In 'Hidden Strings,' Tessa recently lost her grandmother who was also the puppeteer for the family fun park. The woman who replaces her is completely different. Her stories are scary, and children begin to disappear as new puppets appear. I really liked the story within story element. The book was fast paced and easy to understand for reluctant readers. 4 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley!
Pilots call off their flights when they receive a phone call from their mothers, begging them not to fly. Some mothers have been dead for years. Somehow Seeker Script from DARPA has been activated. While Carson mainly writes chillers, 'Departure 37' is more like a science fiction mystery. The dual timeline is well-written between 1962 and 2025. I enjoyed this one a little less than his other books, but it is still a solid entry. 4 stars.
'The World Inside' was a nice, spooky YA read. It's targeted audience is reluctant readers. It accomplishes this very well. With easy sentences and short chapters, 'The World Inside' goes quickly. It still has detail and is a satisfying read. I also loved the supernatural elements. 4 stars.
'Seven Rivers: The Darkness' is a very atmospheric book with great and frightening imagery. Cora flees her past only to be in a car accident and shot. A passerby takes her to Seven Rivers after she begs to avoid hospitals and the police. Cora has quite a journey ahead of her. I really enjoyed the final twist of the novel, which was unexpected. 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley!
pick'The Flowers at Flood House' is an excellent haunted house and mystery novella. The house is haunted by its own memories. The haunting is more psychological than gorey. It gets inside your head and heart. At 106 pages, it can easily be read in one sitting, and the pacing is just right. 5 stars.
pickIn 'A Dance of Lies,' Vaseline was framed for a murder and imprisoned for two years. She is released by the king who framed her if she will be his spy. Vasalie suffers from chronic pain from her imprisonment. Having a MC with a disability was refreshing. As she gets further into the political intrigue, she must decide who to trust. I really enjoyed Arena's writing style and might continue the series. 4 stars.
pick'Ink Ribbon Red' was an intellectual puzzle box of a mystery. Friends gather for a Bank Holiday. Their host tasks them with writing murder stories with each other as the murderers or victims. The stories are told throughout the novel, and it's the reader's job to separate fact from fiction. I enjoyed the stories within stories theme a lot. I also had fun trying to separate the real murder from the fictional. 5 stars.
pickI adored 'The Spellshop,' so I was very excited for the audiobook of 'The Enchanted Greenhouse.' While there were new characters, it was in the same universe. I loved the cosy factor and the found family trope. The sentient plants were awesome. I think I might have enjoyed this one a little more than 'The Spellshop,' but it was close. I thought the narrator did a great job. 4.5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley!
pickCherie Priest creates a great mystery/horror novel in 'It Was Her House First.' Dark and atmospheric, the novel was fun to read. It included diary entries from one of the entities in the house, and input from the main character Ronnie, and the ghost of a former detective. Cherie Priest is an auto-read for me and this book was no exception. 5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley!
pickJeremy Renner's memoir 'My Next Breath' is very inspiring. For 45 minutes, he kept himself breathing until help arrived. He does believe he died at some point, but fought his way back. His recovery was intense and terrible at the same time. Yet he pushed through and is now acting and doing his own stunts. He believes that his full recovery will take a lifetime, but still he has hope. 4.5 stars
pick'This is Where We Die' is a solid thriller in the mode of 'And Then There Were None.' Six teenagers, who survived a previous tragedy, rent an island for a graduation party. They expect others to join them the next day. At the island, they find the mansion deserted, and people start to die. Each character has their own POV. A nice addition to the “locked room mystery.“ 4 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley!
pick“Roll for Romance' is a nice addition to the romance genre. Sadie has run out of luck in NY and flees to a friend's place in Texas. Through her friend's D&D campaign, she meets Noah and sparks eventually fly both in real life and in the game. The characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the prose. 4.5 stars
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pick'The Unravelling of Julia' accomplished exactly that, and then she is rebuilt stronger than before. Shortly after Julia's husband is murdered, she inherits a small fortune and villa in Tuscany. When she arrives, strange things occur, making her doubt her sanity. Scottoline creates an atmospheric thriller with many twists and turns. In the end, justice prevails over all. 4 stars.
