AUDIOBOOK: 9 hours 11 minutes at 1x, 6 hours 7 minutes at 1.5x or 5 hours, 15 minutes at 1.75x
How apropos that Janet Evanovich promotes this book4.5 ⭐️
AUDIOBOOK: 9 hours 11 minutes at 1x, 6 hours 7 minutes at 1.5x or 5 hours, 15 minutes at 1.75x
How apropos that Janet Evanovich promotes this book on the cover~I have always said that these books were perfect for fans of her Stephanie Plum stories!
If you haven’t read any of the Finlay Donovan books yet- I do recommend that you read them in order-but you can click on my spoiler free review for the first book to get a hint of what to expect! Review: /review/show...
Each book ends with a cliffhanger, so we pick up right where we left off last time�
Finlay Donovan has just submitted her latest book-so she should have some time to relax, and maybe get to know her “hot cop boyfriend Nick� just a little bit better. But when a dead body is discovered in her nosy neighbor’s backyard, the neighbor-Mrs. Haggerty-will need Finlay and Vero’s help.
Initially, Mrs. Haggerty is the prime suspect.
Although SHE is quickly cleared by the police, her house, unfortunately, remains an active crime scene. With nowhere else to go she ends up moving into Finlay’s house temporarily-since she is right across the street-despite the fact that the two have not always seen eye to eye on things!
Instead of being a grateful guest, she is demanding grocery runs, and rides to her book club meetings, but she does chip in on home schooling and childcare while staying with Finlay and her scenes with Finlay’s children are some of the funniest in the book!
I have to admit, I haven’t had this much fun reading a Finlay Donovan book since the first one, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to continue the series. It had become too slapstick for me with all of the caricature mafia characters in books two through four-but once I heard that Mrs. Haggerty would be back-I was all in and she didn’t disappoint! (She is a SCENE STEALER !)
As always-we have a cliffhanger at the end-so it does look like this series will continue�
I paired my reading with the AUDIOBOOK, narrated (as always) by the fabulous Angela Dawe-This happens to be a series that I prefer LISTENING TO! ...more
As if it were meant to be, our librarian Carly finds a book in the non-fiction section that she has never seen before: “The Empty Nester’s Handb3.5 ⭐️
As if it were meant to be, our librarian Carly finds a book in the non-fiction section that she has never seen before: “The Empty Nester’s Handbook: Living Your Best Life When the Kids Leave Home.�
“Let’s Celebrate your fabulous second act!� It beckons…and unlike some parents-Carly and Frank can hardly wait!
If only their son 22 year old son Eddie would move out, the adventures could begin-And, then, one day it finally happens!
But, their “empty nest� doesn’t remain that way for long-as first Carly’s dad needs to move in temporarily, followed closely by Eddie returning home and this time, he doesn’t return alone.
The books spans a period of six months, with each month opening with the header of which family members are CURRENTLY living at Kilmory Cottage, and it unfolds predominately from Carly’s POV.
Will it be just Carly and Frank by the book’s end? Will they find a special way to celebrate? I was entertained as I read to find out!
I discovered this author this past Christmas when I stumbled upon the delightful “Tis the Damn Season�, and I was eager to read more of her work, so I was thrilled that her newest book was available to request.
Although this one didn’t score quite as high for me-I did enjoy it-though I am torn about whether to round up or down. Fiona Gibson creates likable characters and lets them navigate tricky situations with warmth and humor-and sometimes a “feel good� story like this is exactly what I am looking for! I look forward to discovering more of her work.
Now Available!
Thank You to Avon Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!...more
AUDIBLE edition wonderfully narrated by Helen Phillips 8 hours 22 minutes at 1.0x �5 hours 35 minutes at 1.5x
With this catchy title*Holiday Read 2024*
AUDIBLE edition wonderfully narrated by Helen Phillips 8 hours 22 minutes at 1.0x �5 hours 35 minutes at 1.5x
With this catchy title and an opening line from the synopsis which reads � This year, their families can deck the bloody halls themselves...� I knew this book would resonate!
I confess that on a personal level, the forced proximity of having to spend with certain family members during the holiday season is not one of my favorite things! ...more
The couple who slays together-stays together! So, what happens when this couple can no longer share this passion?
