When a woman opens her home to her son's pregnant girlfriend, a series of bizarre events occur, unraveling a web of dangerous secrets and lies in LornWhen a woman opens her home to her son's pregnant girlfriend, a series of bizarre events occur, unraveling a web of dangerous secrets and lies in Lorna Dounaeva's THE FAMILY TRAP.
Where nothing is as it appears and "Home" is no longer a haven.
Prudence has finally got to the point she can enjoy life and has taken early retirement. Time for herself, her dog, swimming, relaxing, and hobbies.
However, her son, Nathan, only eighteen, has a problem. His new girlfriend, Zoe, finds herself pregnant. The mother supports her son and asks her to move in with them.
However, soon after Zoe moves in, Prudence becomes the victim of a series of accidents suspecting Zoe is not who she claims to be.
What is her motive? Why is she doing these things?
She never does this in front of her son, Nathan. They both are acting strange, and Prudence cannot figure out what is going on.
She does not trust Zoe and wonders if this is even Nathan's baby.
Zoe is also communicating via email with her father, which is supposed to be dead.
What about Zoe's mom?
Everyone is keeping secrets with toxic and dysfunctional families.
A clever, light-absorbing domestic suspense with a wicked sting at the end! An evil twist of revenge you do not see coming makes for a satisfying conclusion. A fun popcorn thriller!
My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. The novel also includes a sneak preview of The Wrong Twin.
Thank you to #InkubatorBooks and #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When a woman opens her home to her son's pregnant girlfriend, a series of bizarre events occur, unraveling a web of dangerous secrets and lies in Lorna Dounaeva's THE FAMILY TRAP.
Where nothing is as it appears and "Home" is no longer a haven.
Prudence has finally got to the point she can enjoy life and has taken early retirement. Time for herself, her dog, swimming, relaxing, and hobbies.
However, her son, Nathan, only eighteen, has a problem. His new girlfriend, Zoe, finds herself pregnant. The mother supports her son and asks her to move in with them.
However, soon after Zoe moves in, Prudence becomes the victim of a series of accidents suspecting Zoe is not who she claims to be.
What is her motive? Why is she doing these things?
She never does this in front of her son, Nathan. They both are acting strange, and Prudence cannot figure out what is going on.
She does not trust Zoe and wonders if this is even Nathan's baby.
Zoe is also communicating via email with her father, which is supposed to be dead.
What about Zoe's mom?
Everyone is keeping secrets with toxic and dysfunctional families.
A clever, light-absorbing domestic suspense with a wicked sting at the end! An evil twist of revenge you do not see coming makes for a satisfying conclusion. A fun popcorn thriller!
My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. The novel also includes a sneak preview of The Wrong Twin.
Thank you to #InkubatorBooks and #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A massive long-time fan of Author Hazel Gaynor, all her novels are captivating, and her latest wartime historical novel, THE LAST LIFEBOAT is awe-inspA massive long-time fan of Author Hazel Gaynor, all her novels are captivating, and her latest wartime historical novel, THE LAST LIFEBOAT is awe-inspiring and a work of art.
Inspired by a true story, a young teacher evacuates children to safety across perilous waters in a moving, emotional tale that lingers long after the book ends.
1940, Kent: Alice King is a teacher, and she finds safety through the pages of books. But she wants to do her part and volunteers to help evacuate Britain's children overseas. She has no clue what courage she must possess to save herself and the children as they fight for survival.
1940, London: Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents; however, she is happy being a wife and mother of two.
However, when war makes its way through London and her husband is torn away, she must make the toughest decision of her life. Should she keep her son and daughter with her and try to protect them or enroll them in the evacuation program, which they say will be safe, and send them far away on a boat with strangers? The worst nightmare comes true when she learns the boat is unsafe, and they are hit. She feels helpless and distraught.
When Nazis torpedo the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, are strangers to each other—one another's only hope as the two storylines are entwined.
As many of you have read other stories and retellings regarding the FIRST WAVE of mass evacuation from Britain to the countryside for safety during the outbreak of the war during the 1939 Operation Pied Piper (war with Germany) with recent books such as Patti Callahan Henry's The Secret Book of Flora Lea and Julia Kelly's The Lost English Girl. (I highly recommend both-5 stars).
However, very little has been written about the SECOND WAVE of mass evacuation and the "seavacuees": who not only left their families and homes but left Britain when it was believed Hitler would invade and the nightly terror of the Blitz bombing.
Meticulously researched, emotional and suspenseful, this is where Gaynor sets her story with Lily and Alice —historical fiction based on a true story from the torpedoing of The City of Benares in September 1940.
Gaynor's characters were inspired by the accounts of those aboard the City of Benares and are fictional. Included in the author's notes, Alice was inspired by Mary Cornish, a music teacher who was the only woman in Lifeboat 12 and took responsibility for the six children's welfare. She received awards for her courage. She also tells of the other characters' inspiration.
