #kairirouda #domesticthriller #scandal



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BY KARIN SLAUGHTER

I just finished reading “False Witness” by Karin Slaughter. It can only be described as a psychological thriller which delves into drug addiction, child abuse and assault. It is extremely well written. The author does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the world of drug addiction and child abuse and assault.

The story centers around two sisters who survived terrible things in their childhood and did some terrible things as a result. Very quickly in the story, the reader meets the main culprit, who is a hardcore a*e who is manipulating on of the sisters to defend him against a horrible attack and rape charge of his own.

What follows is a search for an end to the manipulation which involves being honest and uncovering much trauma and secrets. In the end, the shining love and affection between the two sisters is told and shown beautifully throughout the book, especially in the final chapters. We see forgiveness, absolution, and redemption.

I really liked this book. It is very long and there were some parts I skimmed over. I found the characters complicated and emotionally traumatized by their past, but they were believable in their pain and search for justice.

There were alot of characters in this book, but the main culprit was written so well, that I developed an instant dislike for him and I really wanted to see him suffer for his actions.
I don’t think I could have finished this book if I had suffered this type of trauma because it was so well-written and realistic. That is the main strength of this book. You can tell it was well researched and thought out.

There is also the inclusion of COVID and how that would impact the lives of those who are already suffering.

I heard that alot of people read this in one day but I needed to take a few breaks during the reading so that I could settle my thoughts and emotions.

Overall, a huge thumbs up for this well-written exciting and thrilling book by Karin Slaughter.
Happy Reading.

#falsewitness #karinslaughter #strongfemalelead #psychologicalthriller #needtoread #toptenlist



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by Clare Mackintosh

I just finished reading “I See You” by Clare Mackintosh. It is a psychological thriller that keeps the reader guessing until the very last page. Clare Mackintosh is an extremely talented writer, weaving characters in and out of a story but somehow incorporating all of them into a mystery.
The mystery in this book revolves around an on-line scheme which targets women. The main characters are a single mother who is one of the target, and a female police officer who has taken a special interest in the case.
The story is told from the perspective of these two women. I found the book to be very interesting and the characters to be well-written. There was enough mystery and suspense on everyn page to keep me interested. But, just when I thought the story was over…BANG…the biggest shock on the final ages.
Brilliant writing with a brilliant story and super engaging characters. Well Done Ms. MacKintosh…Well done!
Happy Reading.

#iseeyou #psychologicalthriller #claremackintosh #strongfemaleleadcharacters #needtoread #goodreads



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by J.T. Ellison

I just read the book, “Lie to Me” by J.T. Ellison. I have heard alot about this author and about this book, so when I stumbled upon this copy, I grabbed the opportunity to read it. I was not dissapointed.
Following the story of a seemingly perfect couple torn apart by lies and deceit (on both sides). I never got the impressionthat they were the perfect couple because they weren’t presented that way. Yes they were physically beautiful, but in every other way, they were both flawed.
Most of the story was told through the viewpoint of the husband and the mysterious “villain” whose identitynis revealed at the end (no surprise). Towards the end the the book, the viewpoint shifts to the wife, and thats when the entire story falls into place and gets super interesting.
Also interesting, is the character of the female police detective who is investigating a possible murder or disappearance (you can read the book if you want to know who the person is).
There are alot of mysteries and secrets presented in the book, and if you read to the end, all is revealed, including who the mystery villain is.
I liked the pacing of the book. There was a lot of story to be told and it was told in an exciting and interesting way. There were alot of red herrings in the book but if you read closely, you can figure out who it is.
An entertaining, quick read of domestic thriller wih a great ending.
Happy Reading!
#lietome #jtellison #domesticthriller #needtoread #strongfemalecharacter

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by Megan Miranda

I just finished reading “Such a Quiet Place”, by Megan Miranda. This is the first book I have read by this author and it was a pleasant surprise.
This story takes place in an ideal suburban like neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else’s business and pretends to live in a perfect bubble. There is one character, who returns back to the neighborhoos after serving time for the murder of a couple in the neighborhood. There are lot of uncomfortable neighbors who want her to leave which leads to a murder mystery and the uncovering of many secrets.
I enjoyed this book. The author creates a strong background to the plot which makes the development of the story fun to follow. The characters all have secrets of their own which creates alot of added mystery as to WHODIDIT!
But in the end, I found the conclusion predictable. I agree that we all do things to protect our kids, but this story exposed the seedy underbelly of how devious humans can be with complete lack of a moral compass. I suppose I didn’t want to be reminded of that. I didn’t like that there was no integrity among the characters, maybe a little in the main character, because at the end, she did the right thing.
A good book written by a great author who I definately will read again.

#suchaquietplace #meganmiranda #femalefiction #murdermystery #needtoread

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by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

I just finished reading “The Last Story of Mina Lee” by Nancy Joyoun Kim. A very slow simmering book that offers a glimpse, both realistic and haunting, of the life of a Korean immigrant and their ways of surviving life in a sometimes cruel and uncompramising America.
Margot, the main character is dealing with the death of her mother: a woman she both admired and rejected for not learning English. We learn both the backstory of Mina (the mom) and her struggles when she arrived in America, and Margot who is now faced with unearthing the truth her mother’s past, which is sad, tragic, and hopeful at times.
The story is very well written and I felt great empathy both for Margot and for Mina. The author did an excellent job of weaving together a story with few characters but all important to the outcome, which was wistful and satisfying. I loved that toward the end of the book, Margot was embracing her language and heritage and in essence, who her mom was. Mina is a very uncomplicated woman, and although I didn’t agree with all her choices, I understood them, in part because of Ms. Kim’s wonderful writing.
Everyone should read this book because it opens the eyes to the great divide between the hardworking immigrand, and the rich powerful elite, not just in America, but in our own back yard.
Wonderful story by a wonderful write.

