NZLisaM's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:52:13 -0700 60 NZLisaM's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[This is Why We Lied (Will Trent #12)]]> 224641809 The next thrilling suspense featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Girls and After That Night!

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer�

A secluded cabin retreat

For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-the-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night.

A murderer in their midst

Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying�.Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.

Who killed Mercy McAlpine?

It soon becomes clear that normal rules don’t apply at McAlpine Lodge, and Will and Sara are going to have to watch their step at every turn. Trapped on the resort, they must untangle a decades-old web of secrets to discover what happened to Mercy. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…]]> Karin Slaughter 0008704694 NZLisaM 0 to-read, netgalley, 2024 3.69 2024 This is Why We Lied (Will Trent #12)
author: Karin Slaughter
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/16
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]]> Slip 223091628
But 16-year-old junior, PJ “Slip� Ellis, gets to repeat the most anxiety-inducing parts of her life again and again. Because her panic attacks send her 9 minutes and 53 seconds into the past, which means she’ll do whatever she can to avoid triggering her nerves. And she’s learned to deal with her anxiety…mostly.

At least, until Ethan Morrow appears in class. Now, PJ is falling for Ethan, and her anxiety—once under control—is quickly spiraling out of hand. So, PJ’s determined to avoid Ethan with every slip.

If only the solution were so easy. Ethan appears in PJ’s life no matter what path she takes, no matter how many times she slips. Is it fate? Kismet? Organized chaos? One way or another, PJ must make peace with herself if she ever wants a shot at true happiness with—or without—Ethan Morrow in her life.]]> 290 L. Ryan Storms NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 0.0 Slip
author: L. Ryan Storms
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/15
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]]> Air 218553007 From internationally bestselling author John Boyne, a contemplative story about one man trying to move forward from the trauma of his youth to become a better father to his son.

Being in limbo, 30,000 feet in the air, offers time to reflect and take stock. For Aaron Umber, it’s an opportunity to connect with his 15-year-old son as they travel halfway across the world to meet a woman who isn’t expecting them.

Unsettled by his past, and anxious for his future, Aaron is at a crossroads in life. The damage inflicted upon him during his youth has made him the man he is, but now threatens to widen the growing fissures between him and his only child. This trip could bind them closer together, or tear them further apart.

In this penetrating examination of action and consequence, fault and attribution, acceptance and resolution, John Boyne gives us a redemptive story of a father and a son on a moving journey to mend their troubled lives.]]> 176 John Boyne 0857529854 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.34 2025 Air
author: John Boyne
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Whistle 218671842 “Terrific.”—Stephen King onWhistle

New York Timesbestselling author Linwood Barclay enters new territory with a supernatural chiller in which a woman and her young son move to a small town looking for a fresh start, only to be haunted by disturbing events and strange visions when they find a mysterious train set in a storage shed.

Evil has a one track mind....

Annie Blunt has had an unimaginably terrible year. First, her husband was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident, then one of the children’s books she’s built her writing and illustrating career on ignited a major scandal. Desperate for a fresh start, she moves with her son Charlie to a charming small town in upstate New York where they can begin to heal.

But Annie’s year is about to get worse.

Bored and lonely in their isolated new surroundings, Charlie is thrilled when he finds a forgotten train set in a locked shed on their property. Annie is glad to see Charlie happy, but there’s something unsettling about his new toy. Strange sounds wake Annie in the night—she could swear she hears a train, but there isn’t an active track for miles—and bizarre things begin happening in the neighborhood. Worse, Annie can’t seem to stop drawing a disturbing new character that has no place in a children’s book.

Grief can do strange things to the mind, but Annie is beginning to think she’s walked out of one nightmare straight into another, only this one is far more terrifying…]]> 624 Linwood Barclay 0063441330 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.25 2025 Whistle
author: Linwood Barclay
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/15
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]]> Harry's Trees 36540759
Thirty-four-year-old Harry Crane, lifelong lover of trees, works as an analyst in a treeless US Forest Service office. When his wife dies in a freak accident, devastated, he makes his way to the remote woods of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains, intent on losing himself. But fate intervenes in the form of a fiercely determined young girl named Oriana. She, too, has lost someone—her father. And in the magical, willful world of her reckoning, Oriana believes that Harry is the key to finding her way back to him.

As Harry agrees to help the young girl, the unlikeliest of elements—a tree house, a Wolf, a small-town librarian and a book called The Grum’s Ledger—come together to create the biggest sensation ever to descend upon the Endless Mountains…a golden adventure that will fulfill Oriana’s wildest dreams and open the door to a new life for Harry.

Harry’s Trees is an uplifting tale about love, loss, friendship, and redemption. Fans of Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove and Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry will find in its relentless good humor a much-needed remedy for these fraught times]]> 432 Jon Cohen 0778364151 NZLisaM 0 to-read 4.13 2018 Harry's Trees
author: Jon Cohen
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read
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]]> Nothing More to Tell 59785469 358 Karen M. McManus 0241473683 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2022 3.93 2022 Nothing More to Tell
author: Karen M. McManus
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, 2022
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]]> The Wasp Trap 226911452 Brought to you by Penguin.

A stingingly brilliant new psychological thriller from the 5 million copy-bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Magpies
Summer 1999. Will joins five other idealistic graduates working for an eccentric psychology professor. They’re going to launch a website to change online dating forever.
No-one expects it to end in tragedy.
Twenty-five years later, Will gets an a dinner party. A chance to see the old gang again.
But as soon as he arrives, something doesn’t seem right.
There’s an unexpected guest. The hosts are clearly keeping a secret. And on the way in, Will is sure he heard crying.
Everyone has something to hide about what really happened that summer.
But only one of them is willing to kill to find the truth�

“I loved this brilliant, edgy, character driven thriller with a passion. So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist at the end.� Lisa Jewell
'I was hooked by this clever, fast paced and addictive thriller... I loved it' Claire Douglas
'Fast-paced and it’s another Mark Edwards sensation' Claire Mackintosh

]]> Mark Edwards NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.00 2025 The Wasp Trap
author: Mark Edwards
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, 2025
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]]> <![CDATA[The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife]]> 204513044 For readers of Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a warm, life-affirming debut about a zany case of mistaken identity that allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family.

‘Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.'

Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up.

Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.

As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.

Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.]]> 367 Anna Johnston 1761347608 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 4.34 2024 The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
author: Anna Johnston
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> Blood and Treasure 231124786 The destruction of the International Space Station and the discovery of an ancient scroll are inextricably intertwined in this debut crossover thriller from a former naval officer.

The International Space Station inexplicably loses contact with Earth. When a NASA tech devises a way to restore the feed, the images that come through are a scene of terrible violence, the crew unresponsive, droplets of blood hovering in zero gravity. But which of the astronauts on board would have done such a thing? And why?

Off the coast of Mozambique, former Delta soldier and current treasure hunter Ethan Cain sees something he can’t an object shot out of the heavens plunging deep into the Indian Ocean. When he goes to investigate, it becomes even less intelligible. A space capsule has crashed into the sea, and inside is a woman—alone, unconscious, and injured. Ethan knows he must save her. What he doesn’t know is who she is, how she got there . . . or why she’s the only survivor from a killing spree conducted 254 miles up in the sky.]]> 368 Ryan Pote NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.00 Blood and Treasure
author: Ryan Pote
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/12
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Our Last Resort 220239038 From the bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant comes a propulsive new thriller: Fifteen years ago, Frida and her brother escaped a cult. Now her brother is the prime suspect in a murder investigation—and it isn’t the first time.
Innocence doesn't bail you out; it just makes you easier to trap.

Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other’s sentences, they’ve grown apart in recent years after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Now, at the luxe resort, they are ready to reconnect between dips in the pool and hikes on spectacular desert trails. It all feels like paradise—until the dead body of a beautiful young woman who was vacationing at the Ara with her powerful, much older husband is discovered.

When the local police arrive and suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, their dramatic escape, and the scandal that followed. Frida’s belief in Gabriel’s innocence never wavered at the time, but now even she can’t ignore the evidence mounting against him.

Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and poses the question: how well do we ever really know those we love? Taut, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon’s latest suspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre.]]> 320 Clémence Michallon 0593802764 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025, netgalley 3.68 2025 Our Last Resort
author: Clémence Michallon
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: to-read, 2025, netgalley
review:

]]> Rules for Ghosting 202468408 Rule #1: They can't speak.
Rule #2: They can't move.
Rule #3: They can't hurt you.

Ezra Friedman sees ghosts, which made growing up in a funeral home a bit complicated. It might have been easier if his grandfather’s ghost didn’t give him such scathing looks of disapproval as he went through a second, HRT-induced puberty, or if he didn't have the pressure of all those relatives—living and dead—judging every choice he makes. It’s no wonder that Ezra runs as far away from the family business as humanly possible.

But when the floor of his dream job drops out from under him and his mother uses the family Passover seder to tell everyone that she’s running away with the rabbi’s wife, Ezra finds himself back in the thick of it. With his parents� marriage imploding and the Friedman Family Memorial Chapel on the brink of financial ruin, Ezra agrees to step into his mother's shoes and help out . . . which means long days surrounded by ghosts that no one else can see.

And then there's his unfortunate crush on Jonathan, the handsome funeral home volunteer who just happens to live downstairs from Ezra's new apartment . . . and the appearance of the ghost of Jonathan's gone-too-soon husband, Ben, who is breaking every spectral rule Ezra knows.

Because Ben can speak. He can move. And as Ezra tries to keep his family together and his heart from getting broken, he quickly realizes that there's more than one way to be haunted—and more than one way to become a ghost.]]> 400 Shelly Jay Shore 0593723945 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 3.88 2024 Rules for Ghosting
author: Shelly Jay Shore
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> Rabbit Moon: A Novel 217260356 A tense, propulsivedrama setin Shanghai, about a fractured American family, secret lives, and the unbreakable bond between two sisters, from theNew York Timesbestselling author ofMercy Street

Four years after their bitter divorce, Claire and Aaron Litvak get a phone call no parent is prepared their 22-year-old daughter Lindsey, teaching English in China during a college gap year, has been critically injured in a hit and run accident. At a Shanghai hospital they wait at her bedside, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

The accident unearths a deeper fissure in the the shocking event that ended the Litvaks� marriage and turned Lindsey against them. Estranged from her parents, she has confided only in her younger sister, Grace, adopted as an infant from China. As Claire and Aaron struggle to get their bearings in bustling, cosmopolitan Shanghai, the newly prosperous “miracle city,� they face troubling questions about Lindsey’s life there, in which nothing is quite as it seems.

With Jennifer Haigh’s trademark psychological acuity, Rabbit Moon is a taut, suspenseful story about the ties of marriage that no divorce can sever, and the fabled red thread that pulls two sisters together across time and space. Haigh proves yet again that she is "an expertly nuanced storyteller…her work is gripping, real, and totally immersive" (New York Times).
]]> 273 Jennifer Haigh NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.40 Rabbit Moon: A Novel
author: Jennifer Haigh
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Marble Hall Murders (Susan Ryeland, #3)]]> 216850869
She is freelancing for Causton Books, where she is asked to work on a ‘continuation� novel , Pünd’s Last Case, by a young author, Eliot Crace. Eliot Crace is the grandson of one of the most well known children’s authors ever, Marian Crace. Think Enid Blyton, then double her sales. Marian Crace died some 15 years previously and Eliot is sure she was poisoned.

Rather doubtfully, Susan starts to read the opening chapters, finding to her relief that Pünd’s Last Case is actually pretty good. Set in the South of France, it revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont who, though mortally ill, is poisoned � perhaps by a member of her own family. But why? And who did it?

It soon becomes clear to Susan that the clues to who was responsible for the death of Eliot’s grandmother, Marian Crace, are hidden from view in this Atticus Pünd mystery.

Eliot’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic as his alcohol and gambling addictions increase. But when he is killed in a hit and run accident, Susan realises that she is suspected of his murder.

Three mysterious deaths and a group of people with multiple motives for Susan realises that if she doesn’t solve the mystery in Pünd’s Last Case, her death may well be next …]]> 579 Anthony Horowitz 1804943010 NZLisaM 0 2025, currently-reading 4.56 2025 Marble Hall Murders (Susan Ryeland, #3)
author: Anthony Horowitz
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: 2025, currently-reading
review:

]]> Annie Bot 221863614
She’s learning, too.

Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?]]> Sierra Greer 0008584591 NZLisaM 3 2024, thriller, sci-fi Can a machine experience human emotions?

A daring, inventive, thought-provoking, terrifying glimpse into a future where an AI sex bot is available to purchase for your home. Annie Bot was a mash-up of domestic thriller, sci-fi, and cautionary tale. This novel made me very uncomfortable and grossly disturbed, and so it should. The sex bots were just another outlet for men to control, belittle, objectify and abuse women.

Props to the author for her imaginative and creativeness when it came to the operating system, various functions, capabilities, and limitations of Annie and the other bots.

But the more I read the more my initial enthusiasm for the uniqueness of it all faded and it all became a bit so so and also went in a weird existential direction. It was a quick, easy-to-follow, little-concentration-required listen though, which was just what I needed today.

I have zero complaints regarding the audiobook. Kudos to Jennifer Jill Araya for adopting a matter of fact, flat tone for the narration of Annie bot.

I liked that this was a bit different, as well as somewhat outside my comfort zone but I enjoyed the first half better than the second.]]> 3.67 2024 Annie Bot
author: Sierra Greer
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: 2024, thriller, sci-fi
review:
Can a machine experience human emotions?

A daring, inventive, thought-provoking, terrifying glimpse into a future where an AI sex bot is available to purchase for your home. Annie Bot was a mash-up of domestic thriller, sci-fi, and cautionary tale. This novel made me very uncomfortable and grossly disturbed, and so it should. The sex bots were just another outlet for men to control, belittle, objectify and abuse women.

Props to the author for her imaginative and creativeness when it came to the operating system, various functions, capabilities, and limitations of Annie and the other bots.

But the more I read the more my initial enthusiasm for the uniqueness of it all faded and it all became a bit so so and also went in a weird existential direction. It was a quick, easy-to-follow, little-concentration-required listen though, which was just what I needed today.

I have zero complaints regarding the audiobook. Kudos to Jennifer Jill Araya for adopting a matter of fact, flat tone for the narration of Annie bot.

I liked that this was a bit different, as well as somewhat outside my comfort zone but I enjoyed the first half better than the second.
]]> Never Planned on You 211003861 A glittering, laugh-out-loud second chance romance that reminds us true love is sometimes the one thing you never planned on.

Ali Rubin has a reputation for spontaneity. Like that time she made a drunken bet in London that led to matching tattoos with a stranger. Her joie de vivre is one of her best qualities; she lives every day to the fullest and follows her dreams wherever they take her. And now, they’re taking her from her career as a chef in New York City back home to Baltimore, where she’s interning as a wedding planner.

Despite the occasional fantasy about her British tattoo twin, Ali never expected to see Graham again. So no one is more surprised than she is when he turns up in Baltimore, ordering a latte at her favorite cafe. When they reconnect during an enchanting evening together, Ali can’t help but wonder if Graham might be someone special.

At the same time, she's desperate to succeed in her new career and prove that she isn’t the family flake. When she gets a job planning a high profile wedding at a historic hotel, it seems like things are finally falling into place. That is, until Graham turns out to be the groom.

Graham’s family owns the once-grand, now struggling Black-Eyed Susan, and he’s returned to Baltimore to help his grandmother get it back on its feet. He’s certain that hosting a wedding at the hotel is just the publicity boost it needs. Ali’s boss agrees, and promises Ali a full-time gig if the affair goes off without a hitch. Unfortunately, Ali and Graham can't seem to ignore their rekindled chemistry, especially when it’s revealed that Graham and his fiancée are planning a marriage of convenience. Still, staying away from each other is the best thing they can do, since giving in to their growing feelings might cost them everything.

Because when it comes to love, all bets are off.]]> 304 Lindsay Hameroff 1250902940 NZLisaM 0 maybe-i-will-read 3.92 2025 Never Planned on You
author: Lindsay Hameroff
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: maybe-i-will-read
review:

]]> Hidden Nature 228411224 From multi-million copy bestselling author Nora Roberts - a brand new thriller about an injured cop fighting to bring down a pair of twisted killers.

'If you're after the perfect pick-me-up, take-me-away-from-the-world read, then she's your woman' The Guardian

'Nora Roberts is, quite simply, a one-woman phenomenon' Heat

Not everyone believes in second chances...

Frustrated and bored, injured cop Sloan Cooper is looking for anything to distract her from staring down the barrel of months of slow, painful recovery. When a woman mysteriously vanishes without trace from a supermarket car park, Sloan instinctively knows there is more to this case than meets the eye. As she begins to investigate, she quickly uncovers similar cases across three states. Men and women, old and young - all with seemingly nothing in common.

What is the missing piece that links the disappearances? Can Sloan solve the puzzle before another innocent victim is taken? With no clues to speak of and a list of the missing growing almost daily, it will take every ounce of Sloan's endurance to get to the dark heart of this bizarre case. She's willing to risk her life again if that's what it takes...]]> Nora Roberts NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025, netgalley 0.0 2025 Hidden Nature
author: Nora Roberts
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: to-read, 2025, netgalley
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]]> <![CDATA[How To Seal Your Own Fate (Castle Knoll Files, #2)]]> 210710677 Kristen Perrin is back with the second novel in her Castle Knoll series. Annie Adams is caught in a new web of murder that spans decades, returning us to the idyllic English village that holds layers of secrets.

Present day: Annie Adams is just settling into life in Castle Knoll when local fortune teller Peony Lane crosses her path and shares a cryptic message. When Peony Lane is found dead only hours later inside the locked Gravesdown Estate, Annie quickly realizes that someone is out to make her look guilty while silencing Peony at the same time. Annie has no choice but to delve into the dark secrets of Castle Knoll in order to find out just what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about, before the new life she’s just begun to build comes crashing down around her.

1967: A year has passed since her friend Emily disappeared, and teenage Frances Adams finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown is one of the only remaining members of a family known for its wealth and dubious uses of power. Archie Foyle is a local who can’t hold down a job and lives above the village pub. But when Frances teams up with Archie to investigate the car crash that claimed the lives of Ford’s family, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident—hints of cover-ups, lies, and betrayals abound. The question is, just how far does the blackness creep through the heart of Castle Knoll? When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder: What exactly has she gotten herself into?]]> 320 Kristen Perrin 1529430135 NZLisaM 5 Annie Adam’s Great Aunt Frances may have solved her own murder, but during her fifty plus years of collecting information she has unearthed a lot of Castle Knoll’s secrets.

Please note that this review contains spoilers for the first book in this series, How to Solve Your Own Murder, and also these books should be read in order to get the most out of these characters, their backstories, and past and present relationships to one another.

In How to Solve Your Own Murder a young Fortune Teller named Peony Lane made a psychic prediction that ruled Frances Adams life going forward � and How to Seal Your Own Fate sees another of Peony’s predictions come true. This time around Peony is the victim, but she is not the recipient of the fortune.

Just like book one, past actions have consequences in the present, and again another of Great Aunt Frances� diaries holds the key to the mystery of Peony Lane’s murder in 2025. All I’m going to say about the diary flashbacks is, amateur sleuths Frances Adams and Archie Doyle all the way! The mystery was intricate and multi-layered, and both timelines, 1967 and 2025, as well as a prologue set in 1961 had me hooked on playing detective.

All the characters from How to Solve Your Own Murder return, although four who featured heavily in the mystery in the first instalment were only mentioned briefly in this one, and others who were barely acknowledged in book one played a more significant role here. I love how the town is expanding! I find myself very invested in Castle Knoll’s secrets, with the promise of more to come at the close of this novel.]]> 3.89 2025 How To Seal Your Own Fate (Castle Knoll Files, #2)
author: Kristen Perrin
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: 2025, crime, mystery, series, thriller, suspense, small-town-setting
review:
Annie Adam’s Great Aunt Frances may have solved her own murder, but during her fifty plus years of collecting information she has unearthed a lot of Castle Knoll’s secrets.

Please note that this review contains spoilers for the first book in this series, How to Solve Your Own Murder, and also these books should be read in order to get the most out of these characters, their backstories, and past and present relationships to one another.

In How to Solve Your Own Murder a young Fortune Teller named Peony Lane made a psychic prediction that ruled Frances Adams life going forward � and How to Seal Your Own Fate sees another of Peony’s predictions come true. This time around Peony is the victim, but she is not the recipient of the fortune.

Just like book one, past actions have consequences in the present, and again another of Great Aunt Frances� diaries holds the key to the mystery of Peony Lane’s murder in 2025. All I’m going to say about the diary flashbacks is, amateur sleuths Frances Adams and Archie Doyle all the way! The mystery was intricate and multi-layered, and both timelines, 1967 and 2025, as well as a prologue set in 1961 had me hooked on playing detective.

All the characters from How to Solve Your Own Murder return, although four who featured heavily in the mystery in the first instalment were only mentioned briefly in this one, and others who were barely acknowledged in book one played a more significant role here. I love how the town is expanding! I find myself very invested in Castle Knoll’s secrets, with the promise of more to come at the close of this novel.
]]> <![CDATA[The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits]]> 227904769 One of the most anticipated books of the year, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner, a glimmering novel set in the world of pop music about sisters, motherhood, young love, and the dreams we chase.

Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows.

On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.

But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters� breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?]]> 368 Jennifer Weiner 0008740194 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025, netgalley I 4.11 2025 The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits
author: Jennifer Weiner
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, 2025, netgalley
review:
I
]]> The Quiet Librarian 214175092 After the murder of her best friend, a librarian’s search for answers leads back to her own dark secrets in this sweeping novel about a woman transformed by war, family, vengeance, and love, from award-winning writer Allen Eskens.

Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota whowants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared.

Thirty years before, Hana was someone Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head.

Now, someone is hunting Hana, and her friend has paid the price, leaving her eight-year-old grandson in Hana’s care. To protect the child without revealing her secret, Hana must again become the Night Mora—and hope she can find the killer before the past comes for them, too.]]> 320 Allen Eskens 0316566314 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.19 2025 The Quiet Librarian
author: Allen Eskens
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Mayfly (Charlie Priest #1)]]> 34741129 A mutilated body discovered in the woods.
A murderous plan conceived in the past.
A reckoning seventy years in the making . . .

When lawyer Charlie Priest is attacked in his own home by a man searching for information he claims Priest has, he is drawn into a web of corruption that has its roots in the last desperate days of World War Two.

When his attacker is found murdered the next day, Priest becomes a suspect and the only way to clear his name is to find out about the mysterious House of Mayfly - a secret society that people will kill for.

As Priest races to uncover the truth, can he prevent history from repeating itself? ]]> 432 James Hazel 1785762974 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2017 3.89 2017 The Mayfly (Charlie Priest #1)
author: James Hazel
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, 2017
review:

]]> Red Clay 215003781
In 1943, when a frail old white woman shows up in Red Clay, Alabama, at the home of a Black former slave—on the morning following his funeral—his family hardly knows what to expect after she utters the words “� a lifetime ago, my family owned yours.� Adelaide Parker has a story to tell—one of ambition, betrayal, violence, and redemption—that shaped both the fate of her family and that of the late Felix H. Parker.

But there are gaps in her knowledge, and she’s come to Red Clay seeking answers from a family with whom she shares a name and a history that neither knows in full. In an epic saga that takes us from Red Clay to Paris, to the Côte d’Azur and New Orleans, human frailties are pushed to their limits as secrets are exposed and the line between good and evil becomes ever more difficult to discern. Red Clay is a tale that deftly lays bare the ugliness of slavery, the uncertainty of the final months of the Civil War, the optimism of Reconstruction, and the pain and frustration of Jim Crow.

With a vivid sense of place and a cast of memorable characters, Charles B. Fancher draws upon his own family history to weave a riveting tale of triumph over adversity, set against a backdrop of societal change and racial animus that reverberates in contemporary America. Through seasons of joy and unspeakable pain, Fancher delivers rich moments as allies become enemies, and enemies—to their great surprise—find new respect for each other.]]> 336 Charles B. Fancher NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.44 Red Clay
author: Charles B. Fancher
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.44
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Say You'll Remember Me 217182552 disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong�

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.]]> 368 Abby Jimenez 1538759195 NZLisaM 4 3.5 rounded up to 4.

The first time Samantha Diaz met Veterinarian Xavier Rush their physical chemistry was off the charts but their interraction ended with her calling him an asshole and telling him his bedside manner needed work.

But when Samantha proves Xavier wrong, he’s man enough to apologise. And when he asks her out, she willingly accepts. Their first date is perfection, until Samantha drops a bombshell � she’s moving to California the next day! They are both gutted to say goodbye because even after only one date their connection feels real, special, forever. But can they make it work when they not only live in two different cities, but have crucial family and professional obligations that take priority?

Say You Remember Me was bingeable. I whipped through it, and it evoked all the feels. However, I wasn’t sold on the whole what felt like instalove to me with Samantha and Xavier’s relationship focusing on how they were going to be together rather than the getting together. And Samantha’s family drama (which was emotional and heartfelt) took precedence over the romance, and the relationship aspect tended to take a backseat. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when my romances contain real life issues and obstacles, as well as other genres aside from romance, but when I started this novel, I was in the mood for a contemporary romance and don’t feel like this one entirely delivered.

