#WondrousWednesday @Eggs @JenlovesJT47

Thanks for the tag!
1- I‘m not sure that I would switch from Torie, but my go-to fake names have always been Veronica and Tiffany! 🤣
2- Taqwa, Tasha, Midnight, Squeaks, Brody & Owen
3- Talia, Alix, Anne, Jessica, Elizabeth, Lila, Brody, Quint, Hooper, Gurgi, Nicci, Bad, Bruce, Parker, the Collector, Blythe, Samantha, Felicity and JB Fletcher

Want to play, @HeyT ?

Oh man, I love a good #CreatureFeature but, unfortunately, this isn‘t it… Written in 1982, this hasn‘t aged very well… Despite the title, the “monster” plays a remarkably small role here. The body count is high, but the real villains are the oil executives & their security detail who murderously want the oil buried beneath Loch Ness before all else! I just wanted more monster & less eye-rolling induced telling rather than showing! Disappointing!

Jessica‘s still struggling with finding her own friends at #SVJH… but when Lacey suggests she join cross-country with her, she readily agrees. Cool girl Lacey only wants Jessica to cover for her for missing practices & meets to spend time with her high school boyfriend, Gel. Jessica agrees, but finds her competitive spirit & friendship in teammate Bethel McCoy. Meanwhile, the love triangle brewing amongst Liz‘s friends continues to bubble!

Set in a small Louisianan bayou town, Loyal May returns to her hometown to care for her mother— and she hopes to reconnect with her best friend, the wild orphan Cutter Labasques. But it‘s clear that a reconciliation won‘t be possible & Loyal instead puts her investigative skills to use trying to uncover the dark truths the town hides. Bailey‘s writing brings the lush landscape beautifully to life— as well as even minor characters. Well-written!

Jaws is my favorite movie so I couldn‘t wait to read/listen to this one as soon as I heard about it! The author, Robert Shaw‘s nephew, writes an engaging, family history with the intimacy of being invited to a Shaw family dinner. There‘s evident love, humor & all without crossing a line of revealing anything that feels too private. It‘s well-written & I hope brings more attention to Shaw‘s writing! The audio performance is really great, too! Love!

Jessica‘s still struggling to make friends & popular Lacey Frells‘ misunderstanding that Steven is Jessica‘s boyfriend instead of brother briefly seems to lead to her popularity… until the truth comes crashing down around her & earning her the nickname Jessica Lamefield! Meanwhile, Liz continues to flourish with her new friends… but signs of a love triangle are brewing. Jessica tries to bank on Liz‘s popularity which leads her to new crush, Damon.

This YA book‘s exactly the kind of sharky story that I have been in the mood for! Part thriller, part fantasy— with adventure, treasure & romance, this is hard to put down! Five FL Key teens celebrate their high school graduation with a trip to a remote island off the Western Australian coast. But the discovery of a cave brings back the issues from their last treasure find— along with brand new complications! Unbelievable but ultimately fun!

I‘m not sure why I can‘t pass up a novel featuring cults, but it‘s a sub-genre that always draws me in! Plus, I just love an audiobook set in Australia! With a great audio performance, I found myself listening to this one at every chance! With layers of twists, some are more successful than others. I saw a few coming, but the final one definitely had me gasping out loud enough to give my dog a little scare of his own! Excited for more from Pomare!

This kicks off the only #SweetValley series that is totally new to me! Told with multiple POVs in first person, it reminds me of the SVHSY books. Somehow, only the Wakefield twins are re-zoned to attend SVJH. Unsurprisingly, it takes Liz no time to find a new set of friends in Anna Wang and Salvador del Valle. But Jessica‘s stuck with nerdy Ronald Rheece for a locker buddy & isn‘t making in-roads with the popular girls— even old friends ditch her!

I‘ve enjoyed Golden‘s books for years, but I only recently discovered he also writes shark thrillers under the name Chris Jameson, so that knowledge combined with the cover had me hoping for some sharky action in this unique setting of a submerged mangrove forest sprouting out of a shipwrecked behemoth. Instead, this one is witchier with some creepy moments & a plot centered around saving an infant. The romance elements fall flat but fun action!