#mustread #thelaststoryofminalee #strongfemalelead #neadtoread #koreanimmigrantlovestory #minalee #femalefiction




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by A.S.A Harrison

I just finished reading The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison. A story of a disintegrating marriage ruined by secrets and lies, and told through the eyes of both husband and wife.
Riveting storytelling is the strongest part of this book. The author is an amazing writer, and her ability to weave words together to tell the story makes it compelling on every page.
The author created interesting and fractured characters, although Jodi (the wife) was definately more sympathetice. Todd, the husband was a fascinating character and many times throughout the story, I felt sorry for him, but he made some bad choices and untimately, paid the consequences for the choices her made.
This story reminds us that we have to face our pasts and move on from them, and that our past definately shapes our present but it doesn’t have to define it.
The best part of this book is the exquisite writin style of the author. It is an absolute treat to read good writing.
There were some lingering questions: What happened to Allison? What about Todd’s “illness”. For there to be so much time devoted to it, I expected a better resolution.
But…small quibbles. I really enjoyed this book and I am sure to read more from this wondeful author.
Happy Reading!
#thesilentwife #nedtoread #domesticthriller #asaharrison #strongfemalelead


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by Sandie Jones

I just finished reading “The Blame Game” by Sandie Jones and this is my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Edelweiss for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

First of all, I am a big fan of Sandie Jones and I have read many of her books. Always entertaining and filled with crazy plot twists, this book is no exception.
The main character, Naomi, is a therapist who helps victims of domestic abuse. She herself comes from a dark family past, which seems like it should have been further explored but it wasn’t. Naomi tends to care too much for her patients in particular, a man names Jacob and a woman named Sara. She crosses the lines with both these patients which puts her in a compromising position when one of them goes missing.

In order to protect herself, she lies to the police and to her husband, Leon, but these lies end up making her look suspicious and she wonders who it is that is setting her up.

Through the course of the story there are many red herrings which leads the reader in a different direction, but it all wraps up in the end with quite the explosive reveal.

I enjoyed this book and I think that most fans of this genre will as well. The characters were well written and the story moved quickly it was exciting throughout. My only disappointment is that there was such a focus on Naomi’s past and her issues with her sister, and I feel like this plotline was dropped with no resolution. I would have liked to see what happened with Naomi and her sister.
Otherwise, an entertaining read by an author who never disappoints.
Happy Reading!

#theblamegame, #psychologicalthriller, #femaleleadcharacter, #SandieJones, #needtoread

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By Jennifer Hillier

I just finished reading “Things We Do in the Dark”, by Jennifer Hillier. Thanks you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.I would definately classify this as a thriller. The main character Paris Peralta is charged with killing her husband who is much older than her. The story unfolds according to different view points and time frames. Going between the past and the present, we meet a young girl names Joelle who herself is a victim of abuse. What is the connection between Paris and Joelle. The twists and turns of this book make the revelation very satisfying. The characters in this book are very likeable and easy to root for. The character of Ruby is a true villain and adds an edge to the intrigue in the book.
I liked that there were no slow parts in this book. The story flowed at a steady pace. I also liked that the story partly took place in Canada. That was cool.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Very interesting plot line with a satisfying ending. I think all readers will enjoy reading “Things We Do in the Dark”.
Happy Reading!
#thingswedointhedark #jenniferhillier #needtoread #strongfemalelead #thriller

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by Megan Goldin

I just finished reading “Stay Awake” by Megan Goldin. Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book about a young woman who has a rare form of amnesia where everytime she wakes up, she has forgotten everything that has happened in the last two years. There is a constant electric energy in the book as the main character is trying to find out what happened to her life while at the same time a police detectice is investigating a homicide that may or may not have included her.

I loved this book. It definately had some “Memento” vibes because in order to remind herself of important information, the main character ,Liv, writes notes to herself on her body. Her body is covered with notes like “Stay Awake” that lead her on a wild chase to find out what is going on. The story goes back and forth between the past where the reader gets an idea on what Liv was like before the amnesia and is introduced to her best friend and her boyfriend. Then there is the point of view of the main detective who is tasked with investigating a homicide. Throughout the book, we meet different characters who may or my not want to hurt Liv, but the ending ties up all the intrigue and action with a conclusion that explains everything.

I liked the pace of the story and the shifts in perspective. I did get a little confused a couple of times about the timeline so i had to go back to the beginning of the chapter, but it wasn’t a big deal.

I like how the author tied all the characters together in the book. There were a few moments which I thought were a little farfetched but overall, the story telling was great.

I liked the main character. She was messed up and scared and smart and brave all at once. I found myself rooting for her and I found her back story fascinating.

I am so glad I read this book. It was a riveting and thrilling ride into the mind of an amnesiac searching for the truth. I am sure everyond will love it.

Happy Reading!

#stayawake, #needtoread #NetGalley #MeganGoldin #thriller #strongfemalecharacters

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