en-US Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:21:44 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 219300835 Joni Ackerman was tired of being invisible.

It’s been one year since Joni Ackerman tipped the antifreeze into her husband’s cocktail. One year since he was found dead on the stairs. One year since she got away with murder. At first Joni feared the consequences of her transgression, but she’s learned to embrace the power of recklessness in a way she would have hated to see in anyone else. It was that recklessness, after all, that took her to this rewarding new life.

Joni now runs Sunny Day Productions alongside her daughter, Chris, and her best friend, Val. All is well in life and work until one day the balance is rocked when an unexpected, and unwelcome, visitor appears.]]> 272 Katia Lief 0802164927 Dennis 0 to-read 4.00
author: Katia Lief
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220195725 In this razor-sharp, diabolical debut thriller, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.]]> 320 Liann Zhang 1668067919 Dennis 5 2025, psychological-thriller
Do not even tell me that Liann Zhang's JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is a debut, because I still cannot believe it. What a juicccyyyyyy freaking ride! Ms. Zhang gets all the applause today! This book sinks its teeth into influencer culture, race, and identity. When supermarket cashier Julie discovers her estranged, identical twin Chloe—now a mega-popular influencer—dead under mysterious circumstances, she slips into her sister’s curated life of glam and likes. But what begins as a seductive escape quickly spirals into a sinister mystery, especially during a high-stakes island retreat with Chloe’s influencer clique.

This book was wildly fun and totally unputdownable—even if you have to suspend disbelief at times. Zhang immerses you deep into Julie’s psyche as she navigates privilege, performative authenticity, and the dark underbelly of social media fame. If you loved the surreal satire of Mona Awad's Bunny, this is right up your alley. JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is easily one of my top reads of the year—I’m now officially a Liann Zhang fan!]]> 3.81 2025
author: Liann Zhang
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/30
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: 2025, psychological-thriller
review:
ANTI-SLOW BURN ALERT!!!

Do not even tell me that Liann Zhang's JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is a debut, because I still cannot believe it. What a juicccyyyyyy freaking ride! Ms. Zhang gets all the applause today! This book sinks its teeth into influencer culture, race, and identity. When supermarket cashier Julie discovers her estranged, identical twin Chloe—now a mega-popular influencer—dead under mysterious circumstances, she slips into her sister’s curated life of glam and likes. But what begins as a seductive escape quickly spirals into a sinister mystery, especially during a high-stakes island retreat with Chloe’s influencer clique.

This book was wildly fun and totally unputdownable—even if you have to suspend disbelief at times. Zhang immerses you deep into Julie’s psyche as she navigates privilege, performative authenticity, and the dark underbelly of social media fame. If you loved the surreal satire of Mona Awad's Bunny, this is right up your alley. JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is easily one of my top reads of the year—I’m now officially a Liann Zhang fan!
]]> 69705106
*Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

Twenty years ago, the members of a reclusive commune outside Philadelphia vanished without a trace. The mystery of their disappearance has never been solved. No sightings of the members were ever verified, and no bodies ever found. But the group did leave one thing behind: a twelve-year-old girl wandering alone on the side of the road in search of her lost family.

In the years since that morning, Lee Burton has tried to put the pain of her past behind her. She has built a new identity for herself, with a doting husband and seven-month-old daughter, Lucy. No one in her life now knows about her connection to “the cult that went missing,�� not even her husband. But new motherhood is proving a bigger challenge than she anticipated. She doesn't want to let Lucy out of her sight even for a moment. She can't return to work. She's not sleeping, and she's starting to have paranoid thoughts of Lucy being harmed.

Then a stranger shows up on her doorstep, offering to finally answer all of Lee’s questions about her past—if she could only trust that the woman is who she says she is. As she digs deeper into the woman's history, the safe, stable life that Lee has constructed for herself threatens to shatter. In The Ascent, Allison Buccola has crafted a nerve-rattling thriller about motherhood, identity, and the truths we think we know about our families.]]> 352 Allison Buccola 0593730003 Dennis 4
This book is a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller centered on Lee Burton, a woman whose past is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her childhood commune. 20 years ago, all the members of Jacob Hill (a famous doomsday cult) vanished without a trace, leaving behind only 12-year-old Lee (then called Ophelia), found wandering alone. Now married with a baby daughter, Lee has tried to bury her past—until a stranger appears, claiming to have answers about the day her life changed forever. Told in dual timelines (past and present), the story deftly weaves Lee’s present struggles with new motherhood and paranoia with chilling glimpses into the commune’s past.

Buccola expertly layers tension by blending cult intrigue, maternal anxiety, and buried secrets. Lee is a sympathetic character, though at times her gullibility stretched belief. Sometimes I wanted to shake Lee and tell her to WAKE UP! Still, the pacing is fantastic and gives anti-slow burn vibes, and the mystery around Jacob Hill kept me fully invested, even if the journey and twists felt a bit predictable for me (I think the above average thriller binge reader would agree). Despite an ending that felt a little over the top and rushed, the novel’s gripping momentum and well-drawn relationships made for an addictive read. Fans of psychological thrillers, especially those fascinated by cults and hidden pasts, will find this book well worth their time.]]> 4.21 2025
author: Allison Buccola
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/29
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves: 2025, thriller, psychological-thriller
review:
I've been wanting to read Allison Buccola's upcoming novel, THE ASCENT, since I read its premise. Sorry, but I'm still on the cult-train and after reading this book, I don't think I'm getting off of it anytime soon!

This book is a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller centered on Lee Burton, a woman whose past is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her childhood commune. 20 years ago, all the members of Jacob Hill (a famous doomsday cult) vanished without a trace, leaving behind only 12-year-old Lee (then called Ophelia), found wandering alone. Now married with a baby daughter, Lee has tried to bury her past—until a stranger appears, claiming to have answers about the day her life changed forever. Told in dual timelines (past and present), the story deftly weaves Lee’s present struggles with new motherhood and paranoia with chilling glimpses into the commune’s past.

Buccola expertly layers tension by blending cult intrigue, maternal anxiety, and buried secrets. Lee is a sympathetic character, though at times her gullibility stretched belief. Sometimes I wanted to shake Lee and tell her to WAKE UP! Still, the pacing is fantastic and gives anti-slow burn vibes, and the mystery around Jacob Hill kept me fully invested, even if the journey and twists felt a bit predictable for me (I think the above average thriller binge reader would agree). Despite an ending that felt a little over the top and rushed, the novel’s gripping momentum and well-drawn relationships made for an addictive read. Fans of psychological thrillers, especially those fascinated by cults and hidden pasts, will find this book well worth their time.
]]> 219833252 Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with King of Ashes, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama.

When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father’s car accident, he finds his younger brother, Dante, in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister, Neveah, exhausted from holding the family—and the family business—together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in real danger.

Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he’s forgotten that there are real gangsters out there. As his bargaining chips go up in smoke, Roman realizes that he has only one thing left to offer to save his himself, and his own particular set of skills.

Roman begins his work for the criminals while Neveah tries to uncover the long-ago mystery of what happened to their mother, who disappeared when they were teenagers. But Roman is far less of a pushover than the gangsters realize. He is willing to do anything to save his family. Anything.

Because everything burns.]]> 352 S.A. Cosby 1250832063 Dennis 5 4.52 2025
author: S.A. Cosby
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: contemporary, crime-fiction, dark, family-drama, thriller
review:

]]> 220196267 From the author of the “irresistible�� (Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Where the Truth Lies, an atmospheric novel about a young woman who searches for answers after her estranged friend is found dead in the bayou of their rural Louisiana hometown.

The Labasques aren’t like other families.

Living in a shack out in the swamps, they made do by hunting down alligators and other animals. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are troublemakers and outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want in your community.

So, when Cutter Labasque is found face down in the muddy swamp, no one seems to care, not even her two brothers. The only person who questions the official verdict of suicide is Cutter’s childhood friend, Loyal May, who has just returned home to care for her mother. When she left town at eighteen years old, she betrayed Cutter. Now with a ragtag group from the local paper where she works, Loyal goes in search of answers, uncovering a web of deceit and corruption that implicates those in town. It may be too late to apologize to Cutter, but Loyal has restitution in mind.

Weaving through the swamps and bayous of rural Louisiana, Our Last Wild Days is an atmospheric, smoldering suspense about our darker impulses—and how to set things right.]]> 352 Anna Bailey 1982157216 Dennis 4
When journalist Loyal May returns to her rural Louisiana hometown to care for her ailing mother, she’s quickly pulled into a chilling mystery: the suspicious death of her estranged childhood friend, Cutter Labasque. Determined to seek justice where no one else will, Loyal and a team from the local newspaper begin an investigation that slowly unravels a tangled web of corruption, secrets, and heartbreak.

This novel thrives on its rich setting—the humid, haunting Louisiana bayou practically becomes a character of its own—paired with lyrical and creeping writing. While the slow pace and abundance of characters can sometimes make the plot feel unwieldy, the core of the story remains strong. Fans of Southern Gothic fiction, complex characters, and slow-burn mysteries that simmer with tension until the final reveal will find themselves thoroughly immersed. If you enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing or Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End or All the Colors of the Dark, you will love OUR LAST WILD DAYS.]]> 4.38 2025
author: Anna Bailey
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/24
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: 2025, mystery, slow-burn, whodunnit, thriller
review:
I absolutely loved Anna Bailey's Where the Truth Lies, so I knew that I needed to immediately read their newest novel, OUR LAST WILD DAYS. This book is a slow-burning, atmospheric Southern Gothic mystery that plunges readers into the murky depths of small-town secrets and long-buried betrayals.

When journalist Loyal May returns to her rural Louisiana hometown to care for her ailing mother, she’s quickly pulled into a chilling mystery: the suspicious death of her estranged childhood friend, Cutter Labasque. Determined to seek justice where no one else will, Loyal and a team from the local newspaper begin an investigation that slowly unravels a tangled web of corruption, secrets, and heartbreak.

This novel thrives on its rich setting—the humid, haunting Louisiana bayou practically becomes a character of its own—paired with lyrical and creeping writing. While the slow pace and abundance of characters can sometimes make the plot feel unwieldy, the core of the story remains strong. Fans of Southern Gothic fiction, complex characters, and slow-burn mysteries that simmer with tension until the final reveal will find themselves thoroughly immersed. If you enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing or Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End or All the Colors of the Dark, you will love OUR LAST WILD DAYS.
]]> 222668031 Ten children, abducted in broad daylight—and buried alive.

Sage and her sister won’t make it home from school today. Neither will the other children on Bus 315. But that’s only the beginning of the nightmare.

New bus driver Jessa blames herself for what happened. She couldn’t protect the kids she was supposed to deliver to daycare, just like she couldn’t protect her own daughter three years ago. But this time, everything will be different. It has to be.

Trapped in a shipping container buried twenty feet underground, Jessa and the children do their best to stay calm. The kidnappers insist that if everyone behaves, they’ll be freed when the ransom is paid. But Sage isn’t sure they’ll last that long. Neither is Jessa. It’s dark and cramped, and with every passing minute it’s getting harder to breathe.

With time—and air—running thin, Jessa and the children must find a way to outsmart their captors, or face an unthinkable fate.

Such Quiet Girls was inspired by actual events.


]]> 354 Noelle W. Ihli Dennis 0 to-read 4.36 2025
author: Noelle W. Ihli
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219301720 On a trip to the tropical paradise where her fiancée died, a young woman begins to suspect the death was no accident—and the killer’s still on the island—in this twisty thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick We Were Never Here.

When Abby decided to come to Isla Colel, she wasn't sure what—if anything—she'd find. She only knew that she needed to see the place where her fiancée, Eszter, died, to try and make sense of everything that happened. 

The island is nothing like Abby expected; though it was once a bustling tourist hub, a hurricane a few years earlier left it a shell of its former self, with only a few locals and expats remaining. Even the once-daily ferry to the mainland now only runs every week or so.

There, Abby befriends an alluring group of expats, but her sense of unease surges when one of them says he knows the truth about Eszter's last days.  Before she can see him, though, he vanishes from the island. Hours turn to days with no sign of him, and the other expats are chillingly cavalier about his disappearance.

As her quest for the truth unearths dark secrets, shady pasts, and a web of lies, Abby grows more determined than ever to find out what happened to the love of her life. And the deeper she gets in the close-knit expat community, the more she suspects one of them is Eszter's killer—and will do anything to keep the truth buried. But will she discover who it is before she becomes the island’s next victim?]]> 320 Andrea Bartz 0593597974 Dennis 0 to-read 3.48 2025
author: Andrea Bartz
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388119 A lavish, Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen turns deadly in this twisty, pulse-pounding new novel �� serving up a fresh take on a classic locked-room whodunnit. Let the festivities begin��

Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where secrets are as deep-rooted as the sprawling live oaks. Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion—once thought haunted—is now hosting the event of the season. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.

It’s a killer guest list . . .

DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl

�Ѹ鳢�����ձ�: the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house

MIKAYLA: the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume

KIM: the cunning ex-wife who has a grudge she can’t let go of . . .

Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive. ]]> 336 Kelsey Cox 1250378818 Dennis 0 currently-reading 4.09 2025
author: Kelsey Cox
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 227912363 A grandmother tells her granddaughter about her twisty, often surprising, journey to who she is now in this sweeping love story by USA Today bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Izzy Chen is dreading her family’s annual Chinese New Year celebration, where they all come together at a Michelin-starred restaurant to flaunt their status and successes in hopes to one up each other. So when her seventy-three-year-old glamorous and formidable grandmother walks in with a stunning woman on her arm and kisses her in front of everyone, it shakes Izzy to her core. She’d always considered herself the black sheep of the family for harboring similar feelings to the ones her Nainai just displayed.

Seeing herself in her teenage granddaughter's struggles with identity and acceptance, Magnolia Chen tells Izzy her own story, of how as a teen she was sent by her Indo-Chinese parents from Jakarta to Los Angeles for her education and fell in love with someone completely forbidden to her by both culture and gender norms—Ellery, an American college student who became Magnolia's best friend and the love of her life. Stretching across decades and continents, Magnolia's star-crossed love story reveals how life can take unexpected turns but ultimately lead you to exactly who you're meant to be.]]> 352 Jesse Q. Sutanto 0593816870 Dennis 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
name: Dennis
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220161389 A real-life Latin American haunted mansion. A murky labyrinth of family secrets. A young, aristocratic woman desperate to escape her past. This haunting debut gothic horror novel is perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and The Shining.

In 1923 Soacha, Colombia, La Casona—an opulent mansion perched above the legendary Salto del Tequendama waterfall—was once home to Antonia and her family, who settle in despite their constant nightmares and the house’s malevolent spirit. But tragedy strikes when Antonia’s mother takes a fatal fall into El Salto and her father, consumed by grief, attempts to burn the house down with Antonia still inside.

Three years later, haunted by disturbing dreams and cryptic journal entries from her late mother, Antonia is drawn back to her childhood home when it is converted into a luxurious hotel. As Antonia confronts her fragmented memories and the dark history of the estate, she wrestles with unsettling questions she can no longer Was her mother’s death by her own hands, or was it by someone else’s?

In a riveting quest for answers, Antonia must navigate the shadows of La Casona, unearthing its darkest secrets and confronting a legacy that threatens to swallow her whole.]]> 256 Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro 1668062577 Dennis 3
I've been so excited to read Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro's debut novel, BOCHICA, ever since I've seen it being compared to Mexican Gothic meets The Shining. UM HELLO! Thank you @atriabooks @atriathrillers for this gifted copy! The cover alone captivated me so I knew that I needed to prioritize this one.

Set in 1920s Colombia, this historical Gothic mystery follows Antonia, a young woman drawn back to her eerie childhood home—now a luxury hotel—perched above the legendary Salto del Tequendama waterfall. Still haunted by her mother’s mysterious death and the house’s malevolent spirit, Antonia embarks on a chilling journey to uncover long-buried secrets and piece together her fragmented memories. The setting for BOCHICA is atmospheric and grounded in real folklore.

This book dives into familiar territory when it comes to horror novels—cults, mythology, secret societies—but they are sprinkled in rather than fully divulged. At around 250 pages, this book is a short fun ride! There's a large supporting cast, but Antonia is the one who takes full center throughout the novel. I am not sure I would say this is specifically in the same vein of Mexican Gothic and The Shining, but fans of light supernatural mysteries with Gothic aesthetics and historical backdrops, will definitely find BOCHICA hauntingly fun. I will definitely tune into this author for future works as she continues to dive into this paranormal gothic realm. ]]> 3.63 2025
author: Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars

I've been so excited to read Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro's debut novel, BOCHICA, ever since I've seen it being compared to Mexican Gothic meets The Shining. UM HELLO! Thank you @atriabooks @atriathrillers for this gifted copy! The cover alone captivated me so I knew that I needed to prioritize this one.

Set in 1920s Colombia, this historical Gothic mystery follows Antonia, a young woman drawn back to her eerie childhood home—now a luxury hotel—perched above the legendary Salto del Tequendama waterfall. Still haunted by her mother’s mysterious death and the house’s malevolent spirit, Antonia embarks on a chilling journey to uncover long-buried secrets and piece together her fragmented memories. The setting for BOCHICA is atmospheric and grounded in real folklore.

This book dives into familiar territory when it comes to horror novels—cults, mythology, secret societies—but they are sprinkled in rather than fully divulged. At around 250 pages, this book is a short fun ride! There's a large supporting cast, but Antonia is the one who takes full center throughout the novel. I am not sure I would say this is specifically in the same vein of Mexican Gothic and The Shining, but fans of light supernatural mysteries with Gothic aesthetics and historical backdrops, will definitely find BOCHICA hauntingly fun. I will definitely tune into this author for future works as she continues to dive into this paranormal gothic realm.
]]> 220813132 Living a double life always comes with a cost.


A down-on-her-luck waitress at a posh New Jersey country club, Kim Valva couldn’t be living a more different life from the carefree socialites she serves. Her live-in boyfriend recently cheated on her, her social life is in shambles, and her dog needs a life-saving surgery that she can’t afford. Then her luck seems to change when a mysterious figure identifying themself only as The Stranger contacts her with an offer she can’t Put a pill in the new member’s drink and, when he dies, she’ll have enough money to fix her dog and her life.



Her target turns out to be Tony Fiore—Kim’s bad boy ex-boyfriend from high school. Fifteen years have passed, and he now goes by Anthony Fuller. He’s cleaned up, made tens of millions, and his gorgeous fiancée, twenty-two-year-old PJ Walsh, is on his arm.



PJ had her own agenda from the second she met Anthony. Find him, trick him, marry him, kill him. It was supposed to be easy, but she finds that while living her double life, the lines blur between who she is and who she’s pretending to be.



Stunned to see Tony again, Kim can’t bring herself to go through with spiking his drink. Instead, it is PJ who dies horrifically at the table just as dinner ends. Was someone else at the club—member or worker—tasked with poisoning PJ just as she had been instructed to do to Tony? Who would want both of them dead? With no one to trust and The Stranger to answer to, Kim must peel back the layers of deceit to reveal a deeply buried truth, more shocking than she could ever imagine…]]> 304 Jaime Lynn Hendricks 1613166044 Dennis 5
HER DOUBLE LIVES is a twisty, fast-paced story that kicks off with a desperate waitress, a poisoned cocktail, and a plot that spirals deliciously out of control. When Kim Valva is offered a shady deal by a mysterious figure to poison a man at the elite country club where she works, she never expects her target to be her ex-boyfriend—now a wealthy, rebranded fiancé. But when the wrong person drops dead, the mystery deepens, and Kim is pulled into a dangerous game of secrets, lies, and revenge.

Packed with dual timelines, morally gray characters, and jaw-dropping reveals, this novel is a masterclass in suspense that all thriller authors and readers need to see to believe. Hendricks blends dark humor (Carla's initial nickname had me cracking up) with sharp plotting and layered character development, creating a binge-worthy story that’s both emotionally grounded and wildly entertaining. If you love con-artist capers, twisty narratives, and unreliable narrators, THEIR DOUBLE LIVES is the popcorn thriller you won’t be able to put down. This book is a total five stars—just don’t read the blurb too closely! THEIR DOUBLE LIVES will definitely be in my top reads for 2025.]]> 4.48
author: Jaime Lynn Hendricks
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/18
date added: 2025/04/18
shelves:
review:
Jaime Lynn Hendricks delivers another irresistible thriller with THEIR DOUBLE LIVES! I always love a good read by this author, but this one is her best yet!

HER DOUBLE LIVES is a twisty, fast-paced story that kicks off with a desperate waitress, a poisoned cocktail, and a plot that spirals deliciously out of control. When Kim Valva is offered a shady deal by a mysterious figure to poison a man at the elite country club where she works, she never expects her target to be her ex-boyfriend—now a wealthy, rebranded fiancé. But when the wrong person drops dead, the mystery deepens, and Kim is pulled into a dangerous game of secrets, lies, and revenge.