This debut fantasy is such a delight to listen to!! I really couldn‘t stop! Bianca‘s parents have taught her to put her duty above all else— leading her to accept a betrothal from a neighboring prince to stave off war. But a cool reception & a lack of manners from her intended, Aric, has her stomach in knots from more than her secret chronic illness. A disastrous wedding night puts them on the run in a perfect blend of humor, romance & intrigue!

While Elizabeth‘s in Costa Rica, she leaves a purple journal for Jessica to use for the last summer of the Unicorns. Lila‘s been extra insufferable since she snagged a high school boyfriend, Wiley Upjohn. But Kimberly‘s surfer aunt invites them all to spend a month at her Hawaiian condo! Unfortunately, Kimberly‘s annoying younger cousin brings out the worst in the girls— but Jessica surprisingly steps up with kindness & even saves Marissa‘s life!

Happy Publication Day! I‘ve been a fan of Center‘s for over a decade & I think this newest one is amongst her best! Documentary filmmaker Katie finds herself in Key West to keep her corporate job by filming a promotional video for the Coast Guard but also to interview a heroic, semi-famous rescuer of a dog. Sparks fly immediately & with a scene-stealing large dog & colorful aunt, I laughed, cried & absolutely couldn‘t put this one down!

I‘m really excited to discuss this month‘s #bookclub choice! The premise here just begs for discussion! Overnight, everyone on earth (22 or older) receives a mysterious box and inside of it, a length of string which denotes the length of the recipient‘s life. On a 22 birthday moving forward, a box is magically delivered. Following an interconnected cast of NYC characters, this deals with the aftermath both close to home & for the larger country.

It‘s the summer before 8th grade & Elizabeth‘s alone off to Costa Rica to build a community center for the Houses for Humans charity. She finds a new crush in the funny & teasing JP, who inspires her to take a few lessons out of Jessica‘s playbook by organizing a rainforest rave, tubing & shopping adventures while using building shortcuts she found online! Liz also finds a ruthlessly ambitious nemesis in Tanya. A fun summer with a new side of Liz!

I started this fourth installment of #ARipThroughTimeSeries while on the plane to Edinburgh! Though little of this one actually takes place in the city (our cast heads north for the titular Highlands wedding introducing some new characters & naturally, a new murder to solve!), I still really enjoyed this #VacationRead! Armstrong is really stretching out the central romance with the will-they/won‘t-they & I already can‘t wait for book number 5!

I loved Grant‘s INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, so I was excited to listen to her latest. Drawing you in with an excellent audio performance, mysterious outer space seeds grow across the earth—& their flowers harbor a dangerous secret. Decades later, Anastasia learns the truth about who & what she really is with her friends by her side. Dark & gory, these plantforms mean business! Too bad my book clubs are never up for #scifi! This‘d be fun to discuss!

Finlay‘s thrillers are a guaranteed fun time & this latest is no exception! Taking place over the titular weekend at Santa Clara University, four families are stood up by their freshman children. It may seem like kids being kids, but soon it‘s clear 5 students are missing. Newly relocated, Special Agent Keller is back & takes the lead (not sure why these aren‘t a series!). Secrets emerge & if I hadn‘t been packing, it would be a one-sitting read!

I‘ve been such a fan of North‘s since THE WHISPER MAN (which still gives me the shivers!) & I‘m delighted to say my high expectations were exceeded with his latest! I could not put this one down at all! Opening with a haunting scene in a rest stop bathroom that reverberates throughout the book, this thriller also focuses on the relationship between fathers and so sons. Spanning decades & fast-paced with multiple POVs, this is one of his best!

While I prefer Marshall‘s books aimed at adult audiences, this YA read is fast & entertaining! Mercy joins a diverse group of 18-20 year olds in a ghost town for an extreme survival challenge for a new reality show. It‘s soon clear that something unites all the contestants & that nothing seems to be going as they would expect—with a higher body count than expected, this is hard to put down but manages to oddly repeat a plot line… a page turner!

