Such Quiet Girls
WOWZA! This was a pulse pounding and hard to put down page turner! I loved the tension and dread that jumped from the pages as every parent’s worst nightmare happens in Such Quiet Girls: A Thriller. Noelle W. Ihli blew me away with this heart wrenching and riveting book about two mothers and ten abducted children! The author captured the instantly gut gripping reaction of Sheena, one mother learning that her two children have been abducted, and the fear and sense of responsibility of Jessa, the other mother who was driving the bus and was abducted along with the children. Whew! The author put her characters and readers through the ringer and then some! From the very first page, I was instantly invested and read most of this book in one day as I did not want to put this book down! What began as a normal day ends in a nightmare as a bus driver and the children she is carrying and kidnapped and placed in an underground bunker. Can you even imagine their fear? I had to keep reading to learn what was going to happen next! This book is told through the POV’s of Sheena, Jessa, Sage (Sheena’s daughter), and one of the kidnappers. I found this to be a very nice touch and helped readers not only get into their heads but feel their emotions. What an emotional roller coaster of a ride this book became. Both mothers had me feeling for them and what they are going through and experiencing. Sheena fears for her two daughters who had been taken while trying to care for her father with Alzheimer’s. Jessa is locked underground with the children trying to keep them calm while battling her own growing anxiety and discomfort. Not to mention the children who try their best to be brave in a horrifying and frightening situation. What a tense, thrilling, gripping and frightening page turner which was inspired by true events! There were some nice twists and turns along the way which made this book even more enjoyable and riveting. I can’t wait to read what Noelle W. Ihli writes next! Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The California Dreamers
Nostalgic, captivating, and thought provoking. Not everyone grows up behind a white picket fence. Some grow up in very unconventional ways. The sea, the sand, the waves and the van, are what the Merrick family called home. I thought Amy Mason Doan did a tremendous job of capturing the beachy surfer vibe of California in the 1980’s. The surf, the way sunlight glitters on the waves, the sand between your toes, the freedom of being in nature, and riding the waves is captured beautifully. I can almost smell the salt in the air! The Merrick family was not your average family. They traveled the coast, surfing, living, and surviving. They became celebrities of sort when a photograph is published. Years later the siblings will gather to say goodbye to their recently deceased father, but they will not be alone. They will be joined by a journalist who wants to know about them and the famous photograph. I enjoyed wondering what it would be like to live life as the Merrick family did. Traveling in a van, sleeping in the van and/or on the ground. What would it be like not to attend a traditional school? What would it be like to not put down roots but to travel here and there up and down the coast? What would it be like to be the only female sibling? What makes a home- is it where you sleep or who is in your life? Does how one is raised affect the rest of an individual’s life? How do you ever go home if you never had one? The author tackles these questions sand then some. This plot ebbs and flows like the waves of the ocean. We are shown glimpses in not only the past when the siblings are younger but also in the present day as the siblings come together for their father’s final send off. This was a captivating and thought provoking coming of age story about Ronan who left her van living nomadic family at 17 and returns when one of her brothers informs her of their father’s passing. This is a book about family, secrets, identity, love of nature, choices, unconventional lifestyles, and relationships. I found this book to wonderfully written, well thought out, and thought provoking. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end to learn what motivated the author to write this riveting book.