Packed with dual timelines, morally gray characters, and jaw-dropping reveals, this novel is a masterclass in suspense that all thriller authors and readers need to see to believe. Hendricks blends dark humor (Carla's initial nickname had me cracking up) with sharp plotting and layered character development, creating a binge-worthy story that’s both emotionally grounded and wildly entertaining. If you love con-artist capers, twisty narratives, and unreliable narrators, THEIR DOUBLE LIVES is the popcorn thriller you won’t be able to put down. This book is a total five stars—just don’t read the blurb too closely! THEIR DOUBLE LIVES will definitely be in my top reads for 2025.
]]> 224004049 “So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end.�� —Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A dinner party in a beautiful Notting Hill townhouse turns into a sinister game, as six old friends are forced to spill their darkest secrets…or else.

Six friends reunite in London to celebrate the life of their recently deceased ex-employer, a professor that brought them together in 1999 to help build a dating website based on psychological testing.

But what is meant to be a night of bittersweet nostalgia soon becomes a twisted and deadly game when the old friends find themselves held at gunpoint. They are given an ultimatum: reveal their darkest secrets to the group or pick each other off one-by-one.

It soon becomes clear that their current predicament is related to their shared past. The love questionnaire they helped develop in 1999 for the dating site was also turned into a tool for weeding out The Wasp Trap. This and the other tragic events of that summer long ago may help reveal the truth behind a killer hiding in plain sight.

Alternating between the past and present with a colorful ensemble of characters, The Wasp Trap is a fast-paced and twisty thrill ride that is perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Alice Feeney.]]> 336 Mark Edwards 1668204770 Dennis 0 to-read 3.89 2025
author: Mark Edwards
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217213002 Two women haunted by their sisters' unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good People Here and host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie.

Nicole “Nic�� Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years—since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace.

On the night Kasey went missing, her car was found over a hundred miles from home. The driver’s door was open and her purse was untouched in the seat next to it. The only real clue in her disappearance was Jules Connor, another young woman from the same area who disappeared in the same way, two weeks earlier. But with so little for the police to go on, both their cases eventually went cold.

Nic wants nothing more than to move on—from her sister’s disappearance and the state it’s left her in. But then one day, Jules’s sister, Jenna Connor, walks into her life and offers Nic something she hasn’t felt in a long hope. What follows is a gripping tale of two sisters who will do anything to find their missing halves, even if it means destroying everything they’ve ever known.]]> 272 Ashley Flowers 0593726987 Dennis 4
THE MISSING HALF is a compelling psychological suspense novel about two women—Nic Monroe and Jenna Connor—bonded by the unsolved disappearances of their sisters. A decade later, new evidence resurfaces, forcing them to confront old trauma and uncover long-buried truths. The story balances emotional depth with a steadily building mystery, exploring themes of grief, addiction, and resilience.

Though the pacing starts slow, it quickly ramps up into anti-slow burn territory, which is always a WIN for me. While the ending wasn't my favorite this time around, the book becomes increasingly hard to put down. I'm not sure if this book was a winner for me specifically because I ventured the audiobook route (thank you @prhaudio for the gifted ALC), but I really enjoyed the narration! With layered characters, thoughtful writing, and unexpected twists, this novel is a strong, emotionally resonant read—perfect for getting out of a reading slump.]]> 4.03 2025
author: Ashley Flowers
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/17
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: 2025, thriller, psychological-thriller
review:
Everybody's been waiting for Ashley Flowers' new book, THE MISSING HALF, after wowing readers with her debut, All Good People Here. Honestly, I didn't love her debut, but the twisted ending enticed me to continue with reading her books, so I knew I wanted to prioritize this new release.

THE MISSING HALF is a compelling psychological suspense novel about two women—Nic Monroe and Jenna Connor—bonded by the unsolved disappearances of their sisters. A decade later, new evidence resurfaces, forcing them to confront old trauma and uncover long-buried truths. The story balances emotional depth with a steadily building mystery, exploring themes of grief, addiction, and resilience.

Though the pacing starts slow, it quickly ramps up into anti-slow burn territory, which is always a WIN for me. While the ending wasn't my favorite this time around, the book becomes increasingly hard to put down. I'm not sure if this book was a winner for me specifically because I ventured the audiobook route (thank you @prhaudio for the gifted ALC), but I really enjoyed the narration! With layered characters, thoughtful writing, and unexpected twists, this novel is a strong, emotionally resonant read—perfect for getting out of a reading slump.
]]> 217247985
Robert Doughten Savile, aka “Doughty,�� is the son of a once-wealthy, now hard-up family from Darien, Connecticut. Doughty lives in a perpetual cloud of delusion, convinced of his own genius and certain that the wealth and high status that he believes to be his birthright are just around the corner. While he has little capacity to accurately assess his own abilities or prospects, he cruises through life on the sheer force of his own sense of entitlement, dropping out of college and landing in the early ��90s in New York City, a place brimming with both prosperity and desperation.

He cons his way from a bed at the YMCA into the posh Soho loft of a middle-aged book editor, while pursuing a young bartender, whom he also abuses and gaslights. He spins elaborate tales about his imaginary high-power job in real estate while, in reality, he passes his days watching George Carlin specials on VHS, smoking crack in Tompkins Square Park, and engaging in occasional sex work in the restrooms of Grand Central Station. His many failures, however, only serve to sharpen his one true gift: Doughty is a skilled predator, and the damage he inflicts on the women around him is real and remorseless.

Fans of true crime podcasts about con men like Dirty John and Who the Hell Is Hamish? will revel in this novel and its portrait of the sociopath as a young loser. As shocking as it is illuminating, The Stalker confirms Paula Bomer as a contemporary master of the pitch-black comic novel.]]> 256 Paula Bomer 1641296267 Dennis 0 dnf 3.00 2025
author: Paula Bomer
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> 212276037 A brand-new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey

Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.

Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters. The mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.

Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side]]> 560 Joe Abercrombie 125088005X Dennis 0 dnf 4.43 2025
author: Joe Abercrombie
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/16
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> 217387739 From the bestselling author of If Something Happens to Me, comes one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers.

In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up at dinner.

At first, everyone thinks that they’re just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours click by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon, the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.

Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths call them—come from five very different families. What led them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause them peril or a threat to the friend group from within?

Told through multiple points of view in past and present—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days we all remember in the dorms when our friends become our family.]]> 320 Alex Finlay 1250360722 Dennis 3 2025, thriller, whodunnit
Alex Finlay is an auto-read for me, so I was eager to dive into Parents Weekend—especially with the return of FBI Agent Sarah Keller, a familiar face from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift.

Set at a small Northern California college, the story kicks off during Parents Weekend when five freshmen mysteriously vanish. At first, everyone assumes they're just off partying, but as silence stretches into a second day, panic sets in. Search efforts begin, media descends, and suspicions rise. The missing students—nicknamed “The Five”—come from vastly different families, and secrets begin to surface. Are their parents' pasts catching up with them, or is the danger closer to home?

Told through multiple POVs and dual timelines, this is a fast-paced, drama-heavy mystery perfect for fans of ensemble casts. While I found the twists predictable and the vibe a bit too familiar to Finlay’s earlier work, it was still an engaging read. Keller remains a standout, and I’d happily follow her into another investigation.]]> 3.66 2025
author: Alex Finlay
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/11
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: 2025, thriller, whodunnit
review:
3.5 stars

Alex Finlay is an auto-read for me, so I was eager to dive into Parents Weekend—especially with the return of FBI Agent Sarah Keller, a familiar face from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift.

Set at a small Northern California college, the story kicks off during Parents Weekend when five freshmen mysteriously vanish. At first, everyone assumes they're just off partying, but as silence stretches into a second day, panic sets in. Search efforts begin, media descends, and suspicions rise. The missing students—nicknamed “The Five”—come from vastly different families, and secrets begin to surface. Are their parents' pasts catching up with them, or is the danger closer to home?

Told through multiple POVs and dual timelines, this is a fast-paced, drama-heavy mystery perfect for fans of ensemble casts. While I found the twists predictable and the vibe a bit too familiar to Finlay’s earlier work, it was still an engaging read. Keller remains a standout, and I’d happily follow her into another investigation.
]]> 210191773 Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.]]> 560 R.F. Kuang 0063021471 Dennis 0 to-read 4.26 2025
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199236743 Tensions bubble to the surface in a family of four newly transplanted to L.A. when the oldest daughter wakes up bruised and battered from a night she can’t remember�� and no one wants to talk about it.

Meet the Jansen family:

Since the weekend of the party �� the one Liv can’t remember, the one that left her covered in bruises �� there’s been a padlock on the door of her bedroom. Her parents said they found mold, and it needs to be decontaminated, but they’re behaving oddly. Her friend Leilani isn’t answering her texts, so maybe Liv did get a little out of control that night. Sharing a room with her younger brother Casper for a while isn’t the end of the world, as long as he doesn’t tell their parents that she’s started sleepwalking. They’re already acting strangely enough.

The guilt over that weekend is getting to her father Janus. He’s forever looking over his shoulder. Janus, a horror author, is on a deadline to adapt his book into a screenplay.  Now he’s now finding it hard to stomach the violence of his own stories. But Janus brought his whole family from Australia to LA to chase his dream, and he can’t let them down. Not again.

Kay wasn’t sure she wanted to be a mother when she got pregnant with Liv, but she gave up everything for her daughter and then her son, Casper. She’ll do whatever she has to do to take care of her kids. Her marriage, though, is a different story. And the neighbors �� well, she’ll just have to be more careful.

Casper was away that weekend, but he knows something isn’t right. His parents don’t look each other in the eye anymore. His father’s hands tremble for no reason. And where does Liv keep disappearing to in the middle of the night? Casper decides to find out what no one will tell him about that weekend, and what lies behind the padlocked door.]]> 336 Anna Snoekstra 0593475720 Dennis 2 2025, slow-burn, thriller 3.71 2025
author: Anna Snoekstra
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/07
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: 2025, slow-burn, thriller
review:

]]> 220687907 When two best friends' hobby of crashing weddings takes a deadly turn, they’re forced to embark on a road trip of survival in this addictive thriller.

How well do we really know our friends?

As the only Black women at an antebellum-themed wedding, Kayla and Zorie should’ve known this heist was doomed from the start. They should never have come, but when their financial situation became dire, they agreed to hit one last wedding.

Jaded and cynical Kayla has spent the last decade trying to fix her life since an angsty teen prank led to her arrest. Now, with her housekeeping job at a subpar hotel and her disappointing, Cinderella-esque relationship with her dad and obnoxious stepsister, she hates the life she’s built. Her only bright spots are her best friend, Zorie, and their favorite weekend pastime of crashing weddings to steal the money and pawn the gifts. But what started as a lark has evolved into a greedy obsession, making each wedding haul riskier than the last.

While trying to avoid the angry bride and groom, Kayla and Zorie's getaway takes a gruesome turn and suddenly the “Wedding Crash Killers�� are national news. The best friends are forced to hit the road to dodge the authorities, but their escape plan leaves behind a bloody trail of destruction from Georgia all the way to the bayou. As past grudges resurface, Kayla realizes that the best friend she thought she knew is more dangerous than she could ever have realized.

Sharp, unpredictable, and madcap from start to finish, Love You to Death is the most fun—and deadly—road trip you’ll ever take.]]> 320 Christina Dotson 0593874978 Dennis 0 to-read 3.87
author: Christina Dotson
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219833105
But these things happen only when Emily is alone, so are they happening at all? She is still medically fragile. Her post-sepsis condition can cause hallucinatory side effects, which means she cannot fully trust her senses. Freddie does not notice anything odd and is happy with their chance at a fresh start. She, however, starts to believe the house is haunted by someone who had been murdered in it even though she can find no evidence of a wrongful death. As bizarre events pile up and her marriage starts to crumble, Emily becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about Larkin Lodge. But just as the house has secrets so do Emily and her husband.]]> 304 Sarah Pinborough 1250394058 Dennis 5
After a near-fatal accident leaving our protagonist in a coma, Emily moves with her husband Freddie to a grand but unsettling country house called Larkin Lodge. This home is very different from their flat in London, but part of the dream Emily and Freddie always wanted. However, Larkin Lodge isn't what they thought it would be. Strange things begin to happen—only when Emily's alone—making her question whether it’s the house or her fragile health playing tricks on her. As the eerie events escalate and her marriage begins to unravel, Emily grows convinced the house is hiding a dark secret—and so is Freddie.

Don't even begin to assume you know how this story will evolve, because YOU WILL NOT. I was hoping the story would not play out how I assumed it would and it completely threw me for a loop. It is vaguely familiar to a very popular horror movie but if I told you, I'd be spoiling the entire story, so DM me if you'd want to know more about my thoughts after you finish. This book is my favorite Sarah Pinborough yet! I loved the compelling and claustrophobic sense of the storytelling, I loved that the suspense oozed from chapter to chapter, and I loved being able to question what I thought was going to happen the entire time. WE LIVE HERE NOW will be in my top reads of 2025 for sure.

RANKINGS:
1. We Used to Live Here (loved!)
2. Insomnia (really enjoyed)
3. Dead to Her (very much enjoyed)
4. Cross Her Heart (did not like)
5. Behind Her Eyes (the ending ruined it for me)]]> 4.22 2025
author: Sarah Pinborough
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: 2025, horror, domestic-thriller, psychological-thriller
review:
Say what you want about Sarah Pinborough, but she NEVER tells a regurgitated novel. Ever. Her newest novel, WE LIVE HERE NOW, has been on my anticipated 2025 reads list since I've heard about it a few months ago, and IT LIVES UP TO THE HYPE BOOKSTAFAM!

After a near-fatal accident leaving our protagonist in a coma, Emily moves with her husband Freddie to a grand but unsettling country house called Larkin Lodge. This home is very different from their flat in London, but part of the dream Emily and Freddie always wanted. However, Larkin Lodge isn't what they thought it would be. Strange things begin to happen—only when Emily's alone—making her question whether it’s the house or her fragile health playing tricks on her. As the eerie events escalate and her marriage begins to unravel, Emily grows convinced the house is hiding a dark secret—and so is Freddie.

Don't even begin to assume you know how this story will evolve, because YOU WILL NOT. I was hoping the story would not play out how I assumed it would and it completely threw me for a loop. It is vaguely familiar to a very popular horror movie but if I told you, I'd be spoiling the entire story, so DM me if you'd want to know more about my thoughts after you finish. This book is my favorite Sarah Pinborough yet! I loved the compelling and claustrophobic sense of the storytelling, I loved that the suspense oozed from chapter to chapter, and I loved being able to question what I thought was going to happen the entire time. WE LIVE HERE NOW will be in my top reads of 2025 for sure.

RANKINGS:
1. We Used to Live Here (loved!)
2. Insomnia (really enjoyed)
3. Dead to Her (very much enjoyed)
4. Cross Her Heart (did not like)
5. Behind Her Eyes (the ending ruined it for me)
]]> 187955012 Ashley Winstead Dennis 0 to-read 5.00 2026
author: Ashley Winstead
name: Dennis
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216522634 A breathtaking, joy-filled novel about the people we love, the secrets we keep, and the enduring power of family, from the bestselling author of The Unsinkable Greta James.

The four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country.

Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years . . . until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. They’re each at a crossroads: Gemma, who put her own ambitions aside to raise the others, now isn’t sure if she wants to be a mother herself; Connor, a celebrated novelist, is floundering after his recent divorce and suffering from an epic case of writer’s block; and Roddy, at the tail end of a professional soccer career, is dangerously close to losing his future husband for the chance at one last season.

Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together—but appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets . . . each of which could change everything.

A captivating journey and an ode to forgiveness that takes readers across all fifty states, Fun for the Whole Family brims with heart and resonates long after the final page.]]> 368 Jennifer E. Smith 0593358309 Dennis 4
Once inseparable, the four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—drifted apart after a childhood shaped by their absent, free-spirited mother. Years later, an unexpected message from Jude, now a famous actress, reunites them in North Dakota, where long-buried tensions, life-altering decisions, and Jude’s three shocking secrets threaten to change everything.

This genre typically isn't my sort of read, but I enjoyed listening to it while working. This heartfelt, character-driven novel follows four estranged siblings reuniting after years apart, weaving together past and present timelines to explore their complex bond. Smith masterfully develops each sibling’s unique voice, making them feel authentic and easy to connect with, while balancing humor, heartbreak, and plenty of family drama. A beautifully narrated, slow-burn story filled with emotion, this is a must-read for fans of rich, character-driven family sagas. I immediately texted my family chat after wrapping this one up!]]> 4.20 2025
author: Jennifer E. Smith
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/01
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: 2025, family-drama, literary-fiction, drama, contemporary, character-driven
review:
Jennifer E. Smith's upcoming novel, FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY, is getting lots of buzz right now, and for good measure. This author's last book, The Unsinkable Greta James, was a very popular novel a few years back and readers are hungry for something new. Thank you to @prhaudio for providing me with a gifted ALC as I chose to take my journey with this book via audiobook route.

Once inseparable, the four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—drifted apart after a childhood shaped by their absent, free-spirited mother. Years later, an unexpected message from Jude, now a famous actress, reunites them in North Dakota, where long-buried tensions, life-altering decisions, and Jude’s three shocking secrets threaten to change everything.

This genre typically isn't my sort of read, but I enjoyed listening to it while working. This heartfelt, character-driven novel follows four estranged siblings reuniting after years apart, weaving together past and present timelines to explore their complex bond. Smith masterfully develops each sibling’s unique voice, making them feel authentic and easy to connect with, while balancing humor, heartbreak, and plenty of family drama. A beautifully narrated, slow-burn story filled with emotion, this is a must-read for fans of rich, character-driven family sagas. I immediately texted my family chat after wrapping this one up!
]]> 220999092 “No one does suburban paranoia like Shari Lapena.”—Ruth Ware

The new gripping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

When a beloved wife and mother disappears, a luxurious condo building transforms into a potential crime scene, and the investigation begins: can the detectives find her before it's too late?

Bryden and Sam have it all: thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter. The perfect life for the perfect couple.

Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden–working from home that day–has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.

Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.]]> 352 Shari Lapena 0593832442 Dennis 0 to-read 4.30 2025
author: Shari Lapena
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221473784
Meg Hart has taken great pains to create her perfect All-American family. It looks effortless, but that’s because she’s been smart about it.

However, on a brisk spring morning weeks before his graduation, her son McClane goes missing. And as the investigation deepens, the police zero in on her as their perfect suspect. Tragedy has struck this family before, and all signs suggest that she is the source. Add in her elusive husband’s strange behavior and inconsistencies in her story, it becomes clear that she has plenty to hide.

Before he disappears, it turns out McClane has secrets of his own: a pregnant girlfriend, a shocking truth about his wrestling career, and a chilling discovery—the person he trusts most has betrayed him in the worst way.

Alternating between Meg’s perspective in the initial days of the investigation and McClane’s in the hours leading up to his disappearance, Upstanding Young Man is packed with relentless tension and short, fast-paced chapters that will keep readers up all night.]]> 432 Sharon Doering 136811380X Dennis 0 to-read 4.06
author: Sharon Doering
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211143113
But Mama’s want is stronger than her hunger sometimes, and when a beautiful, white-toothed stray named Eden turns up in the heart of a snowstorm, Margot must confront the shifting dynamics of her family, untangle her own desires, and make her own bid for freedom.

With this gothic coming-of-age tale, novelist Lucy Rose explores how women swallow their anger, desire, and animal instincts—and wrings the relationship between mother and daughter until blood drips from it.]]> 336 Lucy Rose 0063374609 Dennis 4
I don't think this is a spoiler, but this book involves cannibalism. Once you get over the grotesque subject matter, this book is a fun journey for readers. Surprisingly, this story isn't that scary, but more of a voyeuristic peek into the life of a child being completely manipulated by evil. You will see how Margot and her mother live duplicitous double lives and how that relationship changes and evolves when Eden, a third party, joins the family. This book speaks in metaphors at times, if readers really want to go there. I had an absolute blast with this one and I think any horror fans should consider prioritizing this one. ]]> 3.89 2025
author: Lucy Rose
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: 2025, horror, family-drama, lgbt, gothic
review:
This book was a total #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt ! This book was not on my radar until I started seeing glowing after glowing review, so I knew immediately that I needed to read this one. I am in my horror girlie era and Lucy Rose's debut horror, THE LAMB, is continuing that trend with me for 2025. The story is centered around Margot and her mother Ruth. They have always lived on the edge of the forest, their cottage a quiet refuge from the world. Mama welcomes lost travelers with open arms, offering them warmth, wine, and a fate they never see coming. But when Eden, a stranger to the family arrives, Margot is forced to question everything—her mother, her own hunger, and the cost of breaking free.