Ostensibly a quick read, this April #BOTM pick took me longer to get through than I expected. It‘s a dark book— it reminded me a bit of SHARP OBJECTS but without the balance & even more emphasis on addiction, abuse & an awkwardly inserted romantic plot. If I was from NE/SD, I‘m not sure I would enjoy this portrayal either… Providence‘s return to join the search for her mother did capture my interest but the conclusion wasn‘t satisfying to me.

It‘s the last book of #TheUnicornClub! Kimberly feels like the odd one out again as the only 8th grader & makes a play to stir things up to claim the club presidency. When a prank from the unlikely crush between Lila Fowler & Jerry McAllister ends up trapping the girls inside the mall, it‘s like a dream come true… until it becomes more like a nightmare! This spinoff has been fun & hopefully I can track down the missing book IN LOVE WITH MANDY!

I‘m such a sucker for twin stories, so gobbled this one up in one sitting! Julie & her twin sister Chloe were raised apart after their parents‘ death. Adopted by a wealthy NYC couple, Chloe is an influencer while Julie struggled with being raised by their aunt, has worked in her upstate grocery store for almost a decade & tries to avoid seeing her quasi-famous twin online. This debut only starts here before Julie learns more about her twin‘s life!

Such a fun listen!! I‘ve enjoyed Bargatze‘s comedy specials & while some of the material covered here is familiar, there‘s plenty of new content— and lots of laughs throughout! I always love books narrated by the author and this is no exception! I probably looked a little silly laughing while walking our dog, but this is one that I know I will listen to again— we have some road trips planned and I am already looking forward to listening again!

Johnny Buck‘s back in #SweetValley for a benefit concert for the Sweet Valley Children‘s Hospital (no mention of his surprise concert from the 15th book!). Jessica wins a contest for the day of the concert to be spent at his side, showing him around. As usual, she exaggerates a bit but with Mandy there to document the date, it winds up being leverage as Johnny‘s image also exaggerates his talents (he can‘t ride horses, swim or drive a moped)!

Nonfiction audiobooks can go both ways— the format either totally adds to the experience or makes you yearn for a physical copy. Unfortunately, this is the latter. Certainly fascinating, covering NPS mysteries new and old across the country, I didn‘t like the performance & felt like the travel trips were awkwardly interjected into the narrative (I assume these and pictures are handled better in a physical form!). But the content itself is solid!

This light & fun mystery veers a bit more cozy than the mysteries I usually gravitate towards but I really had fun reading this one! In her early 30s, Amber‘s never fit in with her family & after breaking up with her PI boyfriend, she seeks a fresh start in an AZ retirement community where the grandmother she‘s never met lives. Soon, Amber‘s putting her own PI skills to use from finding a missing turtle to solving a murder! Hoping for a sequel!

This might be my favorite one in the series! I really enjoyed this matchmaking CO weekend! Newest Unicorn, Rachel, has become besties with Ellen. Rachel invites them all to the Grant ski condo with her dad & Ellen‘s mom chaperoning. Surfer Curtis will be there at the same time but Ellen‘s mom isn‘t giving her the freedom she wants, so they start pushing their divorced parents together! Plus Rachel finds romance of her own until it all erupts!

This generational Texas family drama spans decades in their lives from three perspectives— Lillian, her daughter Georgette & ending with her husband Ryan. I sort of wish Ryan‘s perspective had been from someone else‘s though… his actions felt the least authentic to me & his section just wasn‘t as strong as the first two! But, the storyline certainly surprised me at times — but have the tissues on hand as there‘s a lot of heartbreak all around!

This creepy book was extra fun to listen to while in WI since that‘s where it takes place. Julie & James move from the city after James‘ gambling spirals out of control. In a fixer-upper is a small town, at first strange noises & a spying grumpy neighbor seem to be the extent of their troubles. Soon, Julie sports mysterious bruises & hallucinations plague them both. Jemc offers multiple explanations but I wanted something more concrete to satisfy!

