Laura Morris volunteers at a suicide hotline. As well as providing support, she also manipulates vulnerable callers, to end their lives.
The story is tLaura Morris volunteers at a suicide hotline. As well as providing support, she also manipulates vulnerable callers, to end their lives.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, the pace is fast, and there’s a lot of mystery throughout. The vibe is creepy, and although it’s clear what’s happening, there’s clearly more than meets the eye!
Laura is - at best - in need of therapy and medication! She’s terrifying and the epitome of an unreliable narrator! She pushes people’s buttons and manages to make even the most resilient person lose their mind!
The list of ways Laura knew how to unalive oneself was probably the most disturbing chapter I’ve ever read! John Marrs� search engine needs to be stored in a security vault!
I would have liked a little more backstory on Laura and her husband Tony, and I wasn’t entirely certain about the full Henry situation (did Tony and the kids ever visit?), but they’re just a couple of imperfections and they didn’t really bother me.
I don’t know, but I’m presuming most readers won’t like Laura, but we all know by now I’m a fan of fictional psychopaths, and I enjoyed her - I even pitied her. I thought her journey and the way the book ended was perfect!
If you can stomach suicide and batcrap crazy humans doing awful things to one another, I highly recommend this and basically all of John Marrs� books! ...more
Maya Stern, a former special ops pilot, is shattered by the murders of her husband and sister. When she spots her supposedly dead husband on a nanny cMaya Stern, a former special ops pilot, is shattered by the murders of her husband and sister. When she spots her supposedly dead husband on a nanny cam, she’s determined to uncover the truth.
This is the 1st book in the Roger Kierce series, though weirdly Kierce isn’t in it much. He’s described as stocky, hairy, and long-armed (he sounds like a real catch!!), but since the book stays entirely in Maya’s POV, I’m curious to see how that plays out.
Maya is strong and capable, and as a former soldier, she doesn’t need much help investigating. But her vulnerability didn’t convince me and I never really warmed to her.
The investigation was engaging, with steady reveals and well-paced interviews, but I wasn’t as into it as I usually am with Coben.
That said, the twist was fantastic - clever and unexpected. I just wish the journey there had been a bit more compelling. ...more
Kiersten Modglin does it again! This fast, twisty thriller pulled me in from page one.
Calvin and Sadie are about to become parents, so they plan a reKiersten Modglin does it again! This fast, twisty thriller pulled me in from page one.
Calvin and Sadie are about to become parents, so they plan a relaxing babymoon. But just before they leave, Calvin gets shocking news, and when they arrive at their vacation rental, the owners are way too involved. What starts as a simple getaway quickly spirals into something super sketch.
I loved the weird rental owners—they were seriously creepy! As someone who often stays in Airbnbs, I’d hate for the owners to keep showing up, so I loved every minute of their awful behavior.
Meanwhile, the multiple POVs let us see that everyone is lying, and no one’s spilling!
I loved the fast pace and short length. Even in such a brief book, it was easy to connect with the characters and stay entertained by the events.
I did not see the twists coming and really loved them. The ending threw me a little, though. I don’t usually need a happy ending, but I really liked Sadie and wanted her forever after.
The audiobook was fantastic, with both narrators bringing Sadie and Calvin to life. Perfect for listening while doing housework or sitting in traffic—you’ll almost wish for an LA traffic jam!
Thanks to @Netgalley and @Dreamscape_Media for access to this advanced readers copy ...more
Bryant and Harper Page move to a new town and befriend their mysterious neighbors, Jason and Tori. As the four grow closer, strange events and hidden Bryant and Harper Page move to a new town and befriend their mysterious neighbors, Jason and Tori. As the four grow closer, strange events and hidden truths put their trust - and their safety - to the test.
This 270-page thriller packs a punch! The audiobook was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the narrator’s voice - the perfect audio for nervous newbies!
I love when a book jumps right in and establishes a fast pace from the start. This one has the perfect balance between speed and depth, allowing the suspense to build without sacrificing character development.
Told from both Bryant and Harper’s perspectives, the story explores loyalty, temptation, and how two people facing the same situation can make completely different choices. Their shifting perspectives add to the tension, while the lack of insight into the neighbors keeps the mystery alive.
There’s a little bit of spice, which I didn’t hate - I’m not a big romance reader, and this book keeps it minimal, which made me happy.
I also appreciated the simplicity of the cast - just four key players - and I still didn’t see the twist coming, which is a big win for me!
The ending left a few questions, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. I’m always on the hunt for an entertaining, fast-paced, twisty thriller, and this one absolutely delivered. All the stars - highly recommend!...more
The Corset by Laura Purcell is a Gothic historical novel about Dorothea, a wealthy prison reformer, who interviews Ruth, a young seamstress accused ofThe Corset by Laura Purcell is a Gothic historical novel about Dorothea, a wealthy prison reformer, who interviews Ruth, a young seamstress accused of murder, and becomes drawn into her eerie claim that she can harm others through her sewing.
It’s Victorian England and although I’m not a historical fiction fan this book grabbed me from the get. The writing flows, and the introduction of Dorothea and then Ruth was so good.
Dorothea is ahead of her time - a strong, independent woman wishing to carve out her own path rather than succumb to the pressures of society and her father’s will. She is expected to marry and not work, but in her fight to be free, she volunteers at a prison and meets 16-year-old Ruth, who confesses her decline for Dorothea’s research.
Dorothea practices phrenology, a discredited pseudoscience. I found this part of the book really weird. She was such a smart, inspirational woman that this just felt silly. I very rarely read historical fiction, so maybe that’s on me.
The writing is gripping. Ruth’s journey is addictive - more than Dorothea’s, who focused more on her love life, which isn’t my thing.
The pace slows around the middle, and I got a bit bored. The final reveal and twist is partly ambiguous, leaving the reader to reach their own conclusion. I’m not really a fan of this trope and truthfully felt unsatisfied.
I would suggest this Gothic suspense would be enjoyed by fans of historical fiction and readers that don’t mind a loosey-goosey ending. ...more
This is such a fun, fast-paced read! As the sequel to The Perfect Marriage, I strongly recommend reading that first to get the full experience.
The st This is such a fun, fast-paced read! As the sequel to The Perfect Marriage, I strongly recommend reading that first to get the full experience.
The story picks up a year after the epilogue, with Sarah divorcing husband number two - while new evidence reopens the murder investigation of husband number one.
There’s a lot happening in this book, and at times, I had to pause and ask myself - what’s the main focus? I kind of wish we’d spent more time with husband 2 and dug into his choices because, seriously, how stupid can one person be?!
It’s no secret that I love a badass woman with slightly psychotic tendencies, so of course, Sarah Morgan is my hero!
That said, I never really felt worried for her. I wanted her to come out on top, but I don’t think she was challenged enough to make me doubt it.
The tricky thing with sequels is that once you know the formula, you kind of expect the outcome. That’s not to say I wasn’t completely hooked—I absolutely was. I carried my Kindle around, sneaking in paragraphs whenever I could! But unlike last time, I just assumed everything would work out.
Don’t worry, that’s not a spoiler - I definitely gasped out loud at the reveal! But I wish it had been just a little twistier. And I won’t give away Jeneva’s big secret in the acknowledgments� but trust me, it’s juicy!
Thanks to @Netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for access to this advanced readers copy...more
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