She mentions Lily is drawn from her imagination. She explores eloquently the impact of a tragedy not from only the POV of those on board the ship and those in the lost lifeboat but of those back home in England from a mother's perspective and the horrors faced by parents during the war.
The SS Carlisle no sooner loses its convoy when torpedoed and sinks. Alice, six children, and a few men enter a lifeboat. Alice has to work hard to keep them distracted from the hours they have been adrift in horrible weather conditions. Everything is strange to them, and they have no parents to comfort them. When will they be rescued?
The supplies are nearly gone, and they are unsure they will be rescued. Meanwhile, Lily has been told her son did not survive, and she demands answers. She feels helpless.
Character-driven, I enjoyed Elsie and Peter's diary entries and the letters. I loved the Epilogue, which provides hope over tragedy. THE LAST LIFEBOAT is a must-read and one of the top historical fiction books of 2023! An idea book club pick for further discussions. Historical notes, Discussion questions, and Book Recommendations are included.
This is my eighth book by Gaynor, and each one is utterly spellbinding! Highly recommend all her books. I do not read many historical novels; however, Hazel Gaynor is one of my favorites.
Thanks to #BerkleyPub for an ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Also, an auto-pre-order audiobook narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown.
Facts: Three thousand one hundred children were sent to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa under the Children's Overseas Reception Board (CORB) scheme between July and Sept 1940.
SS City of Benares, carrying 90 CORB children, was stuck by a torpedo fired from a German submarine in the Atlantic Ocean just after 10 pm on Sep 17, 1940. They thought they would be safe—known as the limit of convoy escort. The third torpedo fired at the City of Benares struck the fatal blow. The ship sank within 30 minutes.
Only seven CORB children were initially rescued by HMS Hurricane. It reached the survivors sixteen hours after their ordeal began. Many who had survived the torpedo strike making it to a lifeboat perished in the horrendous weather conditions. A torpedo struck a second vessel, and one of the lifeboats was mistaken for another, thinking all had been accounted for. Eight days later was found, and six more CORB children survived. The special rescue ships had saved over 4K lives by the war's end....more
Audrey Ingram's stunning debut, THE RIVER RUNS SOUTH, is a beautifully moving story of courage and new beginnings — a mother, wife, and attorney, striAudrey Ingram's stunning debut, THE RIVER RUNS SOUTH, is a beautifully moving story of courage and new beginnings — a mother, wife, and attorney, stricken with grief returns to her small coastal Southern hometown to assist her father, Sam, with an environmental lawsuit and in the process she remembers what she loved about the area and wants the same for her daughter.
Camille Taylor has worked hard to escape her small-town life of Alabama and is now a successful attorney (Junior partner) in hopes of being a full partner in Washington, DC, happily married with a young daughter, Willa.
When Ben, her husband, dies unexpectedly of a heart attack, she is shattered with grief. When a panic attack lands her in the hospital, she decides to visit her parents in her hometown in the coastal town of Fairhope, Alabama, with her six-year-old daughter Willa over the summer for a change and emotional support.
She finds the salt air and the coast is what she needs and introduces her daughter to everything she loved as a child. She also meets local fisherman, the intriguing Mack Phillips.
There is much stress in her parent's home as her father is involved in a lawsuit due to runoff from an abandoned development site polluting the water, and Mack has brought a suit against the site’s owners—Camille’s father among them.
Her daughter is a big fan of Mack's but Camille's mom (very critical and controlling) the perfect Marion Graves, does not like her mentioning his name but yet she wants Camille to date the local attorney, Griffin, whom she thinks is more suitable.
There is more to Mack than meets the eye. Camille's daughter loves it here and wants to stay, but Camille's life and law career are back in DC.
Can she remain in Alabama, fight for causes, have a law practice, and get to know Mack? Can she have it all and offer the best life for her daughter?
Lawyers always seem to make the best authors!
THE RIVER RUNS SOUTH is heartwarming, beautifully told, and one of grief, family, self-discovery, and new beginnings. I love the stunning cover and the fun characters. Willa was a favorite, and I loved her spunk and vivid personality. The Southern setting and environment elements, as were the mother/daughter relationships and emotions, were well done.
AUDIOBOOK: I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook I highly recommend, narrated by the fabulously talented Megan Tusing (a favorite) for all voices for an engaging performance.
Audrey Ingram is an author to watch! Looking forward to seeing what comes next!
THE RIVER RUNS SOUTH is perfect for fans of the movie Sweet Home Alabama and authors Mary Alice Monroe, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Lauren K. Denton, and Patti Callahan Henry—an ideal book club pick.
Thanks to Alcove Press and Dreamscape Media for a gifted ARC and ALC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
A highly entertaining audiobook. A funny and refreshing new leading man!
A delicious taut nonstop hilarious, action-packed suspense thriller by James BA highly entertaining audiobook. A funny and refreshing new leading man!
A delicious taut nonstop hilarious, action-packed suspense thriller by James Byrne, with a leading man and hero you want by your side. With a sexy British/Irish accent to die for and all the dark humor, intelligence, and wit making DEZ, Desmond Aloysius Limerick, (the ultimate) THE GATEKEEPER.