King Sorrow
Gripping, creepy, menacing and fantastic! Joe Hill mentions in his note at the end of the book that it has been 10 years since he wrote his previous book. I believe readers of this book, will be crossing their fingers and perhaps even their toes, hoping that we don’t have to wait another 10 years for the next book. Joe Hill perfectly blended fantasy, horror, some romance, and a quest in King Sorrow. Hmm, I wonder where he got the idea to use King in the title? He’s got the chops kid; he’s got the chops. Joe Hill once again proving that he can write, and he can write with great imagination, creativity, and skill! The gist of this book is that six friends get in way over their heads (and then some) when they dabble in the occult to help a friend and perform a ritual which brings forth King Sorrow. He is a menacing, diabolical and evil dragon that is happy to give if he gets in return. What he wants is simple – a human sacrifice. But nothing is simple, and everything comes with a steep price. I enjoyed how this book looks at human nature showing the good, the bad and the in-between. The characters are flawed, they are damaged, they are friends, they feel love, they long for what or who they can’t have, they experience greed, they feel loss, they are strong, they are weak, and so many other things that all people feel at various points in their life. Throw in an evil obligation to a being who takes and takes greedily. Who makes them choose who dies and doesn’t care what it costs them or others. This was a BIG and LONG book which follows the characters through many stages of their lives. It is epic in length and scope. As they change, grow, and mature, so did my thoughts and opinions on them. This book had me rooting for most, booing and hissing at some, feeling pain for others, and crossing my fingers and holding my breath on more than one occasion. There is something about friendship and how it changes and grows. There is also something about books which puts friends through the ringer that appeals to me. Joe Hill puts his characters through more than the ringer in King Sorrow. This book is horrific in a wonderful way. He nails the creepy, sinister, and twisted character of King Sorrow. He inserts tension, dread, and unease between the pages so that those elements jump from the pages when the book is opened. He also nails relationships, friendships, and love. My one issue with this book is the length. On one level I get it. This book needs to be long to show the effect of how making such a deal has on each individual. On another level, it did feel long at times. Other than that, one issue, I was over the moon to read another book by Joe Hill. Wonderfully written, gripping, horrific, dark, and a wild ride. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end of the book. p.s. did anyone else catch the title of one of his father’s books in this book? I was like, what??? That is one of his dad’s books. I thought it was pretty cool. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Death at a Highland Wedding
Gripping, interesting, chilling, shocking and hard to put down! I fell in love with the characters of Mallory Atkinson and Dr. Duncan Gray in the first book in the series, A Rip Through Time! I continue to adore them and the supporting characters in this book. If you have not read that book or this series, I highly recommend it. I find not only this book but the other books in the series to be captivating, wonderfully written, atmospheric, thrilling and mysterious. A brief background on the characters – Mallory Atkinson was a detective in Vancouver in modern times but found herself being transported 150 years into the past to Victorian Scotland and into the body of Catriona Mitchel, a housemaid for Dr. Duncan Gray. Lucky for her she found herself being transported into Duncan’s home as he is an undertaker and works closely with Detective Hugh McCreadie. She was able to confide in them and utilize her modern-day detective skills to assist them in solving crimes. In Death at a Highland Wedding, sees Mallory/Catriona, Gray, and McCreadie traveling to the highlands for a wedding at the Cranston estate. The grounds are beautiful but immediately Mallory senses something isn’t right when a cat found in a trap has injuries that do not match up with the trap. Something is afoot and the groom is acting in strange and odd fashion. When a dead body is found, the trio must work fast to kind the killer! As with the other books, I loved the setting. I also loved the atmosphere that oozed from this book. The Scottish Highlands, the forest at night, the tension in the air, and the mystery surrounding the cat’s injuries and the murdered guest, made for a gripping mystery. I also love the dynamic between the characters. Mallory continues to try to behave and fit in as a woman would in Victorian times. Plus, her interactions with Gray have me wanting to shove them together and say ‘come on already’ as their chemistry is off the charts! I love Kelley Armstrong’s writing and her use of place and time in this series. She nails the Victorian settings and feel of the book. I also love the dialogue and how Mallory can utilize her current detective skills with the skills of the investigators of that time. The mystery was intriguing and had me wondering whodunit the entire book. The final reveal was nicely done and well played out. While I enjoy the mysteries and crimes that are investigated in this series, it is the relationships and characters that keep me coming back. Kelley Armstrong has created characters that I care about and root for. Riveting, chilling, atmospheric, gripping and hard to put down! *I had the pleasure of having the physical book (Thank you to Kat White at St. Martin’s Press), the e-book and the audiobook which made for a lovely and completely enjoyable reading experience. The narration of the audiobook was wonderful and so well done. Thank you to Kat White, St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Guess Again
