book lovers unite

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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by Kimberly Belle

I just finished reading “The Personal Assistant” with Kimberly Belle and here are my thoughts. This is a story about a woman who hires a personal assistant to help her run her social media platforms. This woman (called AC) disappears one day just as Alex is getting cancelled because of something that she posted. When the threats from social media trolls get nasty and viscous Alex finds out that her seemingly perfect husband, Patrick is hiding secrets. The story is told from the point of view of Alex, Patrick and A.C. It is a rollercoaster of frightening moments, deception, lies and intrigue. The ending ties mostly everything together, but a few questions were left unanswered.

What did I like? I liked the characters, expecially the daughters of Alex. I liked the lessons about the true consequences of living your life on Social Media and the toxicity that surrounds it. I liked the ending (for the most part).

What I didn’t like? The main character. I feel like she played the victim card too much. There were so many red flags and she ignored them. But maybe that was the point of the story. That there is a toxic underbelly to social media that exploits and harms society.

And the unanswered questions that I had about events in the story that I fele were dropped, or maybe I was supposed to infer them. I was actually a little disappointed when the instigator of the original media post that trigerred this story was revealed… don’t buy it…not at all.

Anyways, the story was entertaining, full of exciting events and lots of drama…
Happy Reading

#thepersonalassistant #kimberlybelle #psychologicalthriller #goodreads #netgalley #femalelead



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by M T Evardsson

I just finished reading “A Nearly Normal Family”, by M T Edvardsson. It is about a young girl, Stella who is accused of murder and the search for what really happened is told through three perspectives, the Dad, the Daughter and the Mom.

First of all, the Dad comes across as loving and kind but not capable of acting rationally or with any sense of calm. While he is right to be worried, he refuses to listen to anyone’s advice and acts in his own manner

The Daughter comes across as a typical teenager, enthralled with a much older man who promises her love and adventure. Her story is closely tied to that of her best friend Amina, who is hard to understand.

The mom is the most interesting character, by far. She is a lawyer and she is calm and calculated and tries to get her husband to believe in her. I sense real love between Ulrika and Adam, but Ulrika is hiding things from Adam and it casts a dim shadow on her character.

I never got the sense that this was a normal family…they are anything but. But the honest way they are portrayed paints a real picture of what normal really is…full of ups and downs, mysteris and lies, deception and truth. And the truest fact which is that parents will go to great lengths to protect their children…even in they have to sully the truth.

Happy Reading everyone.

#anearlynormalfamily #mtedvardsson #mysterythriller #familybonds #familydivided



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by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I just finished reading “One True Loves” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. At first I thought it was too cheesy, and I was going to put it away. Thank God I didn’t. I quickly became engrossed in the love story of one woman and two men. The first love story was romantic and thrilling and about young love. The second love story was about maturity and safety and making a home. I love both love stories and was not ready to read about who she picks at the end….but she did pick.

So what happened…Basically a young woman (Emma) marries a young man she is deeply in love with and they decide that they want a life filled with adventure. Everything is great until Jessie dissapears and is presumed dead. Emma is devasted beyond measure and decides to return home to her hometown where she meets her old friend Sam…and well…they decide after a while that they too are in love. But then…a few years later after disappearing…Jesse returns and Emma must choose which man she wants to be with.

What I loved about this story was the way the author created both scenarios in such a wonderful and exciting way so that there was no doubt that the decision about who to choose was going to be a difficult one. Both men are wonderful and very different…and Emma is heartbroken that she must choose because she knows that one of her true loves will be deeply wounded.

What I didn’t like about this book? Honestly, not much. The ending was wonderful and easy to agree with the decision that Emma makes.

This book was wonderful, romantic, full of adventure and heartbreak. One True Loves is one truly great read.

Happy Reading everyone.

#onetrueloves #taylorjenkinsreid #lovewins #femalelead #needtoread #ilovelove

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by Sandie Jones

I just finished reading “The Guilt Trip” by Sandie Jones. I would consider this a book about lies and betrayal at the highest level. Three couples go to Portugal for a wedding and stay in a fancy villa. While there, secrets are exposed and betrayals are revealed, and basically nothing is at it seems.

Those who start out as loyal are shown to be incredible selfish and deceptive. Those who start off as sneaky and secretive are shown to be kind and compassionate at the end. You never quite know who to believe or trust…until the las 20 or so pages where all is revealed, and it is explosive…

I liked the characters of Rachel (the main character) and Noah. They seemed genuine and concerned for each other. I liked the naughtiness of Paige and Ali. I absolutely disliked Jack… He was a despicable character who I was pleased with how the story ended for him.
I didn’t like the feeling of whiplash I got as the story progressed. It was almost to many twists and turns…and after a while I just wanted the truth to come out.

The author did an excellent job of building up the backstory of the characters which made the ending satisfying. I though Rachel was week and gullible in some parts and I just wanted to shake her. I guess my main issue is that it took SOOOO long for the truth to come out.
Overall, a good mystery filled with secrets and lies and bad behaviour by all …except Will (I loved him!)
Happy Reading everyone.

#theguilttrip #sandiejones #mysterythriller #shadycharacters #femaleleads #couplesdrama




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