I don't think this is a spoiler, but this book involves cannibalism. Once you get over the grotesque subject matter, this book is a fun journey for readers. Surprisingly, this story isn't that scary, but more of a voyeuristic peek into the life of a child being completely manipulated by evil. You will see how Margot and her mother live duplicitous double lives and how that relationship changes and evolves when Eden, a third party, joins the family. This book speaks in metaphors at times, if readers really want to go there. I had an absolute blast with this one and I think any horror fans should consider prioritizing this one.
]]> 220999067 When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and abandoned places that hold old secrets. The Hotel Seabrink, perched overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghosts of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before the renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petroff, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, the Hotel Seabrink in particular.

When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to close the investigation. But Aubrey feels unsettled by locals who claim he was murdered and that it’s not the first time someone interested in the hotel was killed. As she digs deeper into the property’s dark history (and its origins as an asylum) as well as Dimitri’s professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case.  But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth—at any cost.]]> 384 Juliet Blackwell 0593638247 Dennis 0 to-read 3.86 2025
author: Juliet Blackwell
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222361666 With an expert hand, Rachel Louise Adams’s debut No Rest for the Wicked reads like an edge of your seat, heart-pounding scary movie.

In one Halloween obsessed Midwestern town, everyone’s on red alert after a local politician goes missing. Little do they know it’s only the beginning.

It’s been close to twenty years since forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne left her hometown of Little Horton, Wisconsin. The town is famous for its Halloween celebrations, but also its history of violent deaths linked to the holiday. To Dolores, it’s the place she fled, family, bad memories, and all. Until the FBI calls to tell her that her father--the former mayor turned US Senator--is missing under mysterious circumstances.

Some people count to ten to wake up from a nightmare. Dolores always counts the bones of her head sphenoid, frontal, lacrimal. But no matter how many times she counts them, it doesn’t change the fact that her father is missing, that his final words of warning to her were to trust no one, and that now, the rest of her family is giving Dolores a chilling welcome. With Halloween fast approaching, Dolores must face the past she left behind before it’s too late.]]> Rachel Louise Adams 1250362121 Dennis 0 to-read 4.24 2025
author: Rachel Louise Adams
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216971219 A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.

Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.

Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods. . . .]]> 400 Chuck Wendig 0593156560 Dennis 3
Five troubled high school friends find an abandoned staircase in the woods, and when one of them, Matty, disappears, the mystery remains. Twenty years later, Nick brings the others—Hamish, Lore, and Owen—back to search for him, forcing them to choose between friendship and the unknown.

This book wasn't really a horror novel, but more like a fantasy with a YA edge to it. I felt that the story dragged a bit and left a lot of open-ended side stories by the end. It explores themes of friendship, abandonment, and PTSD. The book wasn't really something I would pick up if I knew it leaned more into fantasy than horror. However, the social commentary and political environment within this book was a factor in the storytelling, but it was done in a non-preachy way (I really don't want to hear about it from the MAGA folks). The story is an epic adventure and somewhat fun journey at times, with fun chapter titles to keep you in the groove and want to investigate. I was banking on the ending to push this to 4 stars, but it was a bit abrupt compared to everything else going on (like c'mon, we get it wrapped up way too easily and fast for a 400+ page slowburn). Overall, I really enjoyed the "universe" that THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS provides readers, but I felt that I wanted more from it.

RANKINGS:
1. The Book of Accidents
2. Black River Orchard
3. The Staircase in the Woods
4. Wanderers]]> 3.89 2025
author: Chuck Wendig
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: 2025, adventure, fantasy, slow-burn
review:
I am up and down with Chuck Wendig's books. I DNFd Wanderers, loved The Book of Accidents, and somewhat liked Black River Orchard. That being said, I knewwwww I wanted to read his upcoming novel, THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS, not because it was giving different realm vibes but I am weirdly obsessed with spiral staircases!

Five troubled high school friends find an abandoned staircase in the woods, and when one of them, Matty, disappears, the mystery remains. Twenty years later, Nick brings the others—Hamish, Lore, and Owen—back to search for him, forcing them to choose between friendship and the unknown.

This book wasn't really a horror novel, but more like a fantasy with a YA edge to it. I felt that the story dragged a bit and left a lot of open-ended side stories by the end. It explores themes of friendship, abandonment, and PTSD. The book wasn't really something I would pick up if I knew it leaned more into fantasy than horror. However, the social commentary and political environment within this book was a factor in the storytelling, but it was done in a non-preachy way (I really don't want to hear about it from the MAGA folks). The story is an epic adventure and somewhat fun journey at times, with fun chapter titles to keep you in the groove and want to investigate. I was banking on the ending to push this to 4 stars, but it was a bit abrupt compared to everything else going on (like c'mon, we get it wrapped up way too easily and fast for a 400+ page slowburn). Overall, I really enjoyed the "universe" that THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS provides readers, but I felt that I wanted more from it.

RANKINGS:
1. The Book of Accidents
2. Black River Orchard
3. The Staircase in the Woods
4. Wanderers
]]> 229070419 Adults can behave badly too...

 It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself�� well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble. Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses. 


]]> 336 May Cobb 1464245797 Dennis 0 to-read 5.00
author: May Cobb
name: Dennis
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 228029088 Michael McDowell's Blackwater meets Clive Barker's The Great and Secret Show in the disturbing first installment of a new trilogy of intense, visceral, beautifully written queer horror set in a small New England town.

A chilling supernatural tale of transgressive literary horror from the Bram Stoker Award® finalist and Splatterpunk Award-winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.

The lives of those residing in the isolated town of Burnt Sparrow, New Hampshire, are forever altered after three faceless entities arrive on Christmas morning to perform a brutal act of violence—a senseless tragedy that can never be undone. While the townspeople grieve their losses and grapple with the aftermath of the attack, a young teenage boy named Rupert Cromwell is forced to confront the painful realities of his family situation. Once relationships become intertwined and more carnage ensues as a result of the massacre, the town residents quickly learn that true retribution is futile, cruelty is earned, and certain thresholds must never be crossed no matter what.

Engrossing, atmospheric, and unsettling, this is a devastating story of a small New England community rocked by an unforgivable act of violence. Writing with visceral intensity and profound eloquence, LaRocca journeys deep into the dark heart of Burnt Sparrow, leaving you chilled to the bone and wanting more.]]> 304 Eric LaRocca 1803368675 Dennis 0 to-read 3.71
author: Eric LaRocca
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219833265
Chloe has always dreamed of becoming a bestselling writer. Then she meets enigmatic influencer Clara Holland, and at last, Chloe has something to write about. They bond instantly, and Chloe moves into Clara’s mansion. But as Clara’s fame skyrockets, she starts behaving strangely, hosting increasingly wild parties, complete with bonfire rituals and moonlit river baptisms.

Clara opens up her home to other girls desperate to live like her. The media call it a cult, and soon Chloe begins to hear unsettling rumours from Clara's past. After one spectacular party, a girl goes missing and the rumours take on a sinister new meaning. If Chloe can’t escape Clara’s influence, she may be next ��

THE GOLDENS is about to become your newest obsession.]]> 304 Lauren Wilson 125036230X Dennis 0 to-read 4.08
author: Lauren Wilson
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.08
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214565614 A chilling historical horror novel set in the American west in 1912 following a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones.]]> 448 Stephen Graham Jones 1668075083 Dennis 0 dnf 4.23 2025
author: Stephen Graham Jones
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> 211004124 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.

Where there’s a will, there’s a war.

Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.

Or at least, so they like to think.

Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.

Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father’s approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.

Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father’s company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth—by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.

On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins—but which Wren will come out on top?]]> 512 Olivie Blake 1250883407 Dennis 4
I was not a fan of Olivie Blake's Atlas Six, but when I heard she was writing another book, specifically a magical book of darkness and Succession vibes, I was tuned in. The cover alone is intriguing and accurately depics three powerful siblings at war with each other. GIFTED & TALENTED dives into this powerful Wren family and theur dynamics.

Thayer Wren, the visionary CEO of Wrenfare Magitech, is dead, leaving his three gifted children vying for the throne. Meredith, the biotech genius, hides a dark secret; Arthur, the ambitious congressman, is losing everything; and Eilidh, the former ballerina, seeks validation from her late father’s fortune. As each struggles with their own personal demons, only one will claim the inheritance—and the power that comes with it.

I truly enjoyed the POVs of each of the siblings in their own different ways. Meredith is a complete Slay ICON queen b psychopath, who may have been my overall favorite. Arthur is sensitive and sexy, where he dabbles in polyamory (whether his wife actually agrees on this is still out for the jury) and Eilidh is probably the most normal of the Wren family. The other characters are more down to earth than this trio, and they round out the bunch in fun and messy ways. GIFTED & TALENTED is a book about the three siblings and their journey for power and acceptance. This book is a character-driven family saga at its core, with magic sprinkled in at times, so I would say this book is magic-lite at best (win for me!). I would have given this book a total 5 stars, but midway through the pacing slowed down in ways that I didn't expect, which caught me wanting to take a break from the story. That being said, I did read this saga in only a few days because the overall story kept me completely hooked. If Olivie Blake continues down this journey for her books, this reader will be tuned in! ]]> 3.83 2025
author: Olivie Blake
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: 2025, family-drama, character-driven, contemporary, science-fiction, magical-realism, slow-burn
review:
THIS APP WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY :)

I was not a fan of Olivie Blake's Atlas Six, but when I heard she was writing another book, specifically a magical book of darkness and Succession vibes, I was tuned in. The cover alone is intriguing and accurately depics three powerful siblings at war with each other. GIFTED & TALENTED dives into this powerful Wren family and theur dynamics.

Thayer Wren, the visionary CEO of Wrenfare Magitech, is dead, leaving his three gifted children vying for the throne. Meredith, the biotech genius, hides a dark secret; Arthur, the ambitious congressman, is losing everything; and Eilidh, the former ballerina, seeks validation from her late father’s fortune. As each struggles with their own personal demons, only one will claim the inheritance—and the power that comes with it.

I truly enjoyed the POVs of each of the siblings in their own different ways. Meredith is a complete Slay ICON queen b psychopath, who may have been my overall favorite. Arthur is sensitive and sexy, where he dabbles in polyamory (whether his wife actually agrees on this is still out for the jury) and Eilidh is probably the most normal of the Wren family. The other characters are more down to earth than this trio, and they round out the bunch in fun and messy ways. GIFTED & TALENTED is a book about the three siblings and their journey for power and acceptance. This book is a character-driven family saga at its core, with magic sprinkled in at times, so I would say this book is magic-lite at best (win for me!). I would have given this book a total 5 stars, but midway through the pacing slowed down in ways that I didn't expect, which caught me wanting to take a break from the story. That being said, I did read this saga in only a few days because the overall story kept me completely hooked. If Olivie Blake continues down this journey for her books, this reader will be tuned in!
]]> 228142779 No one is supposed to know harmless office worker Gwen Tanner is the vanished daughter of serial killer Abel Haggerty. But a low profile and a new name aren’t going to cut it when an obsessive new killer starts targeting her, in this lively and propulsive thriller with a standout voice.

Marin Haggerty, the daughter of a notorious serial killer, was only a child when they arrested her father. Ripped from her home and given a new identity, Marin disappeared.

Twenty years later, Gwen Tanner keeps everyone at a distance, preferring to satirize the world around her than participate in it. It’s for her safety—and theirs. But when someone starts sending body parts to her front door, the message is I Know Who You Are.

To preserve her secrets, Gwen must hunt down the killer, a journey which immerses her in the twisted world of true crime fandom and makes her confront her past once and for all. Maybe she is capable of deep, human connections, but she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Will opening herself up to others help her find the killer, or remind her why it was necessary she hide her true self in the first place?

The apple never falls too far, after all.]]> 368 Amy K. Green 0593953495 Dennis 0 to-read 4.07
author: Amy K. Green
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.07
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216522745 Four strangers are brought together to participate in an experimental treatment designed to heal broken hearts in this surprising and heartfelt debut novel from author Amelia Ireland.

In a perfectly ordinary building, four strangers who couldn't be more different meet for the first time. Their skepticism of this new kind of grief therapy—and the unnervingly perceptive group leader—means they're all wary, but as the weeks go by, they find themselves returning again and again, pulled to work toward healing, even if it means first facing the pain head-on.

A sharp-tongued lawyer who has no intention of letting down her walls, a fragile young woman looking for a place to belong, a musician at the top of his game who's one drink away from losing it all, and an interior designer facing the crumbling of her picture-perfect life—this unlikely group slowly opens up, not only to the possibility of a happier future but to friendship, change, and even romance.

When a shocking revelation reveals the real reason they were chosen for this group, it shakes the very foundation of what they thought they knew. What began as a journey designed to heal turns out to be a much greater test of friendship, strength, and love as they realize happiness is just outside the door...if they're brave enough to seek it.]]> 368 Amelia Ireland 0593952634 Dennis 3
Although avoiding grief cannot be avoided, I wanted to see if the book would move forward in how to deal with it without being bogged down for so long. I also wanted to see if this book would resonate with my trauma with my divorce from infidelity on my ex husband’s part. Luckily, it was not, but I did feel that the book focused too much on grief as a messaging tool that I slowly got bored with the characters. There’s only so much back and forth between the four main characters where it began to feel monotonous. However, the big reveal was unexpected and won me over in the end. I won’t reveal too much, but the twist made the entire journey worth it, even if it took so long for me to get to the point of enjoyment. Amelia Ireland’s debut was unique that’s for sure and I would read more from her in the future. ]]> 4.00 2025
author: Amelia Ireland
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/22
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: 2025, character-driven, literary-fiction
review:
The premise of this book immediately drew me in. Four strangers, each grappling with grief, agree to attend group therapy. Every week, they sit together, hesitantly opening up about their lives while avoiding the traumatic events that led them there. Their therapist, Genevieve, is also navigating new territory, testing a technique she hasn’t used before. What they don’t realize is that she has another reason for bringing them together.

Although avoiding grief cannot be avoided, I wanted to see if the book would move forward in how to deal with it without being bogged down for so long. I also wanted to see if this book would resonate with my trauma with my divorce from infidelity on my ex husband’s part. Luckily, it was not, but I did feel that the book focused too much on grief as a messaging tool that I slowly got bored with the characters. There’s only so much back and forth between the four main characters where it began to feel monotonous. However, the big reveal was unexpected and won me over in the end. I won’t reveal too much, but the twist made the entire journey worth it, even if it took so long for me to get to the point of enjoyment. Amelia Ireland’s debut was unique that’s for sure and I would read more from her in the future.
]]> 217387696 In the new novel from the bestselling author of Two Nights in Lisbon, on the worst night in the greatest city on Earth, a doorman at the toniest address in town is drawn into a web of intrigue, robbery, and murder.

Chicky Diaz stands on his little patch of the earth, the clean quiet sidewalk in front of the Bohemia Apartments, there sure are a lot of great places to kill someone in this city.

Chicky Diaz is everyone’s favorite doorman at the Bohemia, New York City’s world-famous home of celebrities, financiers, and the cultural elite.

Chicky serves at the pleasure of residents like Emily Longworth, who, up in her penthouse, leads a life of her perfect kids in her perfect home, her perfect worries about museum boards, charity work, and so on. Emily’s husband, though . . . perfectly wealthy, but she has quietly loathed Whit Longworth since well before the revelations that he’s a private-equity war profiteer. But their marriage came with an iron-clad prenup, and Emily can’t bring herself to leave all that. Yet.

Meanwhile, in apartment 2A, there’s nothing perfect about Julian Sonnenberg’s middle-aged life. Already struggling with the indignities of turning fifty—a stale marriage, teenage kids who no longer need him, his work as an art gallerist making him feel culturally obsolete—and now his doctor tells him that he needs openheart surgery, immediately. Things are falling apart awfully fast.

In the basement staff room, the life-and-death stakes of daily life are hardly news to the primarily Black and Latino hospitality. So when the NYPD fatally shoots an unarmed Black man and the streets swell with both protestors and counterprotestors, the staff’s concerns are less about the building and more about their survival—and what justice will look like.

Enter Chicky in his epauletted suit, manning the line between the turbulent streets outside the Bohemia and the far more sanguine world within. And not that the Bohemia’s residents care much (except maybe Emily Longworth), but Chicky has his own problems, the kind that mean that for tonight’s shift, for the first time in thirty years, Chicky will be carrying a gun. Because someone, tonight, is going to die.

In what is far away his best and most ambitious book yet, Chris Pavone has delivered a piercing portrait of the way we live now that is also a finely honed thriller of ticking-clock suspense. The Doorman is a book about class and privilege in a city poised to boil over its proverbial melting pot, and the ever starker divisions testing everything the City likes to believe about itself.]]> 400 Chris Pavone 0374604797 Dennis 4
The story mainly takes place at the Bohemia, one of New York City’s most exclusive buildings. Our protagonist is doorman Chicky Diaz and he stands at the threshold between its elite residents and the chaos of the streets. Inside, lives unravel—Emily Longworth, trapped in a loveless marriage bound by an ironclad prenup, and Julian Sonnenberg, facing a failing career, a crumbling marriage, and a life-threatening diagnosis. But as protests rage outside and tensions rise within, Chicky faces his own crisis—tonight, for the first time in thirty years, he’s carrying a gun, and before his shift ends, someone will die.

This book is a lottttttttt! I ventured into this story via audiobook and I highly recommend that route. Chris Pavone delivers a gripping thriller where class divides run deep and power is wielded through wealth. With a very well drawn-out cast spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, Pavone masterfully blends suspense with social commentary. So many moving parts and thoroughly a political thriller. Trigger warnings as it really dives into the juxtaposition of what is going on in American politics right now. Fast-paced and thought provoking, THE DOORMAN will captivate fans of Harlan Coben and John Grisham. ]]> 3.77
author: Chris Pavone
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.77
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: 2025, mystery, thriller, political
review:
THE DOORMAN is my first read by Chris Pavone, but so many people loved his last book, Two Nights in Lisbon, so I knew that I wanted to give this author a try and I'm so happy that I did!

The story mainly takes place at the Bohemia, one of New York City’s most exclusive buildings. Our protagonist is doorman Chicky Diaz and he stands at the threshold between its elite residents and the chaos of the streets. Inside, lives unravel—Emily Longworth, trapped in a loveless marriage bound by an ironclad prenup, and Julian Sonnenberg, facing a failing career, a crumbling marriage, and a life-threatening diagnosis. But as protests rage outside and tensions rise within, Chicky faces his own crisis—tonight, for the first time in thirty years, he’s carrying a gun, and before his shift ends, someone will die.

This book is a lottttttttt! I ventured into this story via audiobook and I highly recommend that route. Chris Pavone delivers a gripping thriller where class divides run deep and power is wielded through wealth. With a very well drawn-out cast spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, Pavone masterfully blends suspense with social commentary. So many moving parts and thoroughly a political thriller. Trigger warnings as it really dives into the juxtaposition of what is going on in American politics right now. Fast-paced and thought provoking, THE DOORMAN will captivate fans of Harlan Coben and John Grisham.
]]> 221733722 There’s no place like home��

Blake Porter is riding high, until he's not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone that he shares with his fiancee, he's desperate to make ends meet.

Enter Whitney. Beautiful, charming, down-to-earth, and looking for a room to rent. She's exactly what Blake's looking for. Or is she?

Because something isn't quite right. The neighbors start treating Blake differently. The smell of decay permeates his home, no matter how hard he scrubs. Strange noises jar him awake in the middle of the night. And soon Blake fears someone knows his darkest secrets...

Danger lives right at home, and by the time Blake realizes it, it'll be far too late. The trap is already set.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden knocks at your door with a gripping story of revenge, privilege, and secrets turned sour��]]> 368 Freida McFadden 1464227314 Dennis 3 2025, popcorn-thriller
Blake Porter had it all—until a sudden firing and mounting debt left him scrambling. When Whitney, a seemingly perfect tenant, moves into his brownstone, she offers a financial lifeline—but also an unsettling presence he can’t ignore. As the walls close in and eerie disturbances mount, Blake realizes too late that inviting her in may have been the biggest mistake of his life.

Honestly, I knew immediately what was going to happen and I was right. It's about as obvious as The Boyfriend was (the characterization, the weird dialogue between the antagonist/s and the twist reveal, etc.) but as bingeable as it was as well. I liked this one more than The Crash, but ugh I am all over the place with McFadden books. I read this book in one sitting, so you know it'll be a fun journey, just don't expect anything unique or thought provoking.]]> 4.44 2025
author: Freida McFadden
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: 2025, popcorn-thriller
review:
I am always nosey about what is coming up next with Freida McFadden and her newest book, THE TENANT, seemed so interesting that I knew that I needed to prioritize it. This book is a binge/read-in-one-sitting type of read, that's for sure!