Continuing tradition, my cousins & I met to celebrate #IndependentBookstoreDay! We made it to 7 bookstores in one day— our combined haul is (mostly) in the trunk & my personal haul is photographed above! An all over WI adventure & great fun at InkLink Books, Reads By The River, Books & Co, The Bookstore of Appleton & Caramel Crisp Books— we even ducked into 2 Half Price Books (though not indie, I am still desperate for 2 last Sweet Valleys)!

This month‘s #bookclub pick led to a lively discussion! Revolving around grief, this details the brief but devoted marriage between Josh & Lauren. Told in his perspective moving forward from her funeral & hers moving back to the start of their relationship, this structure frustrated me at times because I wanted a stronger foundation for their relationship to share in the grief. But I loved the concept of the letters & tasks— an engaging listen!

I loved Dean‘s debut, so I‘ve been excited for this one since first hearing about it! It‘s a dark book— moving, heartbreaking & slowly riveting as the story unfolds Isabelle & Edward‘s life together. It feels inspired by the real case of the Golden State Killer, but this book isn‘t really about the violent perpetrator & more about the aftermath & impact violence has on their lives & their relationship. Slow at first, but unputdownable by the end!

The Unicorn Club joins the Slenderella Spa, courtesy of new wealthy member, Rachel, who wants the extra entries for the grand prize of spending two days with model/actress Katherine Pierce. Lila learns that any spa purchase gets an entry, so she treats them all to new workout gear. Lila & Rachel both start competing for living the spa‘s exercise & diet regimen but Mandy is suspicious that Katherine isn‘t as healthy as she seems with this program.

I absolutely love this series & what birthday month would be complete without reading at least one book from your very favorite author? This 22nd installment is one that harkens back to earlier novels in the series. Alongside a plot to track down the missing boyfriend of a local Maine artist, the supernatural element of the series particularly shines bright. I think answers we‘ve all been waiting for are taking a front seat at last! Exciting!

I‘ve tried to savor Chamberlain‘s backlog since first discovering her books over a dozen years ago— & now I only have one left in my TBR after finishing this 1996 release. It takes a lightning strike to reunite a grandmother with the granddaughter, Rachel, who left their PA bucolic town amidst the event still traumatic for the town & Rachel. Second chance romance & plenty of family secrets abound in this well performed, but not favorite, listen.

Back from their Caribbean adventure, Lila comes home to the unsettling news that her dad thinks the 75-room Fowler Crest mansion is too big for them & that they‘ll sell, downsizing to a modest 6-bedroom cottage on Secca Lake. Horrified that this will mean less time with the Unicorns who so love her home, Lila goes all out in trying to convince equally snobby Rachel Grant to talk her dad out of buying her mansion. She also uncovers Rachel‘s secret!

Silly, most definitely, but still full of nostalgic fun, I enjoyed this new cozy mystery featuring The Golden Girls. The dialogue rings pretty true to the characters‘ voices & I definitely laughed in a few spots! But there are a few anachronistic moments & the plot‘s not very shocking. I still overall had fun with this one and am curious to see if this series will continue on— I would keep going with it for sure!

Considering the hype for this WWII book, my rather “meh” feelings about it are sure to be unpopular, but I just share in the love for this one… I thought it dragged on, didn‘t maintain suspense, didn‘t really establish the friendship between the three women convincingly & was pretty predictable… I enjoyed the audio performance but maybe I‘ve just read too many books set in this era to be wowed any more? I didn‘t hate it, but really didn‘t love it!

The Unicorns arrived on St. Maurice Island but no one is enjoying their trip! Ellen‘s still juggling the 4 boys each of her friends realized they are crushing on while still keeping her away from surfer Curtis. When the cold shoulder fails, they try to straighten it out with the boys instead of Ellen which backfires & sends an upset Ellen out in a hurricane to get away from them! Eventually it all gets straightened out & ends with love in the air!

