I read this for book club & I loved it! I‘m a huge fan of the author‘s work bc you know about the supernatural elements ahead of time which makes the story even more enjoyable. Some of it was predictable to me, but that didn‘t take away from the story. The short chapters really build the suspense. I‘m excited for the discussion for this one!

I read this 4 book club. I didn‘t think I was going 2 like it @ 1st bc I‘m not the biggest historical fiction reader & I thought it would be technically written, but I love it! It was written in a way that was very accessible, even if you‘d never heard of Frances Perkins, which I barely had. It‘s amazing what she accomplished in her life & we should all be grateful for what she fought for. Even if you don‘t like historical fiction, read this one!

This was such a quick, gripping read! Another of McFadden‘s that I‘ve loved! It‘s shorter than some of her other ones but there‘s still twists & turns & I didn‘t see the huge twist coming at all. If you love thrillers & McFadden‘s other books, you‘ll love this one too!

I read this for work. It‘s the One Maryland One Book selection for 2024. It‘s a fictional account of the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010. Told through multiple character‘s POV‘s it really works to create a whole picture of the aftermath & how it affects ordinary people. It‘s beautifully written! So many long paragraphs proved a challenge for my adhd brain but it‘s such a powerful read. You need to read this one!

Finished this at the end of March for April‘s mystery/thriller book club meeting. The reason that it‘s a pick for me is the ending which was great. But it did seem tedious at times while reading. It seemed repetitive & there was so much description. This was the 1st of the author‘s that I‘ve read even though I have her other 2 books bc the premises seemed so interesting. If you‘re reading this just stick with it & the end is the payoff.

I finished this in mid March. This is the 3rd book in the Frankie Elkin series & while enjoyable & still a good read it seemed long to me. I enjoy Frankie as a character & her experiences but the case itself was so specific & out there that my attention waned at times. If you‘ve read the other books in the series then you should read this one too! & this one could also be read as a standalone.

I finished this in mid March & I really enjoyed it! It may have been a little wrong & one of the twists was predictable for me, but still plenty of twists & surprises! Another of McFadden‘s that I highly recommend!

I had to read this work & what a read it was! It‘s Dr. Redwood‘s personal account of working in philanthropy & the racism she endured both structurally and personally working in the sector. If you‘re in philanthropy or the nonprofit sectors, I definitely recommend reading this book! As a white woman, it was eye opening for me to see the levels of racism at play here.

I read this back in early March. I really liked this one! This was my 2nd of McFadden‘s books I‘ve read & I love them! I didn‘t see the twist coming on this one! If you want a quick paced thriller with big twists then I definitely recommend this book!

I read this for book club back in early March. After discussing it there I made my review lower. There really weren‘t enough characters for a locked room mystery. And there was discussion of the twist being that there is no twist and how it plays out the way you think it would. While I loved The Silent Patient, it seems like Michaelides‘ books are on a downhill trajectory from there. I‘d get this one from the library if you want to read this one.

Just finished this one! Read it for book club. It‘s not something I would‘ve read on my own. It was a little slow to start but eventually picks up. Greta is an interesting character. Overall I liked it but it‘s definitely quirky & may not be for some people. I‘m eager to see what people at book club have to say about it!

Finished this one last week after seeing the author talk at my local independent bookstore! It‘s set in the Warsaw ghetto in WWII. I‘ll read anything about the Holocaust &this story doesn‘t focus on the horrors of it, while they are there. It focuses on one man‘s ability to survive it. It‘s a beautiful story set in a tragic setting. The good and the bad are shown here. I recommend this one even if you don‘t normally read books about the Holocaust.

This was an enjoyable enough of a read and fast paced. Read this one for the new mystery/thriller book club at my local independent bookstore. As we discussed it there were mentioning of a lot of things that maybe didn‘t make this book so great, but it‘s serves the purpose of a mystery/thriller if you‘re looking for a fix. There was debate over the ending & eager to hear what others thought about it. I havent read the author‘s other book but I may

My 1st book of 2024! Finished it last month for a new book group I joined at my local independent bookstore. This was the 1st thing by the author that I‘ve read. I really enjoyed this one. It‘s amazing how June frames herself to the reader and she really believes that she‘s the victim. Thought an aspect of the ending was a little contrived but it made for great discussion! I recommend this one! Def interesting 2 learn about the publishing industry

I always enjoy Barclay‘s thrillers! In this one though some things just happened right at the right moment or seemed coincidental & I usually don‘t get those vibes from his books. I predicted a couple of twists and was surprised some POVs were thrown in just to throw the reader off track & it didn‘t really go anywhere. That said, this was a fun ride & the twists are enjoyable as they come along. Curious what other fans of Barclay‘s books think!

It was great seeing Molly back in action solving another murder! The flashback scenes were good even if they distracted some from the main storyline. I enjoyed this one but I probably liked the 1st one better. I wonder if there will be a third book!

Oh how I loved this book! It‘s wonderful to see a main character who I would say is on the spectrum and who struggles socially. I could relate to her in some ways. It was a good mystery too. I just really enjoyed the writing and storytelling! Florence Pugh is set to star in the film adaptation I believe. I can‘t wait until it‘s brought to the big screen! Just read this book; you will fall in love with Molly the Maid!