pick'Writers and Liars' is another great outing for Carol Goodman. Maia is called back to the island where the best and worst times of her life occurred. There, with a group of fellow writers, she must solve the murder of the island's benefactor. The novel is full of twists and turns like the labyrinth of King Minos' minotaur. If you love Greek mythology, you are in for a treat as the novel is chock-full of it. 5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley!
pick'Party of Liars' has a different structure than most who-done-it mystery thrillers. You know from the beginning that someone has died. However, you don't know who until around 90% in. There are so many secrets and twists within the book, it could be any of the 5 characters narrating the book, or someone else entirely. Shorter chapters rachet up the tension. A dual timeline before and after the party both foreshadows and gives background. 5 stars.
pickWhen Caitlin R. Kiernan has a new title out, I rush to get it. 'Bright Dead Star' is no exception. They have written 25 tales of the weird or the uncanny. While the subject matter of each tale varies, there is always a sense of wonder. While I love Kiernan's full length novels, I believe they excel in writing short stories. Highly recommended for those who remember the “weird tale“ genre. 4.5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.
pick'The Colony of Lost Souls' is an interesting book that borders on Gothic. I think it fits the mystery/thriller category better. May receives a letter from her sister whom she thought might be dead. June asks her to visit her at the Kinima Theosophical Society. Once May arrives, she is told June is off on a secret mission. May decides to stay and wait for her sister's return. There are a lot of secrets an suspense within this novel. 4 stars
pickOnce again, Lisa Jewell has written a great novel with 'Don't Let Him In.' I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as her other novels. Romantic entanglements and cheating aren't my thing. However, Jewell proved me wrong. There is such a sense of coming doom in the cat-and-mouse book. I couldn't stop reading it. There's a dual timeline, and short chapters keep the story going. 4.5 stars.
'The Witch at the End of the Wood' is a cozy cottage core novel. Velina escapes the work factory and begins a search for a witch who can help her. Instead she finds an abandoned house that can grant wishes. Along the way to discovering herself, she finds a found family and a home who respects her for who she is. 4 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley!
pickThis is an excellent mystery to be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Bonus if you have an interest in death metal. Kasper, the MC, investigates the death of the rocker Grim from over 30 years ago with the help of Iris. The narrative style is interesting as there are dual timelines and supporting materials like appendices (I promise; they aren't boring). There is also a supernatural angle. 4 stars.
pickIf you like dark academia with a little cosmic horror, 'The Library at Hellebore' might be right for you. Alessa Li was kidnapped and forced to attend Hellebore. Each student, whether recruited the traditional way, or facing forced enrollment, has certain monstrous gifts. Hellebore is labeled as a sanctuary for these students. However, it harbors a dark secret. The faculty don't expect the students to survive graduation.
pickI really enjoyed 'The Ghostwriter.' It has a captivating storyline. Olivia returns to her father's home of Ojai. Her career in tatters. This book might be what brings her back to her life, professionally and personally. All she has to do is write whether her father killed his sister and brother like many believe. The catch is he has Lewy Body Dementia, and fact and fiction are intertwined. 5 stars.
pick'The Bachelorette Party' is Camilla Sten's first book written directly in English. It has a lot of suspense and atmosphere. Tessa has alterior motive for attendinding her friend's bachelorette party. She investigates the disappearance of four girls from the same island as the party. However, members of the party have their own secrets to hide. There is a dual timeline. I enjoyed the prose and imagery of the book. 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley
pick'Death on the Island' has been described as an Icelandic noir crossed with an Agatha Christie locked room mystery. While it did not seem noir to me, it had all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery. Motives abound for both of the murders, and they are well thought out. There wasn't really a calling together of the suspects like in an Agatha Christie. However, the book had its own unique way of describing the murders at the end. 4 stars.
pickLove, loss, power, and grief are the themes of 'Of Earthly Delights.' It's an ultimate love story that goes beyond death, but are the choices made along the way just or just selfish.? This story was told in a heartbreaking way with language and imagery as lush as the very flowers of the Wish Garden. I fell in love with Rose and Hart and didn't want their story to end. Maybe it hasn't. 4.5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley.
so-soI really wanted to like 'The Manor of Dreams' more than I did. The haunting elements and the descriptions were visually stunning. I just couldn't get into some of the characters. I had a hard time reading about Lucille's plot to destroy the Deng family. I'd rather have more of the haunting and supernatural elements. 3 stars.