The focus of this book was a close-knit family in crisis (Samantha’s) and even though the chapters alternated between the two main character’s I did notice that Samantha’s chapters tended to be lengthier/more prominent. Abby Jimenez has included trigger warnings at the beginning, so I won’t list them here. And some of them were triggers for me, but they were also spoilers so approach with caution. I personally am glad the author thought to include them as it gives you the option. The romantic tropes were grumpy x sunshine, and hate to love, although if you squint you will miss both of these. Also, forced separation and long distance.

I purchased both the e-book and audiobook, and Christine Lakin and Matt Lanter were the perfect choices to voice Samantha and Xavier. I especially loved that even when Matt Lanter was narrating Xavier’s chapters Christine Lakin still read Samantha’s dialogue, and vice versa. That doesn’t often happen and made the listening experience even more immersive. High praise for the audio!

I think if you go into Say You Remember Me knowing that the romance is secondary to the family drama you will love this one more. I did enjoy it, but it wasn’t my favourite by Abby Jimenez. I have a feeling I’m going to be very much in the minority though and that most readers/reviewers will rate this book five stars.]]> 4.16 2025 Say You'll Remember Me
author: Abby Jimenez
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: 2025, contemporary, drama, romance
review:
3.5 rounded up to 4.

The first time Samantha Diaz met Veterinarian Xavier Rush their physical chemistry was off the charts but their interraction ended with her calling him an asshole and telling him his bedside manner needed work.

But when Samantha proves Xavier wrong, he’s man enough to apologise. And when he asks her out, she willingly accepts. Their first date is perfection, until Samantha drops a bombshell � she’s moving to California the next day! They are both gutted to say goodbye because even after only one date their connection feels real, special, forever. But can they make it work when they not only live in two different cities, but have crucial family and professional obligations that take priority?

Say You Remember Me was bingeable. I whipped through it, and it evoked all the feels. However, I wasn’t sold on the whole what felt like instalove to me with Samantha and Xavier’s relationship focusing on how they were going to be together rather than the getting together. And Samantha’s family drama (which was emotional and heartfelt) took precedence over the romance, and the relationship aspect tended to take a backseat. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when my romances contain real life issues and obstacles, as well as other genres aside from romance, but when I started this novel, I was in the mood for a contemporary romance and don’t feel like this one entirely delivered.

The focus of this book was a close-knit family in crisis (Samantha’s) and even though the chapters alternated between the two main character’s I did notice that Samantha’s chapters tended to be lengthier/more prominent. Abby Jimenez has included trigger warnings at the beginning, so I won’t list them here. And some of them were triggers for me, but they were also spoilers so approach with caution. I personally am glad the author thought to include them as it gives you the option. The romantic tropes were grumpy x sunshine, and hate to love, although if you squint you will miss both of these. Also, forced separation and long distance.

I purchased both the e-book and audiobook, and Christine Lakin and Matt Lanter were the perfect choices to voice Samantha and Xavier. I especially loved that even when Matt Lanter was narrating Xavier’s chapters Christine Lakin still read Samantha’s dialogue, and vice versa. That doesn’t often happen and made the listening experience even more immersive. High praise for the audio!

I think if you go into Say You Remember Me knowing that the romance is secondary to the family drama you will love this one more. I did enjoy it, but it wasn’t my favourite by Abby Jimenez. I have a feeling I’m going to be very much in the minority though and that most readers/reviewers will rate this book five stars.
]]> <![CDATA[Her Many Faces: The most surprising suspense novel of the year]]> 217400732 DAUGHTER. FRIEND. LOVER. VICTIM. MURDERER?

' so clever, so gripping, so timely' LUCY FOLEY

'Unique, punchy and super-smart' ABIGAIL DEAN

‘Ingenious and gripping � I loved it� HARRIET TYCE

'Clever, twisty and with such a unique narrative .... Cloke can count me as her number one fan!' SARAH PINBOROUGH

When four influential members of London’s most exclusive private club are poisoned, a young waitress is charged with their murder after being caught fleeing the scene of the crime. As the trial grips the nation, five men begin to question how well they really knew her.

There’s her father, who remembers the sweet girl growing up in Devon; her childhood friend, who is swept up in her fascination with conspiracy theories; her lover, who wants to distance himself from a young woman with an obsession; her barrister, who knows she’s hiding something; and the journalist investigating the case, who is convinced he knows exactly who she a cold-blooded killer.

Five men. Five stories. But who is the real Katie Cole?

A novel about privilege, passion and how women’s voices can be sidelined and silenced, Her Many Faces will leave you who can you ever truly believe?

‘A clever, fast paced but emotionally insightful book. I loved it� JO CALLAGHAN

'Ingenious, indignant, beautifully wrought ... had me fooled repeatedly and I absolutely loved it. ERIN KELLY

'A sensational page-turner. Astute, compelling and beautifully written' SARAH HILARY]]> Nicci Cloke 1529938198 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 5.00 Her Many Faces: The most surprising suspense novel of the year
author: Nicci Cloke
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> King Sorrow 229255839
But his idyll—and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot—is shattered when local drug dealers force him into a terrible crime: stealing rare and valuable books from the exceptional college library.

Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for help: the wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren; brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen. Together they dream up an impossible, fantastical scheme that they scarcely imagine will work: to summon the fabled dragon King Sorrow to kill those tormenting Arthur.

But the six stumble backwards into a deadly bargain—they soon learn they must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow each year or one of them will become his next victim. Unleashing consequences they can neither predict nor control, this promise will, over the course of four decades, shape and endanger their lives in ways they could never expect.]]> Joe Hill 1035434741 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 0.0 2025 King Sorrow
author: Joe Hill
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Broken Country 216859268 IT WAS A SECRET AFFAIR. UNTIL IT WAS A PUBLIC SCANDAL.

Everyone in the village said nothing good would come of Gabriel's return. And as Beth looks at the man she loves on trial for murder, she can't help thinking they were right.

Beth was seventeen when she first met Gabriel. Over that heady, intense summer, he made her think and feel and see differently. She thought it was the start of her great love story. When Gabriel left to become the person his mother expected him to be, she was broken.

It was Frank who picked up the pieces and together they built a home very different from the one she'd imagined with Gabriel. Watching her husband and son, she remembered feeling so sure that, after everything, this was the life she was supposed to be leading.

But when Gabriel comes back, all Beth's certainty about who she is and what she wants crumbles. Even after ten years, their connection is instant. She knows it's wrong and she knows people could get hurt. But how can she resist a second chance at first love?

A love story with the pulse of a thriller, Broken Country is a heart-pounding novel of impossible choices and devastating consequences.]]> 319 Clare Leslie Hall 1399820443 NZLisaM 5 Why? Why did this happen? I feel like I've been ripped to sheds after finishing Broken Country!

Hemston, North Dorset, 1955 � When seventeen-year-old Beth Kennedy meets her eighteen-year-old neighbour Gabriel Wolfe (home from boarding school for the summer), their attraction is instantaneous � passionate and intense. They thought they’d be together forever, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Hemston, 1968 � Now twenty-nine, Beth is married to Frank Johnson, living a content life as a farmer’s wife. Frank’s the kind of man who’s been there for Beth through thick and thin, through joy and heartbreak. The kind of man she can count on. But when Gabriel returns to the village, moving back to his family's estate with his young son, old memories and temptations resurface for Beth.

The Trial, Old Bailey, London � At an unknown point in time a sensational trial has begun. Someone has been murdered. Someone else stands accused. What happened? And how did things escalate to this moment?

Broken Country was at its core a love story, but whose? It was also family drama, historical fiction, courtroom drama, and mystery. Regrets, secrets, jealousy, betrayal, sacrifice, loss and grief were all prominent themes. And prepare yourselves, because this was a very emotional read, I’m not ashamed to admit I cried at the end.

A feeling of dread was always lurking at the back of my mind while reading, because ever though I didn't know exactly where this was going, I had my suspicions, and none of them were good. As you can probably guess this novel contained a love triangle which has never been my favourite because you’re always rooting for one pairing over the other but it was interwoven masterfully. I wanted to yell at Beth for her terrible choices, to choose wisely, particularly in the 1968 timeline, as I tended to be more forgiving of her actions in the flashbacks given her immaturity and and inexperience with love and relationships.

The writing was beautiful and poetic but unusual � it had a rushed feel � and to be honest it took me a good 11% to immerse myself in the mood of the novel and feel a connection to the characters but once I was in, I was all in � completely committed and consumed.

The two main settings on the outskirts of Hemston � Blakely Farm (which had been in the Johnson family for generations) and the sprawling neighbouring estate of Meadowlands where the Wolfe family resided, gave off all the tormented, uneasy, gothic vibes. Nature held a special significance and reverence for these characters representing familiarity, connection, remembrance, and shared history.

Reading Broken Country has been an unforgettable experience.]]> 4.44 2025 Broken Country
author: Clare Leslie Hall
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/02
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: 2025, favourites, contemporary, crime, drama, gothic-horror, historical, mystery, romance, small-town-setting
review:
Why? Why did this happen? I feel like I've been ripped to sheds after finishing Broken Country!

Hemston, North Dorset, 1955 � When seventeen-year-old Beth Kennedy meets her eighteen-year-old neighbour Gabriel Wolfe (home from boarding school for the summer), their attraction is instantaneous � passionate and intense. They thought they’d be together forever, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Hemston, 1968 � Now twenty-nine, Beth is married to Frank Johnson, living a content life as a farmer’s wife. Frank’s the kind of man who’s been there for Beth through thick and thin, through joy and heartbreak. The kind of man she can count on. But when Gabriel returns to the village, moving back to his family's estate with his young son, old memories and temptations resurface for Beth.

The Trial, Old Bailey, London � At an unknown point in time a sensational trial has begun. Someone has been murdered. Someone else stands accused. What happened? And how did things escalate to this moment?

Broken Country was at its core a love story, but whose? It was also family drama, historical fiction, courtroom drama, and mystery. Regrets, secrets, jealousy, betrayal, sacrifice, loss and grief were all prominent themes. And prepare yourselves, because this was a very emotional read, I’m not ashamed to admit I cried at the end.

A feeling of dread was always lurking at the back of my mind while reading, because ever though I didn't know exactly where this was going, I had my suspicions, and none of them were good. As you can probably guess this novel contained a love triangle which has never been my favourite because you’re always rooting for one pairing over the other but it was interwoven masterfully. I wanted to yell at Beth for her terrible choices, to choose wisely, particularly in the 1968 timeline, as I tended to be more forgiving of her actions in the flashbacks given her immaturity and and inexperience with love and relationships.

The writing was beautiful and poetic but unusual � it had a rushed feel � and to be honest it took me a good 11% to immerse myself in the mood of the novel and feel a connection to the characters but once I was in, I was all in � completely committed and consumed.

The two main settings on the outskirts of Hemston � Blakely Farm (which had been in the Johnson family for generations) and the sprawling neighbouring estate of Meadowlands where the Wolfe family resided, gave off all the tormented, uneasy, gothic vibes. Nature held a special significance and reverence for these characters representing familiarity, connection, remembrance, and shared history.

Reading Broken Country has been an unforgettable experience.
]]> The Memory Collectors 219401075 Four strangers time travel to the past and find themselves stuck on the day all their lives were changed in this stunning speculative mystery from award-winning film and television producer Dete Meserve, perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Wrong Place Wrong Time and The Paradox Hotel.

What would you do if you could spend an hour in your past? Four strangers in the beach town of Ventura, California are about to find out.

Elizabeth aches for one more precious hour with her son who died in a senseless accident. Andy is desperate to find his first love who vanished after a whirlwind romance. Logan craves the rush of surfing and mountain climbing, yearning to reclaim the freedom he lost after a missteplanded him in a wheelchair. Brooke is looking for an hour of relief from the guilt of an unforgivable mistake.

Enter Aeon Expeditions, the groundbreaking time travelinvention of Mark Saunders—which allowssome lucky clients the chanceto spend an hour in their past. Even though Aeon’s technology ensures time travel can’t alter the future, all four clients,including Mark’s ex-wife Elizabeth,yearn to revisit the hour that changed their lives forever.

But when their “hour� extends beyond sixty minutes, they find themselves stranded in the past. As their paths intertwine unexpectedly, they unearth shocking secrets hidden in the shadows of their shared All their lives were shattered the same night on a secluded highway by the beach. As they delve into the hidden truths of that pivotal hour, a startling revelation emerges. They were not alone. Someone else was present, harboring deadly intentions.

The Memory Collectors is a heart-wrenching, genre-bending novel brimming with hope, grief and second chances.

]]> 336 Dete Meserve NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025, netgalley 4.19 2025 The Memory Collectors
author: Dete Meserve
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, 2025, netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Smokin' Seventeen (Stephanie Plum, #17)]]> 30365207 Librarian's Note: This is an alternate-cover edition for Smokin' Seventeen � ASIN B0051GY24S

"Where there's smoke there's fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. "
Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie's name is on the killer's list. Short on time to find the murderer, Stephanie is also under pressure from family and friends to choose between her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie's mom wants her to dump them both for a former high school football star who's just returned to town. Stephanie's sidekick, Lula, suggests a red-hot boudoir "bake-off." And Joe's old-world grandmother gives Stephanie "the eye," which may mean that it's time to get out of town.
With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie's life looks like it's about to go up in smoke.]]> 321 Janet Evanovich NZLisaM 4 3.5.

Remember in Sizzling Sixteen when the Bail Bonds office Stephanie Plum works as a bond enforcer for was burned to the ground?

Well, Smokin� Seventeen kicks off with a bang. Construction crew unearth the body of a local strip club owner, buried beneath where the original Bail Bonds office stood � well technically where the trash bins were housed. And pretty soon the bodies are piling up, and it soon becomes clear that someone is targeting Stephanie. And she has a long list of enemies.

On top of that, the temporary bonds office is a motor home that is hard to find because it keeps moving locations. Stephanie and sidekick Lula are trying to apprehend a skip who thinks he’s a vampire. Then there’s a runaway bear, an angry chicken, Stephanie’s mother is playing matchmaker again, two curses have been placed on Stephanie by her on-again-off-again boyfriend’s Grandma Bella, and as per always Stephanie’s love life is a confusing disaster.

The main mystery in Smokin� Seventeen was solid, with a tense wrap-up, and surprising motive. Most of the book was fun, light, entertainment with so many hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments. It was fantastic to re-visit these beloved characters after so many years. The tone of the writing, and the writing itself is perfect for this series with the right balance of funny ha, ha one minute and serious the next.

But there’s a pet peeve in that I’ve grown tired of the whole “floating timeline� as it’s very repetitive. The stand-out instalments of the series are the books that do something different, like when Stephanie had to work in the button factory. I wish the characters would age, progress, evolve, and the whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger love triangle is tiresome after seventeen books.

I will continue reading, but I think the series is overdue for a revamp and refresh.]]> 4.33 2011 Smokin' Seventeen (Stephanie Plum, #17)
author: Janet Evanovich
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/03/30
shelves: chick-lit, crime, drama, mystery, series, suspense, action, romance
review:
3.5.

Remember in Sizzling Sixteen when the Bail Bonds office Stephanie Plum works as a bond enforcer for was burned to the ground?

Well, Smokin� Seventeen kicks off with a bang. Construction crew unearth the body of a local strip club owner, buried beneath where the original Bail Bonds office stood � well technically where the trash bins were housed. And pretty soon the bodies are piling up, and it soon becomes clear that someone is targeting Stephanie. And she has a long list of enemies.

On top of that, the temporary bonds office is a motor home that is hard to find because it keeps moving locations. Stephanie and sidekick Lula are trying to apprehend a skip who thinks he’s a vampire. Then there’s a runaway bear, an angry chicken, Stephanie’s mother is playing matchmaker again, two curses have been placed on Stephanie by her on-again-off-again boyfriend’s Grandma Bella, and as per always Stephanie’s love life is a confusing disaster.

The main mystery in Smokin� Seventeen was solid, with a tense wrap-up, and surprising motive. Most of the book was fun, light, entertainment with so many hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments. It was fantastic to re-visit these beloved characters after so many years. The tone of the writing, and the writing itself is perfect for this series with the right balance of funny ha, ha one minute and serious the next.

But there’s a pet peeve in that I’ve grown tired of the whole “floating timeline� as it’s very repetitive. The stand-out instalments of the series are the books that do something different, like when Stephanie had to work in the button factory. I wish the characters would age, progress, evolve, and the whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger love triangle is tiresome after seventeen books.

I will continue reading, but I think the series is overdue for a revamp and refresh.
]]> The Red House 58543166
The only person to escape the massacre was Joseph’s five-year-old sister, Eve. Now living her life with a new identity, she finally feels like she’s put her horrific past behind her.

Eve was the only one to witness her family’s murder, and she has never known why Joseph snapped all those years ago � but when she is faced with the decision of keeping her unresponsive brother alive, or letting him die, it might be her last chance to find out.

As she pieces together what happened that night, she will have to question everything she understood to be true, including her brother’s guilt, the stories she’s been told about her parents, and her own innocence.

Because Eve may be a survivor, but she might also be a liar.]]> Roz Watkins NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2023 3.96 2023 The Red House
author: Roz Watkins
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: to-read, 2023
review:

]]> It's a Love Story 218153839 USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.

Rules for a love story: There are none. It’s all a lie.

Jane Jackson knows that true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth—you can’t fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as "Poor Janey Jakes," the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punchline on America's fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios and she’s living by a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.

Except, she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she opened her mouth and a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest popstar of the moment, has promised to write an original song for the soundtrack. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.

Now, Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan while facing down her past is Jane's idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?]]> 368 Annabel Monaghan 0593714105 NZLisaM 5 It’s a Love Story made me smile. An enveloping, comforting read. The perfect beach companion!

Jane Jackson found success at an early age playing a character on a Nickelodeon-style popular sitcom between the ages of twelve and sixteen. Now thirty-three, Jane works as a Creative Executive for a major studio but has yet to see one of her scripts green-lit for a movie.

And Jane holds Cinematographer Dan Finnegan responsible for much of her professional failure, ever since the fateful day he publicly rejected a new script she was very excited by. And now he’s trying to sabotage her again � this time he loves her script choice, but feels it needs something extra to appeal commercially. Not willing to let Dan quash her dreams yet again, Jane promises she can get famous singer Jack Quinlan to write and record a song for the movie soundtrack � even though Jane only met him briefly on set, nearly twenty years ago. Uh-oh! Jane’s faced with quite the pickle.

When Jack doesn’t answer her calls, Jane reluctantly admits to Dan that she doesn’t know the singer as well as she pretended to. Surprisingly, Dan has a solution. Jack Quinlan will be playing at a music festival in his hometown the same weekend of Dan’s parent’s 40th anniversary party. He invites Jane to spend the week with his family in order to track Jack down, the golden opportunity for Jane to pitch her idea to him. Out of options, Jane unenthusiastically accepts.

It’s going to be an unforgettable life changing week for Jane and Dan!

I’m not a ‘Sɾڳپ�, but because I don’t live under a rock, even I know that the title of this book It’s a Love Story is a line from Taylor Swift’s first mainstream popular song Love Story. This novel was so sweet and adorable, and as it stands my favourite so far by Annabel Monaghan. And it featured so many of my favourite tropes � slow burn, hate to love, enemies to lovers, acquaintances to lovers, friends to lovers, workplace/work colleagues romance, slight open-door but mainly closed, forced close proximity, and forced to share a bedroom.

I loved Jane and Dan’s teasing, comebacks, fun banter, and the heated arguments about ridiculous things. I appreciated how much they slowly grew to care about each other, and had one another’s back, even though neither were ready to admit it. I adored their ‘meet cute�, and all their romantic moments, and physical admiration. And of course there was their sizzling chemistry.

Dan’s Long Island hometown of Oak Shore had everything I could possibly want in a romantic setting - small town cozy vibes, a gorgeous beach, bike rides around the picturesque town, and a rustic farmhouse in the countryside. Not to mention all the glorious food - the delicious home cooking, beachside dining, cookouts on the beach, and ice cream at the local diner. The Finnegan family were warm, big-hearted, and welcoming, creating a sense of belonging that was missing from only child Jane’s life growing up with a single mother and no father in the picture.

As you know I like my romances with a side of unresolved trauma and past baggage where during the course of the novel, and with the support of a loving trusting accepting partner, a character’s journey leads to healing, confronting one’s past, and finding your people and your happy place. It’s a Love Story contained a lot of real-world issues like abandonment and absent fathers, bullying, loneliness and feeling unaccepted for being different, and the pain and rejection of a first crush. Also, the downside and exploitative nature of growing up in the spotlight and experiencing puberty in front of a TV audience.

I really loved the 2009 Sandra Bullock movie The Proposal and It’s a Love Story had a fair bit in common with that. A complete win for me, and I’m sure It’s a Love Story will make a lot of reader’s top favourite contemporary romances list for 2025.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Aria & Aries, and Annabel Monaghan for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 27th May 2025.]]> 4.30 2025 It's a Love Story
author: Annabel Monaghan
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: 2025, netgalley, favourites, contemporary, romance, womens-fiction, small-town-setting
review:
It’s a Love Story made me smile. An enveloping, comforting read. The perfect beach companion!

Jane Jackson found success at an early age playing a character on a Nickelodeon-style popular sitcom between the ages of twelve and sixteen. Now thirty-three, Jane works as a Creative Executive for a major studio but has yet to see one of her scripts green-lit for a movie.

And Jane holds Cinematographer Dan Finnegan responsible for much of her professional failure, ever since the fateful day he publicly rejected a new script she was very excited by. And now he’s trying to sabotage her again � this time he loves her script choice, but feels it needs something extra to appeal commercially. Not willing to let Dan quash her dreams yet again, Jane promises she can get famous singer Jack Quinlan to write and record a song for the movie soundtrack � even though Jane only met him briefly on set, nearly twenty years ago. Uh-oh! Jane’s faced with quite the pickle.

When Jack doesn’t answer her calls, Jane reluctantly admits to Dan that she doesn’t know the singer as well as she pretended to. Surprisingly, Dan has a solution. Jack Quinlan will be playing at a music festival in his hometown the same weekend of Dan’s parent’s 40th anniversary party. He invites Jane to spend the week with his family in order to track Jack down, the golden opportunity for Jane to pitch her idea to him. Out of options, Jane unenthusiastically accepts.

It’s going to be an unforgettable life changing week for Jane and Dan!

I’m not a ‘Sɾڳپ�, but because I don’t live under a rock, even I know that the title of this book It’s a Love Story is a line from Taylor Swift’s first mainstream popular song Love Story. This novel was so sweet and adorable, and as it stands my favourite so far by Annabel Monaghan. And it featured so many of my favourite tropes � slow burn, hate to love, enemies to lovers, acquaintances to lovers, friends to lovers, workplace/work colleagues romance, slight open-door but mainly closed, forced close proximity, and forced to share a bedroom.

I loved Jane and Dan’s teasing, comebacks, fun banter, and the heated arguments about ridiculous things. I appreciated how much they slowly grew to care about each other, and had one another’s back, even though neither were ready to admit it. I adored their ‘meet cute�, and all their romantic moments, and physical admiration. And of course there was their sizzling chemistry.

Dan’s Long Island hometown of Oak Shore had everything I could possibly want in a romantic setting - small town cozy vibes, a gorgeous beach, bike rides around the picturesque town, and a rustic farmhouse in the countryside. Not to mention all the glorious food - the delicious home cooking, beachside dining, cookouts on the beach, and ice cream at the local diner. The Finnegan family were warm, big-hearted, and welcoming, creating a sense of belonging that was missing from only child Jane’s life growing up with a single mother and no father in the picture.

As you know I like my romances with a side of unresolved trauma and past baggage where during the course of the novel, and with the support of a loving trusting accepting partner, a character’s journey leads to healing, confronting one’s past, and finding your people and your happy place. It’s a Love Story contained a lot of real-world issues like abandonment and absent fathers, bullying, loneliness and feeling unaccepted for being different, and the pain and rejection of a first crush. Also, the downside and exploitative nature of growing up in the spotlight and experiencing puberty in front of a TV audience.

I really loved the 2009 Sandra Bullock movie The Proposal and It’s a Love Story had a fair bit in common with that. A complete win for me, and I’m sure It’s a Love Story will make a lot of reader’s top favourite contemporary romances list for 2025.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Aria & Aries, and Annabel Monaghan for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 27th May 2025.
]]> The Hitchhikers 221711793 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 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.99 2025 The Hitchhikers
author: Chevy Stevens
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)]]> 75513900 She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites� powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.]]> 523 Lauren Roberts NZLisaM 0 DNF @ 14% - No Rating.

Needing something to fill the dystopian/fantasy void after finishing The Hunger Games franchise I selected Powerless (another popular YA series) since I had heard there were similarities between the two series. I was probably expecting too much though, as to me Powerless reads as one of those YA novels that’s aimed and written solely for a younger audience, rather than appealing to all ages.

Also, I’m still deciding if Romantasy is really my genre. Don’t get me wrong I am one of those people who enjoy a romantic relationship mixed with other genres, but maybe not half of the book which is what Romantasy promises. In Powerless the playful, flirty banter, and pausing to admire someone’s physical attributes in great detail, when a situation is serious, threatening, or dangerous really diminishes the fantasy element.

I guarantee I would’ve loved this one in my teens and twenties.]]> 4.17 2023 Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)
author: Lauren Roberts
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: 2023, dnf, fantasy, dystopian, romance
review:
DNF @ 14% - No Rating.