Four adult siblings reconnect after a three year estrangement in a small North Dakota town. Gemma, Connor, Roddy & Jude grew up close, as Roddy & Jude found more splashy fame in professional soccer & acting while Connor‘s award winning third novel causes the fight that fractured them. Together again, secrets & truths emerge in this well-written & gripping drama. Plus, all 50 states plus DC are covered here if you‘re desperate for #ReadAroundTheUS!

Dotson‘s debut horror novel certainly provides some new reasons to be scared of the shower drain! Creepy imagery abounds as Sadie starts fresh in the L‘Arpin Hotel with her toddler in tow, escaping from an abusive relationship & still grieving the loss of her first husband. Sadie‘s spiraling thoughts add more practical fears to this creature featureesque Rosemary‘s Baby hotel. Her contradictory actions grate after a while though!

The Unicorn Club hits the high seas in this two book Caribbean miniseries! On a cruise ship full of 13/14 year olds, most of the club‘s looking forward to meeting cute boys & having fun! But Ellen‘s disappointed to be almost immediately ditched & just wants to hang out with her friends— not make new ones! So each Unicorn meets a difference guy to fix Ellen up with—but it‘s soon apparent that their tastes are all different & have developed crushes!

The conclusion of the #FallenGodsTrilogy is a satisfying one! This one also moves slowly at the start, but the last hundred or so pages fly by! I didn‘t predict the ending (and wasn‘t expecting to cry!), but enjoyed the new lands, but the romantic element felt extraneous to me. All in all, I really enjoyed binging this series & hope Kaner sets another trilogy against this lushly detailed land— plus I‘m not ready to say goodbye to these characters!

I was surprised that the pacing for this sequel dragged as much as it did in the beginning— Kaner did an excellent job both world and character building in the first book in this trilogy that I expected to fly through this one! It does pick up immediately after the conclusion of GODKILLER, but it moves slowly until the last surprising quarter of the book which makes me so glad that I don‘t have to wait before reading the conclusion!

I bought the first two books of the #FallenGodsTrilogy last year on Independent Bookstore Day & was excited to binge the whole series! With multiple perspectives, this first book moves a bit slowly, building both the world and the main characters. Tough godkiller Kissen, ex-knight Elo and young Inara with the scene-stealing Skediceth come together here— the unexpected ending makes me so glad that I don‘t have to wait to see what happens next!

Kimberly Haver narrates here, feeling a little disdainful of the 7th grade Unicorns and their immaturity with popping gum & prank calls. When the president of the rival club, Eight Times Eight, abruptly moves, Kimberly‘s flattered by their wooing. The Eights hang out with high schoolers & have invited her to the front row seats for the Johnny Buck concert! When her dad winds up in the hospital, it‘s only her true friends-The Unicorns- who show up!

Saffron & her husband are expecting their first child & renovating the cottage that neither she nor her mother, Lorna, knew about until her grandmother, Rose, went into a care home for dementia. In breaking ground for the kitchen extension, two bodies are unearthed & with multiple perspectives & timelines, the truth slowly unfolds. I wish that the male performer was performed by the woman—his mumbling performance added little here. Solid hook!

Cassidy‘s latest horror novel draws you right in—with a mixture of horrors both large & small. Jess, an actress/waitress in LA, has a horrible night after cleaning the bathroom only to return home to an even stranger disaster that takes her on the run with a young boy she finds in her bushes. Full of surprises, gore & a range of scary imagery (along with some comedic moments to break up the tension), this is well done! Can‘t wait for his next!

Lila Fowler‘s the focus here! Psyched to have gotten an A on her math test, she‘s thrilled her dad is taking her to Chez Francois to celebrate… but when he stands her up for a flight to NYC, she doesn‘t know what to do! Her latest crush—a SVH soccer player— accepts lavish gifts and a date, so Lila thinks nothing of inviting him (with friends) to a Unicorn Club party. Along the way, her shopping spree hits credit card limits & the party goes crazy!