Blake Porter had it all—until a sudden firing and mounting debt left him scrambling. When Whitney, a seemingly perfect tenant, moves into his brownstone, she offers a financial lifeline—but also an unsettling presence he can’t ignore. As the walls close in and eerie disturbances mount, Blake realizes too late that inviting her in may have been the biggest mistake of his life.

Honestly, I knew immediately what was going to happen and I was right. It's about as obvious as The Boyfriend was (the characterization, the weird dialogue between the antagonist/s and the twist reveal, etc.) but as bingeable as it was as well. I liked this one more than The Crash, but ugh I am all over the place with McFadden books. I read this book in one sitting, so you know it'll be a fun journey, just don't expect anything unique or thought provoking.
]]> 218671839 A spiritual companion to Strange Pictures and a bestselling horror phenomenon in Japan —mysterious spaces, trap doors, windowless children's rooms . . . something is wrong with this house. Can you solve the "mystery" of its floor plan?

A writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance who is considering purchasing a second-hand house in Tokyo. With its bright and spacious interior, the home seems perfect. But looking closer, the building’s floor plan reveals a mysterious "dead space�� hidden between the walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plan with an architect friend only to discover more “strange spaces�� dotted across the house.

What are these mysterious “strange spaces�� and why do they exist—are they really there, or is there something off with the floor plan? Who is the home’s former resident who suddenly disappeared?

The freelance writer and his architect friend can’t resist the challenge of solving the riddle of these puzzling floor plans . . . and the terrifying plot behind it all.]]> 208 Uketsu 006343315X Dennis 0 to-read 3.89 2021
author: Uketsu
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216522695 A young Black gay man reckoning with the death of his father must confront his painful past—and his deepest desires around gender, love, and sex.

The venerated Reverend Doctor John Freeman did not raise his son, Davis, to be touched by any man, let alone a white man. He did not raise his son to whisper that man’s name with tenderness.

But on the eve of his wedding, all Davis can think about is how beautiful he wants to look when he meets his beloved Everett at the altar. Never mind that his mother, who died decades before, and his father, whose anger drove Davis to flee their home in Ohio for a freer life in New York City, won’t be there to walk him down the aisle. All Davis needs to be happy in this life is Everett, his new family, and his burgeoning career as an award-winning violist.

When Davis learns during the wedding reception that his father has died in a terrible car accident, years of childhood trauma and unspoken emotion resurface. Davis must revisit everything that went wrong between them, his fledgling marriage and irresistible self-confidence spiraling into a pit of despair.

In resplendent prose, Denne Michele Norris’s When the Harvest Comes fearlessly reveals the pain of inheritance and the heroic power of love, reminding us that in the end we are more than the men who came before us.]]> 304 Denne Michele Norris 0593729609 Dennis 4
n the eve of his wedding, Davis, a young Black gay man, is ready to embrace love and the life he has built—until news of his estranged father’s sudden death forces him to confront the painful past he thought he left behind. As childhood trauma resurfaces, his confidence and new marriage teeter on the edge, challenging his understanding of family, identity, and desire.

This synopsis doesn't really paint the picture accurately because readers get so much more than that in WHEN THE HARVEST COMES. The story behind Everett and Davis is really at the forefront and this book is more of a love story than of a drama between Davis and Davis' father. I loved the characterization and the POVs we are provided. The love story between Davis and Everett is beautiful, unique to their story, and something that I really resonated deeply with. The story is not so much a fast-paced plot powerhouse, but more of a voyeuristic character-driven emotional journey for our characters. I would be shocked if you didn't take something away from this book by the time you get to the end. This story will stay with me for some time. ]]> 4.07 2025
author: Denne Michele Norris
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/17
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: 2025, gay, lgbt, romance, contemporary, literary-fiction, character-driven
review:
I haven't seen much buzz about Denne Michele Norris' upcoming novel, WHEN THE HARVEST COMES, but it immediately caught my attention and moved right to the top of my TBR. This book sounds very much like a Bryan Washington (Lot, Memorial, Family Meal) type of vibe, so I knew that I wanted to dive in.

n the eve of his wedding, Davis, a young Black gay man, is ready to embrace love and the life he has built—until news of his estranged father’s sudden death forces him to confront the painful past he thought he left behind. As childhood trauma resurfaces, his confidence and new marriage teeter on the edge, challenging his understanding of family, identity, and desire.

This synopsis doesn't really paint the picture accurately because readers get so much more than that in WHEN THE HARVEST COMES. The story behind Everett and Davis is really at the forefront and this book is more of a love story than of a drama between Davis and Davis' father. I loved the characterization and the POVs we are provided. The love story between Davis and Everett is beautiful, unique to their story, and something that I really resonated deeply with. The story is not so much a fast-paced plot powerhouse, but more of a voyeuristic character-driven emotional journey for our characters. I would be shocked if you didn't take something away from this book by the time you get to the end. This story will stay with me for some time.
]]> 223524394
When We Love You, Bunny opens, Sam has just published her first novel to critical acclaim. But at a New England stop on her book tour, her one-time frenemies, furious at the way they’ve been portrayed, kidnap her. Now a captive audience, it’s her (and our) turn to hear the Bunnies�� side of the story. One by one, they take turns holding the axe, and recount the birth throes of their unholy alliance, their discovery of their unusual creative powers—and the phantasmagoric adventure of conjuring their first creation. With a bound and gagged Sam, we embark on a wickedly intoxicating journey into the heart of dark academia: a fairy tale slasher that explores the wonder and horror of creation itself. Not to mention the transformative powers of love and friendship, Bunny.

Frankenstein by way of Heathers, We Love You, Bunny is both a prequel and a sequel, and an unabashedly wild and totally complete stand-alone novel. Open your hearts, Bunny, to another dazzlingly original and darkly hilarious romp in the Bunny-verse from the queen of the fever-dream, Mona Awad.]]> 496 Mona Awad 1668098482 Dennis 0 to-read 4.19 2025
author: Mona Awad
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217111869 This star-crossed gay romance is a #1 bestselling TikTok sensation that made international news and catalyzed one of Russia’s largest-ever crackdowns on LGBTQ representation

The banned gay romance that took Russia by storm . . .

In the waning days of the Soviet Union, two teenage boys find each other at Pioneer Camp, a patriotic summer program similar to the Boy Scouts. Yury Konev, 16, anticipates the weeks ahead of him with boredom and dread, but things change when he meets 19-year-old counselor Volodya. The two boys are drawn to each other, and though both fear the consequences of their illegal attraction, its gravity pulls them together.

Now, 20 years later, Yury returns to the abandoned camp to reminisce on the relationship that changed his life forever—and discovers that not all history is destined to remain in the past.

Cowritten by a Ukrainian–Russian duo and originally published by an independent publisher, Popcorn Books, Pioneer Summer became a TikTok sensation and runaway #1 bestseller in Russia. Catalyzed by this success, Russian Parliament officials and anti-LGBT activists began a campaign to ban the novel and others like it, an effort which became law just two months after the second book in the series was published. The authors were forced to flee the country, and Popcorn Books ceased publication.

But they—and we—will not be so easily cowed. Beginning in the summer of 2025, Pioneer Summer will become available for the first time in English, with the other two novels to follow.]]> 448 Elena Malisova 1419773100 Dennis 0 to-read 3.89 2021
author: Elena Malisova
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219542936 304 Taran Armstrong 1464224536 Dennis 0 to-read 0.0
author: Taran Armstrong
name: Dennis
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217248010 In the late 1980s, a coven of queer witches on New York's Fire Island strives to protect a young man facing a devastating tragedy.

A gripping novel of magic, romance, and hope—perfect for fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea, the Tales of the City series, and Red, White, and Royal Blue.

It’s 1989, and Joe Agabian and his best friend Ronnie set out to spend their first summer working in the hedonistic gay paradise of Fire Island Pines. Joe is desperate to let loose and finally move beyond the heartbreak of having lost his boyfriend to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The two friends are quickly taken in by a pair of quirky, older house cleaners. But something seems off, and Joe starts to suspect the two older men of being up to something otherworldly. In truth, Howie and Lenny are members of a secret disco witch coven tasked with protecting the island—and young men like Joe—from the relentless tragedies ravaging their community. The only problem is, having lost too many of their fellow witches to the epidemic, the coven’s protective powers have been seriously damaged.

Unaware of all the mystical shenanigans going on, Joe starts to fall for the super-cute bisexual ferryman who just happens to have webbed feet and an unusual ability to hold his breath underwater. But Joe’s longing to find love is tripped up by his own troublesome past as well as the lure of a mysterious hunk he keeps seeing around the island—a man Howie and Lenny warn may be a harbinger of impending doom.

The Disco Witches need to find help—fast—if they’re to save Joe and the island from the Great Darkness. But how? Fans of queer romances with a dash of fantasy will fall in love with this stunning novel of community, love, sex, magic, and hope in desperate times.]]> 352 Blair Fell Dennis 0 to-read 3.87 2025
author: Blair Fell
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 224004815 A missing stripper in Atlanta sets off a suspenseful search by her friends, unraveling a web of secrets and power dynamics in the city’s most notorious Black strip club in Nic Stone’s gripping adult thriller debut.

Welcome to Boom Town, Atlanta’s most infamous Black strip club, where the air is thick with secrets and the stakes are as high as the heels. When Damaris “Charm�� Willburn, a new daytime dancer, vanishes without a trace, former headline Lyriq is thrust back into a world she thought she had left behind. Charm’s disappearance eerily mirrors that of Lyriq’s former partner, Lucky, who also went missing under mysterious circumstances. Both women shared a dangerous connection with Thomas McIntyre, a wealthy white man with far more power than they could imagine.

As Lyriq delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a tangled web of deceit, power, and privilege that threatens to consume her. With each revelation, the line between friend and foe blurs, and Lyriq must confront her own past to uncover the truth. But as the secrets of Boom Town unravel, Lyriq faces a harrowing can she solve the mystery without losing everything she holds dear?

Boom Town is a masterful blend of suspense and social commentary exploring themes of racial and sexual power dynamics, the invisibility of Black women, and the societal judgements placed on professions deemed “unsavory.�� In this electrifying thriller, New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone takes you on a heart-pounding journey through Atlanta’s dark underbelly.]]> 272 Nic Stone 1668056275 Dennis 0 to-read 4.14 2025
author: Nic Stone
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214151452 The long-awaited new novel from the author of global sensation Tender Is the Flesh: a thrilling work of literary horror about a woman cloistered in a secretive, violent religious order, while outside the world has fallen into chaos.

From her cell in a mysterious convent, a woman writes the story of her life in whatever she can find—discarded ink, dirt, and even her own blood. A lower member of the Sacred Sisterhood, deemed an unworthy, she dreams of ascending to the ranks of the Enlightened at the center of the convent and of pleasing the foreboding Superior Sister. Outside, the world is plagued by catastrophe—cities are submerged underwater, electricity and the internet are nonexistent, and bands of survivors fight and forage in a cruel, barren landscape. Inside, the narrator is controlled, punished, but safe.

But when a stranger makes her way past the convent walls, joining the ranks of the unworthy, she forces the narrator to consider her long-buried past—and what she may be overlooking about the Enlightened. As the two women grow closer, the narrator is increasingly haunted by questions about her own past, the environmental future, and her present life inside the convent. How did she get to the Sacred Sisterhood? Why can’t she remember her life before? And what really happens when a woman is chosen as one of the Enlightened?

A searing, dystopian tale about climate crisis, ideological extremism, and the tidal pull of our most violent, exploitative instincts, this is another unforgettable novel from a master of feminist horror.]]> 192 Agustina Bazterrica 1668063700 Dennis 2 Yawn 3.70 2023
author: Agustina Bazterrica
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/13
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: 2025, dystopian, horror, novella
review:
Yawn
]]> 214151953 A haunting novel—inspired by a true story—about a crime writer who risks everything as she investigates the mystery of two deaths, decades apart, at a crumbling Vermont orphanage.

On a blistering summer day in 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanishes without a trace from Coram House, an orphanage on the shores of Lake Champlain. Some say a nun drowned him, others say he ran away. Or maybe he never existed. Fifty years later, his disappearance is still unsolved.

Struggling true crime writer Alex Kelley needs a fresh start. When she’s asked to ghostwrite a book about the orphanage—and the abuses that occurred there—she packs up her belongings and moves to wintry Burlington, Vermont.

As Alex tries to untangle the conflicting stories surrounding Tommy’s disappearance, her investigation takes a chilling turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake. Alex is convinced the death is connected to Coram House’s dark past, even if local police officer Russell Parker thinks she’s just desperate for a career-saving story. As the body count rises, Alex must prove that the key to finding the killer lies in Tommy’s murder, or risk becoming the next victim.
]]> 320 Bailey Seybolt 166805700X Dennis 3 2025, slow-burn, mystery
Bailey Seybolt's debut novel, CORAM HOUSE, has been on my TBR for months now. It's getting so much buzz from people I trust, so I knew I needed to dive in. If you liked Ruth Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway (I don't know why it does, but), Ashley Winstead's newest book This Book Will Bury Me, or Jessica Knoll's Young Bright Women, then you will enjoy CORAM HOUSE!

In 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanishes without a trace from Coram House, a mysterious orphanage with a dark reputation on Lake Champlain. Fifty years later, struggling true crime writer Alex Kelley moves to Burlington, Vermont, to uncover the truth behind the home's dark history—but her research takes a deadly turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake. As more victims emerge, Alex must convince skeptical officer Russell Parker that solving Tommy’s disappearance is the key to stopping a killer before she becomes the next target.

This book is more of a mystery/suspense than a thriller, but definitely a fun ride for readers who enjoy true crime and investigative stories. Although this book is a work of fiction, the subject matter is pulled from a true story. The Coram House setting itself is bone chilling and scary, which provided all the great vibes I needed to venture through. The story is a bit too slow pacing wise for me, which ultimately led me astray a little bit, but the book overall was a great read. Slow burn suspense infused with true crime investigative series vibes, CORAM HOUSE felt like a journey seen on Investigation Discovery. I am excited to see what Bailey Seybolt comes up for readers next! ]]> 3.82 2025
author: Bailey Seybolt
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/13
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: 2025, slow-burn, mystery
review:
3.5 stars

Bailey Seybolt's debut novel, CORAM HOUSE, has been on my TBR for months now. It's getting so much buzz from people I trust, so I knew I needed to dive in. If you liked Ruth Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway (I don't know why it does, but), Ashley Winstead's newest book This Book Will Bury Me, or Jessica Knoll's Young Bright Women, then you will enjoy CORAM HOUSE!

In 1968, nine-year-old Tommy vanishes without a trace from Coram House, a mysterious orphanage with a dark reputation on Lake Champlain. Fifty years later, struggling true crime writer Alex Kelley moves to Burlington, Vermont, to uncover the truth behind the home's dark history—but her research takes a deadly turn when she discovers a woman’s body in the lake. As more victims emerge, Alex must convince skeptical officer Russell Parker that solving Tommy’s disappearance is the key to stopping a killer before she becomes the next target.

This book is more of a mystery/suspense than a thriller, but definitely a fun ride for readers who enjoy true crime and investigative stories. Although this book is a work of fiction, the subject matter is pulled from a true story. The Coram House setting itself is bone chilling and scary, which provided all the great vibes I needed to venture through. The story is a bit too slow pacing wise for me, which ultimately led me astray a little bit, but the book overall was a great read. Slow burn suspense infused with true crime investigative series vibes, CORAM HOUSE felt like a journey seen on Investigation Discovery. I am excited to see what Bailey Seybolt comes up for readers next!
]]> 195790637 Succession meets Megan Abbott in this seductive Gothic suspense novel about the dramatic downfall of one of America’s most affluent families.

The old-money Wieland family has it all—wealth, status, power. They’re also famously cursed. Clara and her brother Teddy grew up on a small island in Maine in the shadow of their parents�� tragic deaths, haunted by rumors and paparazzi. Fourteen years later they’ve mostly put their turbulent past to rest. Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, Jess, and the three of them have moved back home to take over the sprawling, remote family mansion known as Vantage Point. Then Teddy decides to run for the Senate—an unnerving prospect made much worse when intimate videos of Clara are leaked online. The most frightening part is that she doesn't remember filming any of them. Are the videos real? Or are they deepfakes? Is someone trying to take down the Wielands once and for all?

Everyone thinks Clara is losing her grip on reality, but she knows the videos are only the beginning. Years ago the curse destroyed her parents. Now it’s coming for her. Brimming with palpable tension, Vantage Point reveals a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition that raises questions about the blurred lines between public and private personas and the nature of truth in the digital age.]]> 400 Sara Sligar 0374282293 Dennis 3 2025, family-drama, mystery 3.5 stars<br /><br /> 3.56 2025
author: Sara Sligar
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: 2025, family-drama, mystery
review:
3.5 stars


]]> 223263228 "An astonishing novel of discovery, heartache, and redemption. Costello writes unapologetically about surviving in a broken world against all odds. Truly unforgettable.�� -Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time Newbery Medalist and National Book Award Finalist

Self-styled “beautiful boy�� Toby Ryerson dreams in stardust but lives in the dirt. Haunted by the specter of his mom’s overdose, he itches for a life of fun and fabulosity far from the MAGA hats of his backwoods Adirondack town. The only problem: his older brother Jimmy’s plans to polish him into a spotless “Disney gay�� with college, career, and husband. Toby knows that Jimmy didn’t sacrifice everything to raise him just so he can waste his life on men and partying like Mom did. But why can’t Jimmy see that he is their mother’s son?

When Toby outs the boy who broke his heart in a fit of rage, the web of lies he’s spun to manage Jimmy’s expectations quickly unravels. A brutal beating leads to a campaign of cyberbullying, culminating in even greater disaster.

Worse: Toby knows it’s all his own fault.

Enter Gabe, a sexy stranger from Mom’s past who seduces Toby with the keys to the Big Apple. But when Toby’s dreams of a fabulous life in the city quickly turn into a nightmare, will Jimmy's love be enough to save him, or will he end up just like Mom?

AN UGLY WORLD FOR BEAUTIFUL BOYS is a gritty and harrowing queer coming-of-age novel as well as a love story between two mismatched brothers coping with the burden of secrets and a legacy of shame.


“Rob Costello has crafted an exquisitely haunting, gorgeously-written portrait of survival and resilience with An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys. This story is necessary, especially for anyone who has ever felt alone or misunderstood. All too real, it is at once painful and gritty, yet brimming with hope and the profound power of love and understanding. Toby’s story will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.��

- Amber Smith, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be and The Way I Am Now


“Toby's coming-of-age trainwreck reads like the tensest of thrillers and hurts like your worst teenage memory. It's gorgeously written, ultimately healing, and absolutely unforgettable."

-Nancy Werlin, National Book Award Finalist for The Rules of Survival


"Gritty, lyrical, and refreshingly honest, Costello's debut novel pulses with realness, as raw and resilient as its oh-so-human protagonist. A triumph.��

-Nora Shalaway Carpenter, award-winning author of Fault Lines & The Edge of Anything


"If you’re looking for a raw, unfiltered journey into the heart of a difficult and complex queer experience, An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys is a must-read. Rob Costello has crafted an unflinching coming-of-age story that dives headfirst into the chaos of self-discovery, loss, and redemption through Toby Ryerson: an imperfect, impulsive young man who is trying to survive when everything falls apart. An unforgettable debut novel."

-Christopher Barzak, author of Stonewall Honor winning novel, Wonders of the Invisible World


"This novel shines in its exploration of the various ways masculinity manifests in the lives of young men, highlighting the damaging effects of toxic masculinity in every scenario. Costello has created multi-dimensional characters who are raw, imperfect, and utterly human. Readers will find themselves swept up in Toby’s joy, only to feel frustration when he makes mistakes�� An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys is a deeply moving novel about finding self-acceptance and communal joy amidst life’s messiness."

-Samantha Hui, Independent Book Review]]> 376 Rob Costello 1590217969 Dennis 0 to-read 5.00
author: Rob Costello
name: Dennis
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221251879
A sly, funny, action-packed thriller introducing an instantly iconic spy duo, from the author of New York Times bestseller 2034

Skwerl and Cheese are down on their luck. Skwerl, who is resourceful like a squirrel (Marines win battles not spelling bees), used to work for Ground Branch, the CIA’s elite paramilitary wing. He was fired after a raid went bad in Afghanistan. Big Cheese Aziz, a legendary pilot—his country’s Maverick—is equally hard up. The fall of Kabul has left him grounded, working the nightshift at a gas station. Skwerl recruits Cheese into an anonymous network of so-called sheepdogs, a band of Robin Hoods who operate in the shadowy space between the sheep and the wolves, protecting prey from predator and earning a buck along the way.  