Needing something to fill the dystopian/fantasy void after finishing The Hunger Games franchise I selected Powerless (another popular YA series) since I had heard there were similarities between the two series. I was probably expecting too much though, as to me Powerless reads as one of those YA novels that’s aimed and written solely for a younger audience, rather than appealing to all ages.

Also, I’m still deciding if Romantasy is really my genre. Don’t get me wrong I am one of those people who enjoy a romantic relationship mixed with other genres, but maybe not half of the book which is what Romantasy promises. In Powerless the playful, flirty banter, and pausing to admire someone’s physical attributes in great detail, when a situation is serious, threatening, or dangerous really diminishes the fantasy element.

I guarantee I would’ve loved this one in my teens and twenties.
]]> Can't Get Enough 218372325 “Kennedy Ryan pours her whole soul into everything she writes, and it makes for books that are heart-searing, sensual, and life affirming.”―EMILY HENRY, #1 New York Times bestselling author Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry's rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it.

She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions—always striving upward.And in the midst of everything, she's facing her toughest challenge caring for an aging parent.

Who has time for romance? From her experience, there's a low ROI on relationships. She hasn't met the man who cankeep up with her anyway. Until...him.

Tech mogul Maverick Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and knee-melting charm. From their first charged glance at the summer's hottest party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match. Only he can’t be. Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired and appreciated, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself.

But when Maverick gives chase—pursuing her, spoiling her,understandingher—is it time to let herself have something more?


A deeply moving and personal novel about sacrifice, self-reliance, and finding true happiness from “one of the finest romance writers of our age.� �Entertainment Weekly]]> 448 Kennedy Ryan 1538772809 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.50 2025 Can't Get Enough
author: Kennedy Ryan
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales, #1)]]> 60717747 It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!]]> 304 Olivia Atwater NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2020 4.04 2020 Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales, #1)
author: Olivia Atwater
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, 2020
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)]]> 51901147
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.]]> 541 Suzanne Collins NZLisaM 5 ‘Snow Lands on Top� is Coriolanus Snow’s family motto. But what will his belief cost those around him?

Sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games and forty years before Haymitch Abernathy’s backstory in Sunrise on the Reaping we again open on the day of the reaping ceremony, but this time we are in the Capitol for the 10th Hunger Games.

Before he was President Snow of Panem, Coriolanus Snow was an eighteen-year-old about to graduating from the Academy � the most prestigious secondary school in the Capitol. For the first time in history each tribute from the districts is to be assigned mentors � made up of twenty-four students from the Academy. As a high-honour student, and because the name ‘Snow� carries weight in the Capitol, Coriolanus is certain he will be paired with a tribute from either District’s 1 or 2, which is why he is shocked beyond belief to end up with the District 12 girl. What hope does she have of winning? Because Coriolanus Snow is a winner!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was the darkness instalment of the series for two reasons � Coriolanus was not a sympathetic character, and I was never rooting for him (don’t let his charm fool you), and the pre-game treatment of the tributes, and the Games themselves were even more brutal and primitive. I know that seems impossible, but it was. It was also one of my favourite books of the series because as horrendous as he was, Coriolanus was a fascinating and compelling character, and by the end of the novel I could completely envision teenage Coriolanus Snow as the evil future President Snow. I loved how each of the three parts were separate story arcs but also merged and impacted the overall plot. I’m 33 minutes into the movie, and so far I’ve noticed that they’re making Coriolanus kinder than the book. Will see if that trend continues.

There were several scenes in Sunrise on the Reaping that make even more sense now having read this one, and the spoiler I uncovered by reading Sunrise first didn’t turn out to be as big of a deal as I thought � there were much bigger shocks and surprises in store. Those last few chapters, and how it all came together � whoa!

A part of me is sad I’m all caught up with this universe, I’ve really enjoyed reading Sunrise and Ballad, but am planning to re-read The Hunger Games trilogy again soon as I haven’t written reviews for Catching Fire or Mockingjay yet. Please write more of this series Suzanne Collins. I’d be happy with anything but would really love Finnick Odair’s story.
]]> 3.99 2020 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: 2020, dystopian, fantasy, series, favourites
review:
‘Snow Lands on Top� is Coriolanus Snow’s family motto. But what will his belief cost those around him?

Sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games and forty years before Haymitch Abernathy’s backstory in Sunrise on the Reaping we again open on the day of the reaping ceremony, but this time we are in the Capitol for the 10th Hunger Games.

Before he was President Snow of Panem, Coriolanus Snow was an eighteen-year-old about to graduating from the Academy � the most prestigious secondary school in the Capitol. For the first time in history each tribute from the districts is to be assigned mentors � made up of twenty-four students from the Academy. As a high-honour student, and because the name ‘Snow� carries weight in the Capitol, Coriolanus is certain he will be paired with a tribute from either District’s 1 or 2, which is why he is shocked beyond belief to end up with the District 12 girl. What hope does she have of winning? Because Coriolanus Snow is a winner!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was the darkness instalment of the series for two reasons � Coriolanus was not a sympathetic character, and I was never rooting for him (don’t let his charm fool you), and the pre-game treatment of the tributes, and the Games themselves were even more brutal and primitive. I know that seems impossible, but it was. It was also one of my favourite books of the series because as horrendous as he was, Coriolanus was a fascinating and compelling character, and by the end of the novel I could completely envision teenage Coriolanus Snow as the evil future President Snow. I loved how each of the three parts were separate story arcs but also merged and impacted the overall plot. I’m 33 minutes into the movie, and so far I’ve noticed that they’re making Coriolanus kinder than the book. Will see if that trend continues.

There were several scenes in Sunrise on the Reaping that make even more sense now having read this one, and the spoiler I uncovered by reading Sunrise first didn’t turn out to be as big of a deal as I thought � there were much bigger shocks and surprises in store. Those last few chapters, and how it all came together � whoa!

A part of me is sad I’m all caught up with this universe, I’ve really enjoyed reading Sunrise and Ballad, but am planning to re-read The Hunger Games trilogy again soon as I haven’t written reviews for Catching Fire or Mockingjay yet. Please write more of this series Suzanne Collins. I’d be happy with anything but would really love Finnick Odair’s story.

]]> <![CDATA[Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)]]> 214331246 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 NZLisaM 5 Twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping details sixteen-year-old Haymitch Abernathy’s fateful experience during the 50th Hunger Games (the second Quarter Quell).

Before proceeding please note that this review contains major spoilers for The Hunger Games Trilogy so if you haven’t read those books yet, and plan to, my advice is to give this review a wide berth until you have.

Just like The Hunger Games this one also opens on the day of the reaping in District 12. And because it’s a Quarter Quell instead of two children, four will be reaped from each district (2 boys and 2 girls), 48 tributes across all districts. Just like the other two games we’ve read about, we get to know a selection of brave tributes that I grew to love and respect, all the while knowing that those characters weren’t long for their world.

When we were first introduced to Haymitch in The Hunger Games he was damaged and broken with zero attachments to anyone or anything, and used alcohol to numb his pain and escape from reality. Having now finished Sunrise on the Reaping, and filling all the holes in his past, I now have a complete picture of the horrors, loss, despair, and betrayal he endured. I’m sure this comes as no surprise to anyone that this is not a happy story. Haymitch’s story was heart-wrenching, bleak, appalling, frightening, and cruel. As a reader though it was immersive, addicting, fast-paced, and action-packed, and I loved learning all the new details relating to this universe.

Aside from Haymitch several characters from The Hunger Games novels appeared in this book. And, if you are anything like me and have a bad memory, or if it’s been a hot minute since you’ve read The Hunger Games, listed below are a reminder of the roles those characters played in the trilogy, and if it’s not too much of a spoiler, their part in this one.

Wiress � District 3 Victor of the 49th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games.

Beetee Latier � District 3 Victor of the 34th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games.

Mags Flanagan � District 4 Victor of the 11th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games.

Effie Trinket � Escort for the District 12 tributes for the 74th and 75th Hunger Games.

Plutarch Heavensbee � Head Gamemaker of the 75th Hunger Games.

President Snow � President of Panem in The Hunger Games and in this book.

Caesar Flickerman � Presenter of the 50th, 74th and 75th Hunger Games.

I was ecstatic to be given more backstories and insights and motivations regarding these returning characters. One in particular was so heartbreaking and horrific, and another’s answered a question I had from Catching Fire.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the audiobook for a very reasonable price of NZD $1.74, and Jefferson White completely and utterly captured Haymitch’s voice. My only slight irritation was with all the poems, which were more prominent in the audio, and if I had of been reading an e-book or physical copy, I would’ve likely skipped over them.

Because I’m in the zone, and haven’t yet read The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes, I’m going to move straight onto that one. Although, word of warning, there is a massive spoiler for that novel in this one, so I did kind of ruin it for myself. Completely my fault for reading out of order. I’m still as excited to read Ballad as I was to read Sunrise on the Reaping, and if it’s as phenomenal and memorable as this instalment then I have nothing to complain about.]]> 4.62 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: 2025, favourites, dystopian, fantasy, horror, action, series, suspense, thriller
review:
Twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping details sixteen-year-old Haymitch Abernathy’s fateful experience during the 50th Hunger Games (the second Quarter Quell).

Before proceeding please note that this review contains major spoilers for The Hunger Games Trilogy so if you haven’t read those books yet, and plan to, my advice is to give this review a wide berth until you have.

Just like The Hunger Games this one also opens on the day of the reaping in District 12. And because it’s a Quarter Quell instead of two children, four will be reaped from each district (2 boys and 2 girls), 48 tributes across all districts. Just like the other two games we’ve read about, we get to know a selection of brave tributes that I grew to love and respect, all the while knowing that those characters weren’t long for their world.

When we were first introduced to Haymitch in The Hunger Games he was damaged and broken with zero attachments to anyone or anything, and used alcohol to numb his pain and escape from reality. Having now finished Sunrise on the Reaping, and filling all the holes in his past, I now have a complete picture of the horrors, loss, despair, and betrayal he endured. I’m sure this comes as no surprise to anyone that this is not a happy story. Haymitch’s story was heart-wrenching, bleak, appalling, frightening, and cruel. As a reader though it was immersive, addicting, fast-paced, and action-packed, and I loved learning all the new details relating to this universe.

Aside from Haymitch several characters from The Hunger Games novels appeared in this book. And, if you are anything like me and have a bad memory, or if it’s been a hot minute since you’ve read The Hunger Games, listed below are a reminder of the roles those characters played in the trilogy, and if it’s not too much of a spoiler, their part in this one.

Wiress � District 3 Victor of the 49th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games.

Beetee Latier � District 3 Victor of the 34th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games.

Mags Flanagan � District 4 Victor of the 11th Hunger Games and tribute in the 75th Hunger Games.

Effie Trinket � Escort for the District 12 tributes for the 74th and 75th Hunger Games.

Plutarch Heavensbee � Head Gamemaker of the 75th Hunger Games.

President Snow � President of Panem in The Hunger Games and in this book.

Caesar Flickerman � Presenter of the 50th, 74th and 75th Hunger Games.

I was ecstatic to be given more backstories and insights and motivations regarding these returning characters. One in particular was so heartbreaking and horrific, and another’s answered a question I had from Catching Fire.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the audiobook for a very reasonable price of NZD $1.74, and Jefferson White completely and utterly captured Haymitch’s voice. My only slight irritation was with all the poems, which were more prominent in the audio, and if I had of been reading an e-book or physical copy, I would’ve likely skipped over them.

Because I’m in the zone, and haven’t yet read The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes, I’m going to move straight onto that one. Although, word of warning, there is a massive spoiler for that novel in this one, so I did kind of ruin it for myself. Completely my fault for reading out of order. I’m still as excited to read Ballad as I was to read Sunrise on the Reaping, and if it’s as phenomenal and memorable as this instalment then I have nothing to complain about.
]]> <![CDATA[Step on a Crack (Michael Bennett, #1)]]> 45169 383 James Patterson 0316013943 NZLisaM 0 to-read 4.02 2007 Step on a Crack (Michael Bennett, #1)
author: James Patterson
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Writer 215749267 Her bestsellers explore the wildest, strangest crimes. Now her husband has been murdered� is she a target, a victim, or is this even darker?�

NYPD Detective Declan Shaw gets the call from his lieutenant at 9:42 p.m.How fast can you get to 211 Central Park West? The Beresford Building.

At Apartment 18A, Shaw’s partner briefs him. The woman inside called 911 to report a break-in—and the murder of her husband. She fired a round at first responders, then made a baffling demand.Nobody comes in but Detective Declan Shaw.

The woman answers, covered in blood. She appears to be in shock. A body is lying dead on the floor of the luxurious living room.

Shaw walks in and spots floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with hardcover books. He recognizes the name—bestselling true-crime author Denise Morrow. When he looks closer, he sees they all show the same familiar picture on the back.

“This is you?� Shaw asks. “You’re a writer?�
�
The real question Is she also a killer?]]> 400 James Patterson 0316570001 NZLisaM 5 James Patterson and J.D. Barker sure pulled the wool over my eyes!

Haunted by a past case, Detective Declan Shaw of the NYPD is in a deserted subway station about to end it all by throwing himself in front of a train.

Until his phone rings.

His partner Jarod Cordova is requesting his presence on a perplexing case � which at first appears to be a burglary gone wrong. The victim is Cardiologist David Morrow. His wife Denise (a best-selling true crime writer) arrived home to their high-rise apartment in Central Park West to find him stabbed to death. Or so she says. Because Denise is covered in blood. And that's far from the only strange thing about the scene that doesn't add up.

And the weirdest question of all! Why did Denise request him by name on her 911 call?

The Writer was a smartly done psychological thriller/crime/police procedural with a creative, crafty, convoluted plot and whopping twists. The last half was very exciting, satisfying, and adrenalin-pumping. The first 50% initially wasn't a 5-star read as I had some problems that I'm unable to divulge as they fall into spoiler territory. However, my issues were addressed and resolved by the end so on a re-read (which I fully intend to do at a later stage) I believe I can confidentiality state that I fully expect to rate the first half all the stars as well.

I think I'll leave it there as I want you to experience every thrilling moment for yourselves without me spoiling anything. Move The Writer to the top of your TBR now. On my favourites shelf it goes.]]> 4.28 2025 The Writer
author: James Patterson
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: 2025, favourites, crime, mystery, police-procedural, suspense, thriller
review:
James Patterson and J.D. Barker sure pulled the wool over my eyes!

Haunted by a past case, Detective Declan Shaw of the NYPD is in a deserted subway station about to end it all by throwing himself in front of a train.

Until his phone rings.

His partner Jarod Cordova is requesting his presence on a perplexing case � which at first appears to be a burglary gone wrong. The victim is Cardiologist David Morrow. His wife Denise (a best-selling true crime writer) arrived home to their high-rise apartment in Central Park West to find him stabbed to death. Or so she says. Because Denise is covered in blood. And that's far from the only strange thing about the scene that doesn't add up.

And the weirdest question of all! Why did Denise request him by name on her 911 call?

The Writer was a smartly done psychological thriller/crime/police procedural with a creative, crafty, convoluted plot and whopping twists. The last half was very exciting, satisfying, and adrenalin-pumping. The first 50% initially wasn't a 5-star read as I had some problems that I'm unable to divulge as they fall into spoiler territory. However, my issues were addressed and resolved by the end so on a re-read (which I fully intend to do at a later stage) I believe I can confidentiality state that I fully expect to rate the first half all the stars as well.

I think I'll leave it there as I want you to experience every thrilling moment for yourselves without me spoiling anything. Move The Writer to the top of your TBR now. On my favourites shelf it goes.
]]> <![CDATA[The Awful Truth About the Sushing Prize]]> 46126158 Should I tell him about Sushing or play dumb?

Sticking in my comfort zone, I played dumb.

Writer Marco Ocram has a secret superpower—whatever he writes actually happens, there and then. Hoping to win the million-dollar Sushing Prize, he uses his powers to write a true-crime thriller, quickly discovering a freakish murder. But Marco has a major problem—he's a total idiot who can't see beyond his next sentence. Losing control of his plot and his characters, and breaking all the rules of fiction, Marco writes himself into every kind of trouble, until only the world's most incredible ending can save his bacon.

Fast, funny, and utterly different, welcome to the weird world of The Awful Truth.

"A wickedly amusing parody of a crime novel, but as fast-paced and action-packed as any police procedural. I enjoyed it immensely." � Minette Walters, author of The Turn of Midnight.

"The Awful Truth is endlessly clever, on the mark with its targets and simply funny. � Alex Austin, author of Nakamura Reality.]]> 313 Marco Ocram NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2019 4.31 2019 The Awful Truth About the Sushing Prize
author: Marco Ocram
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: to-read, 2019
review:

]]> When the Wolf Comes Home 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 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.46 2025 When the Wolf Comes Home
author: Nat Cassidy
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> The Other Side of Now 217388211 A hilarious and heartfelt novel about how loves and lives are never truly lost, for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath the layers of makeup and hairspray, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a small breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip where she knows the grass is greener: Ireland. Specifically, the quaint little village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving—a dream that fell apart when an accident claimed Aimee’s life a decade ago.

When Meg arrives, the people in town are so nice, treating her not as a stranger, but a friend. Except for the (extremely hot) bartender giving her the cold shoulder. Meg writes it all off as jetlag until she looks in the mirror. Her hair is no longer bleached within an inch of its life, her skin has a few natural fine lines, and her nose looks like� well, her old nose. Her real nose.

Her phone reveals hundreds of pictures of her life in this little town: with an adorable dog she doesn’t know; with the bartender who might be her (ex?) boyfriend; and at a retail job unrelated to acting. Eventually, she comes to accept that she somehow made a quantum slide into an alternate version of her life. But the most shocking realization of all? In this life, her best friend Aimee is alive and well…but wants nothing to do with Meg.

Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke. She finagles an opportunity to act in the play Aimee is writing and directing and as the project unfolds, Meg realizes that events as she remembers them may not be the only truth, and that an impossible choice looms before her.]]> 320 Paige Harbison 1250358078 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.43 2025 The Other Side of Now
author: Paige Harbison
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Our Little Cruelties 48757641 Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin.

Will, Brian and Luke grow up competing for their mother's unequal love. As men, the competition continues - for status, money, fame, women ...

They each betray each other, over and over, until one of them is dead.

But which brother killed him?

]]> 372 Liz Nugent NZLisaM 5 As the title explicitly states this is one cruel, cruel family!

The prologue for Our Little Cruelties (also called Little Cruelties) opens with the funeral of one of three brothers � we know he died suddenly and violently, but it is not revealed which brother is in the casket, or any circumstances surrounding his death, or what led up to it. We then follow this very dysfunctional family from the boys troubled childhood and teen years through to their successes, failures, relationships, alcoholism, physical illness, mental health struggles as adults, and most prevalent of all, their destructive, repulsive behaviour. Naturally the brothers have a competitive, jealous, one-upmanship, self-centred, sometimes violent relationship - their every interaction toxic.

The first chunk of chapters were from the eldest brother William’s point of view, followed by youngest brother Luke and finally middle brother Brian. Within these POV’s the narrative bounced around in time between the 1970’s and 2010’s each chapter a window into an important memory that defined their life. For example you could be in 1978 one chapter, 2008 the next, then 1984.

These characters were parasites, predators � using, abusing, and infecting everyone they came into contact with. I was slightly sympathetic towards one of the brothers, but no one in this novel was likeable or redeemable, nor was I rooting for anyone. Did the brothers receive their comeuppance by the end? You’ll need to read to find out. I should also mention that unlike Liz Nugent’s other novels this read more like a contemporary family drama/saga rather than a thriller. Which is why it surprised me how much I enjoyed/was immersed in this one, and was always eager to get back to it, and thought about these despicable characters when I wasn’t reading. In fact I think Our Little Cruelties and Skin Deep are my top favourites now that I’ve read all of Liz Nugent’s books, and I’m very excited for whatever she releases next, which I hope is soon.

Trigger Warnings: (do not read if you don’t want to be spoiled) [spoilers removed]]]> 3.98 2020 Our Little Cruelties
author: Liz Nugent
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves: 2020, favourites, contemporary, drama
review:
As the title explicitly states this is one cruel, cruel family!

The prologue for Our Little Cruelties (also called Little Cruelties) opens with the funeral of one of three brothers � we know he died suddenly and violently, but it is not revealed which brother is in the casket, or any circumstances surrounding his death, or what led up to it. We then follow this very dysfunctional family from the boys troubled childhood and teen years through to their successes, failures, relationships, alcoholism, physical illness, mental health struggles as adults, and most prevalent of all, their destructive, repulsive behaviour. Naturally the brothers have a competitive, jealous, one-upmanship, self-centred, sometimes violent relationship - their every interaction toxic.

The first chunk of chapters were from the eldest brother William’s point of view, followed by youngest brother Luke and finally middle brother Brian. Within these POV’s the narrative bounced around in time between the 1970’s and 2010’s each chapter a window into an important memory that defined their life. For example you could be in 1978 one chapter, 2008 the next, then 1984.

These characters were parasites, predators � using, abusing, and infecting everyone they came into contact with. I was slightly sympathetic towards one of the brothers, but no one in this novel was likeable or redeemable, nor was I rooting for anyone. Did the brothers receive their comeuppance by the end? You’ll need to read to find out. I should also mention that unlike Liz Nugent’s other novels this read more like a contemporary family drama/saga rather than a thriller. Which is why it surprised me how much I enjoyed/was immersed in this one, and was always eager to get back to it, and thought about these despicable characters when I wasn’t reading. In fact I think Our Little Cruelties and Skin Deep are my top favourites now that I’ve read all of Liz Nugent’s books, and I’m very excited for whatever she releases next, which I hope is soon.

Trigger Warnings: (do not read if you don’t want to be spoiled) [spoilers removed]
]]> Lying in Wait 29997323 Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller!

Featured in the Richard and Judy Spring 2017 Book Club

'Gone Girl fans will love Liz Nugent's Lying in Wait ... it twists, it turns, its characters are utterly despicable and it is a compulsive triumph' Stylist

From the award-winning author of the No 1 bestseller, Unravelling Oliver ...

'My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.'

Lydia Fitzsimons lives in the perfect house with her adoring husband and beloved son. There is just one thing Lydia yearns for to make her perfect life complete, though the last thing she expects is that pursuing it will lead to murder. However, needs must - because nothing can stop this mother from getting what she wants ...

]]> 311 Liz Nugent NZLisaM 5 The 14th of November 1980, the date 22-year-old Annie Doyle was murdered, is the catalyst for everything that follows.

We yo-yo between three first person narrators;

Lydia Fitzsimons �she and her husband Andrew know how to deal with blackmailers. Annie Doyle thought she could take advantage of them. She was dead wrong!

Karen Doyle � Annie’s teenage sister. She won’t stop until she gets to the truth of what happened to Annie, no matter how many years have passed.

Laurence Fitzsimons � Andrew and Lydia’s seventeen-year-old son. A mama’s boy. Socially awkward, struggles to make friends, and is often bullied.

All three are on a collision course!

Jeepers creepers! Lying in Wait was another winner for me, and my fourth 5 star read by this “Queen of writing screwed-up characters� author. Her novels always take a shocking turn, and this one left me speechless with disbelief. I had no idea where the plot was going and how it would end. It’s always the little things that come back to bite the characters.

I loved the family saga element of Lying in Wait � like all her books we were given thorough backstories for all our narrators from childhood onwards so we know exactly what has shaped their personalities, behaviour, and motivational triggers into the people they are at the beginning of the novel, and going forward.

As per the cover art of my edition, Lying in Wait had a gothic feel, as a fair amount of the plot took place in Avalon � the sprawling Dublin mansion that had been in Lydia’s family for generations, which of course hides dark secrets. Adding to the gothic-ness was the fact the Lydia was reclusive and barely left the house.

Because Lying in Wait was so evilly addictive I’ll be moving straight on to Our Little Cruelties, the last book I still have to read by Liz Nugent, and then I’ll be all caught up with her thrillers.]]> 4.01 2016 Lying in Wait
author: Liz Nugent
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: 2016, crime, drama, mystery, thriller, suspense
review:
The 14th of November 1980, the date 22-year-old Annie Doyle was murdered, is the catalyst for everything that follows.

We yo-yo between three first person narrators;

Lydia Fitzsimons �she and her husband Andrew know how to deal with blackmailers. Annie Doyle thought she could take advantage of them. She was dead wrong!

Karen Doyle � Annie’s teenage sister. She won’t stop until she gets to the truth of what happened to Annie, no matter how many years have passed.

Laurence Fitzsimons � Andrew and Lydia’s seventeen-year-old son. A mama’s boy. Socially awkward, struggles to make friends, and is often bullied.

All three are on a collision course!

Jeepers creepers! Lying in Wait was another winner for me, and my fourth 5 star read by this “Queen of writing screwed-up characters� author. Her novels always take a shocking turn, and this one left me speechless with disbelief. I had no idea where the plot was going and how it would end. It’s always the little things that come back to bite the characters.

I loved the family saga element of Lying in Wait � like all her books we were given thorough backstories for all our narrators from childhood onwards so we know exactly what has shaped their personalities, behaviour, and motivational triggers into the people they are at the beginning of the novel, and going forward.

As per the cover art of my edition, Lying in Wait had a gothic feel, as a fair amount of the plot took place in Avalon � the sprawling Dublin mansion that had been in Lydia’s family for generations, which of course hides dark secrets. Adding to the gothic-ness was the fact the Lydia was reclusive and barely left the house.