Finished this last week! I learned a lot about the victims & also the perpetrator. Not really a lot of new information in regards to the ongoing case as the trial hasn‘t happened yet. But it was nice to read everything together in one place so you could see the progression of events unfolding. If you‘re a true crime fan or followed the case, I would recommend this book. It is chilling to read the re-enactments of the crimes but it‘s based in fact

What an excellent read! The short chapters made this book easy to fly through. It was hard to read about how her mom was abusing her and how young Jennette didn‘t know any better. I learned a lot about eating disorders. I‘d be eager to know what her mom‘s diagnoses would be in terms of mental health/disorders. It was great to read how Jennette got her life together & was able to move on from acting. I‘d be curious to see her one woman show.

This was the coming of age story of the author in revolutionary Iran & her teenage years in Vienna & how she came back to Iran & then finally left for good. I definitely learned a lot of Iranian history & its history with Iraq & other countries in the region. The drawings were magnificent. In my opinion it ended kind of suddenly but I guess it‘s good if it left me wanting more!

Finished this 1 yesterday! I‘d been reading it 4 group therapy & it led to some good discussions! The V in the BRAVING acronym really stuck with me. The V stands for Vault & it‘s about keeping people‘s confidences. I thought I was good at that but it made me realize that if I reveal someone‘s confidences to another person, then that other person could decide that I‘m untrustworthy & I definitely don‘t want that to be the case! Made me check myself

5 stars! This memoir was so good & very well written! I only read an article in People magazine months ago that recommended it & I‘m so glad I picked it up! Minka truly had a horrible upbringing with her Mom who worked as a stripper & them never having a roof over their heads that was theirs. It took hard work & determination & a few lucky breaks but Minka was able to break the cycle and find success. I highly recommend this one!

I finished this a couple weeks ago! It‘s simply written. A lot of her earlier career is somewhat glossed over but it goes into detail with her relationships with Justin Timberlake and Kevin Federline. And of course the conservatorship which was truly awful. They could lock her up in institutions at their will & control what she ate. I won‘t give away other hints & I hope she is able to find peace now that she‘s free!

Finished this last week! An excellent conclusion to the Ellery Hathaway series! It went with the series‘ roots which was Coben. There‘s a TV personality & Hollywood mogul who want to interview the infamous convicted serial killer Francis Coben in prison. He claims he can give names to more victims if he can see Ellery. It‘s a great suspenseful story with good pacing and twists along the way. I am pleased with the ending for Ellery and Reed.

This was a good entry in the Ellery Hathaway series! Schaffhausen knows how to bring on the twists & turns in the plot while evolving Ellery and Reed Markham‘s characters! A girl goes missing & Detective Hathaway is on the case & Reed joins the case too. Did she runaway or was she taken? Looking at the girl‘s mother‘s past it‘s revealed she‘s lost a child before. Unexpected twists along the way & more personal developments make this excellent!

This was an excellent 3rd installment of the Ellery Hathaway series! Reed Markham who saved her all those years ago from a serial killer is now enlisting her help in the 40 year old cold case of his mother‘s murder. Still suspended from her job, Ellery dives in at the challenge. Great suspense in this one and twists until the very end. If you liked the previous two books you will enjoy this one too!!

I am flying through the Ellery Hathaway series! Finished this one in a few days! Ellery is on suspension from actions taken place in the 1st book. She‘s ordered to join a victims of violent crime group & instead of working on herself, she decided to investigate the cases of those that put her fellow group members there. From a decades old fire to a brutal rape, this book will keep your attention & the pacing & character development is brilliant!

I had read this a few years back & loved it but then never read the rest of the books in the series! I love the author‘s Annalisa Vega series, so I thought I should go & read her Ellery Hathaway series! So i re-read this one! Went through it quickly & it was great! Schaffhausen does such a wonderful job of developing her characters & keeping up with the suspense! I really recommend this book! I can‘t wait to read more of Ellery!

Absolutely loved this entry in the Detective Annalisa Vega series!! So many mysteries brought up in this book and it‘s brilliant how Schaffhausen ties them all up. Great growth for Annalisa as a character too!! If you‘ve read the previous books you‘ll love this one and won‘t be able to wait for the 4th one coming out next year! Also, I interact w/ the author on Instagram & she‘s so appreciative of her readers & responds to comments!

This was a good second entry in the Laughton Rees series! It takes place in rural country in England that has a long history of missing young women that the police don‘t seem to acknowledge, but Laughton is on the case! I enjoyed the revelations towards the end & I interacted with the author on Instagram and he said there‘s going to be a 3rd Laughton Rees book! I‘m so excited for it!

Just a photo of Miss Raina. I can‘t believe she‘s going to be 5 next month! Love this pup so much!!