'When Devils Sing' is great supernatural thriller. Whether it is the cultist behavior of the locals, or making deals with the Devil, Kaur's beautiful imagery never wavers. The novel centers on four teens looking into the disappearance of another friend, which occurs as a strange brood of cicadas erupts from the ground after lying dormant for 13 years. Friendships and loyalty are tested as the search continues. 5 stars.
Thanks, NetGalley!
pickWhile 'The Man Made of Smoke' wasn't my favorite book by North, it still had tons of suspense and a feeling of dread. Dan returns home after his father dies of an apparent suicide. He soon discovers things aren't as they seem and may tie into a strange interaction that he had as a boy with a potential serial killer. The mercurial nature that can appear between fathers and sons was also explored. All in all, a well-done thriller. 4 stars.
pick'Anima Rising' is darker than most Christopher Moore novels and even has an author's note with trigger warnings. It centers around the discovery of the bride of Frankenstein's monster, known as Judith within the book. Even though there is dark subject matter, humor, both light and dark, shines through. There are also historical figures, such as Gustav Klimt, Freud, and Jung. Hitler even makes an appearance. 4.5 stars.
pick'We Live Here Now' provides a different type of haunting. I won't give away the twist at the end, but there definitely is one. The book was atmospheric and tense throughout. I think this might be my favorite book by Pinborough. There is dual narration that works well. A male narrator for the MMC, and a female for FMC. 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC.
pickWhat if you walked into the woods one day and came out as something else? Anastasia disappeared in the woods for several days. When she came back out, she was no longer human, but part of a plant species. She never wavered in the belief. Now, years later, the aliens make contact and are about to invade. What follows is nature vs. nurture, found family adventure. For even if Anastasia isn't human, she feels a need to protect her friends. 4.5 stars.
pick'Aftertaste' was a beautiful, bittersweet novel. Our memories are one of the things that make us alive. Food is also a memory. Certain tastes and times stick with you, making you who are. Lavelle incorporated love and loss through his aftertastes so well that it was quite the feat. I loved the characters and the imagery throughout. I will live in my memory for awhile. 5 stars.
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'Parents Weekend' was an interesting thriller. At parents' dinner for a college event, five students never arrive and seemed to have disappeared. Initially, taking the case is Agent Keller. I liked her no-nonsense approach. There were multiple points of view within the story. Secrets were discovered in all the families as the investigation continued. Short chapters added to the suspense. The narrator handled all of the voices well. 4 stars.
pickWhen I first picked up 'Deadstream,' I thought I knew what I was in for: a techno slasher, maybe with a little camp thrown in. I was wrong on many accounts. It's a reimaging of a ghost story. A place where people are so obsessed with viewer counts that they live on beyond the grave. It's also about friendship, both irl and online. Throughout the book, a chat stream was utilized to provide other opinions and to carry the story along. 4.5 stars.
pickThis novel shocked and terrified me, but not in the ways you may think. I knew there was was racism towards Asians during the major COVID outbreak. However, I was not aware of the extent. It reminds me about the state our country is in now. Where fear hides, often racism follows.
The book was beautifully written, even the gory horror scenes. I also enjoyed the voice of the narrator. 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley!
pickI enjoyed the Shivers Collection from Amazon. In each story, something isn't quite 'right' with reality, whether it is a vindictive tree or a haunting for example. The story by Catriona Ward is my favorite in the collection. I also like how each story takes less than a hour to read, perfect to fit in here and there during the day. 4 stars.
pick'Eat the Ones You Love' is a bizarre novel, but in a good way. The shopping mall where Shell just got a job is closing. What she doesn't know is this affects more the workers. There's a carnivorous, sentient plant hiding within the walls and floors, who wants nothing more than to eat someone. Baby, the plant, is one of my favorite voices in the audiobook. Relationships of various kinds are spotlghted throughout the novel. 4 stars
pickCreepypasta meets found family in 'The Staircase in the Woods.' The heart of the story rests in the trope of found family and what happens when a friend disappears. The book is reminiscent of early King. The characters are well fleshed out and developed. I enjoyed the creepiness of the staircase in both timelines: when they were teenagers and 20 years later. 5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley. It comes out April 29th.