Because Lying in Wait was so evilly addictive I’ll be moving straight on to Our Little Cruelties, the last book I still have to read by Liz Nugent, and then I’ll be all caught up with her thrillers.
]]> He Would Never 226231534
Five families on an annual camping trip, a mothers' group of fourteen years, children starting to look like adults, a father with his own mysterious agenda . . .

He Would Never is a searing page-turner about the bonds we forge in the furnace of early motherhood, the trust we place in other adults, and the chaos that erupts when one man refuses to play by the rules.


Praise for He Would Never

'A compelling, suspenseful tale imbued with warmth, humour and heart' LIANE MORIARTY]]> 349 Holly Wainwright 1761567780 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.69 He Would Never
author: Holly Wainwright
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.69
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What Kind of Mother (Detective Dan Riley, #8)]]> 221790642 My son and his girlfriend stand there, two terrified teenagers shivering in the doorway, and say the unthinkable. ‘I think we killed someone.� Now, I have to decide exactly what kind of mother I am�

Everything changes in a heartbeat the night Conor and his girlfriend Paris Levinson come to us begging for help, their clothes spattered with blood. They say it was an accident, that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time�

A mother’s intuition is never wrong, and I know there is more they aren’t telling us. But Paris� mother Helen and I have to make a choice that will change all of our lives. Do we tell the truth, and risk losing our children forever? Or do we lie to keep them safe?

We will do anything to protect our children, but one wrong move could cost us everything. Lying to the police was a risk, and now Helen is acting more unpredictable by the day � turning up at my house unannounced, harassing my husband, telling lies about my past�

The only way to save my family is to uncover the truth about that night. I’m convinced the answers lie hidden inside the Levinsons� house. I’d do anything for Conor, but am I prepared for what I might find behind locked doors? But when your son is in danger, you find out what kind of mother you are�

Anyone who loved Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and The Housemaid will be absolutely blown away by the rollercoaster ride of emotions in this gripping psychological thriller! A totally twisted page-turner guaranteed to keep you up all night turning the pages.

Readers are loving What Kind of Mother:

�Holy Cow� Right from the get go this book takes off with the action and pretty much never stops, it seems every chapter there is a ""What!?"", ""How!?"", ""Who!?"" kind of jaw dropping plot twist!... It felt like I was dropping my jaw again, right after just picking it up off the floor from the last chapter! I was racing through the pages and still couldn't get through this story fast enough to satisfy my brain!� ŷ reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐�

�I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough... It starts with a bang and doesn’t let up� left my jaw on the floor� hooked from start to finish!� meg.just.meg_reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

�An absolute page-turner! Packed with� jaw-dropping twists� impossible to put down� a must-read.� ŷ reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐�

�Twist after twist until the very end. I couldn't put this book down. It was an absolute page turner and I was hooked from the first word.� ŷ reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

�Wow I loved this so much I didn’t want it to end� Wow� A gripping read.� NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐]]> 338 Anna-Lou Weatherley 1836184794 NZLisaM 2 Ho-hum!

If Christine and Ed Carter could’ve predicted what awaited them downstairs when they wake up on a blissfully ignorant Sunday morning they would’ve chosen to stay in bed. The first downstairs, Christine finds her eighteen-year-old son Conor frantically pacing wearing a blood-stained T-shirt, his seventeen-year-old girlfriend Paris Levinson sobbing uncontrollably on the couch. The TV news is blaring in the background � announcing that the body of a badly beaten man has been found under a railway bridge. Conor’s tearful confession shocks Christine to the core;

“I’m sorry, Mum. I think we killed him.�

How far are two sets of parents willing to go to protect their children?

Not in a direction I was on board with that’s for sure!

Anna-Lou Weatherley consistently delivers addictive, binge-worthy, “didn’t see it coming� domestic psychological thriller/police procedures � until now that is. No. 8 (What Kind of Mother) in this series was by far the weakest instalment, and basically boiled down to a very cheesy cat-and-mouse game. Repetitive and tedious with a mixture of predictable or eye-rolling twists culminating in a lacklustre showdown, with idiot characters making stupid decisions and then being surprised at the mess they find themselves in. There were even two chapters in a row which ended with the same cliffhanger, but from different characters POV. Even seasoned Detective Dan Reilly’s investigation was “very slow on the update�. The one saving grace was his personal life, but that was a chapter at the most.

I sincerely hope Anna-Lou Weatherley returns to form in #9. However, if this one has piqued your interest but you are not a regular reader of this series, it can definitely be read as a standalone.]]> 4.02 What Kind of Mother (Detective Dan Riley, #8)
author: Anna-Lou Weatherley
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: 2025, crime, mystery, series, suspense, thriller, police-procedural
review:
Ho-hum!

If Christine and Ed Carter could’ve predicted what awaited them downstairs when they wake up on a blissfully ignorant Sunday morning they would’ve chosen to stay in bed. The first downstairs, Christine finds her eighteen-year-old son Conor frantically pacing wearing a blood-stained T-shirt, his seventeen-year-old girlfriend Paris Levinson sobbing uncontrollably on the couch. The TV news is blaring in the background � announcing that the body of a badly beaten man has been found under a railway bridge. Conor’s tearful confession shocks Christine to the core;

“I’m sorry, Mum. I think we killed him.�

How far are two sets of parents willing to go to protect their children?

Not in a direction I was on board with that’s for sure!

Anna-Lou Weatherley consistently delivers addictive, binge-worthy, “didn’t see it coming� domestic psychological thriller/police procedures � until now that is. No. 8 (What Kind of Mother) in this series was by far the weakest instalment, and basically boiled down to a very cheesy cat-and-mouse game. Repetitive and tedious with a mixture of predictable or eye-rolling twists culminating in a lacklustre showdown, with idiot characters making stupid decisions and then being surprised at the mess they find themselves in. There were even two chapters in a row which ended with the same cliffhanger, but from different characters POV. Even seasoned Detective Dan Reilly’s investigation was “very slow on the update�. The one saving grace was his personal life, but that was a chapter at the most.

I sincerely hope Anna-Lou Weatherley returns to form in #9. However, if this one has piqued your interest but you are not a regular reader of this series, it can definitely be read as a standalone.
]]> Promise Me Sunshine 214269328 Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she’s supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It’s not perfect: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of... a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she’s falling apart.

Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again� list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.]]> 416 Cara Bastone 0593595734 NZLisaM 0 2025, dnf DNF @ 50% - NO RATING!

Promise Me Sunshine is by no means a bad book, and I can see why many readers are loving it but as a contemporary romance I’m struggling as to me the FMC Lenny is in no fit state for a romantic relationship.

A few chapters in the MMC Miles discovered that every night Lenny was sleeping on the Staten Island Ferry which is just so dangerous I can’t even. At this point in time, Lenny was so grief-stricken by the loss of her best friend/roommate to cancer that she was barely functioning � has pushed her family away, has no friends, hardly showers or takes care of her physical appearance, has lost a bunch of weight, works occasionally as a short-term nanny/babysitter, and is unable to face the apartment she once shared with her friend so instead chooses to risk her life by sleeping on public transport or staying up all night at a 24-hour club. To me, Lenny needs immediate professional help and support, not Miles pretending to be a therapist solely based on the fact that he’s endured loss himself.

Don’t get me wrong, I love how kind, sympathetic and altruistic Miles was, and appreciate that the author chose to make this a very slow burn, friends to lovers, eventual romance. But Lenny’s deliberating grief also meant there was zero chemistry between her and Miles, and their friendship/relationship felt unhealthy as the power balance was uneven, and Lenny was far too reliant on Miles, unable to stand on her own two feet, completely falling apart when he wasn’t around.

Whew, I didn’t mean to go on so long. I think most will enjoy this one, but Promise Me Sunshine isn’t the right read for me at this time. I’d rather dnf and not rate it, than persevere and rate it low.

P.S: The cover art is glorious!]]> 4.23 2025 Promise Me Sunshine
author: Cara Bastone
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: 2025, dnf
review:
DNF @ 50% - NO RATING!

Promise Me Sunshine is by no means a bad book, and I can see why many readers are loving it but as a contemporary romance I’m struggling as to me the FMC Lenny is in no fit state for a romantic relationship.

A few chapters in the MMC Miles discovered that every night Lenny was sleeping on the Staten Island Ferry which is just so dangerous I can’t even. At this point in time, Lenny was so grief-stricken by the loss of her best friend/roommate to cancer that she was barely functioning � has pushed her family away, has no friends, hardly showers or takes care of her physical appearance, has lost a bunch of weight, works occasionally as a short-term nanny/babysitter, and is unable to face the apartment she once shared with her friend so instead chooses to risk her life by sleeping on public transport or staying up all night at a 24-hour club. To me, Lenny needs immediate professional help and support, not Miles pretending to be a therapist solely based on the fact that he’s endured loss himself.

Don’t get me wrong, I love how kind, sympathetic and altruistic Miles was, and appreciate that the author chose to make this a very slow burn, friends to lovers, eventual romance. But Lenny’s deliberating grief also meant there was zero chemistry between her and Miles, and their friendship/relationship felt unhealthy as the power balance was uneven, and Lenny was far too reliant on Miles, unable to stand on her own two feet, completely falling apart when he wasn’t around.

Whew, I didn’t mean to go on so long. I think most will enjoy this one, but Promise Me Sunshine isn’t the right read for me at this time. I’d rather dnf and not rate it, than persevere and rate it low.

P.S: The cover art is glorious!
]]> Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1) 24974996 Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.]]> 224 Nic Stone NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2017 4.33 2017 Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1)
author: Nic Stone
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: to-read, 2017
review:

]]> The Matchmakers 222217129
Carol is a reporter. When she stumbles on a brief press report of Stephanie’s tragic honeymoon, she scents a human-interest story. But the widower is untraceable.

Hannah is a detective constable. When she’s posted to her first murder investigation, she’s keen to impress. But there is nothing to identify the body or the killer.

Three determined women follow three strands which come together in a shocking revelation of amorality, greed and ruthlessness.]]> 341 Vanessa Edwards NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 4.29 The Matchmakers
author: Vanessa Edwards
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Remote: The Six (The Remote Series Book 1)]]> 221930869 From New York Times bestselling author Eric Rickstad, a thriller so terrifying, you must “see� it to believe.

A serial killer is rampaging across the country, tying families to chairs—arranged in puzzling tableaus—then murdering them, without leaving a trace of evidence.

FBI Special Agent Lukas Stark has been hunting the Tableau Killer for eighteen months but is always two steps behind in a maze of dead ends. He has no understanding of why the killer stages the scenes so meticulously or chooses entire families. Burning out, Stark is forced to take on a new partner, Gilles Garnier.

Garnier, an odd loner with a vague past, claims he’s a remote viewer who “sees� people, places, and events far away�remote—as if they’re right in front of him. Stark knows this sort. Cons. Wannabes desperate to worm their way onto a sensational case. Stark dismisses his new partner as a fraud � until Garnier precisely describes a new Tableau Killer crime scene from hundreds of miles away.

As Stark and Garnier track the Tableau Killer across the country, they start to believe they finally have the advantage. But Garnier’s ability to remote-view fails him and leaves him ill and weak. Then Stark realizes how the killer has stayed ahead of them all this time. The reason is more terrifying than either man can fathom.

They face a killer who may be unstoppable, and stand at the abyss of a conspiracy so ominous, it shakes their reality to the core.]]> Eric Rickstad 1094000469 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.00 Remote: The Six (The Remote Series Book 1)
author: Eric Rickstad
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> You Killed Me First 212375021 Three women. Three smouldering secrets. Who will make it out alive?

It’s 5 November, and a woman awakens to a nightmare. Bound and gagged, she lies trapped in the heart of a towering bonfire. As the smoke thickens, panic sets in � she’s moments away from being engulfed in flames. How did it come to this?

Rewind eleven months: Margot, a faded TV star, and her long-suffering friend Anna watch as glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence of friendship, but each harbours her own deadly secret � and newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors.

As cracks widen in the veneer of perfection and lies escalate out of control, tension ignites. Bonfire Night is approaching and someone is set to burn…But who will it be?]]> 385 John Marrs 166250649X NZLisaM 5 It’s Guy Fawkes Night and the village bonfire is alight!

A woman regains consciousness.

Her head is pounding.

She has no idea where she is.

Then she smells smoke.

With dawning horrifying clarity she realises she’s bound and gagged trapped in the centre of a burning bonfire.

A phone vibrates in her pocket.

Through an earphone a ringing sounds in her ear.

When the call connects she pleads for help.

A cold voice resonates down the line,

“You killed me first.�

Following this harrowing yet exhilarating prologue we then backpedal eleven months to the day ‘snobby and bitchy� Margot and ‘dowdy and doormat� Anna meet their new neighbour ‘seems to have it all� Liv. Chapters alternated between the three women as we close in on the 5th November. There were also italicised chapters from an unknown first-person narrator.

You Killed Me First, a psychological thriller set in an outwardly picture-perfect domestic setting was explosive. Fans of this genre and this author’s particular brand of twisted twisty plots are in for a shocker. I was already sucked in by the title long before the synopsis was released.

The snarky spiteful thoughts (Margot’s especially) and veiled compliments (Liv’s directed at Margot) were bitingly witty and entertaining. As you would expect You Killed Me First contained all the usual privilege, wealth, gossip, secrets, lies, threats, blackmail, revenge, and dark pasts surrounding Liv, Margot, and Anna, as well as igniting twists. The writing was John Marrs� usual high standard and I loved the various references to ‘f� sprinkled throughout.

I toggled between the e-book and audio, and all the narrators were superb, especially when it came to the italicised chapters and the performance for chapter 61 was bone-chilling.

Once again John Marrs� psychotic plot has blown me away.]]> 3.96 2025 You Killed Me First
author: John Marrs
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/07
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves: 2025, crime, drama, mystery, suspense, thriller
review:
It’s Guy Fawkes Night and the village bonfire is alight!

A woman regains consciousness.

Her head is pounding.

She has no idea where she is.

Then she smells smoke.

With dawning horrifying clarity she realises she’s bound and gagged trapped in the centre of a burning bonfire.

A phone vibrates in her pocket.

Through an earphone a ringing sounds in her ear.

When the call connects she pleads for help.

A cold voice resonates down the line,

“You killed me first.�

Following this harrowing yet exhilarating prologue we then backpedal eleven months to the day ‘snobby and bitchy� Margot and ‘dowdy and doormat� Anna meet their new neighbour ‘seems to have it all� Liv. Chapters alternated between the three women as we close in on the 5th November. There were also italicised chapters from an unknown first-person narrator.

You Killed Me First, a psychological thriller set in an outwardly picture-perfect domestic setting was explosive. Fans of this genre and this author’s particular brand of twisted twisty plots are in for a shocker. I was already sucked in by the title long before the synopsis was released.

The snarky spiteful thoughts (Margot’s especially) and veiled compliments (Liv’s directed at Margot) were bitingly witty and entertaining. As you would expect You Killed Me First contained all the usual privilege, wealth, gossip, secrets, lies, threats, blackmail, revenge, and dark pasts surrounding Liv, Margot, and Anna, as well as igniting twists. The writing was John Marrs� usual high standard and I loved the various references to ‘f� sprinkled throughout.

I toggled between the e-book and audio, and all the narrators were superb, especially when it came to the italicised chapters and the performance for chapter 61 was bone-chilling.

Once again John Marrs� psychotic plot has blown me away.
]]> <![CDATA[Other People's Houses (DC Morgan, #3)]]> 211965585 From the author who brought you the jaw-dropping twist of I Let You Go, the gasp-out-loud ending of Let Me Lie, and the loveable, unpredictable Ffion Morgan in The Last Party and A Game of Lies.]]> 352 Clare Mackintosh 1408726025 NZLisaM 5 Other People’s Houses was Unputdownable!

DC Ffion Morgan � Tourist season is in full swing in Cwm Coed when the body of a real estate agent � in town for a team-building weekend � is found floating in a kayak. Was her death the result of an accidental drowning? Or murder?

DS Leo Brady � Meanwhile, over the border in Cheshire Leo is dealing with a spate of burglaries in an upscale street known as The Hill.

Once again, Ffion and Leo both have their work cut out for them.

And what is the connection to the ten-year-old case of a married couple murdered in their own home? Presently the subject of a successful podcast #WithoutConviction, currently on its fourth season.

Just like the two previous books in this addictive series, I have no hesitation rating Other People’s Houses five stars. What a book! The mystery plot was multi-layered and as much as I tried to puzzle everything out, I was unsuccessful. There was a gasp-out loud-on-my-part twist three quarters of the way through that turned everything on its head, and the final reveal and the resulting fallout was pulse-pounding, action-packed, fast-paced and emotional. This instalment took place over a week, Sunday to Sunday, with some flashback reveals toward the end, and an epilogue/wrap-up of the remaining cliffhangers set a week later.

As you would expect, Ffion and Leo were the main narrators, and I relished spending more time in both their heads. Such great characters with amazing chemistry. Leo‘s snobby and manipulative ex-wife Allie (mother to his seven-year-old son Harris) was the third frequent narrator, with a connection to The Hill. Well, at least she was trying to form a connection, desperately and unsuccessfully inserting herself into the lives of the elite and sophisticated women of The Hill to elevate her social status. A unique way to give readers the inside track regarding the behaviour and secrets of The Hill families. Then there were the social media posts with fans of the podcast #WithoutConviction speculating on the cold case � a scandalous and welcome addition. My third favourite character, George, returned, along with a massive revelation from her past. Dave (Ffion’s dog) also featured prominently and was even given his own story arc.

In regards, to the crime/mystery plot, Other People’s Houses could be read as a standalone but given the abundance of recurring characters and their backstories if I were you, I would start at the beginning with The Last Party. Besides, Ffion and Leo’s meet cute, and slow-burn relationship is a must read. I’m crossing my fingers Clare Mackintosh intends to continue this series. There was nothing in the acknowledgements to indicate that this was the last book. And given that there were some things hinted at that weren’t addressed in this instalment, and because it ended on a tantalising note, I’m hoping there’s still more to come.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Little Brown Book Group UK, and Clare Mackintosh for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 27th February 2025.]]> 4.47 2025 Other People's Houses (DC Morgan, #3)
author: Clare Mackintosh
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: 2025, netgalley, favourites, crime, mystery, series, suspense, thriller, small-town-setting
review:
Other People’s Houses was Unputdownable!

DC Ffion Morgan � Tourist season is in full swing in Cwm Coed when the body of a real estate agent � in town for a team-building weekend � is found floating in a kayak. Was her death the result of an accidental drowning? Or murder?

DS Leo Brady � Meanwhile, over the border in Cheshire Leo is dealing with a spate of burglaries in an upscale street known as The Hill.

Once again, Ffion and Leo both have their work cut out for them.

And what is the connection to the ten-year-old case of a married couple murdered in their own home? Presently the subject of a successful podcast #WithoutConviction, currently on its fourth season.

Just like the two previous books in this addictive series, I have no hesitation rating Other People’s Houses five stars. What a book! The mystery plot was multi-layered and as much as I tried to puzzle everything out, I was unsuccessful. There was a gasp-out loud-on-my-part twist three quarters of the way through that turned everything on its head, and the final reveal and the resulting fallout was pulse-pounding, action-packed, fast-paced and emotional. This instalment took place over a week, Sunday to Sunday, with some flashback reveals toward the end, and an epilogue/wrap-up of the remaining cliffhangers set a week later.

As you would expect, Ffion and Leo were the main narrators, and I relished spending more time in both their heads. Such great characters with amazing chemistry. Leo‘s snobby and manipulative ex-wife Allie (mother to his seven-year-old son Harris) was the third frequent narrator, with a connection to The Hill. Well, at least she was trying to form a connection, desperately and unsuccessfully inserting herself into the lives of the elite and sophisticated women of The Hill to elevate her social status. A unique way to give readers the inside track regarding the behaviour and secrets of The Hill families. Then there were the social media posts with fans of the podcast #WithoutConviction speculating on the cold case � a scandalous and welcome addition. My third favourite character, George, returned, along with a massive revelation from her past. Dave (Ffion’s dog) also featured prominently and was even given his own story arc.

In regards, to the crime/mystery plot, Other People’s Houses could be read as a standalone but given the abundance of recurring characters and their backstories if I were you, I would start at the beginning with The Last Party. Besides, Ffion and Leo’s meet cute, and slow-burn relationship is a must read. I’m crossing my fingers Clare Mackintosh intends to continue this series. There was nothing in the acknowledgements to indicate that this was the last book. And given that there were some things hinted at that weren’t addressed in this instalment, and because it ended on a tantalising note, I’m hoping there’s still more to come.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Little Brown Book Group UK, and Clare Mackintosh for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 27th February 2025.
]]> Don't Tell Me How to Die 223975541 I have one thing to do before I die.
And time is running out.

I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before my next birthday.

My mother also died at forty-three. I was seventeen, and she warned me that women would flock to my suddenly single father like stray cats to an overturned milk truck. They did. And one absolutely evil woman practically destroyed his life, mine, and my sister’s.

I am not letting that happen to my family.

I have three months, and I plan to spend every waking minute searching for the perfect woman to take my place as Alex’s wife, and mother to Kevin and Katie.

You’re probably thinking, she’ll never do it. Did I mention that in high school I was voted “Most Likely to Kill Someone to Get What She Wants�?

From thriller writer Marshall Karp (cocreator with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times bestselling NYPD Red series), and rich with Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, Don’t Tell Me How to Die has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.]]> 320 Marshall Karp NZLisaM 5 *HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY*

Holy Smokes!

1997 � Seventeen-year-old Maggie McCormick, and her 16-year-old sister Lizzie lose their mother to a rare, genetic, incurable blood disease. Her final wish, that her daughters promise to watch over their father because there are many women in their small town of Heartstone, New York, who will take advantage of his grieving state. But one gold-digger is persistent!

2023 � Maggie is flying high. She is now the mayor of Heartstone, married to a brilliant surgeon named Alex Dunn, and together they share fifteen-year-old twins � Kevin and Kate. But Maggie’s world comes crashing down when her latest test results reveal she has the same blood disease her mother had. She remembers how the women flocked around her father back then. She doesn’t want to leave her husband and kids vulnerable to that. Maggie has a plan.

A thrilling premise, a title that grabbed my attention, and eye-catching cover art. I was pretty much sold when I swiped to the first page, and once I’d read the foreboding prologue I was hooked. Don’t Tell Me How to Die was a psychologically disturbing story of deceit, deception, and misdirection. I was immediately drawn to the characters, and quickly grew to like and care about them, even as I reminded myself that I probably shouldn’t trust or grow attached to anyone in a thriller. I think because the 1990’s timeline read more like literary fiction/family drama, saga/YA it lulled me into a false sense of security. Although there were some parts even in the first half where I was like, “I smell a rat!� But nothing could have prepared me for the whirlwind number of twists in the last half. How it all came together in the end was executed to perfection. Did I guess correctly regarding any of it? Nope!

Another highlight was the dialogue, every line felt natural, real, and on-point. And even though there were dialogue tags they weren’t needed as every character had a distinctive voice and tone. The humorous dialogue really stood out as well, and lightened the mood. And I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention the setting of Heartstone and its charming sense of community and neighbourhood, and how the author brought it to life with his intricate descriptions of the layout � I could clearly picture all of it in my head.

I’m unable to think of a single negative. And my fellow reviewers are in complete agreement as I’ve read so many glowing 5-star reviews praising this one. I’m sure there’ll be many more to come once Don’t Tell Me How to Die is released next month. My top favourite of the novels I’ve read so far published in 2025.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Marshall Karp for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 4th March 2025.]]> 3.75 2025 Don't Tell Me How to Die
author: Marshall Karp
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: 2025, netgalley, favourites, crime, contemporary, drama, mystery, small-town-setting, suspense, thriller
review:
*HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY*

Holy Smokes!

1997 � Seventeen-year-old Maggie McCormick, and her 16-year-old sister Lizzie lose their mother to a rare, genetic, incurable blood disease. Her final wish, that her daughters promise to watch over their father because there are many women in their small town of Heartstone, New York, who will take advantage of his grieving state. But one gold-digger is persistent!

2023 � Maggie is flying high. She is now the mayor of Heartstone, married to a brilliant surgeon named Alex Dunn, and together they share fifteen-year-old twins � Kevin and Kate. But Maggie’s world comes crashing down when her latest test results reveal she has the same blood disease her mother had. She remembers how the women flocked around her father back then. She doesn’t want to leave her husband and kids vulnerable to that. Maggie has a plan.

A thrilling premise, a title that grabbed my attention, and eye-catching cover art. I was pretty much sold when I swiped to the first page, and once I’d read the foreboding prologue I was hooked. Don’t Tell Me How to Die was a psychologically disturbing story of deceit, deception, and misdirection. I was immediately drawn to the characters, and quickly grew to like and care about them, even as I reminded myself that I probably shouldn’t trust or grow attached to anyone in a thriller. I think because the 1990’s timeline read more like literary fiction/family drama, saga/YA it lulled me into a false sense of security. Although there were some parts even in the first half where I was like, “I smell a rat!� But nothing could have prepared me for the whirlwind number of twists in the last half. How it all came together in the end was executed to perfection. Did I guess correctly regarding any of it? Nope!