Their mission, which Skwerl convinces a reluctant Cheese to accept, is to repossess a private jet stranded on a remote African airfield. Their a commission on the jet’s $5 million value. But nothing about the job adds up. Their contact goes missing. Their handler is as mysterious as the real source of the money. And when the women in their lives get involved—one pregnant wife and one dominatrix—the stakes skyrocket.

From the jungles of Kampala to a glamorous hotel in Marseille, from a veteran-run pizzeria in Kyiv to a Panera in northern Virginia, Skwerl and Cheese and the players around them navigate an increasingly tangled set of loyalties. They join forces with an eccentric bomb technician turned off-the-grid survivalist, a lapsed Amish adventurer, a used car dealer elected to Congress, even a case officer known as the White Russian. Globe-trotting and page-turning, full of heart and humor, Sheepdogs is a uniquely perceptive, wild ride through the underbelly of modern war and intelligence.]]> 304 Elliot Ackerman 059380385X Dennis 0 to-read 3.33
author: Elliot Ackerman
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.33
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214151202 “The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.��

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.]]> 320 Clare Leslie Hall 166807818X Dennis 4 ��
This book is getting alllll the buzz, but I didn’t really have the urge to pick it up until I saw that it was @reesebookclub for March . Once I saw that, I knew I was curious to pick it up, but when I saw @emilybookedup ‘s glowing review, I knew I needed to dive in! This book didn’t seem like the typical book that I’d read, but I knew it would be worth a try!��
��
Beth and her husband, Frank, have built a happy marriage on the unspoken agreement that the past remains buried. But when Frank’s brother shoots a dog threatening their sheep, the gunshot sets off a chain of events that brings Gabriel Wolfe—the man who once broke Beth’s heart as a teen—back into her life. As old secrets and jealousies resurface with deadly consequences, Beth must confront the painful truth of her past and decide who she truly wants to be.��
��
I wanted to hate Beth so much, but Clare Leslie Hall does an incredible job vetting these characters so beautifully that I can’t. This book weaves in mystery, romance, drama, and historical fiction into one lifetime original movie type of binge read. I had a total blast with it was shocked to see that I enjoyed it so much. The pacing is a bit slower than I’d like it to be, but the ending had me legitimately gasping chapter by chapter in how it developed. By the end of it, I truly LOVED one character so much that s/he (no spoilers) deserves best book character of 2025! I cannot wait to read this author’s next book! ]]> 4.41 2025
author: Clare Leslie Hall
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/10
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: 2025, character-driven, drama, historical-fiction, mystery, romance
review:
4.5 stars!
��
This book is getting alllll the buzz, but I didn’t really have the urge to pick it up until I saw that it was @reesebookclub for March . Once I saw that, I knew I was curious to pick it up, but when I saw @emilybookedup ‘s glowing review, I knew I needed to dive in! This book didn’t seem like the typical book that I’d read, but I knew it would be worth a try!��
��
Beth and her husband, Frank, have built a happy marriage on the unspoken agreement that the past remains buried. But when Frank’s brother shoots a dog threatening their sheep, the gunshot sets off a chain of events that brings Gabriel Wolfe—the man who once broke Beth’s heart as a teen—back into her life. As old secrets and jealousies resurface with deadly consequences, Beth must confront the painful truth of her past and decide who she truly wants to be.��
��
I wanted to hate Beth so much, but Clare Leslie Hall does an incredible job vetting these characters so beautifully that I can’t. This book weaves in mystery, romance, drama, and historical fiction into one lifetime original movie type of binge read. I had a total blast with it was shocked to see that I enjoyed it so much. The pacing is a bit slower than I’d like it to be, but the ending had me legitimately gasping chapter by chapter in how it developed. By the end of it, I truly LOVED one character so much that s/he (no spoilers) deserves best book character of 2025! I cannot wait to read this author’s next book!
]]> 217388298 Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder it's murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be a bit of an outsider in the department �� an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits �� but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs.

So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won’t be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what’s trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi.

This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up—certainly not by falling in love with his number one suspect…]]> 320 Erin Dunn 1250360625 Dennis 0 to-read 4.20 2025
author: Erin Dunn
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220161593 In this follow-up to #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware’s multi-million copy mega-hit The Women in Cabin 10, Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe.

When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel—owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann—arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to reestablish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago.

The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.

What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse pursuit across Europe, forcing Lo to ask herself just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save this woman…and if she can even trust her?]]> 400 Ruth Ware 1668025620 Dennis 0 to-read 3.84 2025
author: Ruth Ware
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219240806 From the author of the multimillion-copy bestselling thriller The Perfect Marriage

Till death do us part. Yours. Not Mine.

It’s been eleven years since high-powered attorney Sarah Morgan defended her husband, Adam, against the charge of murdering his mistress. Sarah has long since moved on, starting a family with her new husband, Bob Miller, and changing careers. Her life is back to being exactly how she always wanted �� or is it?

After discovering Bob engaged in a one-night stand, Sarah wastes no time filing for divorce. However, amid their ugly separation, new DNA evidence is uncovered in the case against Adam, forcing the police to reopen the investigation and putting Sarah right back in the spotlight. Everyone wants to know what really happened, most of all former deputy Marcus Hudson, who is hell-bent on finding the truth.

But when the woman Bob slept with is reported missing, he and Sarah start to fight dirty, and a high-stakes game of cat and mouse ensues. Filled with page-turning suspense and Jeneva Rose’s signature twists and turns, this book will have readers wondering: Can Bob and Sarah achieve the perfect divorce? Or will it be “’til death do us part��?]]> 288 Jeneva Rose Dennis 4 4.16 2025
author: Jeneva Rose
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/05
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: 2025, domestic-thriller, psychological-thriller
review:

]]> 214537763 "The missing boy is 10-year-old Alfie Risby, and to be perfectly honest with you, he's a little shit."

Florence Grimes, age thirty-one, always takes the easy way out. Single, broke and unfulfilled after the humiliating end to her girl-band career, she has only one reason to get out of bed each day: her ten-year-old son Dylan. But then Alfie Risby, her son’s bully and the heir to a vast frozen-food empire, mysteriously vanishes during a class trip, and Dylan becomes the prime suspect.

Florence, for once, is faced with a task she can’t quit: She’s got to find Alfie and clear her son’s name or risk losing Dylan forever—never mind that she has no useful skills (let alone investigative ones) and that all the other school moms hate her. Oh, and she has a reason to suspect Dylan might not be as innocent as she’d like to believe.]]> 384 Sarah Harman 0593851463 Dennis 5
Florence is a former girl band star, who is now broke and an unconventional single mom. Florence is raising her bright, possibly neurodivergent son, Dylan, and trying to not live way too above her means to do so. She navigates life with equal parts chaos and charm. When Dylan becomes linked to the disappearance of Alfie Risby, Florence, alongside her pragmatic and voice-of-reason friend Jenny, embarks on her own investigation. Despite her impulsive nature and questionable decision-making, Florence’s fierce love for her son keeps you rooting for her every step of the way.

With fast pacing, sharp dialogue, and a fresh take on the detective genre, this novel is impossible to put down. The story blends mystery and comedy seamlessly, which immediately had me thinking of Finlay Donovan is Killing It meets Bad Moms. Florence’s antics—balancing motherhood, mystery-solving, and a dream of reclaiming her former stardom—make for an unforgettable ride. Florence was the perfect gay icon and TBH I'd love to be her best friend! This book is hands-down a five-star read and will be in my top reads of 2025. I navigated the book by reading the physical and also listening to the audiobook via @prhaudio and I can honestly recommend both journeys since I loved both avenues! I really have hope that this won't be the last we will see of Florence Grimes.

]]> 3.57 2025
author: Sarah Harman
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/04
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: 2025, comedy, light-mystery, light-thriller
review:
I knew nothing about Sarah Harman's debut novel, ALL THE OTHER MOTHERS HATE ME, besides that the cover gave camp and the synopsis seemed like it would be a fun journey. I am happy to say that this book DELIVERED and then some! This book is witty and campy, with a touch of humor all infused into this original light mystery/thriller novel.

Florence is a former girl band star, who is now broke and an unconventional single mom. Florence is raising her bright, possibly neurodivergent son, Dylan, and trying to not live way too above her means to do so. She navigates life with equal parts chaos and charm. When Dylan becomes linked to the disappearance of Alfie Risby, Florence, alongside her pragmatic and voice-of-reason friend Jenny, embarks on her own investigation. Despite her impulsive nature and questionable decision-making, Florence’s fierce love for her son keeps you rooting for her every step of the way.

With fast pacing, sharp dialogue, and a fresh take on the detective genre, this novel is impossible to put down. The story blends mystery and comedy seamlessly, which immediately had me thinking of Finlay Donovan is Killing It meets Bad Moms. Florence’s antics—balancing motherhood, mystery-solving, and a dream of reclaiming her former stardom—make for an unforgettable ride. Florence was the perfect gay icon and TBH I'd love to be her best friend! This book is hands-down a five-star read and will be in my top reads of 2025. I navigated the book by reading the physical and also listening to the audiobook via @prhaudio and I can honestly recommend both journeys since I loved both avenues! I really have hope that this won't be the last we will see of Florence Grimes.


]]> 203579211
During a grocery run to her local shopping center, Shell Pine sees a ‘HELP NEEDED�� sign in a flower shop window. She’s just left her fiancé, lost her job, and moved home to her parents�� house. She has to make a change and bring some good into her life, so she goes inside and takes a chance. Shell realizes right away that flowers are just the good thing she's been looking for, as is Neve, the beautiful florist who wrote the sign asking for help. The thing is, Neve needs help more than Shell could possibly imagine.

An orchid growing out of sight in the heart of the mall is watching them closely. His name is Baby, and the beautiful florist belongs to him. He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’ll do just about anything to make sure he can keep growing big and strong. Nothing he eats �� nobody he eats �� can satisfy him, except the thing he most desires. Neve. He adores her and wants to consume her, and will stop at nothing to eat the one he loves.

This is a story about possession, and monstrosity, and working retail. It is about hunger and desire, and other terrible things that grow.]]> 288 Sarah Maria Griffin 1250910692 Dennis 4
I have a weird obsession with venus fly-traps and carnivorous plants in general, so as soon as I saw Sara Maria Griffin's upcoming novel, EAT THE ONES WE LOVE, I knew that I didn't care what it was about—I was going to read it!

EAT THE ONES WE LOVE is a dark, twisted tale of workplace romance, possession, and a sentient, carnivorous orchid named Baby. When Shell Pine, newly single and unemployed, takes a job at a struggling mall flower shop, she’s drawn to Neve, the enigmatic florist who hired her. But Neve isn’t just running a shop—she’s trapped in a terrifying bond with Baby, who watches, hungers, and will do anything to consume the one it loves.

Blending Little Shop of Horrors with millennial ennui, the story is a queer retelling that also dives into many different social aspects that anyone my age can relate to, for example, one aspect it captures is the slow decay of dying malls and the desperation of the job market for young professionals. While the premise is compelling, the pacing feels uneven, with a slow build-up that suddenly wraps up too quickly. The shifting POVs between Shell and Baby sometimes blur the narrative voice, but the eerie atmosphere and well-developed characters make this a fun, unsettling read for those who enjoy a light horror with a darkly comedic edge.]]> 3.83 2025
author: Sarah Maria Griffin
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/04
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: 2025, horror, lgbt, queer, slow-burn, fantasy
review:
3.5 stars

I have a weird obsession with venus fly-traps and carnivorous plants in general, so as soon as I saw Sara Maria Griffin's upcoming novel, EAT THE ONES WE LOVE, I knew that I didn't care what it was about—I was going to read it!

EAT THE ONES WE LOVE is a dark, twisted tale of workplace romance, possession, and a sentient, carnivorous orchid named Baby. When Shell Pine, newly single and unemployed, takes a job at a struggling mall flower shop, she’s drawn to Neve, the enigmatic florist who hired her. But Neve isn’t just running a shop—she’s trapped in a terrifying bond with Baby, who watches, hungers, and will do anything to consume the one it loves.

Blending Little Shop of Horrors with millennial ennui, the story is a queer retelling that also dives into many different social aspects that anyone my age can relate to, for example, one aspect it captures is the slow decay of dying malls and the desperation of the job market for young professionals. While the premise is compelling, the pacing feels uneven, with a slow build-up that suddenly wraps up too quickly. The shifting POVs between Shell and Baby sometimes blur the narrative voice, but the eerie atmosphere and well-developed characters make this a fun, unsettling read for those who enjoy a light horror with a darkly comedic edge.
]]> 216522696 The Death of Us is the story of a marriage turned inside out by a violent encounter that sets fire to the hairline faults that were there from the start.

Late on a summer’s evening when they are thirty years old, husband and wife Edward and Isabel’s home is invaded by a serial killer. Theirs was a classic story of young love that moves into true partnership—but their solid foundation implodes in the wake of this violence.

At fifty-eight, they are reunited for their tormentor’s trial and forced to confront their lifelong love the secrets, passions, and encounter that bind them still. Isabel has waited years for the man who nearly ended her life to be caught. As she’s tracked news of his increasingly violent criminal life, she’s connected with other survivors and prepared for the moment that she’d get to read her victim impact statement aloud in court. She is sure she’ll speak her truth and finally let the past go. Edward has spent the years since the break-in—and the breakdown of his marriage—trying to figure out how a near-miss with death killed so much else in their shared life. Unlike Isabel, he’s not eager to relive these terrible memories. Even though he’s moved on—he’s remarried, his old life almost unrecognizable ​to him now—he can’t resist accompanying Isabel to their intruder’s sentencing. What would revenge or justice feel like? Can closure set Isabel free? And what might that freedom mean for Edward?]]> 336 Abigail Dean 0593831136 Dennis 3 2025, dark 4.13 2025
author: Abigail Dean
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/03
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves: 2025, dark
review:

]]> 216684512 Drawing on the creatures and horrors of Irish folklore, The Burial Tide unearths our darkest how far we’d go to win our freedom, and how quickly our desires blur the line between human and monster.

A woman who can’t remember her death.
On an eerily quiet island off the coast of Ireland, a woman with no memory claws her way out of her grave and back to life. But not everyone welcomes the return of Mara Fitch.

An island with a terrible secret.
Inishbannock. Where strange misshapen figures watch from the trees and the roads are covered in teeth. Where two brothers gamble for nothing, the doctor only treats the dead, and the pub owner speaks in riddles. Where a poet loses and finds his soul. And a husband without a wife claims to know everything about Mara.

A past that refuses to stay buried.
As Mara returns to her life on this upside-down island, her memories begin to leech their way back to the surface. The more she remembers, the more the village will do anything to stop her . . .

But the sea remembers it all.]]> 384 Neil Sharpson 1638932026 Dennis 0 to-read 4.64
author: Neil Sharpson
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388303 Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder it's murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be a bit of an outsider in the department �� an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits �� but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs.

So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won’t be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what’s trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi.

This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up—certainly not by falling in love with his number one suspect…]]> 320 Erin Dunn 1250397359 Dennis 0 to-read 4.06 2025
author: Erin Dunn
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219520689 An actress desperate to reclaim her fame must survive the real-life plot of the horror movie that made her famous in this psychologically twisted locked-room thriller influenced by '90s slasher films.

Twenty years ago, Ella Winters was the it girl. She made a name for herself in Hollywood and throughout America as the final survivor in the cult-classic slasher Grad Night. But the real horror is what happened when the cameras weren’t rolling—something terrible that Ella and her co-stars agreed never to speak of again. Shortly after the movie's premiere, Ella disappeared from the acting scene under the pretense of caring for her ailing mother, hoping for a quiet life out of the spotlight to ease her guilty mind.

Now, after her mother’s passing, Ella has decided to return to the silver screen. And with the cast and crew of Grad Night in the process of filming a reunion documentary, Ella has the perfect ticket back into Hollywood's good graces. Weighed down by the secret she’s been keeping all these years, Ella apprehensively makes the trip to the original set—a cabin in rural Tennessee—to reunite with her castmates for the first time in over a decade. But when the actors begin to meet the exact gruesome fates of the characters they originally played, falling victim to someone dressed as the Grad Night villain, it's clear their secret is out.

Now, the question Can the final girl survive one last nightmare?]]> 320 Miranda Smith 0593983165 Dennis 0 to-read 3.70
author: Miranda Smith
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.70
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376614 WITH OVER 1.5 MILLION COPIES SOLD . . .

Chevy Stevens has garnered acclaim from literary giants,
including Stephen King who called THOSE GIRLS “incredibly scary and suspenseful�� and Gillian Flynn who called STILL MISSING “utterly absorbing.��

With THE HITCHHIKERS, she forges new ground with a novel that will both terrify you and break your heart.

On the remote Canadian highways in 1976, Tom and Alice set out to heal their fractured marriage.
An RV, a new beginning, and the hope of recovery after a devastating tragedy.
Then they meet two young hitchhikers,
Ocean and Blue—a seemingly innocent couple who aren’t who they seem. . . .
They are Jenny and Simon.
And they have left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.
Now Tom and Alice are trapped—prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn.
But as the tension builds and the lines blur,
the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie?

A chilling, twist-laden ride to the final page—THE HITCHHIKERS is a master class in suspense and shock.]]> 384 Chevy Stevens 1250133653 Dennis 0 to-read 4.00 2025
author: Chevy Stevens
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217387838 The latest gripping serial killer thriller from the New York Times bestselling author Alex North.

Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?

With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.]]> 320 Alex North 1250757894 Dennis 5 2025, dark, mystery, thriller
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE is a back to basics for North, leading us on a cat and mouse game between a man looking for answers and a serial killer. Dan Garvie barely escaped a notorious serial killer as a child, leaving him haunted ever since. Now a criminal profiler, he has dedicated his life to seeking justice for victims. When his father dies under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home, fearing the monster from his past may have returned. This emotional and terrifying tale explores fathers and sons, buried secrets, and the struggle to escape the past.

This book was dark, haunting, and a thriller journey from start to finish. I couldn't put it down, and in fact, had to double check the locks on my door last night because this book got me scared out of my wits! Alex North is back in action with THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE and I can't wait for readers to dive into this entirely f'd up scary journey. You will be left guessing until the very end!

AUTHOR RANKINGS
- The Whisper Man (still the GOAT)
- The Man Made of Smoke
- The Shadows
- The Angel Maker]]> 4.23 2025
author: Alex North
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/26
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: 2025, dark, mystery, thriller
review:
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE is the best book Alex North has written since THE WHISPER MAN! I said what I said! I became enamored by Alex North's writing since his thriller debut, The Whisper Man, but have had some mixed opinions about his second and third releases. That being said, North is an auto-read author for me, so I will always dive into what he's writing and I am so glad that I prioritized THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE!

THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE is a back to basics for North, leading us on a cat and mouse game between a man looking for answers and a serial killer. Dan Garvie barely escaped a notorious serial killer as a child, leaving him haunted ever since. Now a criminal profiler, he has dedicated his life to seeking justice for victims. When his father dies under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home, fearing the monster from his past may have returned. This emotional and terrifying tale explores fathers and sons, buried secrets, and the struggle to escape the past.

This book was dark, haunting, and a thriller journey from start to finish. I couldn't put it down, and in fact, had to double check the locks on my door last night because this book got me scared out of my wits! Alex North is back in action with THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE and I can't wait for readers to dive into this entirely f'd up scary journey. You will be left guessing until the very end!

AUTHOR RANKINGS
- The Whisper Man (still the GOAT)
- The Man Made of Smoke
- The Shadows
- The Angel Maker
]]> 212431583 A haunting novel about the boundaries people will cross to keep their dreams alive.

A mysterious stranger shows up at Riccardo’s apartment with some news: his grandmother Perihan has died, and Riccardo has inherited her villa in Milan along with her famed butterfly collection.

The struggling writer is out of options. He’s hoping the change of scenery in Milan will inspire him, and maybe there will be some money to keep him afloat. But Perihan’s house isn’t as opulent as he remembers. The butterflies pinned in their glass cases seem more ominous than artful. Perihan’s group of mysterious old friends is constantly lurking. And there’s something wrong in the greenhouse.

As Riccardo explores the decrepit estate, he stumbles upon Perihan’s diary, which might hold the key to her mysterious death. Or at least give him the inspiration he needs to finish his manuscript.

But he might not survive long enough to write it.

]]> 320 Yiğit Turhan 0778368270 Dennis 4 2025, horror, slow-burn
When Riccardo, a struggling writer on the brink of eviction, learns that his grandmother Perihan has died and left him her villa in Milan—along with her famed butterfly collection—he leaves without hesitation, hoping for a fresh start. However, the once-lavish estate has decayed, the butterflies seem eerie rather than beautiful, and Perihan’s old friends linger with unsettling presence. As Riccardo uncovers her diary and the secrets hidden within the house, he finds himself entangled in a haunting mystery that may either inspire his next novel—or cost him his life.