This book doesn‘t have the pace/suspense of Defending Jacob, but is still an excellent book in its own right. The book is written in an interesting format, divided into “books” told from different perspectives that makes the story more well rounded. Landay knows how to deliver a last minute twist & he doesn‘t disappoint in this regard either. This book is more literary &tells the haunting story of a family marred by the disappearance of its mother

An excellent thriller! I loved the switching POVs & the momentum it added to the story! I also liked that there was focus on mental health & how families of those with mental health issues are affected! This story goes in a direction you‘re not expecting but makes total sense at the end. This was my first of this author‘s & I‘ll definitely check out some of her past ones!

This book is simply perfect. It is the story of Holocaust survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar, a childhood best friend of Anne Frank. Anyone can read this book. If you‘re unfamiliar w/ the history, the book provides that but doesn‘t feel like you‘re reading a history book. It is completely compelling! You follow Hannah as she moves to Amsterdam & meets the Franks & life as war goes on. As conditions worsen, the Franks disappear 1 day & Hannah & her family

I had this on my shelf for years & finally decided 2 read it bc it was selected as March‘s Reese‘s Book Club pick! I‘m so glad I read this book!! It took me a while. Not because it was a difficult read, but simply because I did not want it to end. You‘ll fall in love with Isabelle & Vianne & appreciate what they did during WWII. It‘s supposed to be a movie. I‘d be eager to see it! I highly recommend this one for everyone!

Had the great privilege of seeing Ramona Emerson in person yesterday at Gaithersburg Book Festival!! She talked about her book Shutter & how it‘s going to be a trilogy!! She also talked about her documentarian work & the Native American community. Fascinating panel. Shutter is on my to-read list!!

Got to see David Ellis and Alex Finlay in a panel moderated by Andrea Bartz yesterday at Gaithersburg Book Festival!! I‘ve read two of Finlay‘s books and am eager to read his latest. Ellis‘ book I have a hold on at the library and I‘ve read Bartz‘s We Were Never Here and am eager for her new one: The Spare Room! It was a great conversation about thrillers & the writing process & how they‘re there to entertain. Had a front row seat again!

Author Tara Laskowski was the moderator of the Ashley Winstead and Julia Bartz panel yesterday at Gaithersburg Book Festival! I have two of her books but haven‘t read them yet. So exciting to see these authors in person! This is them prepping for the panel. Local author Angie Kim was the introducer for them.

Ashley Winstead and Julia Bartz were at Gaithersburg Book Festival yesterday and I had a front row seat! So exciting to see these authors in person! It‘s the second time I‘ve seen Ashley there. Their books are definitely dark and twisted. I read The Last Housewife last year & wow it was intense to put it mildly! Haven‘t had the chance to read The Writing Retreat yet, but it‘s on my list!

This was an excellent stand-alone by Coben! It was fun to see characters featured in other books of his. This was intense with the authorities on the tail of David as he escapes prison & navigates his way to find his son. 4.5 stars. I rounded down to 4 on Goodreads bc I figured out a major twist earlier on but this one is full of suspense and twists. Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book (and yes even the ending). 5 stars from me. A young woman is found dead & the story is told from the POV of the parents of those who were last seen with her. Great way to keep the mystery going by not doing the teens POV. It was beautifully written with flawed & realistic characters. I may have to go back & read more of his work. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Will be a “buy” for me when it‘s in paperback

What a great horror-somewhat comedy, lol. Pupkin, the evil puppet, makes Annabelle seem like a sweetheart. I enjoyed the dynamic between Louise and her brother Mark and how it evolved. I‘d be really eager to see this adapted into a mini series or film. Hendrix is becoming a go to read for me after enjoying The Final Girl Support Group. He introduces the ludicrous on the page & makes it believable & suspenseful! Right balance of humor. Really good!

Overall a pick. While most of this was interesting, a fair amount of it was kind of boring. It picked up when he met Meghan. Prince William is not shown in a flattering light. It‘s just sad how the Palace was against Meghan from the beginning when she didn‘t do anything. Them just cutting off security really could‘ve put them in danger. I‘m glad things worked out for Harry and they were able to get away. Who knows what the future holds for them.

But aren‘t you doing the same thing, Harry? Releasing a tell-all for money? Although I know some is going to charity. And I‘m enjoying this, but he should be a little more self aware…

Finished this last week too! An interesting premise: a woman being held in captivity, but she feels safer there than if she were to be with her husband? What happened to her? It‘s a thrilling ride to find out. I don‘t want to give away too much. If you liked Paris‘ previous works, you should like this one! I really feel for the main character! Eager to know what other readers thought!

Finished this one last week! The ending is what made it a so-so for me. Other than that I really enjoyed the suspense and buildup as the characters kept being killed one by one. I was surprised by the ending and not in the best way. I will still read books by this author as I have a couple of her other ones. I really enjoyed Daisy as a main character. An overall fun locked room mystery.

True that! I love coming across bookish quotes while reading!

Guilty! Lol. Bookstores are my favorite places on Earth!

Adele is an actress who desperately needs an acting gig so she accepts this last minute offer to be the main star in a horror film being made in an isolated Irish forest. Things happening in the script begin to happen to Adele. I really liked this! A large portion of the book is Adele by herself as she experiences strange phenomena & I could see where that would be a turnoff for some. I was surprised by the end & I liked the way it wrapped up!