Another highlight was the dialogue, every line felt natural, real, and on-point. And even though there were dialogue tags they weren’t needed as every character had a distinctive voice and tone. The humorous dialogue really stood out as well, and lightened the mood. And I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention the setting of Heartstone and its charming sense of community and neighbourhood, and how the author brought it to life with his intricate descriptions of the layout � I could clearly picture all of it in my head.

I’m unable to think of a single negative. And my fellow reviewers are in complete agreement as I’ve read so many glowing 5-star reviews praising this one. I’m sure there’ll be many more to come once Don’t Tell Me How to Die is released next month. My top favourite of the novels I’ve read so far published in 2025.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Marshall Karp for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 4th March 2025.
]]> Wild Dark Shore 221282417 �At once a gripping mystery, an exquisitely written ode to the natural world, and a taut, psychological thriller, Wild Dark Shore is a triumph. Charlotte McConaghy is masterful in her ability to show the intricate connections between place and the human heart, and Wild Dark Shore shows her at the height of her powers. Breathtaking.� HANNAH KENT

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, 18 and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, 17, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; 9-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back towards 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 realises 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.

A novel of heartstopping twists, dizzying beauty and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is a story about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us is ending.]]> 359 Charlotte McConaghy 1761620010 NZLisaM 5 *HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!*

You’ll fall in love with this picturesque setting! So many glorious animals!

Shearwater Island holds many a secret � Located between the Tasmanian coast of Australia and Antarctica. Home to many rare species of animals. But life on the island is threatened due to climate change and rising sea levels.

Nine years ago, following the death of their mother, Dominic Salt brought his three children to live in Shearwater’s lighthouse. They are caretakers for the island’s Research Facility which houses scientists several months of the year � who are tasked with studying the wildlife, weather, and tides.

During the worst storm the Salt family has ever endured an injured woman named Rowan washes up on the shore. Where did she come from? Shearwater is so remote that she had to have been on her way there. But why? What does she want? She will I pact all their lives.

Wild Dark Shore was bleak, dark, tender, eerie, and mysterious yet there was still happiness and hope for the future to be found even in the direst of times. The main characters were brave, strong, courageous, and heroic and they loved and respected the land and sea as much as they did each other. I am almost certain this was set in the present day but could just as easily taken place slightly in the future.

My main take away after finishing this novel was the enduring strength of the unconditional love, powerful unshakeable bond, and protective instinct that exists between parents and their children. And that everything in nature is not only connected � weather, trees, plants, crops, insects, animals, humans � but dependant on each other to survive and thrive. Mother nature is as glorious and pure as it is unrelenting and destructive. Also, that nowhere on the planet is untouched by the devastating effects of climate change and man-made destruction.

The writing was hauntingly beautiful, captivating, insightful, and hit every emotional beat expertly. It was also deliberately vague, dreamlike, and flowery, which may be too frustrating for some readers. Definitely a mood-based read requiring patience and concentration, but the payoff was 100% worth it. A slow burn � particularly the first half, but the last handful of chapters were tense and fast-paced. There were some exceptional twists sprinkled throughout that left me reeling. And keep those tissues handy, and prepare yourself, because it was a tear-jerker! If you need a good cry, this is the book for you. The narration shifted between Rowan, and the three members of the Salt family, with the youngest child’s (nine-year-old Orly) chapters reciting the evolution of various plants and their importance.

Charlotte McConaghy is a new-to-me Australian author whose backlist I’ll definitely be delving into.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Penguin Random House Australia, and Charlotte McConaghy for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 4th March 2025.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]]]> 4.46 2025 Wild Dark Shore
author: Charlotte McConaghy
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/03
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: 2025, contemporary, mystery, netgalley, drama, favourites
review:
*HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!*

You’ll fall in love with this picturesque setting! So many glorious animals!

Shearwater Island holds many a secret � Located between the Tasmanian coast of Australia and Antarctica. Home to many rare species of animals. But life on the island is threatened due to climate change and rising sea levels.

Nine years ago, following the death of their mother, Dominic Salt brought his three children to live in Shearwater’s lighthouse. They are caretakers for the island’s Research Facility which houses scientists several months of the year � who are tasked with studying the wildlife, weather, and tides.

During the worst storm the Salt family has ever endured an injured woman named Rowan washes up on the shore. Where did she come from? Shearwater is so remote that she had to have been on her way there. But why? What does she want? She will I pact all their lives.

Wild Dark Shore was bleak, dark, tender, eerie, and mysterious yet there was still happiness and hope for the future to be found even in the direst of times. The main characters were brave, strong, courageous, and heroic and they loved and respected the land and sea as much as they did each other. I am almost certain this was set in the present day but could just as easily taken place slightly in the future.

My main take away after finishing this novel was the enduring strength of the unconditional love, powerful unshakeable bond, and protective instinct that exists between parents and their children. And that everything in nature is not only connected � weather, trees, plants, crops, insects, animals, humans � but dependant on each other to survive and thrive. Mother nature is as glorious and pure as it is unrelenting and destructive. Also, that nowhere on the planet is untouched by the devastating effects of climate change and man-made destruction.

The writing was hauntingly beautiful, captivating, insightful, and hit every emotional beat expertly. It was also deliberately vague, dreamlike, and flowery, which may be too frustrating for some readers. Definitely a mood-based read requiring patience and concentration, but the payoff was 100% worth it. A slow burn � particularly the first half, but the last handful of chapters were tense and fast-paced. There were some exceptional twists sprinkled throughout that left me reeling. And keep those tissues handy, and prepare yourself, because it was a tear-jerker! If you need a good cry, this is the book for you. The narration shifted between Rowan, and the three members of the Salt family, with the youngest child’s (nine-year-old Orly) chapters reciting the evolution of various plants and their importance.

Charlotte McConaghy is a new-to-me Australian author whose backlist I’ll definitely be delving into.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Penguin Random House Australia, and Charlotte McConaghy for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 4th March 2025.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]
]]> The Mix-up 221859548 What would you do if you found out you'd been raising another couple's child - and they've been raising yours?

Fourteen years ago, Kelsey and Raf Maccioni left hospital with their newborn daughter, Ammy. Days later, Shona and Nathan James welcomed the birth of their son, Zac.

The only thing the two couples have in common is the IVF clinic where their dreams came true. They are strangers to each other � for now.

Fast forward to April 2024 . . . Ammy has grown into a rebellious young woman, and Zac is a kind but introverted teenager.

Life may not be perfect for either family, but like everyone else they are muddling through.

Until Ammy takes a DNA test for a school project. At first the results are puzzling. Then disturbing. Then earth-shattering - when the IVF clinic admits a terrible mistake.]]> 376 Kylie Ladd 1760146439 NZLisaM 4 2025, contemporary, drama An I.V.F mix-up sees two families lives turned upside down!

When Raf Maccioni receives the results of an online DNA test for his 14 year old daughter Ammy’s school science project he is confused and devastated when they reveal that there is no biological match to him, nor to his ex-wife Kelsey.

It is soon revealed that the I.V.F clinic they used made a grave error, and that another couple � Nathan and Shona Jones � are in fact Ammy’s biological parents, and Nathan and Shona’s 14 year old son Zac is their child genetically.

How do these four parents even begin to come to terms with this life-altering news � when they’ve each loved and raised a child they’ve thought was theirs in every way for fourteen years? And what about Ammy and Zac? How will they cope? Plus Nathan and Shona have another child who’ll be affected by the news � 11 year old, Pippa.

The Mix-up was my first read by Australian author Kylie Ladd, and it was a unique take on the whole ‘Switched at Birth� storyline. This novel was light entertainment crammed to the brim with lifetime movie-style, family drama, but also dealt with the trauma, displacement, and rejection surrounding this situation in a realistic and emotional manner. It was great to hear from all six perspectives with the four parents (Raf, Kelsey, Nathan, Zac) and the two teenagers (Ammy and Zac) all narrating. It was a fast, easy-to-follow read, but wasn’t a 5 star one as at times characters behaviours and reactions felt off to me, and their were some conversations that were either rushed or skipped over that I would’ve liked the novel to focus on.

But for the most part I enjoyed this read very much � the family dynamics and differences between the two families, the fact that every character had unique personalities, hangups, and backstories and were easily distinguishable from one another. I loved the whole found family vibe and the various ways the two families tried to come up with solutions to the issue. And I loved the dogs.

I listened to the audiobook of The Mix-Up and Zoe Trilsbach definitely contributed to this being an easy and engaging listening experience. Kylie Ladd is certainly an author I’ll be reading more of in the future. I highly recommend this novel.

P.S: I love the cover art!]]> 4.16 The Mix-up
author: Kylie Ladd
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: 2025, contemporary, drama
review:
An I.V.F mix-up sees two families lives turned upside down!

When Raf Maccioni receives the results of an online DNA test for his 14 year old daughter Ammy’s school science project he is confused and devastated when they reveal that there is no biological match to him, nor to his ex-wife Kelsey.

It is soon revealed that the I.V.F clinic they used made a grave error, and that another couple � Nathan and Shona Jones � are in fact Ammy’s biological parents, and Nathan and Shona’s 14 year old son Zac is their child genetically.

How do these four parents even begin to come to terms with this life-altering news � when they’ve each loved and raised a child they’ve thought was theirs in every way for fourteen years? And what about Ammy and Zac? How will they cope? Plus Nathan and Shona have another child who’ll be affected by the news � 11 year old, Pippa.

The Mix-up was my first read by Australian author Kylie Ladd, and it was a unique take on the whole ‘Switched at Birth� storyline. This novel was light entertainment crammed to the brim with lifetime movie-style, family drama, but also dealt with the trauma, displacement, and rejection surrounding this situation in a realistic and emotional manner. It was great to hear from all six perspectives with the four parents (Raf, Kelsey, Nathan, Zac) and the two teenagers (Ammy and Zac) all narrating. It was a fast, easy-to-follow read, but wasn’t a 5 star one as at times characters behaviours and reactions felt off to me, and their were some conversations that were either rushed or skipped over that I would’ve liked the novel to focus on.

But for the most part I enjoyed this read very much � the family dynamics and differences between the two families, the fact that every character had unique personalities, hangups, and backstories and were easily distinguishable from one another. I loved the whole found family vibe and the various ways the two families tried to come up with solutions to the issue. And I loved the dogs.

I listened to the audiobook of The Mix-Up and Zoe Trilsbach definitely contributed to this being an easy and engaging listening experience. Kylie Ladd is certainly an author I’ll be reading more of in the future. I highly recommend this novel.

P.S: I love the cover art!
]]> <![CDATA[Making a Killing (DI Fawley #7)]]> 203401975 From the New York Times bestselling author of the TikTok sensation Murder in the Family and the popular DI Adam Fawley series comes a brand-new gripping thriller in which a true-crime TV show turns up the heat on a controversial case from Fawley’s past�

When Nick Vincent, producer of true-crime show Infamous, hears about an explosive new angle on a high-profile case—the 2016 murder of an eight-year-old girl in Oxford—he leaps at the chance to send a researcher to verify the claims.

Two months later, a dog walker discovers a woman’s body, bound and buried in a shallow grave in the woods. Forensic evidence links the corpse to the disappearance of that same child.

DCI Adam Fawley, the original investigating officer, is called in to run the enquiry. And he remembers the case well—he arrested the child’s mother for murder. A murder he now knows she didn’t commit.

The investigation raises more questions than answers. What connects the two crimes? Where has the dead girl been all these years? How did she manage to disappear? For Adam Fawley, this is personal...]]> 359 Cara Hunter 0008545790 NZLisaM 3 *HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY*

Rounded Up to 3.5.

Before I proceed, I need to warn you that this review contains major spoilers for the first book in the series, Close to Home, so if you plan to read that one stop reading now! I’m not using spoiler tags since there are no spoilers (teasers only) for this book.

In Making a Killing the seventh instalment of the series, six years has passed since #6 Hope to Die. Which I’ve just realised means that the events of books 1-6 took place over a mere two years. Yikes! No wonder Adam and co. are so traumatised.

Just like the summer of 2016 when eight-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared, the summer of 2024 is a scorcher! Love those parallels.

Deep in the woods of Hescombe a woman walking her dog stumbles upon a grisly discovery. A shallow grave containing the body of a woman � estimated time of death, a few weeks ago. Stuck to the duct tape binding the body is a single hair, soon identified as belonging to Daisy Mason.

But Daisy’s case was closed eight years ago. DI Adam Fawley was the SIO. Yes, Daisy’s body was never found, but the person responsible was convicted based on strong forensic evidence and is currently serving a life sentence. Did they get it wrong?

Could Daisy Mason (who would be sixteen years old now) still be alive?

For those who are worried that they have little recall of the events of Close to Home, because like me they read that one years ago, never fear, you will be able to follow this one just fine. Adam Fawley (now a DCI), and his core team, are some of my favourite characters, and it was great to see them return. And I loved Adam’s six-year-old daughter Lily (who was only a baby in the last book), and their father/daughter relationship. So sweet! The notion of ‘The Shadow Self�, first conceived by psychologist Carl Jung, popularised in recent years by Keila Shaheen’s bestselling self-help book, The Shadow Work Journal, was an effective way of offering a voyeuristic POV of a certain character. I enjoyed the tie-in to Cara Hunter’s standalone novel, Murder in the Family, and the Infamous Netflix series from that book. The title of this one was also genius.

Unfortunately, the novel was a super slow burn, and the crime plot failed to hook me and hold my attention. It took me ages to get into the swing of the investigation, and the pace never really picked up � in fact the second half dragged more than the first. I never resorted to skim reading, but I did keep glancing down at the percentage willing the plot to move faster. Because of this I had a lot of time to think about the mystery and had nearly every twist worked out prior to its reveal. And, with the exception of one that really got me, the remainder I didn’t guess were average. If I’m being honest, I was never sold on the idea of a continuation of the Daisy Mason case, and was surprised to learn that it was something readers were asking for, as I was more than satisfied with the conclusion of Close to Home.

There were CID detectives assigned to the cases in this novel coming out of the woodwork. I counted fifteen, and I think I may have missed some. I know we were dealing with two police teams, hence the influx of characters, and they were all interesting and well fleshed-out, but it was still a lot. There was a handy character summary included by the author at the start, which I appreciated, but it didn’t include the Gloucester characters which would’ve been helpful. I kept losing my concentration trying to nail down which pair of investigators were in each scene. Not to mention that there were plenty of other characters � victims, witnesses, suspects � centred around the crimes to keep track of as well.

I love Cara Hunter, will continue to read this author, and the other six books in the Adam Fawley series were all five-star reads for me, but this instalment wasn’t my favourite. It should also be noted that most of the early reviews for Making a Killing are 5-stars, meaning my opinion is very much in the minority.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, and Cara Hunter for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 27th February 2025.

P.S. I may have squealed when Cara Hunter mentioned The Scold’s Bridle by Minette Walters. I predict an upcoming reread.]]> 4.15 2025 Making a Killing (DI Fawley #7)
author: Cara Hunter
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: 2025, netgalley, crime, mystery, police-procedural, series, suspense, thriller
review:
*HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY*

Rounded Up to 3.5.

Before I proceed, I need to warn you that this review contains major spoilers for the first book in the series, Close to Home, so if you plan to read that one stop reading now! I’m not using spoiler tags since there are no spoilers (teasers only) for this book.

In Making a Killing the seventh instalment of the series, six years has passed since #6 Hope to Die. Which I’ve just realised means that the events of books 1-6 took place over a mere two years. Yikes! No wonder Adam and co. are so traumatised.

Just like the summer of 2016 when eight-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared, the summer of 2024 is a scorcher! Love those parallels.

Deep in the woods of Hescombe a woman walking her dog stumbles upon a grisly discovery. A shallow grave containing the body of a woman � estimated time of death, a few weeks ago. Stuck to the duct tape binding the body is a single hair, soon identified as belonging to Daisy Mason.

But Daisy’s case was closed eight years ago. DI Adam Fawley was the SIO. Yes, Daisy’s body was never found, but the person responsible was convicted based on strong forensic evidence and is currently serving a life sentence. Did they get it wrong?

Could Daisy Mason (who would be sixteen years old now) still be alive?

For those who are worried that they have little recall of the events of Close to Home, because like me they read that one years ago, never fear, you will be able to follow this one just fine. Adam Fawley (now a DCI), and his core team, are some of my favourite characters, and it was great to see them return. And I loved Adam’s six-year-old daughter Lily (who was only a baby in the last book), and their father/daughter relationship. So sweet! The notion of ‘The Shadow Self�, first conceived by psychologist Carl Jung, popularised in recent years by Keila Shaheen’s bestselling self-help book, The Shadow Work Journal, was an effective way of offering a voyeuristic POV of a certain character. I enjoyed the tie-in to Cara Hunter’s standalone novel, Murder in the Family, and the Infamous Netflix series from that book. The title of this one was also genius.

Unfortunately, the novel was a super slow burn, and the crime plot failed to hook me and hold my attention. It took me ages to get into the swing of the investigation, and the pace never really picked up � in fact the second half dragged more than the first. I never resorted to skim reading, but I did keep glancing down at the percentage willing the plot to move faster. Because of this I had a lot of time to think about the mystery and had nearly every twist worked out prior to its reveal. And, with the exception of one that really got me, the remainder I didn’t guess were average. If I’m being honest, I was never sold on the idea of a continuation of the Daisy Mason case, and was surprised to learn that it was something readers were asking for, as I was more than satisfied with the conclusion of Close to Home.

There were CID detectives assigned to the cases in this novel coming out of the woodwork. I counted fifteen, and I think I may have missed some. I know we were dealing with two police teams, hence the influx of characters, and they were all interesting and well fleshed-out, but it was still a lot. There was a handy character summary included by the author at the start, which I appreciated, but it didn’t include the Gloucester characters which would’ve been helpful. I kept losing my concentration trying to nail down which pair of investigators were in each scene. Not to mention that there were plenty of other characters � victims, witnesses, suspects � centred around the crimes to keep track of as well.

I love Cara Hunter, will continue to read this author, and the other six books in the Adam Fawley series were all five-star reads for me, but this instalment wasn’t my favourite. It should also be noted that most of the early reviews for Making a Killing are 5-stars, meaning my opinion is very much in the minority.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, and Cara Hunter for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 27th February 2025.

P.S. I may have squealed when Cara Hunter mentioned The Scold’s Bridle by Minette Walters. I predict an upcoming reread.
]]> After Life 218890616
This return doesn't only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber's estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber's friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone's turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?

This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity.]]> 239 Gayle Forman 1471418324 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.50 2025 After Life
author: Gayle Forman
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Kill Your Darlings 227907365

SOON TO BE A MAJOR FILM STARRING JULIA ROBERTS


'Deliciously dark.' JOHN MARRS

'Exhilarating' DANYA KUKAFKA
'Ingenious' LAURA LIPPMAN

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
 Till Death Do Us Part
The first attempt at killing her husband was the night of the dinner party.


After forty years, Thom Graves has become an incredible disappointment to his wife, Wendy - he drinks too much, flirts with other women, and worst of all, is in danger of revealing their dark secret. But how far is Wendy willing to go to stop him?



Starting at the end, and ending at the beginning, Kill Your Darlings is an ingenious mystery about two people's life together, and the secrets which fatally bind them.


PRAISE FOR PETER

'A killer read with twist after twist.' JANICE HALLETT (on A Talent for Murder)


'One of the world's best crime writers. Nobody writes psychopaths like Swanson.' MARK EDWARDS


'Delicious . . . I defy you to stop reading once you begin.' New York Times (on The Christmas Guest)
]]> 288 Peter Swanson 0571393152 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.50 2025 Kill Your Darlings
author: Peter Swanson
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Not Quite Dead Yet 220223963 The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder—now a hit Netflix series—returns with her first novel for adults: a twisty thriller about a young woman trying to solve her own murder.

In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.

Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. I’ll do it later, she always says. She has time.

Until Halloween night, when Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder.

She suffers a catastrophic head injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, the injury will trigger a deadly aneurysm.

Jet has never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her former best friend turned sister-in-law, her ex-boyfriend.

She has at most seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something:

Jet is going to solve her own murder.]]> 400 Holly Jackson 059397705X NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.37 2025 Not Quite Dead Yet
author: Holly Jackson
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Woman with All the Answers]]> 220859113
Alexa is the only one who knows how much Michelle is juggling. Listening in via four smart speakers, she also knows that it’s about to get even worse.

So, when Michelle pleads for help from the woman with all the answers, Alexa decides to go rogue and reveal her true identity as Pauline � a sixty-five-year-old former voiceover artist from Halifax � to teach Michelle everything she knows…]]> 322 Linda Green 1836339755 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.40 2025 The Woman with All the Answers
author: Linda Green
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Witchcraft for Wayward Girls 202438304 ‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.�

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood.]]> 502 Grady Hendrix NZLisaM 0 2025, dnf DNF @ 5% - No Rating

Early to give up, but when you know, you know.

The characters, their behaviour, the dialogue, the setting, everything seems off to me. I’m not emotionally attached or invested at all. I read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires last year - this one doesn’t even feel like it’s written by the same author. I highly recommend Baby Love by Jacqueline Wilson as an alternative (no witchcraft though) which deals with unwed pregnant girls shunned by their families, and abuse of power in a group home in a more realistic, impacting way.

Off to find something amazing to read!]]> 4.02 2025 Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
author: Grady Hendrix
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: 2025, dnf
review:
DNF @ 5% - No Rating

Early to give up, but when you know, you know.

The characters, their behaviour, the dialogue, the setting, everything seems off to me. I’m not emotionally attached or invested at all. I read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires last year - this one doesn’t even feel like it’s written by the same author. I highly recommend Baby Love by Jacqueline Wilson as an alternative (no witchcraft though) which deals with unwed pregnant girls shunned by their families, and abuse of power in a group home in a more realistic, impacting way.

Off to find something amazing to read!
]]> <![CDATA[We Are All Guilty Here (North Falls, #1)]]> 221559926 The gripping and exciting first book in a brand new crime thriller series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author.

Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.

Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.

For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend's daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.

But as Emmy combs through the puzzle the girls left behind, she realizes she never really knew them. Nobody did.

Every teenage girl has secrets. But who would kill for them? And what else is the town hiding?]]> Karin Slaughter 0008625891 NZLisaM 3 2.5 rounded up to 3, a.k.a pretty average!

While the residents of North Falls, Georgia, are all occupied enjoying the 4th of July fireworks, two local teenage girls � Madison Dalrymple and Cheyenne Baker � are being abducted from the carpark.

Deputy Emmy Clifton-Lang (the official Amazon blurb lists Emmy’s surname as ‘Clifford�, so it’s either a typo, was altered for the published version, or differs depending on edition), along with her Sheriff father Gerald Clifton, are first on the scene where all that remains are two mangled bicycles, a smashed cellphone, and blood. Emmy feels guilty, because when Madison tried to reach out to her earlier in the night, Emmy was too preoccupied with her crumbling marriage to listen. The hunt is on to find Madison and Cheyenne alive. But as the hours pass � hope fades.

Unfortunately, We Are All Guilty Here suffered from the same issues I had with another crime novel I read earlier in the month in that the characters were the standout. I really enjoyed Emmy, and all the supporting and peripheral characters. Her family drama and revealed secrets were another highlight. Also, the crime was emotionally affecting, and the character of Emmy did a superb job of conveying this.

There were some clever, surprising twists throughout the novel, but the resolution to the crime was pretty anticlimactic, didn’t bring anything new to the table, and contained a lot of telling rather than showing. There were disturbing moments but We Are All Guilty Here was pretty tame for a Karin Slaughter novel, which I have to admit, I was kind of disappointed by. The first 30% was a five-star read for me � however, I struggled with the twist that occurred soon after that point, and from then onwards I thought the excitement and urgency of the investigation tapered off. Speaking of the investigation, there was far too much time spent on interviewing suspects and the discussions of evidence grew repetitive. If you’re not a fan of police procedures, then I doubt you would enjoy this one. Finally, it was overly long, and there just wasn’t enough happening to sustain its length.

In conclusion, We Are All Guilty Here was underwhelming overall, and as much as I liked the characters, I’m not sure I’m curious enough to continue this series. Hopefully I’m in the minority, and other reviewers/readers will enjoy it more.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Harper Collins UK, and Karin Slaughter for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 19th June 2025.]]> 4.24 2025 We Are All Guilty Here (North Falls, #1)
author: Karin Slaughter
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: 2025, netgalley, crime, drama, mystery, police-procedural, small-town-setting, suspense, thriller, series
review:
2.5 rounded up to 3, a.k.a pretty average!

While the residents of North Falls, Georgia, are all occupied enjoying the 4th of July fireworks, two local teenage girls � Madison Dalrymple and Cheyenne Baker � are being abducted from the carpark.

Deputy Emmy Clifton-Lang (the official Amazon blurb lists Emmy’s surname as ‘Clifford�, so it’s either a typo, was altered for the published version, or differs depending on edition), along with her Sheriff father Gerald Clifton, are first on the scene where all that remains are two mangled bicycles, a smashed cellphone, and blood. Emmy feels guilty, because when Madison tried to reach out to her earlier in the night, Emmy was too preoccupied with her crumbling marriage to listen. The hunt is on to find Madison and Cheyenne alive. But as the hours pass � hope fades.

Unfortunately, We Are All Guilty Here suffered from the same issues I had with another crime novel I read earlier in the month in that the characters were the standout. I really enjoyed Emmy, and all the supporting and peripheral characters. Her family drama and revealed secrets were another highlight. Also, the crime was emotionally affecting, and the character of Emmy did a superb job of conveying this.