THEIR MONSTROUS HEARTS is one of the most unique books I’ve read, blending genre, narration, and plot into a gothic story that builds toward an excellent twist. While the slow burn is INTENSSEEEEEE, the rich Turkish cultural elements, haunting butterfly imagery, and exploration of true monstrosity (ba dum tss!) make the journey worthwhile. The audiobook kept me engaged (not sure if I would've been able to power through the physical copy), and if you enjoy horror with a powerful, unexpected twist, this is a must-read!

]]> 3.44 2025
author: Yiğit Turhan
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: 2025, horror, slow-burn
review:
Yiğit Turhan's horror novel, THEIR MONSTROUS HEARTS, has been on my TBR for months, so I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read this one early! This book dives into family, grief, and trauma while infusing horror throughout.

When Riccardo, a struggling writer on the brink of eviction, learns that his grandmother Perihan has died and left him her villa in Milan—along with her famed butterfly collection—he leaves without hesitation, hoping for a fresh start. However, the once-lavish estate has decayed, the butterflies seem eerie rather than beautiful, and Perihan’s old friends linger with unsettling presence. As Riccardo uncovers her diary and the secrets hidden within the house, he finds himself entangled in a haunting mystery that may either inspire his next novel—or cost him his life.

THEIR MONSTROUS HEARTS is one of the most unique books I’ve read, blending genre, narration, and plot into a gothic story that builds toward an excellent twist. While the slow burn is INTENSSEEEEEE, the rich Turkish cultural elements, haunting butterfly imagery, and exploration of true monstrosity (ba dum tss!) make the journey worthwhile. The audiobook kept me engaged (not sure if I would've been able to power through the physical copy), and if you enjoy horror with a powerful, unexpected twist, this is a must-read!


]]> 217387837 Set in the unforgiving maw of the Rocky Mountains, Nowhere Burning is the latest harrowing novel from bestselling author Catriona Ward, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and the hit series Yellowjackets.

A refuge for lost children may also be their prison.

In the middle of the night, Riley pulls her younger brother Oliver out of bed, and the two run away from home. Riley is intent on joining a group of teenagers squatting in the abandoned ruins of an infamous movie star’s ranch, Nowhere. For actor Leaf Winham, Nowhere was a place to hide from his fame, and to hide his crimes―until a fire ravaged his home and exposed him as a murderer.

It is rumored that the ranch nestled in the peaks of the Rocky Mountains is now home to group of feral children, a place where adults cannot enter, and Riley hopes to find a new family there. But the Nowhere Kids are fierce in defending their turf and their clan, and Riley quickly realizes that while she and Oliver may have left the devil they knew, this group is a new type of diabolical.

For something dark lives in the burned shell of Nowhere, something which asks a terrible price for sanctuary...]]> 304 Catriona Ward 1250860059 Dennis 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: Catriona Ward
name: Dennis
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214195323 Mare of Easttown meets The Outsider in this spine-tingling and twisty debut about a series of disappearances in a small, fundamentalist town and what one broken family must do to remain together as dark forces close in.

After losing her young son in an accident, Rachel Kennan throws herself into her career as police chief of a small Virginia town to avoid focusing on her grief. Meanwhile, her husband, Finn, a washed-up writer whose alcoholism led to the devastating tragedy that changed everything, struggles to redeem himself before his family completely falls apart. Their two daughters are the only things keeping Rachel and Finn together, but the girls have demons of their own.

At the same time, a disturbing crime rocks their tightknit, religious community, sending Rachel chasing leads in a place that does not take kindly to outsiders. When an ominous force in the forest starts calling to the children, fear spawns hate among the townspeople, placing the Kennan family directly in the line of fire. Left with no choice but to rely on each other, Rachel and Finn must come together to face threats inside and out.

A haunting family saga and a disquieting horror debut, Nowhere draws from Appalachian folklore to caution us that true terror is what we bury in our own hearts.]]> 304 Allison Gunn 1668046679 Dennis 0 dnf 3.65 2025
author: Allison Gunn
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> 222291255 WISH YOU WERE HERE? THINK AGAIN��

High on the wave-pounded cliffs, far from the bustling souks of Marrakech, sits The Surf House.

A hidden gem on Morocco’s shores, the house is a sanctuary for the surfers, travellers and dreamers who wash in.

But the idyll is built on something rotten.

And when Bea arrives, relieved to find refuge after a dangerous encounter in a Marrakech alleyway, she soon gets caught in the swell of a deep, dark mystery.

Because another young woman went missing one year ago �� and the last place she was sighted was The Surf House.]]> Lucy Clarke 0802166458 Dennis 0 to-read 3.94
author: Lucy Clarke
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220595449
When We Love You, Bunny opens, Sam has just published her first novel to critical acclaim. But at a New England stop on her book tour, her one-time frenemies, furious at the way they’ve been portrayed, kidnap her. Now a captive audience, it’s her (and our) turn to hear the Bunnies�� side of the story. One by one, they take turns holding the axe, and recount the birth throes of their unholy alliance, their discovery of their unusual creative powers—and the phantasmagoric adventure of conjuring their first creation. With a bound and gagged Sam, we embark on a wickedly intoxicating journey into the heart of dark academia: a fairy tale slasher that explores the wonder and horror of creation itself. Not to mention the transformative powers of love and friendship, Bunny.

Frankenstein by way of Heathers, We Love You, Bunny is both a prequel and a sequel, and an unabashedly wild and totally complete stand-alone novel. Open your hearts, Bunny, to another dazzlingly original and darkly hilarious romp in the Bunny-verse from the queen of the fever-dream, Mona Awad.]]> 496 Mona Awad 166805986X Dennis 0 to-read 4.34 2025
author: Mona Awad
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221731828 From T. Marie Vandelly, author of the acclaimed horror novel Theme Music , An Evil Premise is a mind-bending, thrilling meta-novel about possession, insanity, and the lengths a writer will go to find inspiration.

When a bizarre accident leaves her sister, bestselling author Deidre Baldwin, in a coma and suffering from a grotesque skin malady, Jewel rushes to her bedside. Though the sisters are not close, she is determined to do what she can for Deidre. Staying at her sister’s apartment, Jewel stumbles upon an unfinished manuscript, the one that Deidre was rushing to complete for her publisher. When Deidre’s literary agent calls in a panic, Jewel—a self-published writer herself, desperate for a break—suggests she can finish it by the deadline.

But the story is unsettling. It begins with a writer looking for inspiration, who finds an unclaimed manuscript. But said manuscript is just a series of protagonists who feel compelled to act out their heinous contributions to the grisly plot.

Jewel is determined not to be scared off, but the novel hits a little close to home. She tries to tell herself she’s being paranoid, but swears she can hear someone typing when she’s not at the desk, and somehow the word count of the novel keeps going up. Her skin begins to itch.

Terrified of losing her sanity, but equally terrified of losing her one shot at success, Jewel tries to find a story somewhere in the carnage, even as her rash becomes worse and she starts to have not so neighborly thoughts about her neighbors. Is this what happened to Deidre? Did the manuscript drive her mad? Infect her somehow? Jewel finds herself hoping her sister never wakes up. And fearing what will happen if Deidre does …]]> 350 T. Marie Vandelly Dennis 0 to-read 4.38
author: T. Marie Vandelly
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215362444 336 Katy Hays 0593875559 Dennis 4 2025, family-drama, slow-burn
In 1992, Sarah Lingate was found dead beneath the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Though many suspected the powerful Lingate family was involved, her death was ruled an accident, and every year they return to the island to maintain their story. But on the 30th anniversary of Sarah's death, they arrive at their villa to find a surprise—Sarah’s missing necklace from the night she died. Desperate to escape her family's suffocating grip, Helen enlists the help of Lorna Moreno, a family employee. Then, Lorna vanishes, forcing Helen to confront long-buried secrets.

This novel masterfully blends family drama with a tense, suspenseful thriller set against the breathtakingly haunting vibes of Capri. The Lingates are an insanely juicy family to dive into—entitled, manipulative, and very unreliable. The writing immerses you in the island’s beauty and danger, using setting to heighten the mystery. As secrets unravel, the novel becomes a gripping game of cat and mouse, leaving you questioning everything. This book is slow moving, but the character-driven arc really kept me engaged throughout. I recently read and enjoyed Trisha Sakhlecha's The Inheritance, and if you enjoy family sagas, you definitely will enjoy SALTWATER!]]> 3.62 2025
author: Katy Hays
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: 2025, family-drama, slow-burn
review:
I have been waiting to read Katy Hays' sophomoric novel, SALTWATER, ever since I've seen the cover! I didn't read The Cloisters, but this one definitely sounds more my speed. SALTWATER is a family saga infused into the vibe of White Lotus. This book is atmospheric and filled with juicy family drama!

In 1992, Sarah Lingate was found dead beneath the cliffs of Capri, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter, Helen. Though many suspected the powerful Lingate family was involved, her death was ruled an accident, and every year they return to the island to maintain their story. But on the 30th anniversary of Sarah's death, they arrive at their villa to find a surprise—Sarah’s missing necklace from the night she died. Desperate to escape her family's suffocating grip, Helen enlists the help of Lorna Moreno, a family employee. Then, Lorna vanishes, forcing Helen to confront long-buried secrets.

This novel masterfully blends family drama with a tense, suspenseful thriller set against the breathtakingly haunting vibes of Capri. The Lingates are an insanely juicy family to dive into—entitled, manipulative, and very unreliable. The writing immerses you in the island’s beauty and danger, using setting to heighten the mystery. As secrets unravel, the novel becomes a gripping game of cat and mouse, leaving you questioning everything. This book is slow moving, but the character-driven arc really kept me engaged throughout. I recently read and enjoyed Trisha Sakhlecha's The Inheritance, and if you enjoy family sagas, you definitely will enjoy SALTWATER!
]]> 208840739 We Were Liars meets The Raven Boys in this mind-bending YA debut about dark revenge, twisted desire, and the sinister secrets lurking behind the walls of an elite boarding school.

Seventeen-year-old Marin James has spent her entire life living in the shadow of the exclusive Huntsworth Academy. And when her cousin’s dead body is found in a creek on school property, Marin knows exactly who’s to blame: Adrian Hargraves and Henry Wu, the enigmatic yet dangerously alluring leaders of the school's social elite.

Swapping her ripped jeans for a crisp prep school skirt, Marin infiltrates Huntsworth to seek justice. But her quest is quickly muddied by a confusing attraction to her new life, and to the two dysfunctional and depraved boys who somehow understand her better than anyone ever has.

When Marin uncovers an otherworldly secret the boys are hiding within Huntsworth's ivied gates, the lines between right and wrong, love and hate, and nightmare and reality begin to crumble -- and nothing is as it seems.

Welcome to Huntsworth Academy.]]> 400 Jenni Howell 1250334594 Dennis 3
I was so excited to get an audio copy of Jenni Howell's BOYS WITH SHARP TEETH just from the cover alone. That being said, THIS BOOKS IS NOT LGBTQ+. I am not sure if the publisher is trying to push this narrative, but it's very disappointing to see that this book was not queer (the cover says otherwise). Marin James has always lived in the shadow of Huntsworth Academy. When her cousin’s body is found on campus, she’s convinced Adrian Hargraves and Henry Wu are to blame. Disguised as a student, she infiltrates the school seeking justice. But as she’s drawn to the boys and their secrets, the lines between truth and illusion begin to blur.

Marin uncovers a dark, otherworldly secret within Huntsworth’s gates, and reality begins to blur. To enjoy this book, you have to suspend disbelief—something I expect with YA, which is why I rarely read it. IYKYK. I won't go into too many details, but the ability for Marin getting into the Academy gave Legally Blonde ridiculousness. Despite these flaws, the writing was haunting and mysterious, creating an atmospheric and suspense-driven storyline. Though the ending had believability issues that were continued throughout the story, I still enjoyed it wrapping up the way it did. As mentioned above, I don't normally read YA, so I am unsure if I'd dive into this author's works again, but I think Jenni Howell would slay writing adult fiction!
]]> 3.39 2025
author: Jenni Howell
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: young-adult, 2025, slow-burn, suspense
review:
3.5 stars

I was so excited to get an audio copy of Jenni Howell's BOYS WITH SHARP TEETH just from the cover alone. That being said, THIS BOOKS IS NOT LGBTQ+. I am not sure if the publisher is trying to push this narrative, but it's very disappointing to see that this book was not queer (the cover says otherwise). Marin James has always lived in the shadow of Huntsworth Academy. When her cousin’s body is found on campus, she’s convinced Adrian Hargraves and Henry Wu are to blame. Disguised as a student, she infiltrates the school seeking justice. But as she’s drawn to the boys and their secrets, the lines between truth and illusion begin to blur.

Marin uncovers a dark, otherworldly secret within Huntsworth’s gates, and reality begins to blur. To enjoy this book, you have to suspend disbelief—something I expect with YA, which is why I rarely read it. IYKYK. I won't go into too many details, but the ability for Marin getting into the Academy gave Legally Blonde ridiculousness. Despite these flaws, the writing was haunting and mysterious, creating an atmospheric and suspense-driven storyline. Though the ending had believability issues that were continued throughout the story, I still enjoyed it wrapping up the way it did. As mentioned above, I don't normally read YA, so I am unsure if I'd dive into this author's works again, but I think Jenni Howell would slay writing adult fiction!

]]> 213618135 In the aftermath of a shocking breakup, a woman's desperate quest for answers ignites a psychological inferno that will consume her past, present, and future in this hair-raising debut from an exciting new voice in suspense . . .

She’s been ghosted. But she won’t be forgotten.

Claire is excited to drop off a surprise workday lunch for her fiancé, Noah. It’s their anniversary, after all. But when the receptionist tells her that no one with Noah's name works there, Claire thinks there must be a mistake.

Noah isn't picking up her calls. Her texts go unanswered. It turns out Noah has a different life . . . one with a beautiful girlfriend, a beautiful house. Claire was never really in the picture.

Desperate to unpack all of Noah’s lies, Claire plunges into a nightmarish journey of obsession that submerges her deeper into the murky waters of her own past—a past dominated by a manipulative mother who shattered her sense of self.

Will Claire break free from the ghosts that haunt her? Or will they become more costly than any of Noah's lies?]]> 288 Callie Kazumi 0593871634 Dennis 4
Listen, I do believe 2025 thrillers have gotten back to basics in a sense. This book is not really that original and the twist tends to be obvious early on. That being said, I had a total blast diving into Claire and Noah's world. This book is a perfect popcorn thriller for readers looking for something fun! I read CLAIRE, DARLING in two sittings because it is fast-paced and bonkers in all the right ways. Go in with zero expectations and you'll be pleasantly surprised.]]> 3.61 2025
author: Callie Kazumi
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: 2025, light-mystery, light-thriller, popcorn-thriller
review:
Callie Kazumi's debut novel, CLAIRE, DARLING has been on my TBR for a while now. Between the haunting cover and the synopsis, I knew this would be the perfect popcorn thriller, and I was not disappointed! The story is centered around Claire and her fiancé Noah. Claire surprises her fiancé, Noah, with lunch on their anniversary, but the receptionist says no one by that name works there. Soon, she discovers Noah has a secret life—complete with a gorgeous girlfriend and a perfect home. Consumed by obsession, Claire digs into his lies, only to confront the ghosts of her own past.

Listen, I do believe 2025 thrillers have gotten back to basics in a sense. This book is not really that original and the twist tends to be obvious early on. That being said, I had a total blast diving into Claire and Noah's world. This book is a perfect popcorn thriller for readers looking for something fun! I read CLAIRE, DARLING in two sittings because it is fast-paced and bonkers in all the right ways. Go in with zero expectations and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
]]> 222376601
Kinsey has the perfect job as the team lead in a remote research outpost. She loves the solitude, and the way the desert keeps her far away from the temptations teeming out in the civilian world.

When her crew discovers a mysterious specimen buried deep in the sand, Kinsey breaks quarantine and brings it into the hab. But the longer it's inside, the more her carefully controlled life begins to unravel. Temptation has found her after all, and it can't be ignored any longer.

One by one, Kinsey's team realizes the thing they're studying is in search of a new host—and one of them is the perfect candidate....]]> 208 Sarah Gailey 1250387337 Dennis 0 to-read 4.14 2025
author: Sarah Gailey
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220161567 Euphoria meets Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke in this latest novel by the Bram Stoker Award–winning author Hailey Piper, following a couple whose search to spice up their sex life leads them down a path of madness.

A kink-fixated couple, Carmen and Blanca, have been in a rut. That is until Blanca discovers the enigmatic Smoke in an under-street drug den, who holds pages to a strange play, The King in Yellow. Read too much, and you’ll fall into madness. But read just a little and pull back, and it gives you the adrenaline rush of survivor’s euphoria, leading Carmen to fall into a game of lust at a nightmare’s edge.

As the line blurs between the world Carmen knows and the one that she visits after reading from the play, she begins to desire more time in this other world no matter what horrors she brings back with her.

Bram Stoker Award–winning author Hailey Piper masterfully blends horror, erotica, and psychological thriller in this captivating and chilling story.]]> 288 Hailey Piper 1668077086 Dennis 0 to-read 3.73 2025
author: Hailey Piper
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222683893 Historical horror maven Alma Katsu turns her talents to the modern world for the first time, in this terrifying tale about an all-powerful family with an ancient evil under its thumb.

Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.

The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.

At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.]]> 256 Alma Katsu 0593714342 Dennis 0 to-read 3.97 2025
author: Alma Katsu
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 223120401 Murder disrupts the peaceful, predictable daily routine of life for four quirky librarians who must protect their life-altering secrets in the first contemporary mystery from USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas.

Sometimes a workplace isn’t just a workplace but a place of safety, understanding, and acceptance. And sometimes murder threatens the sanctity of that beloved refuge....

In the leafy suburbs of Austin, Texas, a small branch library welcomes the public every day of the week. But the patrons who love the helpful, unobtrusive staff and leave rave reviews on Yelp don’t always realize that their librarians are human, too.

Hazel flees halfway across the world for what she hopes will be a new beginning. Jonathan, a six-foot-four former college football player, has never fit in anywhere else. Astrid tries to forget her heartbreak by immersing herself in work, but the man who ghosted her six months ago is back, promising trouble. And Sophie, who has the most to lose, maintains a careful and respectful distance from her coworkers, but soon that won't be enough anymore.

When two patrons turn up dead after the library’s inaugural murder mystery–themed game night, the librarians�� quiet routines come crashing down. Something sinister has stirred, something that threatens every single one of them. And the only way the librarians can save the library—and themselves—is to let go of their secrets, trust one another, and band together....

All in a day’s work.]]> 368 Sherry Thomas 0593640454 Dennis 0 to-read 3.87 2025
author: Sherry Thomas
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 213395480 From the acclaimed author of Mrs. March comes the riveting tale of a bloodthirsty governess who learns the true meaning of vengeance.

Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess—she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family—Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. French tutoring and needlework are one way to pass the time, as is admiring the ugly portraits in the gallery . . . and creeping across the moonlit lawns. . . .

Patience. Winifred must have patience, for Christmas is coming, and she has very special gifts planned for the dear souls of Ensor House. Brimming with sardonic wit and culminating in a shocking conclusion, Victorian Psycho plunges readers into the chilling mind of an iconic new literary psychopath.]]> 208 Virginia Feito 1631498630 Dennis 3 2025, horror
This book offers a range of dark and gothic adjectives, from eerie and grotesque to bleak and darkly comedic. Its antiheroine, Winifred Notty, is a stone-cold murderous psychopath. As she takes on a governess role in the Pounds household, her unconventional teaching methods and sinister bedtime stories reveal her deeply disturbing nature, yet the people around her may be even worse. With a bold, sarcastic tone, you can't help but love Winifred! I originally DNFd this book via physical, so I bought an audiobook copy since the buzz for this book was really getting to me! That being said, the book took a while for me to get into and I saw myself waiting for it to pick up. The book is very short, so I was a bit disappointed for the story to get engaging. However, by the time we got to the end, I truly loved how the book was going and really enjoyed it! To say the ending is completely bonkers would be a severe understatement! I would love to see this story interpreted for film and dived into further.]]> 3.62 2025
author: Virginia Feito
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/19
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: 2025, horror
review:
3.5 stars

This book offers a range of dark and gothic adjectives, from eerie and grotesque to bleak and darkly comedic. Its antiheroine, Winifred Notty, is a stone-cold murderous psychopath. As she takes on a governess role in the Pounds household, her unconventional teaching methods and sinister bedtime stories reveal her deeply disturbing nature, yet the people around her may be even worse. With a bold, sarcastic tone, you can't help but love Winifred! I originally DNFd this book via physical, so I bought an audiobook copy since the buzz for this book was really getting to me! That being said, the book took a while for me to get into and I saw myself waiting for it to pick up. The book is very short, so I was a bit disappointed for the story to get engaging. However, by the time we got to the end, I truly loved how the book was going and really enjoyed it! To say the ending is completely bonkers would be a severe understatement! I would love to see this story interpreted for film and dived into further.
]]> 220160272 For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Nathan Hill comes a haymaker of an American novel about a missing teenage boy, cases of fluid and mistaken identity, and the transformative power of boxing.