Gripping, wonderfully written, well thought out, shocking, and hard to put down, Charlie Donlea delivered a thrilling and chilling read with Guess Again! I was instantly drawn into the plot from the very first page and had a hard time putting this riveting and addictive book down! I loved the mystery and did my very best super sleuthing to figure out whodunit. I made a few very good guesses, but Donlea left me shocked and with my jaw hanging open with one startling revelation. Whew! Ethan Hall, a former detective, and current doctor is approached by his partner, to help solve the cold case of 17-year-old Callie Jones (the governor’s daughter) who disappeared ten years ago. This is only the beginning as Ethan must also come back into the orbit of Francis, an imprisoned serial killer, who seems to have a lot of knowledge about a case he was not involved with. Hmm…….. Whew! This book kept me on my toes and then some. There are a lot of characters, and they all have a role to play in this addictive, shocking, gripping, and hard to put down mystery thriller. This book had me guessing again and again who could be behind the disappearance of Callie and the fate of another woman who has gone missing. This book had tension, dread, and atmosphere dripping from the pages. I could feel the unease of many of the characters paired with the deviousness and menage of other characters. Guess Again proved to be a twist filled ride that kept the action coming and my pulse pounding. I loved how the past and the present collided in one scene that was a total shocker and left me and one character reeling! Plus, the ending has me crossing my finger and hoping that there will be another book featuring Ethan. Gripping, shocking, fast paced, tense and wonderfully written. Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rage
Gripping, shocking and full of danger, Rage, grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go! If there is a crime in Painters Mill, you know that Chief of Police Kate Burkholder will be on the case! This is the 17th book in the Kate Burkholder series and Linda Castillo has delivered yet again! Plus, readers get to see Kate’s husband, John Tomasetti, on the case as well. A dismembered body of a local Amish man is found, Kate is called to the scene. When the body of the man’s best friend is also found murdered, the community is rocked. Initially no one is willing to talk but when a woman finally comes forward, Kate learns that the Amish victims had dark dealings with some violent and dangerous individuals. Secrets, lies, manipulation, power, control, and diabolical characters, make for a timely and gripping read. Kate Burkholder, who was once Amish herself, is one tough cookie who often takes dangerous chances in the pursuit of justice! She finds herself in more than one sticky situation with some vile and violent characters. I enjoy her grit, her determination, her drive, and her commitment to solving crimes. I enjoyed the action, the plot, and the characters. This book, like the others in the series, gives readers glimpses into Kate’s professional and personal life. She is a well-rounded character who I root for every single book. I enjoyed the tension, the mounting danger, and the relevant storyline.Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, and hard to put down! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Such Quiet Girls
WOWZA! This was a pulse pounding and hard to put down page turner! I loved the tension and dread that jumped from the pages as every parent’s worst nightmare happens in Such Quiet Girls: A Thriller. Noelle W. Ihli blew me away with this heart wrenching and riveting book about two mothers and ten abducted children! The author captured the instantly gut gripping reaction of Sheena, one mother learning that her two children have been abducted, and the fear and sense of responsibility of Jessa, the other mother who was driving the bus and was abducted along with the children. Whew! The author put her characters and readers through the ringer and then some! From the very first page, I was instantly invested and read most of this book in one day as I did not want to put this book down! What began as a normal day ends in a nightmare as a bus driver and the children she is carrying and kidnapped and placed in an underground bunker. Can you even imagine their fear? I had to keep reading to learn what was going to happen next! This book is told through the POV’s of Sheena, Jessa, Sage (Sheena’s daughter), and one of the kidnappers. I found this to be a very nice touch and helped readers not only get into their heads but feel their emotions. What an emotional roller coaster of a ride this book became. Both mothers had me feeling for them and what they are going through and experiencing. Sheena fears for her two daughters who had been taken while trying to care for her father with Alzheimer’s. Jessa is locked underground with the children trying to keep them calm while battling her own growing anxiety and discomfort. Not to mention the children who try their best to be brave in a horrifying and frightening situation. What a tense, thrilling, gripping and frightening page turner which was inspired by true events! There were some nice twists and turns along the way which made this book even more enjoyable and riveting. I can’t wait to read what Noelle W. Ihli writes next! Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The California Dreamers
Nostalgic, captivating, and thought provoking. Not everyone grows up behind a white picket fence. Some grow up in very unconventional ways. The sea, the sand, the waves and the van, are what the Merrick family called home. I thought Amy Mason Doan did a tremendous job of capturing the beachy surfer vibe of California in the 1980’s. The surf, the way sunlight glitters on the waves, the sand between your toes, the freedom of being in nature, and riding the waves is captured beautifully. I can almost smell the salt in the air! The Merrick family was not your average family. They traveled the coast, surfing, living, and surviving. They became celebrities of sort when a photograph is published. Years later the siblings will gather to say goodbye to their recently deceased father, but they will not be alone. They will be joined by a journalist who wants to know about them and the famous photograph. I enjoyed wondering what it would be like to live life as the Merrick family did. Traveling in a van, sleeping in the van and/or on the ground. What would it be like not to attend a traditional school? What would it be like to not put down roots but to travel here and there up and down the coast? What would it be like to be the only female sibling? What makes a home- is it where you sleep or who is in your life? Does how one is raised affect the rest of an individual’s life? How do you ever go home if you never had one? The author tackles these questions sand then some. This plot ebbs and flows like the waves of the ocean. We are shown glimpses in not only the past when the siblings are younger but also in the present day as the siblings come together for their father’s final send off. This was a captivating and thought provoking coming of age story about Ronan who left her van living nomadic family at 17 and returns when one of her brothers informs her of their father’s passing. This is a book about family, secrets, identity, love of nature, choices, unconventional lifestyles, and relationships. I found this book to wonderfully written, well thought out, and thought provoking. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end to learn what motivated the author to write this riveting book.