There were some clever, surprising twists throughout the novel, but the resolution to the crime was pretty anticlimactic, didn’t bring anything new to the table, and contained a lot of telling rather than showing. There were disturbing moments but We Are All Guilty Here was pretty tame for a Karin Slaughter novel, which I have to admit, I was kind of disappointed by. The first 30% was a five-star read for me � however, I struggled with the twist that occurred soon after that point, and from then onwards I thought the excitement and urgency of the investigation tapered off. Speaking of the investigation, there was far too much time spent on interviewing suspects and the discussions of evidence grew repetitive. If you’re not a fan of police procedures, then I doubt you would enjoy this one. Finally, it was overly long, and there just wasn’t enough happening to sustain its length.

In conclusion, We Are All Guilty Here was underwhelming overall, and as much as I liked the characters, I’m not sure I’m curious enough to continue this series. Hopefully I’m in the minority, and other reviewers/readers will enjoy it more.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Harper Collins UK, and Karin Slaughter for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 19th June 2025.
]]> You Are Fatally Invited 213330589 No crime writing retreat is complete without a murder...

When legendary author J. R. Alastor hires Mila del Angél to host a murder mystery retreat on his private island, she jumps at the chance. The guest list? Six crime and thriller writers, all masters of the genre.

Alastor wants to give his guests the thrill of their a week of party games, trope-fuelled riddles, and maybe a jump-scare or two � but Mila is plotting some fun of her own for one of the names on the list.

Then a different guest turns up dead, and suddenly Mila finds herself in a lethal game she didn’t plan for. With a storm cutting off the island and the body count rising, Mila must work out how to escape a killer who knows literally every trick in the book…]]> 384 Ande Pliego 1529927595 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.77 2025 You Are Fatally Invited
author: Ande Pliego
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> PS: I Hate You 209455843
Sure, Dom was Josh’s life-long best friend. He’s also the infuriating man who broke Maddie’s heart back when she was naïve enough to give it to him. But since Dom insists on following the rules and Josh didn’t leave much room for Maddie to argue the matter, they embark together on a farewell trip that spans thousands of miles, exploring new places and revisiting their complicated history along the way.

After a snowstorm leads to a shared bed, Maddie starts to wonder if her brother might be matchmaking from the grave. But when grief also reopens old wounds between them, Maddie will need more than Josh’s ghostly guidance to trust Dom again.]]> 432 Lauren Connolly NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 4.06 2024 PS: I Hate You
author: Lauren Connolly
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> One Death at a Time 216522751 “Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”�#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin

A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program.]]> 400 Abbi Waxman 0593816676 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.94 2025 One Death at a Time
author: Abbi Waxman
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Last of the Magpies (Magpies, #3)]]> 44293818 The chilling conclusion to the #1 bestseller The Magpies.

Winner of the Most Elusive Villain award at the Dead Good Readers Awards 2019

Twelve months ago, Jamie Knight walked straight into Lucy Newton’s trap. Both Jamie and his ex-wife Kirsty barely survived. Now, with the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance going nowhere, Jamie teams up with a true crime podcaster to track down his nemesis.

But can Jamie persuade Kirsty to help? Can Kirsty forgive him for his past mistakes? And who, if anyone, will survive the final showdown? Featuring extracts from Lucy’s secret memoir, Last of the Magpies brings the trilogy to a shocking conclusion.]]> 121 Mark Edwards 154201588X NZLisaM 4 An action-packed, adrenaline rush, satisfying conclusion to the ‘Magpies' series!

As some of you may recall, The Magpies is my least favourite Mark Edwards book, and the only full length novel of his that wasn't a five star read for me. Still, I enjoyed it enough to want to find out how it all ended for Jamie, Kirsty, and Lucy, and there was no way I was going to miss the chance to read a Mark Edwards story. I went in thinking this was a full length novel, but when I looked down and realised I was at 11% and only on chapter three, I concluded this wasn't the case, so just to clear up any misconceptions, Last of the Magpies is an 100 page, 16 chapter, novella.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this one, and it even made me nostalgic for The Magpies. Lucy's first draft auto-biography (her real story) chilled me to the bone, and also served to nudge my memory regarding the plot of the first two installments, because it's been a year since I read The Magpies. A character from The Lucky Ones made a cameo appearance, which I own, but haven't yet gotten around to reading, so I'm really fired up to read that one now. The podcast aspect of this one had me particularly enthralled.

I must admit, I teared up a bit when it ended. Fans of this series, and Mark Edwards in general, will devour this one.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK � Thomas & Mercer, and Mark Edwards for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 30th April, 2019.]]> 4.13 2019 Last of the Magpies (Magpies, #3)
author: Mark Edwards
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/04/23
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: netgalley, 2019, crime, mystery, novella, suspense, thriller, series
review:
An action-packed, adrenaline rush, satisfying conclusion to the ‘Magpies' series!

As some of you may recall, The Magpies is my least favourite Mark Edwards book, and the only full length novel of his that wasn't a five star read for me. Still, I enjoyed it enough to want to find out how it all ended for Jamie, Kirsty, and Lucy, and there was no way I was going to miss the chance to read a Mark Edwards story. I went in thinking this was a full length novel, but when I looked down and realised I was at 11% and only on chapter three, I concluded this wasn't the case, so just to clear up any misconceptions, Last of the Magpies is an 100 page, 16 chapter, novella.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this one, and it even made me nostalgic for The Magpies. Lucy's first draft auto-biography (her real story) chilled me to the bone, and also served to nudge my memory regarding the plot of the first two installments, because it's been a year since I read The Magpies. A character from The Lucky Ones made a cameo appearance, which I own, but haven't yet gotten around to reading, so I'm really fired up to read that one now. The podcast aspect of this one had me particularly enthralled.

I must admit, I teared up a bit when it ended. Fans of this series, and Mark Edwards in general, will devour this one.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK � Thomas & Mercer, and Mark Edwards for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 30th April, 2019.
]]> Needy Little Things 206719256 Sariyah is determined not to let her missing friend become just another statistic, one of many vanished Black girls. But despite her talent for ESP, Sariyah is struggling, even when the clues point surprisingly close to home.

When Sariyah's birthday celebrations at a music festival turn sour with the disappearance of one of her friends, she knows she can't rely on the police to find her. The authorities are no more help than they were when her friend's twin sister, another young woman of colour, went missing five years earlier. Sariyah feels guilty that her uncanny ability to predict people's needs didn't help to keep her friends safe. She is determined to find out what's happened to Deja. But the more she cracks the clues leading to her, the closer she gets to home � A brilliantly page-turning thriller with an unusual psychological twist, which fans of One of Us is Lying and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder will love.]]> 311 Channelle Desamours 1526675056 NZLisaM 5 Human beings are Needy Little Things!

‘Paper clip. Crayon. Shoelace. Chewing gum�

Just like her grandmother before her 17 year-old Sariyah Bryant has inherited a unique ability. She senses peoples needs, even before they do. To placate the voices in her head Sariyah carries a red duffel (dubbed ‘Santa bag� by her little brother) wherever she goes, crammed with everyday items. Need a stick of gum, hair brush, or nail file, Sariyah’s got you covered. Her Santa bag doesn’t contain an EpiPen, but Sariyah will go racing to her high school’s nurses office to check the stock upon hearing someone’s need for one.

‘Pepper spray. Pepper spray. Pepper spray�.

When her friend Deja Nelson’s urgent silent plea penetrate Sariyah’s brain on their way to a music festival to celebrate their friend Malcolm Hawkin’s eighteenth birthday, Sariyah is filled with dread. Why would Deja need pepper spray? And she’s right to be worried � because hours later Deja disappears from the festival. And this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Five years ago, her best friend and Malcolm’s twin sister Tessa vanished, and no trace of her has ever been found. Sariyah, Malcolm, and their new friend Jude Abrams are determined to find Deja before history can repeat itself.

Needy Little Things was a haunting YA mystery, with a supernatural undertone. A slow burn but a sense of unease permeated the pages right from the beginning. The twists were heart-pounding, and the last sentence sent a cold shiver down my spine. The writing was beautiful, impacting, powerful, and immersive. I could have highlighted every sentence on my Kindle. Every line of dialogue counted conveying emotion, subtext, and conflict in every scene. All the characters were given clear motivations, vulnerabilities, personality quirks, external and internal pressures, backstories, and relationships to one another.

Sariyah’s premonitions blended seamlessly into the story, both helped and hindered her investigation, and were viewed by her as both a gift and a curse. Only family and friends, or people who’d experienced it first hand, believed in her ability, and aside from Deja (who was a newish friend) Sariyah was unable to read the needs of those closest to her. Sariyah was often overwhelmed physically, mentally, and emotionally by how much her psychic power invaded and impacted her life, as well as the morality, ethical use, and sense of duty associated with it. Other serious themes included police, media, and the publics bias applicable to the race of missing children and teenagers, the powerlessness, uncertainty, blame, suspicion, and devastation of not knowing what has happened to a loved one, mental health, physical illness, financial strain, and academic struggles.

Needy Little Things completely worked as a standalone, but I’m crossing my fingers it’s the start of a series, as I feel there’s more to explore, and I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters. I can’t believe this was Channelle Desamours� debut. I’m awestruck!]]> 4.17 2025 Needy Little Things
author: Channelle Desamours
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/15
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: 2025, favourites, contemporary, crime, drama, mystery, supernatural, suspense, thriller, young-adult
review:
Human beings are Needy Little Things!

‘Paper clip. Crayon. Shoelace. Chewing gum�

Just like her grandmother before her 17 year-old Sariyah Bryant has inherited a unique ability. She senses peoples needs, even before they do. To placate the voices in her head Sariyah carries a red duffel (dubbed ‘Santa bag� by her little brother) wherever she goes, crammed with everyday items. Need a stick of gum, hair brush, or nail file, Sariyah’s got you covered. Her Santa bag doesn’t contain an EpiPen, but Sariyah will go racing to her high school’s nurses office to check the stock upon hearing someone’s need for one.

‘Pepper spray. Pepper spray. Pepper spray�.

When her friend Deja Nelson’s urgent silent plea penetrate Sariyah’s brain on their way to a music festival to celebrate their friend Malcolm Hawkin’s eighteenth birthday, Sariyah is filled with dread. Why would Deja need pepper spray? And she’s right to be worried � because hours later Deja disappears from the festival. And this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Five years ago, her best friend and Malcolm’s twin sister Tessa vanished, and no trace of her has ever been found. Sariyah, Malcolm, and their new friend Jude Abrams are determined to find Deja before history can repeat itself.

Needy Little Things was a haunting YA mystery, with a supernatural undertone. A slow burn but a sense of unease permeated the pages right from the beginning. The twists were heart-pounding, and the last sentence sent a cold shiver down my spine. The writing was beautiful, impacting, powerful, and immersive. I could have highlighted every sentence on my Kindle. Every line of dialogue counted conveying emotion, subtext, and conflict in every scene. All the characters were given clear motivations, vulnerabilities, personality quirks, external and internal pressures, backstories, and relationships to one another.

Sariyah’s premonitions blended seamlessly into the story, both helped and hindered her investigation, and were viewed by her as both a gift and a curse. Only family and friends, or people who’d experienced it first hand, believed in her ability, and aside from Deja (who was a newish friend) Sariyah was unable to read the needs of those closest to her. Sariyah was often overwhelmed physically, mentally, and emotionally by how much her psychic power invaded and impacted her life, as well as the morality, ethical use, and sense of duty associated with it. Other serious themes included police, media, and the publics bias applicable to the race of missing children and teenagers, the powerlessness, uncertainty, blame, suspicion, and devastation of not knowing what has happened to a loved one, mental health, physical illness, financial strain, and academic struggles.

Needy Little Things completely worked as a standalone, but I’m crossing my fingers it’s the start of a series, as I feel there’s more to explore, and I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters. I can’t believe this was Channelle Desamours� debut. I’m awestruck!
]]> <![CDATA[Blood on the Tracks (Sydney Rose Parnell, #1)]]> 31410240
In the depths of an icy winter, Parnell and her K9 partner, Clyde � both haunted by their time in Iraq � descend into the underground world of a savage gang of rail riders. There, they uncover a wide-reaching conspiracy and a series of shocking crimes. Crimes that threaten everything Parnell holds dear.

As the search for the truth puts her directly in the path of the killer, Parnell must struggle with a deadly question: Can she fight monsters without becoming one herself?]]> 386 Barbara Nickless NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2016 4.26 2016 Blood on the Tracks (Sydney Rose Parnell, #1)
author: Barbara Nickless
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: to-read, 2016
review:

]]> Frankie 219201328
Always just on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie is never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage. But the outsider holds certain advantages, sees things others don't, can influence without drawing attention. And when the map has been lost, it's anyone's guess where you may end up, or the accidental choices you find you have made. Frankie discovers that life is not always the one we hope for, or the one others expect of us.

Travelling from post-war Ireland to the dazzling art scene of 1960s New York by way of London, Frankie is an immersive, decade-sweeping novel about love, bravery and what it means to live a significant life.]]> 336 Graham Norton 1529391458 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 4.19 2024 Frankie
author: Graham Norton
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> The Do-Over 51035594 In this riotous young adult romp for fans of Recommended for You and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, a teen girl has the worst Valentine’s Day ever—only to relive it over and over again.

After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another nightmare V-Day.

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways.

How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?]]> 304 Lynn Painter NZLisaM 4 3.93 2022 The Do-Over
author: Lynn Painter
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves: 2022, contemporary, magical-realism, drama, young-adult, romance
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door]]> 217000875 All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it.

Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England's secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country's magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden's orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it's because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends-and now doesn't quite know what to call-if there's any hope of saving the world as they know it.]]> 433 H.G. Parry 0356520323 NZLisaM 0 maybe-i-will-read 4.15 2024 The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door
author: H.G. Parry
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: maybe-i-will-read
review:

]]> The Favourites 210141949 To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER � An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“P Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story� through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.]]> 464 Layne Fargo 152992734X NZLisaM 4 The eyes of the world are watching rising stars Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha. Will they be the Olympic figure-skating favourites?

Since they first laid eyes on one another as children, it’s been Katarina and Heath against the world. Years of ice-skating together as a team, these best friends turned teenage sweethearts are about to see their professional dreams realised. Kat has always known that she loves the competition and limelight more than Heath, but she also believes Heath will do anything for her.

This soapy sport drama chronicled the rise and fall of Katarina’s figure skating career, and her much-publicised fall from grace. In the prologue we learn that something catastrophic happened ten years ago, and that whatever it was still haunts Kat to this day. The answers were then bit-by-bit revealed in two ways � via a revealing documentary series interviewing those closest to the scandal, and through Kat’s own first-person account.

Layne Fargo introduced us to the glittering, breathtaking, cutthroat world of figure skating, and all the talent, ambition, struggles, competitiveness, gossip, backstabbing, and jealousy that goes along with it. The twists ranged from scandalous to shocking to somewhat off the rails by the end. The last 20% was a little too outlandish I thought, and didn’t really fit the tone of the rest of the novel. Layne Fargo did her research though, and it showed � I was completely immersed in the universe she created. The Favourites was also the story of all-consuming, obsessive love � the passion, longing, and desire of it, as well as the possessiveness and toxicity. Inspired by Wuthering Heights this novel was essentially a modern re-telling.

I listened to the audiobook on Spotify and Christine Lakin and Louise Zhu’s narration was a 5-star cinematic listen. Lakin was the perfect choice to voice Kat, and Zhu’s audience-style enthusiasm elevated the written material. I’m sure this title will be nominated for the 2025 ŷ Choice Awards Audiobook category, deservedly so. If you enjoyed the documentary/high drama-type performances in Taylor Jenkins Reids’s, Daisy Jones and the Six and Lisa Jewell’s, None of This is True then definitely check out The Favourites audiobook. You won’t be disappointed!

I think Layne Fargo has found her writing niche with The Favourites.]]> 4.14 2025 The Favourites
author: Layne Fargo
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: 2025, contemporary, drama, romance
review:
The eyes of the world are watching rising stars Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha. Will they be the Olympic figure-skating favourites?

Since they first laid eyes on one another as children, it’s been Katarina and Heath against the world. Years of ice-skating together as a team, these best friends turned teenage sweethearts are about to see their professional dreams realised. Kat has always known that she loves the competition and limelight more than Heath, but she also believes Heath will do anything for her.

This soapy sport drama chronicled the rise and fall of Katarina’s figure skating career, and her much-publicised fall from grace. In the prologue we learn that something catastrophic happened ten years ago, and that whatever it was still haunts Kat to this day. The answers were then bit-by-bit revealed in two ways � via a revealing documentary series interviewing those closest to the scandal, and through Kat’s own first-person account.

Layne Fargo introduced us to the glittering, breathtaking, cutthroat world of figure skating, and all the talent, ambition, struggles, competitiveness, gossip, backstabbing, and jealousy that goes along with it. The twists ranged from scandalous to shocking to somewhat off the rails by the end. The last 20% was a little too outlandish I thought, and didn’t really fit the tone of the rest of the novel. Layne Fargo did her research though, and it showed � I was completely immersed in the universe she created. The Favourites was also the story of all-consuming, obsessive love � the passion, longing, and desire of it, as well as the possessiveness and toxicity. Inspired by Wuthering Heights this novel was essentially a modern re-telling.

I listened to the audiobook on Spotify and Christine Lakin and Louise Zhu’s narration was a 5-star cinematic listen. Lakin was the perfect choice to voice Kat, and Zhu’s audience-style enthusiasm elevated the written material. I’m sure this title will be nominated for the 2025 ŷ Choice Awards Audiobook category, deservedly so. If you enjoyed the documentary/high drama-type performances in Taylor Jenkins Reids’s, Daisy Jones and the Six and Lisa Jewell’s, None of This is True then definitely check out The Favourites audiobook. You won’t be disappointed!

I think Layne Fargo has found her writing niche with The Favourites.
]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright]]> 222407453
Because Bea believes that what she does have is more important � her job at St Helen’s Hospital, which offers a warm, dry shelter for her and Ellie to stay while she figures things out. By day Bea cleans the wards, by night she tucks her daughter into bed between mops and buckets.

And tries so hard to hold on to hope.

When Bea sees an old man sitting on a cold and lonely bench outside the hospital, she really doesn’t have time to stop. She should be clearing up her own mess, not worrying about this cantankerous stranger. But Bea can’t help herself�

As she slowly starts to draw out Malcolm’s heartbreaking story, could this simple act of kindness begin to heal a decades-old pain? And might finding peace for Malcolm help Bea in ways she didn’t even know she needed?

A moving, emotional and uplifting story about second chances and chosen families guaranteed to break your heart and patch it back up again. The perfect book for fans of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, A Man Called Ove and The Keeper of Stories.

Readers love Brooke Harris�

‘To say that my heart was broken would be an understatement. I felt like someone had ripped it out and stomped on it� THE most moving, emotional, tender novel I think I have ever, ever read.� The Writing Garnet, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

�My heart insisted on reading just one more chapter, and another, and another� I even ate a banana in bed on the last night, as there was no way I was putting it down during the last few chapters� I was crying so much, I could hardly see the words, and woke up the following morning with puffy eyes.� Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐�

‘I couldn’t actually see due to the great big fat tears spilling from my eyes� I didn’t want it to end. This is not a book to read out in public unless you don’t mind being a big snotty mess� Amazing.� Reader Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

�Wow! I am still in awe by what I have just read� There are not enough stars to show just how much this book meant to me� Top read of the year!� Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐�

�This book broke me apart, my heart felt as if it was being crushed by a giant sledgehammer� Took my heart and squeezed it until all my emotions flowed down as tears� I loved every single thing about this book.� Shalini’s Book Reviews, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘One of the most moving stories� Tears literally streaming down my face� An unputdownable, heartbreaking and inspirational read, one that deserves more than 5*.]]> 349 Brooke Harris 1805087479 NZLisaM 5 Beatrice Alright’s life is far from all right!

Bea was a college student studying to be a doctor when she met Declan, a man twenty-one years her senior. She quickly felt pregnant to him, moving into his Dublin flat, and quitting school to raise her daughter, Ellie. Bea loves being a mother, but four years later, the rest of her life is far from ideal � Declan is emotionally distant, stingy with money, and rarely home since he travels a lot for his career, and Bea is struggling to make ends meet working all hours as a hospital cleaner. But always one who looks on the bright side and sees the best in people, Bea is convinced that Declan is only days away from proposing. But instead Declan drops a devastating bombshell, one that sees Bea and little Ellie, broke and alone with nowhere to go on the snowy streets of Dublin weeks before Christmas.

Bea’s journey to find stability and a place to call home for herself and her young child was as heart-wrenching as it was heartwarming. As strong and resilient as she was, losing her parents at a young age and growing up in the foster care system meant her search for love and need to be cared for left Bea vulnerable to being taken advantage of by others. There were several characters I wanted to punch! Bea had the kindest, gentlest nature, it only took the first few pages of the book to understand how altruistic, thoughtful, genuine and generous with her time she was. Unfortunately, she naively thought those she surrounded herself with would give back the same in return, but as we know sadly that isn’t always the case. Thankfully, there were characters in this novel who were willing to reach out and lend a helping hand and heart.

A main theme of this novel was the shock of sudden and hidden homelessness and the shame, embarrassment, and sense of failure associated with it, and I thought the author handled a serious social problem in a realistic and sensitive way. A second prominent theme was new unexpected friendship, burgeoning new romance, and found family. And these parts were a delight. I adored all the bonds that formed. Four-year-old Ellie was also adorable, and her dialogue and behaviour was age appropriate. Which brings me to the third theme � motherhood. Bea was an incredible mother, always putting her daughter’s needs ahead of her own, and it was always abundantly clear that she loved Ellie more than anyone, and would sacrifice anything to protect her.

There were some dark, tense moments, a truckload of emotional ones, several tears shed, but overall The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright was a warm, enveloping hug. Included in the kindle version is an excerpt from Brooke Harris� 2023 novel � Memories of You, which sounds just as moving. I look forward to reading it and everything else she’s written. It only took me a day to read this. - I think that speaks for itself!]]> 4.29 The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright
author: Brooke Harris
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: 2025, favourites, contemporary, drama, romance, womens-fiction
review:
Beatrice Alright’s life is far from all right!

Bea was a college student studying to be a doctor when she met Declan, a man twenty-one years her senior. She quickly felt pregnant to him, moving into his Dublin flat, and quitting school to raise her daughter, Ellie. Bea loves being a mother, but four years later, the rest of her life is far from ideal � Declan is emotionally distant, stingy with money, and rarely home since he travels a lot for his career, and Bea is struggling to make ends meet working all hours as a hospital cleaner. But always one who looks on the bright side and sees the best in people, Bea is convinced that Declan is only days away from proposing. But instead Declan drops a devastating bombshell, one that sees Bea and little Ellie, broke and alone with nowhere to go on the snowy streets of Dublin weeks before Christmas.

Bea’s journey to find stability and a place to call home for herself and her young child was as heart-wrenching as it was heartwarming. As strong and resilient as she was, losing her parents at a young age and growing up in the foster care system meant her search for love and need to be cared for left Bea vulnerable to being taken advantage of by others. There were several characters I wanted to punch! Bea had the kindest, gentlest nature, it only took the first few pages of the book to understand how altruistic, thoughtful, genuine and generous with her time she was. Unfortunately, she naively thought those she surrounded herself with would give back the same in return, but as we know sadly that isn’t always the case. Thankfully, there were characters in this novel who were willing to reach out and lend a helping hand and heart.

A main theme of this novel was the shock of sudden and hidden homelessness and the shame, embarrassment, and sense of failure associated with it, and I thought the author handled a serious social problem in a realistic and sensitive way. A second prominent theme was new unexpected friendship, burgeoning new romance, and found family. And these parts were a delight. I adored all the bonds that formed. Four-year-old Ellie was also adorable, and her dialogue and behaviour was age appropriate. Which brings me to the third theme � motherhood. Bea was an incredible mother, always putting her daughter’s needs ahead of her own, and it was always abundantly clear that she loved Ellie more than anyone, and would sacrifice anything to protect her.

There were some dark, tense moments, a truckload of emotional ones, several tears shed, but overall The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright was a warm, enveloping hug. Included in the kindle version is an excerpt from Brooke Harris� 2023 novel � Memories of You, which sounds just as moving. I look forward to reading it and everything else she’s written. It only took me a day to read this. - I think that speaks for itself!
]]> Head Cases (PAR Unit, #1) 211867349 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.]]> 352 John McMahon 1250348307 NZLisaM 3 A serial killer is exterminating serial killers!

There is a unit of five FBI agents dedicated to identifying and unraveling unusual puzzling crimes known as Patterns and Recognition (PAR). Internally nicknamed ‘The Head Cases� because of their unique crime-solving techniques, the unit is considered the ‘bottom of the barrel� within the FBI.

PAR agent Gardner Camden (our sole narrator) and his partner Cassie Pardo are dispatched to a crime scene in Dallas, Texas. A vicious killer of women has been found dead � murdered. When a second body turns up in another state � also a mass murderer � the PAR team conclude that that a vigilante killer is going after bad people. Who and why? Given their detailed knowledge of the past crimes committed all avenues lead to someone in law enforcement, potentially even the FBI.