Austin, It’s the summer of 1998, and there’s a new face on the scene at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym. Sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein has never felt comfortable in his own skin, but under the tutelage of a swaggering, Haitian-born ex-fighter named David Dalice, he begins to come into his own. Even the boy’s slightly-stoned uncle, Bob Alexander, who is supposed to be watching him for the summer, notices the change. Nathaniel is happier, more confident—tanner, even. Then one night he vanishes, leaving little trace behind.

Across the city, Charles Rex, now going simply by “X,�� has been undergoing a teenage transformation of his own, trolling the phone sex hotline that his mother works, seeking an outlet for everything that feels wrong about his body, looking for intimacy and acceptance in a culture that denies him both. As a surprising and unlikely romance blooms, X feels, for a moment, like he might have found the safety he’s been searching for. But it's never that simple.

More than a decade later, Nathaniel’s uncle Bob receives a shocking tip, propelling him to open his own investigation into his nephew’s disappearance. The resulting search involves gymgoers past and present, including a down-on-his-luck twin and his opportunistic brother; a rookie cop determined to prove herself; and Alexis Cepeda, a promising lightweight, who crossed the US-Mexico border when he was only fourteen, carrying with him a license bearing the wrong name and face.

Bobbing and weaving across the ever-shifting canvas of a changing country, The Slip is an audacious, daring look at sex and race in America that builds to an unforgettable collision in the center of the ring.]]> 496 Lucas Schaefer 1668030705 Dennis 0 to-read 4.11 2025
author: Lucas Schaefer
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214151565 A read-in-one-night suspense thriller narrated by a compulsive liar whose little white lies allow her to enter into the life and comfort of a wealthy married couple who are harboring much darker secrets themselves. For the millions of us still chasing those gone girls, this is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley, and Laura Dave.

Sloane Caraway is a liar.

Harmless lies, mostly, to make her self-proclaimed sad, little life a bit more interesting.

So when Sloane sees a young girl in tears at a park one afternoon, she can't help herself—she tells the girl's (very attractive) dad she's a nurse and helps him pull a bee stinger from the girl's foot.

With this lie, and chance encounter, Sloane becomes the nanny for the wealthy, and privileged Jay and Violet Lockhart. The perfect New York couple, with a brownstone, a daughter in private school, and summers on Block Island.

But maybe Sloane isn't the only one lying, and all that's picture-perfect harbors a much more dangerous truth. To say anything more is to spoil the most exciting, twisty, and bitingly smart suspense novel to come out in years.

The thing about lies is that they add up, form their own truth and a twisted prison of a world. And in Count My Lies, Sophie Stava spins a breakneck, unputdownable thriller about the secrets we keep, and the terrifying dangers that lurk just under the images we spend so much time trying to maintain.

Careful what you lie for.]]> 336 Sophie Stava 1668079348 Dennis 2 3.73 2025
author: Sophie Stava
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/18
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves:
review:
Very disappointed to see this twist being a trope that was already done before and then already taken by another author and done again. I’m giving it 2/5 because it was excellent before the reveal.
]]> 214152415 This riveting psychological thriller from master of twists Steve Cavanagh, author of the ��unguessable and unputdownable�� (Alex Michaelides, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Kill For Me, Kill for You, What if the witness was more twisted than the killer?

Something is wrong with Ruby Johnson.

A former resident of the ultra-elite Manhattan upper class, Ruby now works as a maid in the type of houses she used to live in. Unassuming, she sees everyone’s dirty secrets from the inside of their beautiful, renovated brownstones. But when Ruby witnesses a murder, she has wicked plans in mind that don’t involve telling the authorities the truth.

Eddie Flynn, streetwise ex con-artist-turned-defense attorney, is the only lawyer in New York City willing to take on hopeless cases. And none is more hopeless than John Jackson’s—the gun that killed his neighbor found, with Jackson’s DNA, in his own home. Flynn and his unconventional team will need to use every trick they know to keep an innocent man from being locked up. But to save his client’s life, Eddie must first protect his own, as the scariest organized criminals in the city are out for his head.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Megan Miranda, Witness 8 is a fresh knockout page-turner from an author who is “the real deal�� (Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author).]]> 416 Steve Cavanagh 1668049376 Dennis 3 4.12 2024
author: Steve Cavanagh
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: crime-fiction, light-thriller, police-procedural
review:

]]> 213243937 An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered in this twisty locked room mystery.

When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance—particularly since she has an ax to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection, and mayhem.

Confess the crimes, survive the tropes.

Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two—the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead—and it’s not the murder she planned—Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether.

One by one, you’ll lose your turn.

With a storm cutting off the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book.

Until only one of us remains��]]> 371 Ande Pliego 059387157X Dennis 3
I really ended up enjoying the book a lot, but it’s very much a retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. That being said, it was an overall fun journey. The book takes a looooong time to warm up—I think around the halfway mark things started to get interesting. I broke my ��50 pages or DNF�� rule, and after finishing it I could’ve went either way. This book is definitely a combination of Agatha Christie’s famous novel, Clue, and Knives Out, but I did expect more. That being said, this is a favorable (yet critical) review! I would definitely read more from this author in the future.]]> 3.58 2025
author: Ande Pliego
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/14
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves: 2025, light-mystery, light-thriller, slow-burn
review:
Ande Pliego’s debut novel, YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, has been on my TBR for monthsssssssssss, so I was ecstatic to finally read it! The story involves a group of successful mystery/thriller writers being invited to JR Alastor’s private island for a celebratory getaway. Alastor is the biggest name in the industry, but has eluded public scrutiny by keeping his identity a secret. The 6 writers joining the celebration are excited to discover who this celebrity is! When the authors arrive, they are greeted by Alastor’s event coordinator, Mila, but there’s no sign of Alastor himself. He and Mila have set a series of games during the guests�� stay, but when one of the authors winds up dead, everything quickly changes for the worst. As the body count continues to grow, everyone must try to join together to figure out what is happening. However, these invited guests are all hiding a secret of their own��

I really ended up enjoying the book a lot, but it’s very much a retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. That being said, it was an overall fun journey. The book takes a looooong time to warm up—I think around the halfway mark things started to get interesting. I broke my ��50 pages or DNF�� rule, and after finishing it I could’ve went either way. This book is definitely a combination of Agatha Christie’s famous novel, Clue, and Knives Out, but I did expect more. That being said, this is a favorable (yet critical) review! I would definitely read more from this author in the future.
]]> 211004089
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty of life here, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; nine-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back toward the past, and the loss that drove the family to Shearwater in the first place.

Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection, and they finally begin to feel like a family again. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting her heart, begins to fall for the Salts, too. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, the characters must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.]]> 303 Charlotte McConaghy 1250827957 Dennis 4
With an atmospheric island setting, this book weaves a deeply emotional story of grief, survival, and trust. Told from multiple perspectives, the writing is immersive, rich with environmental detail, and narrated wonderfully in the audiobook. The mix of mystery, survival, and romance made it unforgettable. It is a very slow burning mystery, but I never lost interest. It just took me a lot longer to finish than expected. I alternated between the physical and audio of this book and I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook! This was my first Charlotte McConaghy book, but it won’t be my last.]]> 4.27 2025
author: Charlotte McConaghy
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: literary-fiction, mystery, character-driven
review:
WILD DARK SHORE is my first venture into Charlotte McConaghy's writing, but after seeing @emilybookedup rave about this book, I knew that I needed to jump in and give it a try. We SOMETIMES agree and I wanted to see what the buzz is about. WILD DARK SHORE dives into a world that is rapidly changing. On a sinking island near Antarctica, Dominic Salt and his kids are packing up the last of the world’s rarest seeds. Then, in the middle of a violent storm, they find Rowan—half-drowned, full of secrets. As they take her in, old wounds start to heal, but trust is fragile. And when Rowan uncovers what Dominic is hiding, survival takes on a whole new meaning.

With an atmospheric island setting, this book weaves a deeply emotional story of grief, survival, and trust. Told from multiple perspectives, the writing is immersive, rich with environmental detail, and narrated wonderfully in the audiobook. The mix of mystery, survival, and romance made it unforgettable. It is a very slow burning mystery, but I never lost interest. It just took me a lot longer to finish than expected. I alternated between the physical and audio of this book and I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook! This was my first Charlotte McConaghy book, but it won’t be my last.
]]> 224103430 The new novel from the bestselling author of If We Were Villains and Graveyard Shift—a vivid and immersive tale of one woman’s reckless mission to make sense of the events that shattered her childhood, and made her who she is

Summer, 1989: ten-year-old Suzanne is drawn like a magnet to her father’s forbidden world of electric guitars and tricked-out cars. When her mother remarries, she jumps at the chance to tag along on the concert tour that just might be Gil and the Kills�� wild ride to glory. But fame has sharper fangs than anybody realized, and as the band blazes up the charts, internal power struggles set Gil and his group on a collision course destined for a bloody reckoning—one shrouded in mystery and lore for decades to come.

The only witness to a desperate act of violence, Suzanne spends the next twenty-nine years trying to disappear. She trades the music and mayhem of her youth for the quiet of the suburbs and the company of her mild-mannered husband Rob. But when her father’s sudden death resurrects the troubled past she tried so hard to bury, she leaves it all behind and hits the road in search of answers. Hitching her fate and Gil’s beloved car to two vagabonds who call an old Airstream trailer home, she finds everything she thought she’d lost desire, adventure, and the woman she once wanted to be. But Rob refuses to let her go. Determined to bring her back where she belongs, he chases her across the country—and drives her to a desperation all her own.

Drenched in knock-down drag-out rock and roll, Hot Wax is a raucous, breakneck ride to hell and back—where getting lost might be the only way to find yourself and save your soul.]]> 400 M.L. Rio 1668070022 Dennis 0 to-read 4.13 2025
author: M.L. Rio
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221502398 When a demonic presence awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine, the young woman it seizes must turn to the one man she shouldn’t trust�� from bestselling author Isabel Cañas.

In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.

Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them�� and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood grows stronger.]]> 384 Isabel Cañas 0593641078 Dennis 0 to-read 4.71 2025
author: Isabel Cañas
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217387937 A pulse-pounding new Southern thriller from the author of the runaway bestseller A Flicker in the Dark.

Twenty-two years ago, Claire Campbell’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared shortly after her eighteenth birthday. Days later, her blood was found in a car, a man was arrested, and the case was swiftly closed. In the decades since, Claire has attempted to forget her traumatic past by moving to the city and climbing the ranks as an investigative journalist... until an unexpected call from her father forces her to come back home and face it all anew.

With the entire summer now looming ahead—a summer spent with nothing to do in her childhood home, with her estranged mother—Claire decides on a whim to accept a seasonal job at Galloway Farm, a muscadine vineyard in coastal South Carolina less than an hour away from where she grew up. At first glance, Galloway is an idyllic escape for Claire. A scenic retreat full of slow-paced nostalgia, as well as a place where her sister seemed truly happy in that last summer before she vanished, it feels like the perfect plan to pass the time. However, as soon as Claire starts to settle in, she stumbles across an old diary written by one of the vineyard's owners, and what at first seems like a story of young rebellion and love turns into something much more sinister as it begins to describe details of various unsolved crimes. As the days stretch on, Claire finds herself becoming more and more secluded as she starts to obsess over the diary's contents�� as well as the lingering feeling that her own sister's disappearance may be somehow tied to it all.

Galloway was supposed to be a place to help her move forward, but instead, Claire quickly finds herself immersed in her own dark and dangerous past.]]> 336 Stacy Willingham 1250887976 Dennis 0 to-read 4.21 2025
author: Stacy Willingham
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216351768
If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words��Let Them—will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands—and this book will show you exactly how to do it.

In her latest groundbreaking book, The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins��New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's most respected experts on motivation, confidence, and mindset—teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life.

Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions and how you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact. Within a few pages, you'll realize how much energy and time you've been wasting trying to control the wrong things—at work, in relationships, and in pursuing your goals—and how this is keeping you from the happiness and success you deserve.

Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way.

Learn how

Stop wasting energy on things you can't control Stop comparing yourself to other peopleBreak free from fear and self-doubtRelease the grip of people's expectationsBuild the best friendships of your lifeCreate the love you deservePursue what truly matters to you with confidenceBuild resilience against everyday stressors and distractionsDefine your own path to success, joy, and fulfillment. . . and so much more.

The Let Them Theory will forever change the way you think about relationships, control, and personal power. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential.

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory now and discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words.]]> 311 Mel Robbins 1401971377 Dennis 0 4.17 2024
author: Mel Robbins
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 222377146 Horror Movie meets the scope and emotion of Stephen King in this heart-pounding, magnetic tour de force about a woman pulled into a cult horror film that is determined to have a sequel, by critically acclaimed author Michael Wehunt.

Ten years ago, Jorie Stroud was the rising star of the October Film Haunt �� a trio of horror enthusiasts who camped out at the filming locations of their favorite scary movies, sharing their love through their popular blog. But after a night in the graveyard from Proof of Demons �� perhaps the most chilling cult film ever made, directed by the enigmatic Hélène Enriquez �� everything unraveled.

Now, Jorie has built an isolated life with her young son in Vermont. In the devastating wake of her viral, truth-stretching Proof of Demons blog entry �� hysteria, internet backlash, and the death of a young woman �� Jorie has put it all, along with her intense love for the horror genre, behind her.

Until a videotape arrives in the mail. Jorie fears someone might be filming her. And the “Rickies�� �� Enriquez obsessives who would do anything for the reclusive director �� begin to cross lines in shocking ways. It seems Hélène Enriquez is making a new kind of sequel…and Jorie is her final girl.

As the dangers grow even more unexpected and strange, Jorie must search for answers before the Proof of the movie’s title finds her and takes everything she loves.

This riveting and layered horror novel unleashes supernatural terror in a world where truth can be manipulated, and nothing is as it seems. Beautiful and horrifying, with an unforgettable cast of characters, The October Film Haunt will shock and delight readers all the way to its breathless final page.

"So unique and steeped in 21st century paranoia and dread you won't be able to read this alone at night." - Paul Tremblay

"The horror in here is palpable, but the writing itself is just as How can one pen have this many good lines in it?" - Stephen Graham Jones]]> 336 Michael Wehunt 1250333695 Dennis 0 to-read 3.44 2025
author: Michael Wehunt
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220998855 When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and abandoned places that hold old secrets. The Hotel Seabrink, perched overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghosts of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before the renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petroff, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, the Hotel Seabrink in particular.

When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to close the investigation. But Aubrey feels unsettled by locals who claim he was murdered and that it’s not the first time someone interested in the hotel was killed. As she digs deeper into the property’s dark history (and its origins as an asylum) as well as Dimitri’s professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case.  But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth—at any cost.]]> Juliet Blackwell 0593638255 Dennis 0 to-read 3.78 2025
author: Juliet Blackwell
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217927691 It’s not dust she’s looking for . . . it’s dirt.

Esmie is meant to be invisible. A cleaner for an exclusive gated neighborhood in Ireland, Esmie fades into the background, slipping in and out of kitchens and closets, quietly observing her clients�� perfect domestic lives. These entitled families only see a quiet woman with a mop in hand, who speaks with an accent they don’t bother to place, and this is exactly what she wants.

Esmie is well aware that her employers don’t truly see her. To them, she’s a foreigner who cleans up their messes. But there’s one mess she refuses to clean up. Because Esmie is not a cleaner. She’s come to this neighborhood for one purpose and one purpose only. Revenge. Armed with a duster and a cunning plan, Esmie could soon find herself entangled with the very people she came to destroy.

The Cleaner exposes the dark underbelly of a protected society, revealing the dirty truths that lie beneath its polished facades of privilege.]]> 400 Mary Watson Dennis 0 to-read 3.27
author: Mary Watson
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.27
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004897 Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying—and commercial—series debut.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He also has a blind spot on the human side of investigations, a blindness that sometimes even includes people in his own life, like his beloved seven-year-old daughter Camila. Gardner and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve.

When DNA links a murder victim to a serial killer long presumed dead, the team springs into action. A second victim establishes a pattern, and the murderer begins leaving a trail of clues and riddles especially for Gardner. And while the PAR team is usually relegated to working cold cases from behind a desk, the investigation puts them on the road and into the public eye, following in the footsteps of a killer.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer’s identity. But with the perpetrator somehow learning more and more about the team at PAR, can they protect themselves and their families…before it’s too late?

With an enigmatic case that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon’s Head Cases is a triumph.]]> 341 John McMahon 1250348293 Dennis 4
The story is centered around Gardner Camden, a neurodivergent FB Agent. Gardner is a genius when it comes to puzzles, but struggles when it comes to people—even his own daughter. When DNA ties a new murder to a long-dead serial killer, Gardner and his team in the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit jump into action, chasing a killer who’s leaving riddles just for them. As they race to solve the case, they realize the murderer isn’t just playing games—he's coming for them too.

This book took a while to get into, which is why I am giving this a 4-star, because it took me about 1/3 of the way in to fully feel invested into the story. It's a bit slow moving and more procedural than I would like, but when we get action, WE GET ACTION! Gardner is a very strong protagonist to root for, and I think the adaptation to series will be incredible. If you like serial killer novels, specifically UNSUB or anything by Lars Kepler, I think you should give HEAD CASES a try!]]> 3.99 2025
author: John McMahon
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/06
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: 2025, dark, detective, police-procedural
review:
I normally steer away from police procedural novels, with only being loyal to Meg Gardiner's UNSUB series, but I kept seeing John McMahon's newest novel, HEAD CASES, popping up with great reviews all over bookstagram, so I knew that I needed to give it a try!

The story is centered around Gardner Camden, a neurodivergent FB Agent. Gardner is a genius when it comes to puzzles, but struggles when it comes to people—even his own daughter. When DNA ties a new murder to a long-dead serial killer, Gardner and his team in the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit jump into action, chasing a killer who’s leaving riddles just for them. As they race to solve the case, they realize the murderer isn’t just playing games—he's coming for them too.

This book took a while to get into, which is why I am giving this a 4-star, because it took me about 1/3 of the way in to fully feel invested into the story. It's a bit slow moving and more procedural than I would like, but when we get action, WE GET ACTION! Gardner is a very strong protagonist to root for, and I think the adaptation to series will be incredible. If you like serial killer novels, specifically UNSUB or anything by Lars Kepler, I think you should give HEAD CASES a try!
]]> 224003242 A “big-hearted and true�� (Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize winner) debut novel set in a small rural town amid a congressional race when life-changing secrets are unearthed by the candidates, their families, and a clique of gay second homeowners.

The trendy rural town of Griffin has become a popular destination for weekenders and the city’s second homeowners but now a congressional race in this swing district is highlighting tensions between life-long residents and new arrivals. The campaign pits local pub owner and town supervisor Chip Riley against the wealthy young carpetbagger Paul Banks, challenging the social and political loyalties of their families and friends with lasting repercussions.

Diane Riley, Chip’s wife, is a religiously devout real estate agent who feels conflicted about selling second homes—including to Paul and his much older husband, Stan. The Riley’s eldest son Joe is grieving the recent overdose death of his best friend and spiraling into drugs himself, while their youngest son, Will, is a newly out college student seduced by the decadent lifestyle and sexual openness of Paul’s clique but burdened by his sense of obligation to his father.

Meanwhile, Stan Banks uses the race to give purpose to the pain of losing his brother to AIDS, even as he begins to doubt Paul’s readiness for office. And within their growing circle of city transplants, Eric Larimer finds unexpected connection with a local farmer that opens his eyes to the region’s complexity as Leon Rogers, still reeling from a divorce, becomes increasingly desperate to infiltrate the Banks’s exclusive crew.

Spanning six months from Memorial Day to Election Day, Town & Country paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of a community in flux. For readers of Fredrick Backman and Jen Beagin, this “powerful and extremely well-written book�� (Colum McCann, National Book Award winner) asks the essential and timeless What makes a home, and what do we owe our neighbors?]]> 304 Brian Schaefer 1668086891 Dennis 0 to-read 3.92 2025
author: Brian Schaefer
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211003884 Armed with a terminal diagnosis, a grudge, and a rental car, Hester sets out to fulfill her lifelong dream of killing her father in this brilliantly subversive and bleakly funny novel.

When Hester is diagnosed with terminal cancer on her fortieth birthday, she knows immediately what she must do: abandon her possessions and drive to California to kill her estranged father. With no friends or family tying her to the life she’s built in New York City, she quits her wildly lucrative job in corporate law and starts driving west. She hasn’t made it far when she runs into John, an environmental activist in need of a ride to different superfund sites across the United States. From five-star Midwestern hotels to cultish Southwestern compounds, the two slowly make their way across the country. But will the revelations they make along the way dissuade Hester from her goal?