King Sorrow
Gripping, creepy, menacing and fantastic! Joe Hill mentions in his note at the end of the book that it has been 10 years since he wrote his previous book. I believe readers of this book, will be crossing their fingers and perhaps even their toes, hoping that we don’t have to wait another 10 years for the next book. Joe Hill perfectly blended fantasy, horror, some romance, and a quest in King Sorrow. Hmm, I wonder where he got the idea to use King in the title? He’s got the chops kid; he’s got the chops. Joe Hill once again proving that he can write, and he can write with great imagination, creativity, and skill! The gist of this book is that six friends get in way over their heads (and then some) when they dabble in the occult to help a friend and perform a ritual which brings forth King Sorrow. He is a menacing, diabolical and evil dragon that is happy to give if he gets in return. What he wants is simple – a human sacrifice. But nothing is simple, and everything comes with a steep price. I enjoyed how this book looks at human nature showing the good, the bad and the in-between. The characters are flawed, they are damaged, they are friends, they feel love, they long for what or who they can’t have, they experience greed, they feel loss, they are strong, they are weak, and so many other things that all people feel at various points in their life. Throw in an evil obligation to a being who takes and takes greedily. Who makes them choose who dies and doesn’t care what it costs them or others. This was a BIG and LONG book which follows the characters through many stages of their lives. It is epic in length and scope. As they change, grow, and mature, so did my thoughts and opinions on them. This book had me rooting for most, booing and hissing at some, feeling pain for others, and crossing my fingers and holding my breath on more than one occasion. There is something about friendship and how it changes and grows. There is also something about books which puts friends through the ringer that appeals to me. Joe Hill puts his characters through more than the ringer in King Sorrow. This book is horrific in a wonderful way. He nails the creepy, sinister, and twisted character of King Sorrow. He inserts tension, dread, and unease between the pages so that those elements jump from the pages when the book is opened. He also nails relationships, friendships, and love. My one issue with this book is the length. On one level I get it. This book needs to be long to show the effect of how making such a deal has on each individual. On another level, it did feel long at times. Other than that, one issue, I was over the moon to read another book by Joe Hill. Wonderfully written, gripping, horrific, dark, and a wild ride. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end of the book. p.s. did anyone else catch the title of one of his father’s books in this book? I was like, what??? That is one of his dad’s books. I thought it was pretty cool. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Death at a Highland Wedding
Gripping, interesting, chilling, shocking and hard to put down! I fell in love with the characters of Mallory Atkinson and Dr. Duncan Gray in the first book in the series, A Rip Through Time! I continue to adore them and the supporting characters in this book. If you have not read that book or this series, I highly recommend it. I find not only this book but the other books in the series to be captivating, wonderfully written, atmospheric, thrilling and mysterious. A brief background on the characters – Mallory Atkinson was a detective in Vancouver in modern times but found herself being transported 150 years into the past to Victorian Scotland and into the body of Catriona Mitchel, a housemaid for Dr. Duncan Gray. Lucky for her she found herself being transported into Duncan’s home as he is an undertaker and works closely with Detective Hugh McCreadie. She was able to confide in them and utilize her modern-day detective skills to assist them in solving crimes. In Death at a Highland Wedding, sees Mallory/Catriona, Gray, and McCreadie traveling to the highlands for a wedding at the Cranston estate. The grounds are beautiful but immediately Mallory senses something isn’t right when a cat found in a trap has injuries that do not match up with the trap. Something is afoot and the groom is acting in strange and odd fashion. When a dead body is found, the trio must work fast to kind the killer! As with the other books, I loved the setting. I also loved the atmosphere that oozed from this book. The Scottish Highlands, the forest at night, the tension in the air, and the mystery surrounding the cat’s injuries and the murdered guest, made for a gripping