Head Cases (the first in a series) began with a hiss and a roar, I was glued to the pages for the first intense 30%. But tracking leads, analysing clues, the investigation process, and internal politics within the FBI soon grew stale and long-winded. I craved more excitement, suspense, and shocks. Even when the stakes were personal for the agents the threat wasn’t high enough. I do understand though that a certain amount of info dump was needed to establish and set up the series.

The characters were the stand-out. Each had their own unique personality quirks and strengths, that contributed to the team, and the investigation. There were hints and reveals of compelling backstories, and each character complimented, and cared about, one another. The PAR unit definitely contained both a found family vibe, and outsiders finding a place where they fit and belonged.

Even though the crime plot in Head Cases wasn’t my favourite the characters were intriguing enough, and the note it ended on has left me keen enough to discover where this is going and continue the series.]]> 4.23 2025 Head Cases (PAR Unit, #1)
author: John McMahon
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: 2025, crime, mystery, police-procedural, series, suspense, thriller
review:
A serial killer is exterminating serial killers!

There is a unit of five FBI agents dedicated to identifying and unraveling unusual puzzling crimes known as Patterns and Recognition (PAR). Internally nicknamed ‘The Head Cases� because of their unique crime-solving techniques, the unit is considered the ‘bottom of the barrel� within the FBI.

PAR agent Gardner Camden (our sole narrator) and his partner Cassie Pardo are dispatched to a crime scene in Dallas, Texas. A vicious killer of women has been found dead � murdered. When a second body turns up in another state � also a mass murderer � the PAR team conclude that that a vigilante killer is going after bad people. Who and why? Given their detailed knowledge of the past crimes committed all avenues lead to someone in law enforcement, potentially even the FBI.

Head Cases (the first in a series) began with a hiss and a roar, I was glued to the pages for the first intense 30%. But tracking leads, analysing clues, the investigation process, and internal politics within the FBI soon grew stale and long-winded. I craved more excitement, suspense, and shocks. Even when the stakes were personal for the agents the threat wasn’t high enough. I do understand though that a certain amount of info dump was needed to establish and set up the series.

The characters were the stand-out. Each had their own unique personality quirks and strengths, that contributed to the team, and the investigation. There were hints and reveals of compelling backstories, and each character complimented, and cared about, one another. The PAR unit definitely contained both a found family vibe, and outsiders finding a place where they fit and belonged.

Even though the crime plot in Head Cases wasn’t my favourite the characters were intriguing enough, and the note it ended on has left me keen enough to discover where this is going and continue the series.
]]> Nesting 219235647 Longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction

From an unforgettable new voice in Irish fiction, a heart-pounding, life-affirming story about one woman trying to leave her marriage and start over. For fans of Claire Keegan and Emma Donoghue.

‘Contains all the twists and turns of a classic thriller � Immersive and emotional� New York Times
‘An escape story from Jodi Picoult territory, but with a lot more bite.� The Age
‘Turns the idea of the domestic novel inside out � Not just riveting and deeply humane but � in an understated, ‘domestic� way � radical, too.� Observer

On a bright spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change her life. Grabbing an armful of clothes from the washing line, Ciara straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. Head spinning, all she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe.

It was meant to be an escape. But with dwindling savings, no job, and her family across the sea, Ciara finds herself adrift, facing a broken housing system and the voice of her own demons. As summer passes and winter closes in, she must navigate raising her children in a hotel room, searching for a new home and dealing with her husband Ryan's relentless campaign to get her to come back.

Because leaving is one thing, but staying away is another.

Tense, beautiful and gut-wrenching, Nesting is an unforgettable story of motherhood, underpinned by love, hope and resilience.]]> 383 Roisín O’Donnell 1761423290 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.26 2025 Nesting
author: Roisín O’Donnell
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> The Otherwhere Post 214268980 The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel Magnifique returns with another glittering dark fantasy about a deadly mystery that spans worlds and a teenage girl who must risk everything to uncover the truth.

Seven years ago, Maeve Abenthy lost her world, her father, even her name. Desperate to escape the stain of her father’s crimes, she lives under a fake name, never staying in one place long enough to put down roots.

Then she receives a mysterious letter with four impossible words Your father was innocent.

To uncover the truth, she poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, where she’ll be trained in the art of scriptomancy—the dangerous magic that allows couriers to enchant letters and deliver them to other worlds. But looking into her father’s past draws more attention than she’d planned.

Her secretive, infuriatingly handsome mentor knows she’s lying about her identity, and time is running out to convince him to trust her. Worse, she begins to receive threatening letters, warning her to drop her investigation�or else. For Maeve to unravel the mystery of what happened seven years ago, she may have to forfeit her life.]]> 400 Emily J. Taylor 0593404548 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.05 2025 The Otherwhere Post
author: Emily J. Taylor
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Not Our Daughter 211180780 Propelled on a cross-country chase, devoted parents become desperate fugitives in a heart-racing novel of suspense by the author of Family Money and All He Has Left.

Thirteen years ago, Cole and Lisa Shipley were fostering an infant with hopes of adopting her. Overnight everything was turned upside down, when the child’s mother bled to death on their front doorstep. Her last He’s coming here…for her! Save her. Afraid, bewildered, and with a baby in their arms, they fled. The longer they hid, the guiltier they looked.

Now in a small Colorado town under assumed identities, they’ve been seemingly safe. But when a tip exposes them and Cole is framed for another murder, they take it on the run again, barreling across the western US—this time with a confused and resistant teenage girl awakening to a terrifying new reality. In the rearview is the relentless FBI agent who has never given up the hunt. And he’s not the only one.

Every frightening mile brings a family closer to the truth about that fateful night thirteen years ago. And to a killer who’s determined to finish what he started.]]> 236 Chad Zunker 1662516096 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.15 2025 Not Our Daughter
author: Chad Zunker
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> The Two-Family House 25663717
From debut novelist Lynda Cohen Loigman comes The Two-Family House, a moving family saga filled with heart, emotion, longing, love, and mystery.


"Two families, both living in one house, drive an exquisitely written novel of love, alliances, the messiness of life and long buried secrets. Loigman's debut is just shatteringly wonderful and I can't wait to see what she does next." - Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Is This Tomorrow and Pictures of You

"No good deed goes unpunished. In a single, intensely charged moment, two women come to a private agreement meant to assure each other's happiness. But as Lynda Cohen Loigman deftly reveals, life is not so simple, especially when it involves two families, tightly intertwined. The Two-Family House is sympathetically observed and surely plotted all the way through to its deeply satisfying conclusion." - Christina Schwarz, author of Drowning Ruth (an Oprah's Book Club pick) and national bestseller The Edge of the Earth]]> 290 Lynda Cohen Loigman 1250076927 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2016 3.88 2016 The Two-Family House
author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: to-read, 2016
review:

]]> The Academy 223610727 #1 bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand teams up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to deliver a dishy, page-turning novel following an intertwined cast of characters over the course of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump � was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn � and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology � everyone has something to hide.

As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough...As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. The Academy is Elin Hilderbrand’s fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life, and a thrilling new direction from one of America’s most satisfying and popular storytellers.]]> Elin Hilderbrand 0316567906 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.40 The Academy
author: Elin Hilderbrand
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> On Veil Creek 221721881 Forty years later, they are called home when their mother is dying. Marissa yearns for a death-bed apology and Tom still harbours suspicions about what happened that eventful day on Veil Creek. Tom faces off against their brother Jim while Marissa reconnects with elusive Yvette Pelletier, a girl now grown but still relegated to the edges of the small prairie town.
Together, Marissa and Tom face their tumultuous past to unravel their family’s darkest secrets.
A compelling drama born of the unyielding Canadian prairie, On Veil Creek is a troubling, yet tender story about grief, trauma, and the capacity to forgive.]]> 266 Gaylene Dutchyshen 106890710X NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 4.21 On Veil Creek
author: Gaylene Dutchyshen
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> The Peculiar Gift of July 219848366 With a dash of magic and an ensemble cast of oddball, small-town characters, this feel-good novel explores forgiveness, family, and the sense of humor it takes to live with the ones we love the most.

Ebey’s End is a small town on an island off the Pacific coast, reachable only by ferry (assuming the gods are with you and it’s not a Tuesday). It’s a comfortable, familiar (but okay, fine, sometimes lonely) life for its resident grocer Anita Odom. That is, until fourteen-year-old July shows up on her doorstep.

Taking in the recently orphaned daughter of an estranged cousin had not been on Anita’s to-do list. In fact, it’s a terrible idea. Anita is ill-suited, ill-prepared, and absolutely certain the entire enterprise will end in disaster—for both of them.

From the moment she arrives, July seems to “know� what each customer at the Island Grocery needs. They’re small: a housekeeping magazine slipped into old Mr. Daly’s basket or a coconut cream pie pressed into the hands of Pastor Chet. But one by one, these gifts start to change the lives of nearly everyone in town in ways much larger than they—or July—could have imagined.

It's not long before secrets are exposed and questions emerge, and everyone in Ebey’s End has to open their hearts a little wider to make room for it all.]]> 416 Ashley Ream 0593853725 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.09 The Peculiar Gift of July
author: Ashley Ream
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Penitence 212105819 For readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, Penitence is a poignant exploration of love and forgiveness. It’s a suspenseful, addictive page-turner filled with literary insight that compels readers to consider whether each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.

When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.

Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of post-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.]]> Kristin Koval NZLisaM 4 In the rural Colorado ski town of Lodgepole two families are torn apart by tragedy!

The first happened on the 28 February 1991 when 17-year-old Angie DeLuca and her 18-year-old boyfriend Julian Dumont were skiing with Angie’s younger sister Diana (7), when Diana lost control, hit a tree, and was killed.

The second occurred over twenty years later on the 13th October 2016. Angie and her husband David Sheehan were awoken in the middle of the night by gunshots. They find their 13-year-old daughter Nora standing in the doorway of her 14-year-old brother Nico’s bedroom, covered in blood, holding a gun. She shot her brother � not one, not two, but three times � all at close range.

Penitence was impacting, emotive, eye-opening, thought-provoking, realistic contemporary literary fiction, crime, and family saga, with a focus on relationship dynamics, and interpersonal conflict. I wouldn’t categorise it as a courtroom drama, but there was a fair bit of time spent navigating legal issues and creating a defence strategy. The characters were complex, sympathetic, and morally grey � damaged and broken by tragedy and pain, secrets and lies, and grief, loss, and blame. Penitence dealt with serious social issues not limited to gun violence, racism, sentencing disparities and treatment of young offenders in the justice and prison systems, alcoholism, depression, mental health, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Alzheimer’s disease, and juvenile Huntington’s disease.

The writing was eloquent and moving, with vivid and creative description. The prologue immediately immersed me in the plot as it jumped from character to character explaining what each was doing at the exact moment teenage Nora sat shivering in a jail cell. From there chapters alternated between four POV’s: Angie, Nora, Julian, and Martine Dumont (Julian’s mother/Nora’s lawyer). And the chapters were on the lengthy side. Which led to some pacing issues the further the book progressed, particularly with the 1990’s � to early 2000’s timeline, which tended to drag in places. There was one other reason that prevented this from being a five-star read for me, which was more my issue rather than a failure on the books part, but because it’s too much of a spoiler only peek if you’ve read the book or have no intention of picking it up. [spoilers removed]

Penitence was Kristin Koval’s debut and she’s definitely an author I’ll be keeping my eye on. The comparisons to Jodi Piccoult, Celeste Ng, and Angie Kim are accurate and deserving.]]> 3.94 2025 Penitence
author: Kristin Koval
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/29
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: 2025, contemporary, crime, drama, mystery
review:
In the rural Colorado ski town of Lodgepole two families are torn apart by tragedy!

The first happened on the 28 February 1991 when 17-year-old Angie DeLuca and her 18-year-old boyfriend Julian Dumont were skiing with Angie’s younger sister Diana (7), when Diana lost control, hit a tree, and was killed.

The second occurred over twenty years later on the 13th October 2016. Angie and her husband David Sheehan were awoken in the middle of the night by gunshots. They find their 13-year-old daughter Nora standing in the doorway of her 14-year-old brother Nico’s bedroom, covered in blood, holding a gun. She shot her brother � not one, not two, but three times � all at close range.

Penitence was impacting, emotive, eye-opening, thought-provoking, realistic contemporary literary fiction, crime, and family saga, with a focus on relationship dynamics, and interpersonal conflict. I wouldn’t categorise it as a courtroom drama, but there was a fair bit of time spent navigating legal issues and creating a defence strategy. The characters were complex, sympathetic, and morally grey � damaged and broken by tragedy and pain, secrets and lies, and grief, loss, and blame. Penitence dealt with serious social issues not limited to gun violence, racism, sentencing disparities and treatment of young offenders in the justice and prison systems, alcoholism, depression, mental health, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Alzheimer’s disease, and juvenile Huntington’s disease.

The writing was eloquent and moving, with vivid and creative description. The prologue immediately immersed me in the plot as it jumped from character to character explaining what each was doing at the exact moment teenage Nora sat shivering in a jail cell. From there chapters alternated between four POV’s: Angie, Nora, Julian, and Martine Dumont (Julian’s mother/Nora’s lawyer). And the chapters were on the lengthy side. Which led to some pacing issues the further the book progressed, particularly with the 1990’s � to early 2000’s timeline, which tended to drag in places. There was one other reason that prevented this from being a five-star read for me, which was more my issue rather than a failure on the books part, but because it’s too much of a spoiler only peek if you’ve read the book or have no intention of picking it up. [spoilers removed]

Penitence was Kristin Koval’s debut and she’s definitely an author I’ll be keeping my eye on. The comparisons to Jodi Piccoult, Celeste Ng, and Angie Kim are accurate and deserving.
]]> Beneath Devil's Bridge 55542167
True crime podcaster Trinity Scott is chasing breakout success, and her brand-new serial may get her there. Her subject is Clayton Jay Pelley. More than two decades ago, the respected family man and guidance counselor confessed to the brutal murder of teenage student Leena Rai. But why he killed her has always been a mystery.

In a series of exclusive interviews from prison, Clayton discloses to Trinity the truth about what happened that night beneath Devil’s Bridge. It’s not what anyone in the Pacific Northwest town of Twin Falls expects. Clayton says he didn’t do it. Was he lying then? Or now?

As her listeners increase and ratings skyrocket, Trinity is missing a key player in the story: Rachel Walczak, the retired detective who exposed Pelley’s twisted urges and put him behind bars. She’s not interested in playing Clayton’s game - until Trinity digs deeper and the podcast’s reverb widens. Then Rachel begins to question everything she thinks she knows about the past.

With each of Clayton’s teasing reveals, one thing is clear: he’s not the only one in Twin Falls with a secret.]]> 344 Loreth Anne White 1542021308 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2021 4.27 2021 Beneath Devil's Bridge
author: Loreth Anne White
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read, 2021
review:

]]> Far and Away: A Novel 220195614 The “absolutely hilarious� (Real Simple) Amy Poeppel delights once again with a charming new novel about a house swap gone wonderfully awry.

Perfect strangers Lucy and Greta have agreed to a house swap—and boy, are they going to regret it.

Lucy’s hometown of Dallas has gone from home sweet home to vicious snake pit in the blink of an eye after her son makes a mistake he can’t undo. And Greta’s beloved flat in Berlin is suddenly up for grabs when her husband Otto takes a dream job in Texas without even telling her. In their rush to leave town, Lucy and Greta make a deal, pack their bags, and—thanks to martinis, desperation, and some very rusty German—have absolutely no idea what they’re getting themselves into.

Trading Southern charm and barbecue for European sophistication and schnitzel, the two women get a lot more than a change of scenery as they move into each other’s houses, neighborhoods, and lives. Greta and Lucy’s husbands are no Otto is winning over his colleagues, swimming laps in the backyard pool, and rooting for the Rangers, while Lucy’s husband is doing a six-month stretch out west, either in a NASA biosphere or in jail, depending on who you ask. Meanwhile, Greta’s daughter Emmi and Lucy’s son Jack get tossed into each other’s orbits, where they both discover secrets they can’t ignore.

When Greta’s biggest career achievement—the buzzworthy purchase of a Vermeer at auction—is thrown into question and Lucy’s past with a hot Viking named Bjørn invades her present, the two women need each other in ways they never could have imagined. Through jet lag, culture shock, suspiciously nice neighbors, and scandals that refuse to be left behind, Lucy and Greta will have to decide if they can ever go home again.]]> Amy Poeppel 1668022877 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.50 2025 Far and Away: A Novel
author: Amy Poeppel
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Hold Strong 209034827 From Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree comes an epic and inspiring novel—based on true events—about love, heroism, and resilience during the darkest chapters of World War II.

Sam Carlson is a projectionist in small-town Minnesota, where fantasies unspool in glorious black and white—for him and for his sweetheart, college-bound math whiz Sarah Haber. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Sam is sent to the Philippines and captured as a POW. Brutalized but unbroken by the Bataan Death March and POW camps, Sam is one of 1,800 starved and weakened prisoners herded into the cargo hold of a barbaric hell ship called the Arisan Maru, his survival doubtful.

Determined to use her math skills on the home front, Sarah is recruited to Washington, DC, into the covert field of code breaking. When Sarah intercepts a message about a Japanese convoy, the US Navy’s mission is sink the Arisan Maru and send it to the bottom of the South China Sea. Now, the lives of the two young lovers are about to inadvertently collide in one of the most shocking acts of World War II.

Anchored in an extraordinary true story and breathlessly recreated, Hold Strong is a one-of-a-kind novel that explores faith, courage, survival, and coming home against insurmountable odds.]]> 555 Robert Dugoni 1662516304 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.62 2025 Hold Strong
author: Robert Dugoni
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Fire 208895883
Did what happened to Freya as a child one fateful summer influence the adult she would become � or was she always destined to be that person? Was she born with cruelty in her heart or did something force it into being?

In Fire, John Boyne takes the reader on a chilling, uncomfortable but utterly compelling psychological journey to the epicentre of the human condition, asking the age-old nurture � or nature?]]> 163 John Boyne 1529916526 NZLisaM 5 Elements series by John Boyne is a collection of four novellas � Water, Earth, Fire, and Air (Release Date: 1st May 2025) � each representing the four elements found in nature. Fire is #3.

Dr Freya Petrus is a thirty-six-year-old gifted, renowned surgeon specialising in burn victims. She saves lives on a daily basis. But Freya is plagued by the traumatic abuse she suffered the summer she was twelve years old. This is Freya’s story.

I mentioned Earth being dark, but Fire was even more depraved and distressing. Right from the first deeply disturbing line though I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened next and how it ended. This was my favourite instalment of the series as it was the only one I would label a psychological thriller. The twists were mind-blowing. Also, the way it connected to Water and Earth � I’m still reeling!

Just as Evan was introduced in Water, Freya had a small role in Earth. This book doesn’t specify how much time has passed between the previous book and this one, but I estimate three to five years. The only thing that did surprise me is that this character had no connection to the island like Willow and Evan did. Just like the first two books, there was the current timeline, and the past one, in this case, to that fateful summer. In this instalment all the elements were inserted into the writing in subtle, skilful ways.

Be advised that the content warnings listed in spoiler tags below contain major spoilers for this novella, and the series overall. I only include them because the crimes perpetrated in this book will be very triggering for some readers.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]]]> 4.15 2024 Fire
author: John Boyne
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/27
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: 2024, favourites, contemporary, crime, drama, mystery, series, thriller
review:
The Elements series by John Boyne is a collection of four novellas � Water, Earth, Fire, and Air (Release Date: 1st May 2025) � each representing the four elements found in nature. Fire is #3.

Dr Freya Petrus is a thirty-six-year-old gifted, renowned surgeon specialising in burn victims. She saves lives on a daily basis. But Freya is plagued by the traumatic abuse she suffered the summer she was twelve years old. This is Freya’s story.

I mentioned Earth being dark, but Fire was even more depraved and distressing. Right from the first deeply disturbing line though I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened next and how it ended. This was my favourite instalment of the series as it was the only one I would label a psychological thriller. The twists were mind-blowing. Also, the way it connected to Water and Earth � I’m still reeling!

Just as Evan was introduced in Water, Freya had a small role in Earth. This book doesn’t specify how much time has passed between the previous book and this one, but I estimate three to five years. The only thing that did surprise me is that this character had no connection to the island like Willow and Evan did. Just like the first two books, there was the current timeline, and the past one, in this case, to that fateful summer. In this instalment all the elements were inserted into the writing in subtle, skilful ways.

Be advised that the content warnings listed in spoiler tags below contain major spoilers for this novella, and the series overall. I only include them because the crimes perpetrated in this book will be very triggering for some readers.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]
]]> Earth 198222359 From million-copy-bestselling author John Boyne, an inescapably gritty story about one young man whose direction in life takes a vastly different turn than what he expected.

It’s the tabloid sensation of the two well-known footballers standing in the dock, charged with sexual assault, a series of vile text messages pointing towards their guilt.

As the trial unfolds, Evan Keogh reflects on the events that have led him to this moment. Since leaving his island home, his life has been a lie on many levels. He’s a talented footballer who wanted to be an artist. A gay man in a sport that rejects diversity. A defendant whose knowledge of what took place on that fateful night threatens more than just his freedom or career.

The jury will deliver a verdict but, before they do, Evan must judge for himself whether the man he has become is the man he wanted to be.]]> 168 John Boyne 152991650X NZLisaM 5 Elements series by John Boyne is a collection of four novellas � Water, Earth, Fire, and Air (Release Date: 1st May 2025) � each representing the four elements found in nature. Earth is #2.

It’s the first day of a sensational trial. Famous footballer Evan Keogh stands accused of filming his fellow teammate and friend, Robbie Wolverton, having sex with a teenage girl. They claim it was consensual, she says it wasn’t. This is Evan’s story.

#1 Water contained some dark themes � Earth is progressively darker and bleaker. The prose was John Boyne’s usual high standard � immersive, poetic and lyrical, and I loved the way he utilised earth and water in his writing. The directions the plot took were twists I did not see coming. Evan’s character played a peripheral role in Water. He had grown up on the never-named island Willow (the main character in Water) fled to, located somewhere off the Galway coast of Ireland, and Earth answered some burning questions I had regarding his appearance in the first instalment. Five years have passed since the events of that one, and in the current timeline Evan is twenty-two, with flashbacks to the intervening years, aged 17-22.

Be advised that the content warnings listed in spoiler tags below contain major spoilers for this novella, and the series overall. I only include them because the crimes perpetrated in this book will be very triggering for some readers.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]]]> 4.31 2024 Earth
author: John Boyne
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: 2024, crime, contemporary, drama, lgbtqiap, mystery, series
review:
The Elements series by John Boyne is a collection of four novellas � Water, Earth, Fire, and Air (Release Date: 1st May 2025) � each representing the four elements found in nature. Earth is #2.

It’s the first day of a sensational trial. Famous footballer Evan Keogh stands accused of filming his fellow teammate and friend, Robbie Wolverton, having sex with a teenage girl. They claim it was consensual, she says it wasn’t. This is Evan’s story.

#1 Water contained some dark themes � Earth is progressively darker and bleaker. The prose was John Boyne’s usual high standard � immersive, poetic and lyrical, and I loved the way he utilised earth and water in his writing. The directions the plot took were twists I did not see coming. Evan’s character played a peripheral role in Water. He had grown up on the never-named island Willow (the main character in Water) fled to, located somewhere off the Galway coast of Ireland, and Earth answered some burning questions I had regarding his appearance in the first instalment. Five years have passed since the events of that one, and in the current timeline Evan is twenty-two, with flashbacks to the intervening years, aged 17-22.

Be advised that the content warnings listed in spoiler tags below contain major spoilers for this novella, and the series overall. I only include them because the crimes perpetrated in this book will be very triggering for some readers.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]
]]> The Story She Left Behind 214151359 Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.

In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s magical childhood shatters when her mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a national sensation when she was just twelve years old. Her departure leaves behind not only a devoted husband and heartbroken daughter, but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her landmark work. As the headlines focus on the missing author, Clara yearns for something far deeper and more her beautiful mother.

By 1952, Clara is an illustrator raising her own daughter, Wynnie. When a stranger named Charlie Jameson contacts her from London claiming to have discovered a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. Clara is skeptical. Compelled by the tragedy of her mother’s vanishing, she crosses the Atlantic with Wynnie only to arrive during one of London’s most deadly natural disasters—the Great Smog. With asthmatic Wynnie in peril, they escape the city with Charlie and find refuge in the Jameson’s family retreat nestled in the Lake District. It is there that Clara must find the courage to uncover the truth about her mother and the story she left behind.

Told in Patti Callahan Henry’s lyrical, enchanting prose, The Story She Left Behind is a captivating novel of mystery and family legacy that captures the profound longing for a mother and the evergreen allure of secrets.]]> 352 Patti Callahan Henry 1668011875 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.16 2025 The Story She Left Behind
author: Patti Callahan Henry
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> The Bad Bridesmaid 211145843 21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings, she knows better than most about the perils of falling in love.

On arrival at the island wedding destination, Fred is delighted to discover that the groom’s hot muso son Leo is just as set against the wedding as she is. Together, they come up with ‘Operation Break-Up� to prevent their parents from making what they believe will be a catastrophic mistake.

But as Fred and Leo get to know each other better, their unexpected feelings for each other create further complications, and Fred is forced to rethink her own rigid rules about romance and family. Maybe not every relationship has to play by the book, and could Fred become the star in a romcom of her own?