Hazel and Fox used to *OUTLIER REVIEW*
The couple who slays together-stays together! So, what happens when this couple can no longer share this passion?
Hazel and Fox used to kill bad men (ala Dexter) together. But when Hazel became pregnant, they agreed to give up their hobby for a respectable life in the Suburbs.
Hazel misses having an outlet to help her tame her RAGE, and eventually she cheats on Fox (as in kills behind his back!) bringing the police to their door. Now, she will have to find a way to protect those she loves.
The story unfolds from the POV’s of BOTH Hazel and Fox, in the BOTH the past and the present, with occasional magazine articles describing Hazel’s work as an artist, AND text messages sent to her late friend Matty’s cell phone, giving the execution a very choppy feel.
Sure-it’s a fun premise but it’s been done before (Samantha Downing’s “My Lovely Wife�) and I guess I could not help but compare the two.
And, have you ever noticed the overuse of kids in Foster care growing up to do bad things in so many psychological thrillers? I know the system is far from perfect but every character lately seems to have the same back story and I guess I have grown weary of this too.
One POSITIVE is the “tongue in cheek� humor, and I admit that FIVE YEARS AGO-this very well may have scored higher for me. BUT, the ME today, didn’t find it very engaging-my taste seems to be changing.
When Sally Killed Harry is such a catchy FUN title-but unfortunately it was NOT a fun book, and it most definitely didn’t resemble the movie it gets iWhen Sally Killed Harry is such a catchy FUN title-but unfortunately it was NOT a fun book, and it most definitely didn’t resemble the movie it gets its name from-in any way.
� THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY. THIS IS A ROM COM GONE ROGUE�-is the quote on the book cover but that isn’t accurate either, as this was never a romance, nor was it a comedy-IMO-which is what I was expecting when I took a chance on this book.
So, what will you be getting if you pick this one up?
MISOGYNY is the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls-and that word is used at least five times in the first half of the book alone-as Sally is played by a con man named Harry that she met on a dating APP. Yet, it is HER hatred of men that really stands out.
After the con- Sally forms a group with other women who have been wronged setting up the second half of the book-where they will all seek their REVENGE against the catfishers, domestic abusers, bosses who abuse their power, rapists and murderers who have made them VICTIMS.
There isn’t a single good man in the book.
A CAUTIONARY TALE for women who confuse good sex with love or who don’t realize that a monster can hide behind “good looks”…but, unfortunately it was a one dimensional story that relies on being crass for shock value.
I am sure that readers who relish a good REVENGE story, may enjoy this more than I did-but no book is for every reader, and it just wasn’t a good fit for me.
A buddy read with Ceecee. Please check out her amazing review to find out if this was any more satisfying for her.
Available Now
Thank You to Avon Books for the gifted ARC provided by NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts....more
The secret to happiness may be learning to say NO!
This author’s humor doesn’t really resonate with me but his observations on humanity do!
My favoritThe secret to happiness may be learning to say NO!
This author’s humor doesn’t really resonate with me but his observations on humanity do!
My favorite occurred at 3% - Lucas explains that the reason so many humans end up in therapy is because of other humans!
Quote: Absolutely zero people go to therapy because yesterday they were sitting in a comfortable chair, eating a perfect pizza, drinking a good glass of wine and watching a really funny movie.� So, that’s how Lucas lives his life-all of the time.
At least he did until a frying pan ruined his life.
I will let you discover what happened for yourself. ...more
I have been waiting for the next “OVE� to love-and I just found him in Frederick Fife! An EASY 5 STARS! ⭐️
Frederick Fife lost the love of his life-hisI have been waiting for the next “OVE� to love-and I just found him in Frederick Fife! An EASY 5 STARS! ⭐️
Frederick Fife lost the love of his life-his wife Dawn-and all of their money-trying experimental treatments with the hope of beating her Cancer. And now, after months of being unable to pay his rent-he has also found himself homeless.
Perhaps it’s fate that intervenes, when he witnesses an elderly man in a wheelchair, fall while feeding seagulls, during a group outing of the Wattle River Nursing Home. He attempts to assist but the man, clearly deceased, falls into the river, and is washed away along with Frederick’s wallet.