Ragingly singular and surprisingly moving, Bad Nature is a story of stunning detours and twists until its final destination. Part road-trip novel, part revenge tale, part lament of our ongoing ecological crisis, it’s ultimately a deft examination of the indulgence of holding grudges, moral ambivalence, and the eternal possibility of redemption.]]> 304 Ariel Courage 1250360889 Dennis 3 2025 3.76 2025
author: Ariel Courage
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: 2025
review:

]]> 211004893
As they attempt to evade the boy's increasingly desperate father, horrifying incidents of butchery follow them. At first, Jess thinks she understands what they're up against, but she's about to learn there's more to these surreal and grisly events than she could've ever imagined.

And that when the wolf finally comes home, none will be spared.]]> 304 Nat Cassidy 125035434X Dennis 5
The story is centered around a young woman named Jess, a struggling actress, discovering a five-year-old runaway hiding outside her apartment, leading to a brutal confrontation with the boy’s father that sends them on the run. As they flee, a series of horrifying, surreal events reveals that the true danger is far worse than Jess ever imagined—and when the wolf comes home, no one will be spared. I won't dive into the story anymore since the synopsis is short and sweet, leading you to figure things out on your own.

WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME is way more than just a potential werewolf story. Nat Cassidy weaves in various metaphorical messages involving relationships with parents and their children, but also provides entertaining, and at times, suspense-oozed storylines that will leave readers aching to race against the clock with Jess. The story is bizarre to say the least, but I've come to know that Nat Cassidy will never provide readers with anything straightlaced when it comes to his horror storytelling. This book is a bit of a pivot for the author as it dives into thriller territory at times. If you like 80s themed action-horror novels (think Survive the Night/Riley Sager, and Firestarter/Stephen King), then WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME will be a perfect read for you. This story will have me thinking some theories about the world Cassidy has built here and I hope that he chooses to come to it again for more. Nat Cassidy is an auto-read author for me and this book is another landslide win! ]]> 4.46 2025
author: Nat Cassidy
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: 2025, horror, supernatural, suspense, thriller
review:
Nat Cassidy is such a unique and original storyteller! I have enjoyed each of his books that he has provided readers and WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME is no different. This book is hands-down the most action-packed, adrenaline-fueled suspense story he's provided readers, but don't worry horror fans, he still provides all the makings of a fantastic horror story.

The story is centered around a young woman named Jess, a struggling actress, discovering a five-year-old runaway hiding outside her apartment, leading to a brutal confrontation with the boy’s father that sends them on the run. As they flee, a series of horrifying, surreal events reveals that the true danger is far worse than Jess ever imagined—and when the wolf comes home, no one will be spared. I won't dive into the story anymore since the synopsis is short and sweet, leading you to figure things out on your own.

WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME is way more than just a potential werewolf story. Nat Cassidy weaves in various metaphorical messages involving relationships with parents and their children, but also provides entertaining, and at times, suspense-oozed storylines that will leave readers aching to race against the clock with Jess. The story is bizarre to say the least, but I've come to know that Nat Cassidy will never provide readers with anything straightlaced when it comes to his horror storytelling. This book is a bit of a pivot for the author as it dives into thriller territory at times. If you like 80s themed action-horror novels (think Survive the Night/Riley Sager, and Firestarter/Stephen King), then WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME will be a perfect read for you. This story will have me thinking some theories about the world Cassidy has built here and I hope that he chooses to come to it again for more. Nat Cassidy is an auto-read author for me and this book is another landslide win!
]]> 224082681
In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears.

As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.

The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried.

From the national bestselling author of Blood Sisters (a Washington Post Best Mystery of the Year and Target Book Club pick) comes a new Syd Walker novel that proves the sins of the past are destined to repeat until the truth is finally unearthed.]]> 368 Vanessa Lillie 0593550145 Dennis 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: Vanessa Lillie
name: Dennis
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219278654 A luxurious yacht, a gorgeous crew with secrets and rivalries...and murder! I Did Warn Her is a cunning locked room mystery set on a billionaire’s yacht, by the author of last year’s sensation She Started It.

The Ophelia is your typical billionaire yacht: ridiculously luxurious, owned by a ruthless money man, and staffed by a crew whose only job is to indulge the guests�� every wish.

Model-gorgeous Sasha is a last-minute hire for a weeklong Atlantic crossing. She joins fellow stewardesses Jade, Imogen, Euphemia, and Lola. The Ophelia’s stewardesses are almost identical—blonde and model-gorgeous—and all were lured to the Ophelia by high wages and a chance to leave their problems behind when they set sail. But despite its sleek opulence, the Ophelia isn’t as heavenly as it seems. A stewardess on the previous charter died under mysterious circumstances, the guests�� expensive jewelry keeps disappearing, and the crew grows steadily more and more suspicious of one another.

Then the yacht’s owner brings aboard his best friend and two more women, also beautiful. Also hiding something.

When a crew member turns up dead after a night of partying, everyone on the yacht is a suspect. Who is the jewel thief? Who is the murderer? What will happen when the lights go out, and the crew and the guests are finally on equal footing?

Endlessly twisty and delightfully voyeuristic, I Did Warn Her is a whodunnit on the high seas, where the dark secrets of the ultra-wealthy have nowhere to hide.]]> 384 Sian Gilbert 0063388502 Dennis 0 to-read 3.80
author: Sian Gilbert
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215217614 A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite’s life . . . with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession, from actress, director and bestselling author Krysten Ritter.

 Liz Dawson weaves through a crowd with the ease of a tropical breeze, moving seamlessly through elite circles, sparking instant connections and making every new acquaintance feel like an intimate friend. She’s clever, smooth, and confident—qualities that make her a brilliant serial con artist.

Isabelle Beresford is strikingly beautiful, obscenely wealthy, and the new owner of Casa Esmerelda, a fabulous villa on the Mexican coast—attributes that make her the perfect mark. When she offers Liz a job handling the installation of a piece of art in her otherwise vacant home, Liz can’t resist the allure of a beach retreat. She longs for a reset, a chance to finally shed the grip of her addiction to the conning game.

But when Liz, with her lush dark hair and intense green eyes, is mistaken for Isabelle herself, Liz can’t help effortlessly slipping into the socialite’s identity. The transition is so easeful, it almost feels like fate. But just who is Isabelle Beresford really, and why does she seem to have abandoned this stunning life of hers?

As Liz insinuates herself deeper into the dazzling—and deceptive—world of the Punta Mita resort community, she draws closer to the dangers surrounding the real Isabelle. Dangers that may have already ensnared Liz, too. This might not be the con of her life—but the con that ends it.]]> 272 Krysten Ritter 0063334607 Dennis 4 2025, contemporary, thriller
Liz Dawson moves effortlessly through elite circles, charming everyone she meets—a skill that makes her a brilliant con artist. When she’s hired by the glamorous, mysterious Isabelle Beresford to manage an art installation at her Mexican villa, Liz sees a chance for a fresh start. But when Liz is mistaken for Isabelle, she slips into the role with ease, only to discover that the real danger may lie in the life she’s stolen.

I had a total blast with this book, yet I did know exactly how it would play out. It didn’t steer me away at all because Ritter’s writing was compelling, and at times cheeky, which I absolutely loved. Liz is very fun to love to hate, but you can’t help but root for her at the same time. Although I did know what was going to play out, the very end took me for a complete shock. I will definitely read more from Krysten Ritter if she chooses to write in the thriller space in the future. ]]> 3.76 2025
author: Krysten Ritter
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: 2025, contemporary, thriller
review:
Krysten Ritter’s upcoming thriller, RETREAT, has been on my TBR for awhile now! I didn’t have a chance to read Ritter’s debut Bonfire, but I heard it was great, so I knew that I would prioritize. This one. RETREAT is the perfect cocktail for fans of Liv Constantine and Rachel Koller Croft!

Liz Dawson moves effortlessly through elite circles, charming everyone she meets—a skill that makes her a brilliant con artist. When she’s hired by the glamorous, mysterious Isabelle Beresford to manage an art installation at her Mexican villa, Liz sees a chance for a fresh start. But when Liz is mistaken for Isabelle, she slips into the role with ease, only to discover that the real danger may lie in the life she’s stolen.

I had a total blast with this book, yet I did know exactly how it would play out. It didn’t steer me away at all because Ritter’s writing was compelling, and at times cheeky, which I absolutely loved. Liz is very fun to love to hate, but you can’t help but root for her at the same time. Although I did know what was going to play out, the very end took me for a complete shock. I will definitely read more from Krysten Ritter if she chooses to write in the thriller space in the future.
]]> 212923976 Gay Bar comes a rule-breaking, sweat-soaked, genre-busting story of outlaw love.


It’s 1996, and Jeremy Atherton Lin has met the boy of his dreams �� a mumbling, starry-eyed Brit �� just as, amid a media frenzy, US Congress prepares the Defense of Marriage Act, denying same-sex couples federal rights including immigration. The pair steals away to remote forests and vast deserts, London fashion shows and Berlin sex clubs, dinner parties, back alleys, East Village hotel rooms, and San Francisco dives. Finding no other way to stay together, they shack up illicitly among unlikely allies in a “city of refuge.��


With Atherton Lin’s inimitable blend of tenderness and wicked humor, Deep House moves through the couple’s string of rented apartments while unlocking doors to a lineage of gay men who have come before �� smuggling a foreign partner through national checkpoints or going public to stand up for the right to get down in the privacy of their own homes. They include hapless criminals, sexpot bartenders, friars, pirates, government workers who subverted the system, activists who went all the way to the Supreme Court, and the celebrated artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres.


Following Gay Bar �� called “a rich tapestry�� by Vanity Fair and “an absolute tour de force�� by Maggie Nelson �� Deep House juxtaposes whispered disclosures of undocumented domesticity with courtroom drama and political stunts to explore myriad forms of intimacy while questioning the mechanisms that legitimize love. Deep House is at once a historical kaleidoscope and the innermost tale of two boyfriends who made a home in the shadows of a turbulent civil rights battle.]]> 416 Jeremy Atherton Lin 0316545791 Dennis 0 to-read 4.30
author: Jeremy Atherton Lin
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004018 From the New York Times bestselling author of Red Rabbit comes a supernatural horror where ghosts and ghouls are the least of a witch’s problems in historical New England.

Something wicked is going on in the village of Ascension. A mother wasting away from cancer is suddenly up and about. A boy trampled by a milk cart walks away from the accident. A hanged man can still speak, broken neck and all.

The dead are not dying.

When Rabbit and Sadie Grace accompany their friend Rose to Ascension to help take care of her ailing cousin, they immediately notice that their new house, Bethany Hall, is occupied by dozens of ghosts. And something is waiting for them in the attic.

The villagers of Ascension are unwelcoming and wary of their weird visitors. As the three women attempt to find out what’s happening in the town, they must be careful not to be found out. But a much larger―and more dangerous―force is galloping straight for them…]]> 352 Alex Grecian 1250874718 Dennis 0 dnf 3.96 2025
author: Alex Grecian
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> 221179063 Nola Strate, a late night call-in radio host in Portland, Oregon, listens to stories of hauntings and cryptic sightings for a living. But one foggy, wet evening, when a caller describes an eerie scene that triggers memories of Nola’s escape from a serial killer years before, she becomes fearfully aware that he’s back to finish what he started.

Nola Strate is being watched, again.

After an encounter with a notorious serial killer in the Pacific Northwest as a child, Nola has grown up and tried her best to forget her traumatizing night with The Hiding Man. She installed security cameras outside her Oregon home, never spoke of her experience, and now hosts Night Watch, a popular radio call-in show her semi‑famous father used to run. When coincidences lead Nola to believe that she is being stalked, and a caller on Night Watch has a live incident with an intruder in the caller’s home—the description of whom is chillingly familiar—Nola is convinced that The Hiding Man has resurfaced and is coming for her.

With a mysterious next‑door neighbor lurking in the shadows, more people getting hurt, the police not taking her concerns seriously, and evidence pointing towards her own father, Nola decides to become, like her listeners, a Night Watcher herself, and uncover the monster behind The Hiding Man’s mask.]]> 336 Daphne Woolsoncroft 1538770903 Dennis 0 to-read 4.12
author: Daphne Woolsoncroft
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004028 From the author of White Horse (“Twisty and electric.�� ��The New York Times Book Review) comes a terrifying and resonant novel about a woman who uses her unique gift to learn the truth about her sister’s death.

Olivia Becente was never supposed to have the gift. The ability to commune with the dead was the specialty of her sister, Naiche. But when Naiche dies unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, somehow Olivia suddenly can’t stop seeing and hearing from spirits.

A few years later, she’s the most in-demand paranormal investigator in Denver. She’s good at her job, but the loss of Naiche haunts her. That’s when she hears from the Brown Palace, a landmark Denver hotel. The owner can’t explain it, but every few years, a girl is found dead in room 904, no matter what room she checked into the night before. As Olivia tries to understand these disturbing deaths, the past and the present collide as Olivia’s investigation forces her to confront a mysterious and possibly dangerous cult, a vindictive journalist, betrayal by her friends, and shocking revelations about her sister’s secret life.

The Haunting of Room 904 is a paranormal thriller that is as edgy as it is heartfelt and simmers with intensity and longing. Erika T. Wurth lives up to her reputation as “a gritty new punkish outsider voice in American horror.”]]> 320 Erika T. Wurth 1250908590 Dennis 5 2025, horror, thriller
After unexpectedly inheriting her late sister Naiche’s ability to commune with the dead, Olivia Becente becomes Denver’s top paranormal investigator, though the loss still haunts her. When the historic Brown Palace hotel seeks her help to solve the recurring, unexplained deaths of young women in room 904, Olivia’s search for answers entangles her with a dangerous cult, a vengeful journalist, betrayals from those she trusts, and shocking truths about Naiche’s hidden life.

THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904 was excellent. It had all the medium/spiritual/conjuring vibes that I was hoping for! I listened to this book on audio and I would highly recommend doing that as I was completely engulfed in Olivia's journey. I loved the queer representation with some of the other characters and I loved the journey these characters went on to find out the truth. You will see Olivia go down unexpected paths, with some awesomely creepy moments to enjoy. The story talks about some serious topics affecting the United States right now as well, including immigration and racial bias. I found those topics expertly weaved in and very thought-provoking. I would absolutely LOVE it if Olivia returns in some capacity for future novels as this world was just too juicy to let go. THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904 will be in my top reads for 2025 and I can't wait to see what Erika T. Wurth has in store for readers next!]]> 3.24 2025
author: Erika T. Wurth
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.24
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/29
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: 2025, horror, thriller
review:
I may be the only person in the world who didn't read Erika T. Wurth's recent novel, White Horse, but I have been wanting to so badly, so I knew that I would make sure to prioritize her next novel. Her upcoming 2025 horror novel, THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904 is the perfect horror novel for me right now. I am not sure if it's because I did a complete rewatch of The Conjuring series and the Insidious series but this book was exactly what I needed.

After unexpectedly inheriting her late sister Naiche’s ability to commune with the dead, Olivia Becente becomes Denver’s top paranormal investigator, though the loss still haunts her. When the historic Brown Palace hotel seeks her help to solve the recurring, unexplained deaths of young women in room 904, Olivia’s search for answers entangles her with a dangerous cult, a vengeful journalist, betrayals from those she trusts, and shocking truths about Naiche’s hidden life.

THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904 was excellent. It had all the medium/spiritual/conjuring vibes that I was hoping for! I listened to this book on audio and I would highly recommend doing that as I was completely engulfed in Olivia's journey. I loved the queer representation with some of the other characters and I loved the journey these characters went on to find out the truth. You will see Olivia go down unexpected paths, with some awesomely creepy moments to enjoy. The story talks about some serious topics affecting the United States right now as well, including immigration and racial bias. I found those topics expertly weaved in and very thought-provoking. I would absolutely LOVE it if Olivia returns in some capacity for future novels as this world was just too juicy to let go. THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904 will be in my top reads for 2025 and I can't wait to see what Erika T. Wurth has in store for readers next!
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It's 2004 and former reality TV star and party girl Maya Miller has just married the most eligible bachelor on the planet: Colin Sterling, of the globally famous Sterling family whose history of aristocratic titles and land holdings rival a British royal and whose media empire is comparable to the Murdochs. To some, Maya represents the American dream. To others, a gold digger. But when Colin's cousin Arianna, the heiress to the family's immense fortune, is found murdered, Maya is thrust into the spotlight: first as she is revealed to be the next heiress to the fortune, and then as the prime suspect.

Swiftly, the entire Sterling family goes into lockdown at Silver House, the family's ancestral estate in the English countryside. They're told it's for their own safety—but Maya becomes convinced that it's not to keep threats out, but to keep secrets in. Now, she has no choice but to find and expose the truth hidden within the Sterling family, and why Arianna, a girl she had never met, chose her to take her place. But Maya has secrets of her own. And she knows that in order to survive the Sterlings, she'll have to beat them at their own game.]]> 432 Anna Sophia McLoughlin 1728296137 Dennis 3
Taking place in 2004, former reality TV star Maya Miller marries Colin Sterling, heir to a powerful family whose wealth and influence rival royalty. When Colin’s cousin Arianna is murdered, Maya unexpectedly becomes the next heiress—and the prime suspect. Trapped in the family’s secluded estate, Silver House, Maya must uncover the truth about the Sterlings and their deadly secrets before it’s too late.

This book is definitely a perfect combination of Succession meets Saltburn, so whoever came up with that comparison, you deserve your kudos! The book had an intriguing premise, but the pacing was a bit uneven, with a slow middle that nearly lost me. I enjoyed the exploration of a wealthy family’s dynamics and the flashbacks to Arianna’s downfall were exceptionally portrayed and fun to dive into. The conclusion tied everything up well, but it felt drawn out, making the story enjoyable but slightly too soap opera'y for my taste. A GIRL LIKE US is perfect for fans of Liv Constantine or the ‘rich people problems�� trope.]]> 3.53 2025
author: Anna Sophia McLoughlin
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: family-drama, slow-burn, light-mystery, light-thriller, 2025
review:
3.5 stars

Taking place in 2004, former reality TV star Maya Miller marries Colin Sterling, heir to a powerful family whose wealth and influence rival royalty. When Colin’s cousin Arianna is murdered, Maya unexpectedly becomes the next heiress—and the prime suspect. Trapped in the family’s secluded estate, Silver House, Maya must uncover the truth about the Sterlings and their deadly secrets before it’s too late.

This book is definitely a perfect combination of Succession meets Saltburn, so whoever came up with that comparison, you deserve your kudos! The book had an intriguing premise, but the pacing was a bit uneven, with a slow middle that nearly lost me. I enjoyed the exploration of a wealthy family’s dynamics and the flashbacks to Arianna’s downfall were exceptionally portrayed and fun to dive into. The conclusion tied everything up well, but it felt drawn out, making the story enjoyable but slightly too soap opera'y for my taste. A GIRL LIKE US is perfect for fans of Liv Constantine or the ‘rich people problems�� trope.
]]> 224020305 From master storyteller Ania Ahlborn comes a brand new psychological thriller described as “a horrifying manifesto of marriage, manipulation, and the unpredictability of human relationships."
Simone and Elliott Evans have it all; a comfortable life, a house on a quiet street, and two sweet daughters. But their marriage is far from happy, especially now. While Elliott spends all day at work, postpartum depression presses down hard on Simone’s shoulders. Baby Lizzy is colicky and often sick. Five-year-old Aster is a handful—not at all as good a “helper�� as Simone had hoped. The more time Simone spends home alone with the girls, the more she’s convinced that Elliott’s interest in his family is waning. He’s pining for his ex, Leighton Prescott—a woman who mysteriously disappeared from their small New Hampshire town years before, leaving her and Elliott’s then newborn daughter, Aster, behind.

When Simone confronts Elliott in search of the truth, he reminds her that this isn’t the first time she’s accused him of being unfaithful, and it isn’t the first time her assumption has been wrong. But when Simone spots Leighton at the grocery store in their tiny hometown, she has her proof. Leighton Prescott is back, and despite what Elliott says, Simone knows Leighton will stop at nothing to destroy the life she’s built with Elliott, piece by precious piece.

Terrified of losing her family, Simone puts Elliott to the ultimate test. He's left with one last chance to save the marriage he vowed to preserve. But rather than rekindling the love he and Simone once shared, he instead uncovers an unfathomable truth about the woman he calls his wife, a woman that, as it turns out, he doesn’t know at all.]]> 428 Ania Ahlborn Dennis 0 to-read 3.50
author: Ania Ahlborn
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read
review:

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