mystery. I also love the dynamic between the characters. Mallory continues to try to behave and fit in as a woman would in Victorian times. Plus, her interactions with Gray have me wanting to shove them together and say ‘come on already’ as their chemistry is off the charts! I love Kelley Armstrong’s writing and her use of place and time in this series. She nails the Victorian settings and feel of the book. I also love the dialogue and how Mallory can utilize her current detective skills with the skills of the investigators of that time. The mystery was intriguing and had me wondering whodunit the entire book. The final reveal was nicely done and well played out. While I enjoy the mysteries and crimes that are investigated in this series, it is the relationships and characters that keep me coming back. Kelley Armstrong has created characters that I care about and root for. Riveting, chilling, atmospheric, gripping and hard to put down! *I had the pleasure of having the physical book (Thank you to Kat White at St. Martin’s Press), the e-book and the audiobook which made for a lovely and completely enjoyable reading experience. The narration of the audiobook was wonderful and so well done. Thank you to Kat White, St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Guess Again
Gripping, wonderfully written, well thought out, shocking, and hard to put down, Charlie Donlea delivered a thrilling and chilling read with Guess Again! I was instantly drawn into the plot from the very first page and had a hard time putting this riveting and addictive book down! I loved the mystery and did my very best super sleuthing to figure out whodunit. I made a few very good guesses, but Donlea left me shocked and with my jaw hanging open with one startling revelation. Whew! Ethan Hall, a former detective, and current doctor is approached by his partner, to help solve the cold case of 17-year-old Callie Jones (the governor’s daughter) who disappeared ten years ago. This is only the beginning as Ethan must also come back into the orbit of Francis, an imprisoned serial killer, who seems to have a lot of knowledge about a case he was not involved with. Hmm…….. Whew! This book kept me on my toes and then some. There are a lot of characters, and they all have a role to play in this addictive, shocking, gripping, and hard to put down mystery thriller. This book had me guessing again and again who could be behind the disappearance of Callie and the fate of another woman who has gone missing. This book had tension, dread, and atmosphere dripping from the pages. I could feel the unease of many of the characters paired with the deviousness and menage of other characters. Guess Again proved to be a twist filled ride that kept the action coming and my pulse pounding. I loved how the past and the present collided in one scene that was a total shocker and left me and one character reeling! Plus, the ending has me crossing my finger and hoping that there will be another book featuring Ethan. Gripping, shocking, fast paced, tense and wonderfully written. Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rage
Gripping, shocking and full of danger, Rage, grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go! If there is a crime in Painters Mill, you know that Chief of Police Kate Burkholder will be on the case! This is the 17th book in the Kate Burkholder series and Linda Castillo has delivered yet again! Plus, readers get to see Kate’s husband, John Tomasetti, on the case as well. A dismembered body of a local Amish man is found, Kate is called to the scene. When the body of the man’s best friend is also found murdered, the community is rocked. Initially no one is willing to talk but when a woman finally comes forward, Kate learns that the Amish victims had dark dealings with some violent and dangerous individuals. Secrets, lies, manipulation, power, control, and diabolical characters, make for a timely and gripping read. Kate Burkholder, who was once Amish herself, is one tough cookie who often takes dangerous chances in the pursuit of justice! She finds herself in more than one sticky situation with some vile and violent characters. I enjoy her grit, her determination, her drive, and her commitment to solving crimes. I enjoyed the action, the plot, and the characters. This book, like the others in the series, gives readers glimpses into Kate’s professional and personal life. She is a well-rounded character who I root for every single book. I enjoyed the tension, the mounting danger, and the relevant storyline.Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, and hard to put down! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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