Remarkably, he resembles this man, Bernard Greer, closely enough to pass for him-and despite his protests and explanations-the staff chalks off his ramblings as dementia and he is whisked into the wheelchair, onto the bus, and into the man’s room and pajamas.
He can’t really remember when he last had a warm meal, and the bed is so comfy-surely being Bernard for one night couldn’t hurt�
Fred soon discovers that Bernard seems to have no family left either and maybe, just maybe, he can borrow his life and have a place to live out his days? He has been so lonely, and the staff and some of the residents are already starting to feel like “found family� with each passing day.
This is a POIGNANT DEBUT which is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. And, it had a better twist than some of the thrillers I have read this year!
If you enjoy character driven novels, which have you missing the “people� you meet, as soon as you turn the last page-this is a book for you! I needed tissues more than once!
I dare you to not fall in love with Mr. Frederick Fife! ❤️
MEET HIM TODAY! AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank You to William Morrow for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!...more
This isn’t a book that I would have requested, but I was invited by the Publisher to read it, and I did LOVE the INTRIGUING premise so, I gave it a chThis isn’t a book that I would have requested, but I was invited by the Publisher to read it, and I did LOVE the INTRIGUING premise so, I gave it a chance-but it wasn’t for me.
OUTLIER OPINION:
Outside Los Angeles, a Lyft driver named Abbott pulls up to find a young woman sitting on a large black box. It was the type that musicians use to haul their concert gear, and this one was covered in band stickers, including one that said RADIOACTIVE.
Her name is Ether, and she offers him $200,000 cash to transport her and the box across the country, to Washington, DC. They MUST leave immediately, arrive by July 4th and leave ALL trackable devices behind.
THE RULES:
No looking inside the box. No asking what is inside of it No telling anyone where they are going until the road trip is over.
Over the course of FIVE days, MANY will find themselves in pursuit of the pair and the box, including but not limited to, a tattooed guy, a retired FBI agent, Abbott’s father and those on Social Media who get wind of this “road trip� and begin to spread their own conspiracy theories which true to life, become increasingly outrageous.
Will a thread on Reddit solve the mystery?
What IS actually in the “black box of doom�? I had a theory which was not correct, but I preferred what I was thinking to the actual ending, which to me was not only strange but very underwhelming.
The book is MORE “social commentary� than thriller and at 400 pages, it just felt WAY TOO LONG for this reader. I found myself wanting to skim days two through five!
Though not a fit for me, I’m guessing that those who regularly read the author’s work, and have a better idea of what to expect, may find this book more satisfying. Or perhaps it will work for those who enjoy participating in Social Media threads about current events or crime.
A buddy read with MarilynW and DeAnn! Watch for their reviews for additional insight!
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!...more
After her younger sister is brutally raped, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who need help shaking off a man a“So Many Men, So Little Time…�
After her younger sister is brutally raped, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who need help shaking off a man at a bar, or who feel unsafe walking home alone late at night: “Message M�
Even on Mondays, there is always a call for help�
And, Millie is “on call� to rescue you.
But as her sister continues to become a shell of her former self, Millie becomes more and more OBSESSED with vengeance! She may be called a quitter when it comes to work, hobbies, relationships and diets, but not when it comes to MURDER.
She has decided that she needs to find and punish the man, that the police have failed to locate-her sister’s attacker.
Not since “Jane Doe� (Victoria Helen Stone) have I had as much fun reading about (and rooting for) a diabolical female serial killer.
Though obviously what women endure far too frequently is not at all funny, the story is filled with witty and sarcastic observations and fierce and loyal female relationships. The OVER THE TOP story shouldn’t be taken too seriously and just enjoyed for what it is-a deliciously DARK, and entertaining revenge ...more
Our author, an Italian cat, named Babas, explains that although cats are a notch higher than humans, the “Dogs are to humans, what humans are to Cats�
Our author, an Italian cat, named Babas, explains that although cats are a notch higher than humans, the world is dominated by humans, so it’s imperative to choose one wisely.
The “right� human, if well trained, can be an affectionate and loyal companion even if they are nomadic primates.
Follow this manual carefully and you will become the absolute monarch of the home and with just a few practiced looks, several specific vocalizations, and strategic shows of affection-your human will be waiting on you, hand and foot. ( shouldn’t that be PAW?)
And, the ideal human will NEVER, EVER take advantage of their gigantic size to scoop you up in a coercive embrace!
