I wasn‘t sure about this book at first but it really grew on me. I don‘t think there is a character in this book that is not dysfunctional. One of the most frustrating things about this book is that a hell of a lot could be cleared up if they‘d just talk to each other. So many secrets. So many lies. So much darkness. Solving (sort of) a 50 year old crime with little to go on. A very satisfying ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now, that was a wild ride. This is a story within a story within a story. I did not see that ending coming. Throughout this novel, Mackenzie‘s character just shines. I love the back and forth of past and present that slowly build her story and push the narrative along. This is an exciting and smart novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I never know what to expect from a Joyce Carol Oates work. I‘m left with the feeling that I‘m not sure what actually happened. In this case, I‘m not sure anything did happen. But it might have. What I do know is that we‘re left with a surprisingly happy-ish ending, I think. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beckett Bowery has returned to her hometown and the school she attended but didn‘t quite graduate from, not by choice, but because Delilah, her daughter, has secretly applied and been accepted to the same school. Too much water has passed under the bridge and things start to spiral out of control. Tradition, conflict between town and gown, fire, death, twists and turns, and the “howling". I loved this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

That‘s an ending I did not foresee. This is so much more than a haunted house story. So much creepier. Both of the main characters exchange chapters, with another character occasionally having their own chapter. Miscommunication, obfuscation, hauntings(?), possessions(?), murder, scenes that will make you sleep with the lights on. Wow! I really enjoyed this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one of the creepiest short stories about the descent into madness. The callousness of the medical profession towards women suffering from postpartum depression is appalling. Women are just labeled as hysterical and told to “just calm down”. The results are as we see them in this horror story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Strong poetry, essays, other writing from a group one does not readily associate with Appalachia. You can feel the love that these creators have for this region of the country. You can feel the courage that each individual radiates in the truth of their self identification. Claiming their heritage, they show us the true spirit of Appalachia. May that spirit grow and flourish across all regions of the world. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wanted to like this book more, but there‘s just something off about Nic. She‘s dysfunctional, for sure, but she‘s also not always a believable character. There were times when she was misreading a situation, but it didn‘t ring true. I didn‘t believe that that‘s what her character would think. The ending is a weird twist, but it was unsatisfying. It was entertaining, but not one of my favorites. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is an intimate short story about life, about death, about mourning, about laughing. It feels true. We temporarily lose ourselves and hopefully we come back to ourselves, but we will never be the same. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love, love, love this series! And this book is so good! We are once again in the world of serial killer Isabel Parker. Will she successfully manipulate her sisters yet again? Told in a back and forth timeline between Raisa and Delaney, we get a disorienting version of events. All of the characters are dysfunctional but you can‘t help rooting for almost all of them. The ending is so satisfying. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m giving this novel a 4 but I‘m really feeling a 3.5 because I felt frustrated by all of the seemingly unnecessary incomplete filler chapters that just added confusion to the plot. I much prefer The Thursday Murder Club series. I do like Steve and Amy and Rosie and the rest of the locals where Steve lives. Maybe, if the series continues, it will find a more solid footing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have read and loved every Alex North thriller. He has a way of chilling you to the bone. The killers are human but very twisted and oh so believable. This one is a freaky twist on the Pied Piper. An island, trauma, child abduction, guilt, shame, rage, a sick, domino-effect murder path. You need to read this and all of Alex North‘s books. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my gods. The ending of this book just gutted me. But in a good cathartic way. This is about a woman who gets lost while hiking the Appalachian Trail. But it‘s about so much more. The descriptions of the trail, the hikers, the environs, the search, the searchers, the family, shows how much more complicated the Appalachian Trail actually is and how unprepared most of us are to be out in raw nature. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a fast read (power outage, nothing else to do), and I enjoyed it very much. I know not every book has a happy ending, but this one could have. It was a bit of a let down. The book is a bit of an emotional roller coaster, and I enjoyed the different chapters told by the different characters, none of whom were without their issues. This was also a microcosm of global warming. All in all, a solid story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have loved all four of The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories, but this one made me bawl. I recommend reading them all, and in order. I love this family. Alice Hoffman writes so well. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Color me confused. What just happened? This is such a compelling short story that seems to go in several directions at once. I don‘t know what really happened, although I can guess, I guess? I cant really say much more without giving anything away. All I will say is that it starts with one ending and ends with another. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There‘s a reason I don‘t read ghost stories but I couldn‘t stop reading this book. It scared me, but when seen from Nell‘s perspective it seemed almost cozy which was just plain crazy and not true which was even scarier. For such a short novel it packs a wallop. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is such a sweet book. It is a series of stories loosely held together by cats. Each one feels a little more odd than the previous one, until the end which I was kind of but not really expecting. Still, it‘s never completely spelled out what‘s going on. But it‘s not NOT explained. You just have to read between the whiskers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Raisa Susanto is an FBI linguist which gives her a unique slant on tracking down serial killers. Her family is completely dysfunctional but she is stronger for it. Codes, serial killer(s?), misdirection, family, justice. This is an excellent series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Be careful what you wish for. Is there a conduit to another dimension? What happens when you unknowingly open a line of communication with an unknown correspondent? Unexpected consequences. This short story is spooky. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What happens when a mother can‘t bear the grief of her loss? She learns the truth about what really happened and it gives her a new purpose. Not a happy purpose, but new understanding of how she should move forward. Are there ghosts involved? Maybe. This is a sad, spine tingling short story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is no such place as paradise. An island where there are vacation homes and a strict vacation season. Just follow the rules and ignore what‘s under the surface and you‘ll be OK. This short story is horrifying. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It‘s impossible to see the future, isn‘t it? Can a normal conference room transform into a crystal ball? Things like that just don‘t happen. It‘s certainly not a gift to Jennifer. A very eerie short story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Judgement comes in strange forms. A man who is only thinking of doing something morally questionable, but is discovered, and whose life starts to spiral downwards. His judge, jury, and potential executioner is something wholly unexpected. A disturbing short story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one messed up book. I loved it. If you like novels with dysfunctional characters, this one has got a bunch. The lake, the town, the desert, the canals, the orchards, it all feels dysfunctional. I wouldn‘t choose to live there. Murder, mayhem, the bogeyman, ecological destruction, a crazy, desperate cabal of sorts. It‘s a twisty tale and no one is really innocent. What a ride. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well, that was certainly creepy. I don‘t really like reading about this kind of trauma, but it was well done. Nature or nurture? Can nurture overcome nature? Not likely in most cases. Suicidal thoughts, rape, pubic humiliation, a mom‘s courage, justice. This is a short, fast read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This 3rd novel in the Detective Elin Warner series was good. I liked the 2 perspectives, one in first person and one in third person. I felt closer to Kier than I did to Elin, but they were both going through similar emotional trauma. The story does quite a few flip flops, each one quite surprising. Psychological and physical abuse, obfuscation on a giant scale, murder, of course. This is a pretty good series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Martini Club is once again helping the police chief of their tiny Maine town solve a crime, a crime that reaches back decades, and reveals answers to other mysteries. But this case also has them questioning whether their age is starting to hinder their abilities. Physical abilities, yes. Mental abilities? Kidnapping, drowning, murder, intrigue, family, betrayal. You will fly through this book. I love the characters in this series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! Just wow! This series is so wonderful. Deanna Raybourn has done it again. These 4 unofficially “retired” assassins are unofficially “unretired” because once again someone wants them dead. And so they go on the hunt all over the globe to be sure they strike first. Unbeknownst to them this case has ties to a previously semi successful case. I love these fierce women of a certain age. They are kickass. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book just about killed me. I didn‘t feel until the end just how deeply its roots have embedded themselves in my mind and my heart. Two lifelong friends spending a lifetime each, searching for a voice from the darkness. More than that, it‘s a search for a serial killer. But each of those descriptions does not do this epic novel justice. Yes it‘s long, but it is so worth the investment. Did I cry at the end? You know I did. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This classic bears up under more than one reading. I had forgotten how utterly unlikable the main characters are. But it‘s a novel that you just can‘t put down. The story is so compelling and the ending is so satisfying. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a very cute short story. What do you do the day your ex gets married? Probably not what happens in this story. On the other hand, who knows what might work for you? A short and sweet tale of redemption. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn‘t know what to expect from this book in this genre I rarely read, but it surprised me half way through when we finally learn the identity of the woman in the title. I probably should have known sooner, but I honestly didn‘t know this woman‘s history, or anyway the version of it in this novel. Abuse, intrigue, espionage, escape, stardom, WWII, invention, misogyny. Not a lot has changed, but this book has made me want to learn more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is not my genre. (I read it to get a Goodreads bookmark.) So I didn‘t know what to expect. This book is a bit more sappy than I really like, but it was also a bit more magical than I thought it would be. That combination was just right and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Witches and humans solve a problem and maybe start a bit of a revolution in the world of both. Magic, love, family, and a happy ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I expected this book to be sad, and it was, but it was also honest and open and cathartic, both for the author and for the reader. Geraldine Brooks generously shares her experience of the loss of her husband and her delayed period and method of mourning. It‘s an inevitability that we will all experience in our own unique ways. This is a lovely book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Edwidge Danticat‘s writing is clear and succinct. She is a master of the essay form. This book covers a wide range of topics, both personal and global. One of the later essays in the book is about Haiti and its political climate and it sounded eerily familiar. Definitely a book to add to your library. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OMG! I can‘t believe I finished this book so quickly, but I CAN believe it because it was so damn GOOD! Alex Carter is back again looking to protect another endangered species. And almost getting herself killed in the process. These books make me yell, out loud, very often. Jaguars, racism, murder, human and animal sacrifice, heroism. Please, when is the next book coming? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story reminds me a lot of the movie Hellboy. Magic, djinn, angels(?), otherworldly beings, the threat of total destruction of our world, doom, despair. It was interesting but just OK. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Having read and loved Meet Me at the Museum, I was already prepared to love this novel. The same gentle style of writing draws you in like a warm blanket. It‘s not that tough issues aren‘t tackled. They are, but matter of factly. This is about 3 women who bond together through a narrowboat and each needing a fresh start. Their personal growth and growing friendship lead to the book‘s hope filled conclusion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a tidy little short story mystery. Anne is a ghostwriter hired by a fitness lifestyle guru. Things start to get strange as her client gets too close for comfort. Who is she really ghostwriting for? And is she safe? I got goosebumps reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another stellar installment in the Cash Blackbear mystery series. I love Cash, so much, and in this novel we see her vulnerability and emerging maturity. She‘s still “dangerous”, as one character states, and she probably always will be, but her intuition is still right on and her “visions” serve her well. Murder, foster care, betrayal, racism, family, and so much more. Please, I‘d like another. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What could be better than a book of haunting short stories picked by Edward Gorey? Same book with Edward Gorey illustrations. These short stories will make you shiver and one or two might make you sleep with the lights on. I loved this book, so much. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had only ever read Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel and they are very different novels from Jamaica Inn. Both of the former novels are what we expect from du Maurier, gothic type romance/pseudo ghost stories. Jamaica Inn is more rough and ready and the heroine is more self reliant. It also feels like quite a wild ride. I had guessed at the villain, and was surprised by the, I guess, first ending, but not by the final ending. 5⭐️

It‘s not until near the end of the book that we learn the significance of the title, and it‘s a little disappointing, to be honest. Also, I think the way the author ended the novel is what made me rate it only 4 stars. It was quite abrupt and a bit of a let down and mood breaker. But this was a charming coming of age novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

These are really compelling short stories and unlike any I have read. Dystopian, horrifying, world turned upside down, laugh out loud, cry out loud. They cover it all. You will tear through these stories and want more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This third novelette in the series ties things up, but leaves the ends out. I don‘t think there needs to be another book, but I know I‘ll think about this family and wonder what they‘re doing and know that they‘re happy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely adore Anjelica Henley. She is a badass but so beautifully human. This is one of my favorite series. How to prove that the wrong man has been convicted of 5 murders that happened 30 years ago? Why is somebody killing again? Better question. Why had they stopped? And why are the victims being buried alive? Such a chilling novel. You won‘t want to put it down. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn‘t know what to expect from this book, but I really, really liked it. It reads quickly and is very engaging. Family, love, loyalty, murder, intrigue, shadowy figures, obfuscation. Part way toward the end, I started figuring some things out, but that just added to my reading enjoyment. And there‘s a happy ending. I loved that. This is a terrific book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Why do I feel manipulated? This Alex Delaware mystery was a head scratcher. Seemingly unrelated murders. Frustrating amounts of time spent coming to the conclusion that they were murders. Alex Delaware predictably magics the solution. The ending was a bit of a let down and a puzzle and were we deliberately left thinking that there was more to this than what we are told? Or is that just a ploy? Despite that I enjoyed the book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has got to be the weirdest book I‘ve read in a while. I wish there were real magic in the world, but this kind of magic creeped me the hell out. I haven‘t been able to look at my shadow without feeling a chill go up my spine. I love the back and forth between past and present, Charlie‘s and Vince‘s. And the truth will shock you. Such a good read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️