A heart-warming friends-to-lovers romance about the magic and mayhem of weddings � and what happens when everything you thought you knew about love is turned upside down.]]> 382 Rachael Johns 1761341758 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.00 2025 The Bad Bridesmaid
author: Rachael Johns
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Deadline: The Debut Thriller From The Award-Winning Broadcaster Steph McGovern]]> 216641968 'A pacy, witty, engaging thriller, entertaining and delightfully authentic, but hard-hitting and thought-provoking too. I can't wait for you all to read it' � Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope series

Your child has been kidnapped.

You're live on television.

Going live in 10, 9, 8 . . .
Today is a huge day for TV reporter Rose’s career. A live interview with one of the most powerful men in the country, on one of the nation’s biggest TV shows.

7, 6, 5 . . .
But, when she hears an unfamiliar voice in her ear, she knows something is very wrong.

4, 3, 2 . . .
Her earpiece has been hacked. She’s live on air in the middle of the interview. They tell her they have kidnapped her family.

1
And, in order to protect them, Rose must do exactly what the hijacker says. They are in control now.

* * *

'Fascinating and authentic peek behind the scenes . . . Steph McGovern lifts the lid and hooks us in with an irresistible set up.' Val McDermid, � author of Past Lying ]]> Steph McGovern 103503526X NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.86 Deadline: The Debut Thriller From The Award-Winning Broadcaster Steph McGovern
author: Steph McGovern
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> The River We Remember 101160844 In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by the murder of its most powerful citizen, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling standalone novel.

On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. Investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose.

Both a complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of midcentury American life, The River We Remember is an unflinching look at the wounds left by the wars we fight abroad and at home, a moving exploration of the ways in which we seek to heal, and a testament to the enduring power of the stories we tell about the places we call home.]]> 432 William Kent Krueger 198217921X NZLisaM 5 Mesmerising and Eloquent!

The year is 1958, and it’s Memorial Day in Jewel, Black Earth County when the body of wealthy landowner and farmer, Jimmy Quinn, is found floating in the Alabaster River. His death is the catalyst for a chain of events that the people of Jewel will never forget.

The River We Remember was a character-driven, atmospheric, slow-burn contemporary drama. There were so many powerful, sentimental moments that resonated and evoked an emotional response within me. These compassionate, flawed, wounded characters occupied space in my head and refused to budge. The POV’s featured in this novel were good people who were torn apart inside by adversity, abuse, judgment, and racism all the while hiding crippling emotional pain, traumatic backstories, devastating secrets, and stories of injustice. Each narrator � the sheriff, the retired sheriff and current part-time deputy, the town newsman, a female lawyer, a single mother who runs the local diner, and her fourteen-year-old son � offered varied and distinctive perspectives. The six POV characters were all scarred and impacted by war � some were veteran soldiers and others had lost loved ones.

The mystery sub-plot was very satisfying, and the last 20% was exciting and tense. It also served the purpose of laying bare this town’s extreme inequality and permeating darkness. The man killed was widely loathed in Jewel, but because he was white a lot of the townsfolk still considered him superior to a Dakota Sioux Native American, even though the latter was a peaceful, helpful, contributing, kind-hearted member of the community.

William Kent Krueger is a gifted writer and as always delivered beautiful, tender, and moving prose. I was completely able to visualise Jewel and Black Earth County, and the Alabaster River was a character in itself and enhanced the mood and tone of the novel. The author included very serious subject matter but handled it with grace and sensitivity and used graphic description sparingly. The River We Remember is a haunting yet hopeful story that I have no hesitation in recommending. ]]> 4.19 2023 The River We Remember
author: William Kent Krueger
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/24
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: 2023, favourites, action, contemporary, crime, drama, historical, mystery, small-town-setting, police-procedural, suspense, thriller
review:
Mesmerising and Eloquent!

The year is 1958, and it’s Memorial Day in Jewel, Black Earth County when the body of wealthy landowner and farmer, Jimmy Quinn, is found floating in the Alabaster River. His death is the catalyst for a chain of events that the people of Jewel will never forget.

The River We Remember was a character-driven, atmospheric, slow-burn contemporary drama. There were so many powerful, sentimental moments that resonated and evoked an emotional response within me. These compassionate, flawed, wounded characters occupied space in my head and refused to budge. The POV’s featured in this novel were good people who were torn apart inside by adversity, abuse, judgment, and racism all the while hiding crippling emotional pain, traumatic backstories, devastating secrets, and stories of injustice. Each narrator � the sheriff, the retired sheriff and current part-time deputy, the town newsman, a female lawyer, a single mother who runs the local diner, and her fourteen-year-old son � offered varied and distinctive perspectives. The six POV characters were all scarred and impacted by war � some were veteran soldiers and others had lost loved ones.

The mystery sub-plot was very satisfying, and the last 20% was exciting and tense. It also served the purpose of laying bare this town’s extreme inequality and permeating darkness. The man killed was widely loathed in Jewel, but because he was white a lot of the townsfolk still considered him superior to a Dakota Sioux Native American, even though the latter was a peaceful, helpful, contributing, kind-hearted member of the community.

William Kent Krueger is a gifted writer and as always delivered beautiful, tender, and moving prose. I was completely able to visualise Jewel and Black Earth County, and the Alabaster River was a character in itself and enhanced the mood and tone of the novel. The author included very serious subject matter but handled it with grace and sensitivity and used graphic description sparingly. The River We Remember is a haunting yet hopeful story that I have no hesitation in recommending.
]]> If You Would Have Told Me 77920725 New York Times Bestseller

�...I love him, and I respect him, and I need him. We all do.�
—from the foreword by Jamie Lee Curtis

If you would have told a young John Stamos flipping burgers at his dad’s fast-food joint that one day he’d be a household name and that, at the height of his success, he’d be living alone, divorced, with no kids, high on a cocktail of forgetting, he might’ve asked, “You want fries with that?�

John burst onto the scene in General Hospital, propelling him into the teen idol stratosphere, a place that’s often a point of no return. But Stamos beat the odds and over the past four decades has proved himself to be one of his generation’s most successful and beloved actors. Whether showing off his comedic chops on Full House or his dramatic skills on ER, pushing the boundaries on Broadway or living out his youthful dreams as an honorary Beach Boy, John has surprised everyone, most of all himself.

A universal story about friendship, love, loss, and the courage to embrace love once more, John Stamos’s memoir is filled with some of the most memorable names in Hollywood, both old and new. Funny, deeply poignant, and brutally honest, If You Would Have Told Me is a portrait of a boy who went from believing in Disney magic to a man who learns that we have to create our own magical moments in life.]]> 333 John Stamos 1250890977 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2023 3.78 2023 If You Would Have Told Me
author: John Stamos
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: to-read, 2023
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman]]> 217159488 From generational icon Brooke Shields comes an intimate and empowering exploration of ageing that flips the script on the idea of what it means for a woman to grow older

Brooke Shields has spent a lifetime in the public eye. Growing up as a child actor and model, her every feature was scrutinised, her every decision judged. Today Brooke faces a different kind of that of being a 'woman of a certain age'.

And yet, for Brooke, the passage of time has brought freedom. At fifty-nine, she feels more comfortable in her skin, more empowered and confident than she did decades ago in those famous Calvin Kleins. Now, in Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, she's changing the narrative about women and ageing.

This is an era, insists Brooke, when women are reclaiming agency and power, not receding into the shadows. These are the years when we get to decide how we want to live - when we get to write our own stories.

With remarkable candour, Brooke bares all, painting a vibrant and optimistic picture of being a woman in the prime of her life, while dismantling the myths that have, for too long, dimmed that perception. Sharing her own life experiences with humour and humility, and weaving together research and reporting, Brooke takes aim at the systemic factors that contribute to age-related bias.

By turns inspiring, moving, and galvanising, Brooke's honesty and vulnerability will resonate with women everywhere, and spark a new conversation about the power and promise of midlife.]]> 250 Brooke Shields 034944191X NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 3.71 2025 Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman
author: Brooke Shields
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> Saltwater 215362444 336 Katy Hays 0593875559 NZLisaM 0 maybe-i-will-read 3.62 2025 Saltwater
author: Katy Hays
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: maybe-i-will-read
review:

]]> Dear Future Me 220481291 368 Deborah O'Connor 146423468X NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2025 4.00 2025 Dear Future Me
author: Deborah O'Connor
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: to-read, 2025
review:

]]> The Good Part 123256057
What if you could fast forward to your happy ever after?

Lucy Young is twenty-six and fed up with life, so when she stumbles upon a wishing machine, she wishes to skip ahead. When she wakes up the next day to the perfect life, Lucy can't believe it's real... especially when she looks in the mirror and sees her forty-something face staring back. As Lucy navigates her future life, she soon realises that along with the good part, there are harder surprises too.

Does she want to go back to being the girl she once was? Or is the good part bright enough to stay in?]]> 352 Sophie Cousens 1529393884 NZLisaM 5
‘“Be careful what you wish for,� the old woman says.�


26-year-old Lucy Young is tired of her damp flat, inconsiderate flatmates, being unappreciated and undermined at work, and suffering through one bad date after another. After a particularly trying day � while seeking shelter from the rain in a newsagent � Lucy spies a fairground type ‘wishing machine� in the back of the store. She inserts a quarter and wishes away her frustration.

‘I wish I could skip to the good part, where my life is sorted�.


The next morning Lucy wakes up in her 42-year-old body. She lives in a beautiful home, works at her dream job, is married to an amazing guy named Sam, and has two adorable children, seven-year-old Felix and baby Amy. Her wish has come true. All of her old worries and problems are no more. But there are new heartaches, and obstacles to contend with. Because no one’s life is ever perfect, at any stage. And more to the point � Lucy has missed out on sixteen years of her life � the good, and the bad.

The Good Part was a contemporary romance with a time travel/magical realism twist. Overnight, Lucy had gone from being a carefree single girl to having marriage and motherhood thrust upon her which made for hilarious, heartfelt, tender, sweet, and fun reading. The chapter where Lucy wakes up in the future with no idea where she is or how she got there was laugh out loud funny. Her reactions, confusion, and horror were spot on. No one copes well with change, so you can imagine how alien it would be if you lost sixteen years, how foreign everything would be. Sophie Cousens included some creative technological advancements. Lucy’s son Felix was so wonderful � you’ll fall in love with him I promise. This author sure writes believable children.

The romance was unique since Sam had loved Lucy for years, had all of the memories of their 12-year relationship, but to her he was a stranger. It also contained some serious and moral topics centred around grief, loss, the shock and pain of not remembering, embracing and living life to its fullest, and not taking a single day for granted. The Good Part is perfect for those who like their contemporary romances with a side of child-rearing and family life, or who love the idea of time travelling to the future. Reminiscent of 13 Going on 30 or Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. The Good Part is my second read, and also my second five-star read by Sophie Cousens. An utter delight from start to finish. I can’t wait to read more of her backlist.]]> 4.28 2023 The Good Part
author: Sophie Cousens
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: favourites, 2023, contemporary, drama, fantasy, magical-realism, romance
review:
‘“Be careful what you wish for,� the old woman says.�


26-year-old Lucy Young is tired of her damp flat, inconsiderate flatmates, being unappreciated and undermined at work, and suffering through one bad date after another. After a particularly trying day � while seeking shelter from the rain in a newsagent � Lucy spies a fairground type ‘wishing machine� in the back of the store. She inserts a quarter and wishes away her frustration.

‘I wish I could skip to the good part, where my life is sorted�.


The next morning Lucy wakes up in her 42-year-old body. She lives in a beautiful home, works at her dream job, is married to an amazing guy named Sam, and has two adorable children, seven-year-old Felix and baby Amy. Her wish has come true. All of her old worries and problems are no more. But there are new heartaches, and obstacles to contend with. Because no one’s life is ever perfect, at any stage. And more to the point � Lucy has missed out on sixteen years of her life � the good, and the bad.

The Good Part was a contemporary romance with a time travel/magical realism twist. Overnight, Lucy had gone from being a carefree single girl to having marriage and motherhood thrust upon her which made for hilarious, heartfelt, tender, sweet, and fun reading. The chapter where Lucy wakes up in the future with no idea where she is or how she got there was laugh out loud funny. Her reactions, confusion, and horror were spot on. No one copes well with change, so you can imagine how alien it would be if you lost sixteen years, how foreign everything would be. Sophie Cousens included some creative technological advancements. Lucy’s son Felix was so wonderful � you’ll fall in love with him I promise. This author sure writes believable children.

The romance was unique since Sam had loved Lucy for years, had all of the memories of their 12-year relationship, but to her he was a stranger. It also contained some serious and moral topics centred around grief, loss, the shock and pain of not remembering, embracing and living life to its fullest, and not taking a single day for granted. The Good Part is perfect for those who like their contemporary romances with a side of child-rearing and family life, or who love the idea of time travelling to the future. Reminiscent of 13 Going on 30 or Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. The Good Part is my second read, and also my second five-star read by Sophie Cousens. An utter delight from start to finish. I can’t wait to read more of her backlist.
]]> Crying in H Mart 54814676
In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humour and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band � and meeting the man who would become her husband � her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live.

It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

Vivacious, lyrical and honest, Michelle Zauner’s voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.]]> 243 Michelle Zauner 0525657746 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2021 4.25 2021 Crying in H Mart
author: Michelle Zauner
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves: to-read, 2021
review:

]]> The Dead Zone 210997833
Meet Johnny Smith. A young man whose streak of luck ends dramatically in a major car crash. Followed by blackness. A long, long time in cold limbo.

When he wakes up life has been turned upside down. His fiancee has met someone else. And Johnny is cursed with the power to perceive evil in men's souls. He's had these hunches since he had an ice-skating accident as a child. Now he has an ability to see into the future. An ability which will bring him into a terrifying confrontation with a charismatic, power-hungry and dangerous man...]]> 595 Stephen King 1444708090 NZLisaM 0 dnf
Is not included in my reading stats since I didn’t finish.

This one’s very dated (which I normally wouldn’t judge it on) but to the point that some of the dialogue and writing makes no sense. On top of that, it’s very slow. And, there’s already been animal cruelty/death, which again I’d overlook if I was enjoying the story, but I’m not. I still remain a Stephen King fan but based on what I’ve read, this one isn’t his best. Onwards and upwards!]]> 4.11 1979 The Dead Zone
author: Stephen King
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1979
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves: dnf
review:
DNF@21% No rating!

Is not included in my reading stats since I didn’t finish.

This one’s very dated (which I normally wouldn’t judge it on) but to the point that some of the dialogue and writing makes no sense. On top of that, it’s very slow. And, there’s already been animal cruelty/death, which again I’d overlook if I was enjoying the story, but I’m not. I still remain a Stephen King fan but based on what I’ve read, this one isn’t his best. Onwards and upwards!
]]> Project Hail Mary 54493401
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?]]> 476 Andy Weir 0593135202 NZLisaM 3 Nowhere near as good as I was expecting!

A man wakes from a coma. He has no memory of who he is. He soon realises he’s the sole survivor of a space mission, on board a ship called Hail Mary, positioned in another solar system. As his memories return in fragments, he understands that saving earth rests squarely on his shoulders.

I enjoyed the first 10% but from that point on most of the book dragged. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters, there was a good twist at the 83% mark, and the ending was brilliant and emotional. Also, Andy Weir created a unique and imaginative alien race.

But when does a novel become more non-fiction than fiction? The answer to this question is Project Hail Mary. In-depth math and science were prioritised over the actual story. Pages of textbook-like explanations when a paragraph would have sufficed made for very slow, less exciting, boring reading. It’s a shame because otherwise the writing was excellent � dialogue, thoughts, behaviour, actions � were all spot on.

I have no complaints regarding the audiobook � Ray Porter’s performance was incredible. He nailed every accent and emotion, his computer voice was awesome, the humour he injected into his reading was delightful, and the sound effects were a clever addition.

I just wish it had of been the five-star read for me that it has been for most everyone else.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone, and Andy Weir for the e-ARC.]]> 4.49 2021 Project Hail Mary
author: Andy Weir
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/17
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: 2021, netgalley, sci-fi, apocalyptic-post-apocalyptic, mystery, action
review:
Nowhere near as good as I was expecting!

A man wakes from a coma. He has no memory of who he is. He soon realises he’s the sole survivor of a space mission, on board a ship called Hail Mary, positioned in another solar system. As his memories return in fragments, he understands that saving earth rests squarely on his shoulders.

I enjoyed the first 10% but from that point on most of the book dragged. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters, there was a good twist at the 83% mark, and the ending was brilliant and emotional. Also, Andy Weir created a unique and imaginative alien race.

But when does a novel become more non-fiction than fiction? The answer to this question is Project Hail Mary. In-depth math and science were prioritised over the actual story. Pages of textbook-like explanations when a paragraph would have sufficed made for very slow, less exciting, boring reading. It’s a shame because otherwise the writing was excellent � dialogue, thoughts, behaviour, actions � were all spot on.

I have no complaints regarding the audiobook � Ray Porter’s performance was incredible. He nailed every accent and emotion, his computer voice was awesome, the humour he injected into his reading was delightful, and the sound effects were a clever addition.

I just wish it had of been the five-star read for me that it has been for most everyone else.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone, and Andy Weir for the e-ARC.
]]> The Autumn of Ruth Winters 205837964 In this heartwarming story about second acts and second chances, a no-nonsense retiree, very much set in her ways, must learn to adapt and make peace with her past in order to build a fulfilling future.

Ruth Winters is retired, widowed, and resigned to spending the rest of her life alone in her suburban home. She likes her routine and uses it to avoid having to spend time with other people. She probably wouldn’t call herself fulfilled, but it’s too late now to go chasing happiness.

Then three things happen at a beloved niece makes a big announcement, an old flame reaches out, and her estranged sister receives life-changing news. Ruth finds herself reconnecting with people she thought were long gone from her world, as she is forced to reconsider her expectations for this phase of her life.

None of this fits into Ruth’s routine—in fact, the whole thing just blows to bits. But when Ruth starts to pick up the pieces, she discovers that maybe it’s not too late to make something new after all.]]> 264 Marshall Fine 1662518331 NZLisaM 0 to-read, 2024 4.08 2024 The Autumn of Ruth Winters
author: Marshall Fine
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read, 2024
review:

]]> The Mirror House Girls 221272469 An isolated compound. A so-called family. A collision course with unthinkable violence.

When Winona rents a room at the eccentric Mirror House, she hopes to make new friends. What she gets instead is a “family� led by the charismatic psychologist Simon Spellmeyer.

But if she wants to stay at Mirror House, Winona must join in following Simon’s strange protocols for self-improvement. Warning bells chime inside her, but she ignores them. Yes, his methods are disturbing, but the results are undeniable.

Soon, Simon’s vision for their future spirals in a darker direction. The group relocates, expands, and Winona’s once-close bond with her housemates grows fractured by mistrust until she’s trapped among people she hardly recognizes. Including herself.

Can Winona wake up to the true cost of Simon’s vision in time to get out alive? Or will the utopian dream turn into a tragic nightmare?]]> 374 Faith Gardner NZLisaM 0 to-read 3.97 The Mirror House Girls
author: Faith Gardner
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Reformatory 62919847 A gripping, page-turning novel set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he’s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead.

Gracetown, Florida
June 1950

Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.

Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.

The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award–winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.]]> 576 Tananarive Due 1982188340 NZLisaM 5 Five Stars! Six Stars! Ten Stars! Twenty Stars!

It was the tiniest of infractions, the equivalent of a school yard kick, but in this small Florida town in 1950 it was enough to get twelve-year-old Robert Stephens arrested and brought before a racist judge, in a corrupt system. Charged with assaulting the son of a wealthy white planter, Robert is harshly sentenced to spend six months at the Gracetown Boys Reformatory, a ‘school� rumoured to be so terrible that some boys don’t survive.

The Reformatory was a literary fiction epic masterpiece combining a mix of genres � historical, horror, gothic horror, thriller, paranormal, spiritual � to create a phenomenal, unforgettable, terrifying, hard-hitting, heartbreaking, powerful, fast-paced, race-against-the-clock, magical, compelling, read. The scope of this story, depth of research, and attention to detail was astounding. Tananarive Due expertly crafted immersive setting descriptions, imagery, and sensory detail to fit what the POV character was experiencing at the time. The first 31% of the book took place over a 24-hour period which included ‘the incident�, Robert’s arrest, and his first day at the Reformatory so we got to experience every horrific moment, and injustice alongside him. I’ve included trigger warnings in spoiler tags below, and given the atrocities contained within these pages, I’m sure it will come as no surprise that there were a lot of them.

The two main narrators were Robert of course, and his seventeen-old-sister Gloria, desperately fighting to free her brother, while unwittingly drawing unwanted attention, and placing her own life in danger. Gloria’s chapters were a reprieve from the horrors within the walls of the Reformatory, even though they were still bleak and harsh. Both characters were resilient, brave, strong, and empathetic. Robert cared about, and wanted to help all the boys, living or dead. I was on the edge of my seat hoping against hope that Robert and Gloria would be reunited by the end and there would be retribution and punishment for the evil characters.

Then there were the Haints, (a Southern expression for ghosts or restless spirits) dead children whose lives were cut short so violently, brutally, and suddenly that their traumatised souls remained trapped in the Reformatory, bound to haunt its rooms and grounds forever, unable to move on. Robert and Gloria were both born with the gift of premonitions and visions, although Gloria tried to suppress/ignore hers. Robert’s unique ability allowed him to communicate with the Haints, making me ache for their situation. Through Robert, the spirits were able to share their memories of who they had been in life, what they had endured, and how they had died, so that someone would remember them.

Even though the Gracetown Boys Reformatory, and the town of Gracetown were fictional, the torture, cruelty, and abuse that was inflicted upon children in real life institutions by soulless evil psychopaths throughout history unfortunately was not. The same applies to the racism, ignorance, simplemindedness, and police brutality that existed in Gracetown.

Listing the many trigger warnings and while completely agreeing that the content of this novel will be too triggering for some readers, at the same time I’m determined not to put people off, as the story of these unforgettable characters is 100% worth your time. The Reformatory is my top read of 2025 so far, will definitely make my top list for this year, and I’ve just added it to my ŷ profile as one of my favourite reads of all time.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]]]> 4.44 2023 The Reformatory
author: Tananarive Due
name: NZLisaM
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/14
date added: 2025/01/14
shelves: 2023, favourites, contemporary, crime, gothic-horror, historical, horror, mystery, small-town-setting, supernatural, suspense, thriller
review:
Five Stars! Six Stars! Ten Stars! Twenty Stars!

It was the tiniest of infractions, the equivalent of a school yard kick, but in this small Florida town in 1950 it was enough to get twelve-year-old Robert Stephens arrested and brought before a racist judge, in a corrupt system. Charged with assaulting the son of a wealthy white planter, Robert is harshly sentenced to spend six months at the Gracetown Boys Reformatory, a ‘school� rumoured to be so terrible that some boys don’t survive.

The Reformatory was a literary fiction epic masterpiece combining a mix of genres � historical, horror, gothic horror, thriller, paranormal, spiritual � to create a phenomenal, unforgettable, terrifying, hard-hitting, heartbreaking, powerful, fast-paced, race-against-the-clock, magical, compelling, read. The scope of this story, depth of research, and attention to detail was astounding. Tananarive Due expertly crafted immersive setting descriptions, imagery, and sensory detail to fit what the POV character was experiencing at the time. The first 31% of the book took place over a 24-hour period which included ‘the incident�, Robert’s arrest, and his first day at the Reformatory so we got to experience every horrific moment, and injustice alongside him. I’ve included trigger warnings in spoiler tags below, and given the atrocities contained within these pages, I’m sure it will come as no surprise that there were a lot of them.

The two main narrators were Robert of course, and his seventeen-old-sister Gloria, desperately fighting to free her brother, while unwittingly drawing unwanted attention, and placing her own life in danger. Gloria’s chapters were a reprieve from the horrors within the walls of the Reformatory, even though they were still bleak and harsh. Both characters were resilient, brave, strong, and empathetic. Robert cared about, and wanted to help all the boys, living or dead. I was on the edge of my seat hoping against hope that Robert and Gloria would be reunited by the end and there would be retribution and punishment for the evil characters.

Then there were the Haints, (a Southern expression for ghosts or restless spirits) dead children whose lives were cut short so violently, brutally, and suddenly that their traumatised souls remained trapped in the Reformatory, bound to haunt its rooms and grounds forever, unable to move on. Robert and Gloria were both born with the gift of premonitions and visions, although Gloria tried to suppress/ignore hers. Robert’s unique ability allowed him to communicate with the Haints, making me ache for their situation. Through Robert, the spirits were able to share their memories of who they had been in life, what they had endured, and how they had died, so that someone would remember them.

Even though the Gracetown Boys Reformatory, and the town of Gracetown were fictional, the torture, cruelty, and abuse that was inflicted upon children in real life institutions by soulless evil psychopaths throughout history unfortunately was not. The same applies to the racism, ignorance, simplemindedness, and police brutality that existed in Gracetown.

Listing the many trigger warnings and while completely agreeing that the content of this novel will be too triggering for some readers, at the same time I’m determined not to put people off, as the story of these unforgettable characters is 100% worth your time. The Reformatory is my top read of 2025 so far, will definitely make my top list for this year, and I’ve just added it to my ŷ profile as one of my favourite reads of all time.

Trigger Warnings: [spoilers removed]
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