Translated from Italian by Katherine Gregor, with elegant illustrations by Andrea Ferolla, this 144 page novella can be read it one sitting and had me wondering if my own cat EMMA had read this manual!! ...more
I was about to start “Everyone on This Train is a Suspect� when I realized that Ernest Cunningham was introSo, I am “late to the chalet� on this one!
I was about to start “Everyone on This Train is a Suspect� when I realized that Ernest Cunningham was introduced to us in this book, so I quickly downloaded this entertaining Audible so that we could be properly introduced.
Ernie explains that this story will be told in the “Golden Age style� of mysteries, where authors “play fair� and follow a strict set of rules which show their hand, instead of relying on what is up their sleeve, (twists and tricks) allowing us to solve the case-if we are clever enough. He promises to be “reliable� as he tells this tale to us in a conversational manner.
To prove his reliability he even shares which chapters the murders will occur in, promises no sex scenes and only one plot hole and provides (and refers back to) the “rules� that Ronald Knox wrote in 1929 so DO NOT SKIP the epigraph and prologue!! You will definitely want to be familiar with them and might enjoy seeing which “rules� are frequently ignored by many of our more modern writers! ☺️
Let’s begin:
The setting is the Sky Lodge Mountain Retreat, where attendance is mandatory for our family of murderers who have gathered together to welcome home Michael -who has just been released from jail. They are NOT a family of psychopaths-some are good, some are bad, and some are just unfortunate.
There’s a storm coming, because of course there is. (the author’s words not mine) ...more
If you are looking for a darkly comic, entertaining book-this one might fit the bill!
Things aren’t going very well for Gwen Turner.
She stil3.5 stars �
If you are looking for a darkly comic, entertaining book-this one might fit the bill!
Things aren’t going very well for Gwen Turner.
She still isn’t over her last boyfriend, Noah, and her best friend Sarah is getting married in a few days and moving out of their shared flat.
Gwen turns to the dating app, CONNECTOR, to help fill the void but so far all of her SWIPES have led to one disastrous date after another and the same end result-BLOCKING each match as soon as she can walk (run!) away!!
No one is more surprised than Gwen when a string of murders suddenly occurs in her small town and she learns from the Police that there seems to be only one connection between each of the victims—they’ve all been on a date with her-arranged through CONNECTOR.
She is suddenly the main SUSPECT and with the Police not really wanting to look elsewhere, she decides she will have to investigate on her own�
FOR THE MOST PART, this is a highly original, and really fun story which kept me amused-especially the chapters which give us the “fly on the wall� peek of what happened on each of her dates, and the two which share with us “what happened with Noah�.
It would have been a solid 4 stars if not for the slightly ridiculous and very OTT ending which let me down.
A buddy read with DeAnn. Did the ending work for her? Be sure to check out her amazing review!
Original Title: Don’t Swipe Right AVAILABLE NOW!!
Thank You to Gallery/Scout Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!...more
For some reason, I initially had a hard time getting into this one. Maybe, I should have waited for the Audible, because that format real3.5 stars ⭐️
For some reason, I initially had a hard time getting into this one. Maybe, I should have waited for the Audible, because that format really worked for me, with the first book in the series.
Ernest Cunningham survived a serial killer in book one, and lived to write about it-penning his novel, “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone�.
The book earned him an invitation from the Australian Mystery Writers� Society to join them aboard the Ghan, the famous train that runs between Darwin and Adelaide. He was hoping for some inspiration for his second book-Fiction this time-as he needed a break from real people killing each other.
Obviously, that didn’t pan out.
Still playing by Ronald Knox’s Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction, written in 1929, this will also be a “fair play� mystery, where the narrator will be RELIABLE, and if you follow the clues, you may solve the crime.
Here is your first clue: the killer’s name will be used 106 times.
There will be six writers on the Ghan- 5 will become “detectives� and one will be the murder victim.
Can you figure out who is who? I didn’t.
Here is one more clue to help you out-with both the first case, and now this one, the case is solved by a piece of punctuation. Last book, it was a full stop. This time, a comma saves the day.
How did Finlay and Vero end up on a road trip to Atlantic City, with Finlay’s ex husband, her two kids, and her mother?
Well, it all starROAD TRIP!!!
How did Finlay and Vero end up on a road trip to Atlantic City, with Finlay’s ex husband, her two kids, and her mother?
Well, it all started with a ransom note, and a plan to rescue the kidnapped!
Book 4 picks up right where the last book ended! No spoilers for any of the books here, but it really is imperative to start at the beginning of this series, as each installment builds upon the last!
This is the SILLIEST CAPER yet, and all of your favorite characters (except for Mrs. Haggerty) will find their way to Atlantic City to participate in the shenanigans, including hot cop, Detective Nicholas Anthony…ooh la la!
But, if you are disappointed that Mrs. Haggerty didn’t tag along, do not worry! It looks like she will have a prominent role in the next book in the series (yay!)
These books are reminiscent of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series for me-so if you enjoy(ed) those-you will love these! Both feature a leading lady who is always finding trouble, a side kick who once had a questionable past, a love triangle, and a lot of laughs!
This is what the Publisher’s blurb promised: “Bernadette, Eleanor Oliphant, Rosie, Ove� meet Amazing Grace Adams, the Where’d You Go, (amazing) Grace?
This is what the Publisher’s blurb promised: “Bernadette, Eleanor Oliphant, Rosie, Ove� meet Amazing Grace Adams, the funny, touching, unforgettable story of an invisible everywoman pushed to the brink—who finally pushes back.�
Whenever I read that I am about to meet the next Eleanor or Ove-I am all in!
But, Grace is nothing like those characters.
However, the story is reminiscent of “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?� (Maria Semple) so at least that comparison is accurate.
In 2002, Grace Adams was an AMAZING woman-a polyglot who spoke 5 languages and was also beautiful, competitive and impulsive. She had her whole life mapped out and was confident about what she wanted.
Four months prior to the “NOW� chapters, we learn that Grace has lost her husband Ben’s love and her daughter Lotte’s trust.
“NOW� It’s Lotte’s 16th birthday, and Grace will reach her breaking point, while stuck in standstill traffic.
She will exit her car and abandon it-determined that she will pick up her daughter’s birthday cake and deliver it to her party on time- despite the fact that she wasn’t invited and EVEN if she has to walk the rest of the way to her ex husband’s new flat, carrying the cake the rest of the way there!
She will NOT let Lotte down again.
How can a woman fall so far from grace?
This is her story.
Round and round and round we go-alternating between the THREE timelines, throughout the entire book.
It was not at all confusing -BUT, I think if the story had been told chronologically with just flashbacks to 2002, the story would have worked better.
Often manic, and rarely funny, this one didn’t quite work for me, but it also has many 5 star reviews, so it just might resonate with you.
AVAILABLE NOW!
A buddy read with DeAnn. Did it resonate with her? Be sure to checkout her insightful review!
Thank You to Henry Holt and Co. for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review....more
I lost track of the number of times that the word f*ck ( or a derivative of it) was used. If you find bad language or references to bodily{BLEEEEP} ‼️
I lost track of the number of times that the word f*ck ( or a derivative of it) was used. If you find bad language or references to bodily fluids or functions amusing than you might enjoy this book more than I did.
Victoria is unhappily married to Eric, bored with the mundane tasks of domestic life like preparing dinner every night, and having sex withFRUSTRATION
Victoria is unhappily married to Eric, bored with the mundane tasks of domestic life like preparing dinner every night, and having sex with her husband twice a week. Set up by their parents it seemed more a marriage of convenience.
IMAGINATION
When she isn’t reading, she spends her time imagining the lives of those around her, and fantasizes about the ways her husband could die, so she could be free to live a different life-One without a husband who suggests that she might be happier if she gave up reading, and tried living in the real world.
TEMPTATION
When she sees an attractive man reading the SAME book as her, in her favorite coffee house, “Cafe Au Lait� she becomes convinced he is her soulmate. She hopes to bump into him again over Lattes, or to master the art of levitation so she can visit him at night�.
CULMINATION
Can she wish this relationship into existence and find her “happily ever after�?
The synopsis describes this story as a wickedly funny, black comedy�.but humor is so subjective, and I didn’t laugh a single time-I just found it all to be a little bit strange�..
It’s a fun premise (with the exception of the levitation) and has some amusing pop culture references to books, movies and even lipstick ...more
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