A former mercenary, a musician, and a man who can open any door— physical or digital. He is not too tall, stocky, and bowlegged and buys his black tees from the one place that makes them accommodate fit his broad shoulders and frame.
Dez on Gatekeepers: People who guard gates. Not people who open them. The trick is not opening doors. Any half-wit can do that. It is about keeping them open. Closing them when needed. Controlling who goes through and who doesn't. Owning them for as long as needed.
He has left his old life behind and now spends his time in sunny California, playing gigs as an amateur musician. Until he finds himself breaking up a very professional attempt to kidnap the chief legal counsel (Petra, daughter of the CEO) of Triton Expediters—a prominent and influential military contractor.
Petra Alexandris and her family are grateful for the save; however, now she needs his help for more critical matters—who's embezzled billions of dollars from her company.
Dez agrees, slipping back into his old role with ease; however, he and Petra are up against rogue military operators, well-armed militia members, and white supremacists.
Dez is a gatekeeper —one who opens doors, and keeps them open—and this is just a door of another kind. And the door he opens leads to a dangerous conspiracy involving media manipulation, militias, an armed coup, and an attempt to fracture the United States.
Dez learned early during his time as a keeper there are FOUR primary methods for getting through a door:
Bash Shoot Explode Burn your way through. And every now and then you get invited in.
A highly entertaining refreshing new adrenaline-fueled debut thriller novel and a leading character with wit, charisma, and laugh-out-loud scenes. I hope this will be a series because DEZ is too good to end. More PLEASE!
This was an EXCEPTIONAL first-rate audiobook, and John Keating gave a superb performance. For fans of Lee Child, Greg Hurwitz, David Baldacci, Janet Evanovich, and Vince Flynn. Packed with action, clever dialogue, and some great laughs!
Thank you to #MinotaurBooks, #MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for the invite to read, listen, enjoy, and review an advanced audio copy. #MinotaurInfluencers #SMPInflueners
Excited to receive an ARC for the upcoming Deadlock coming Aug 8, 2023 —Dez Limerick Novel #2
The dynamic duo, Ali Brady, returns following The Beach Trap with THE COMEBACK SUMMER, a perfect beach read featuring two sisters on a quest to save The dynamic duo, Ali Brady, returns following The Beach Trap with THE COMEBACK SUMMER, a perfect beach read featuring two sisters on a quest to save their grandmother's legacy. While doing so, they experience much personal growth, forcing them out of their comfort zones and overcoming insecurities.
Set in Chicago, with alternating POVs, sisters Hannah and Libby (two years apart) inherited a PR firm, The Freedman Group, in Chicago from their grandmother, GiGi. It was her pride and joy.
Things have gone downhill since her death three years ago.
A popular self-help guru—Lou's Crush Your Comfort Zone, steps in with a program to turn the business around, but she wants to ensure the sisters are promoting correctly, pushing boundaries.
It involves a 12-week challenge of doing things that will be outside their comfort zone. Will they be up for the challenge?
Hannah's challenge: She has not had a serious relationship in five years. She despises small talk. Her challenge is to go on twelve dates in twelve weeks. Her sister will set up her online profile and handle the messaging. All Hannah has to do is go on the dates.
Libby's challenge: Fitness and health. She would like nothing more than to read romance novels and snack. She has a challenge of a physical competition called Down and Dirty. Hannah enjoys working out and will assist her sister with the schedule.
THE COMEBACK SUMMER is delightful! I loved the Freedman sisters. Libby battles her body image issues while Hannah confronts her confidence issues.
A witty, fun summer read with two sisters on a journey to self-discovery! Empowering and inspiring—an exploration into relationships, romance, health, fitness, image, family, business, and sisterhood. Also an excellent Jewish representation.
For fans of authors Kristy Woodson Harvey, Colleen Oakley, and Rochelle Weinstein. The best part was getting a special preview of the next Ali Brady novel, CAMP PEOPLE! Cannot wait.
Thanks to #Berkley for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley for review purposes. I also purchased the audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley (favorite) and Lauren Fortgang for an outstanding performance!
A spine-chilling, mind-bending collection of eleven gripping stories from the queen of suspense, C.J. Tudor (Chalk Man)—A SLIVER OF DARKNESS.
~End ofA spine-chilling, mind-bending collection of eleven gripping stories from the queen of suspense, C.J. Tudor (Chalk Man)—A SLIVER OF DARKNESS.
~End of the Liner ~The Block ~Runaway Blues ~The Competition ~The Lion at the Gate ~Gloria ~I'm Not Ted ~Final Course ~The Copy Shop ~Dust ~Butterfly Island
If you have read any of C.J. Tudor's books, this collection is a must for chills and thrills!
From Stephen Kingish to Dean Koontz vibes, and Tudor's signature style, each story is unique, fun, and different. Each can cater to a different audience. Each reader will have their favorites. Mine was the “Runaway Blues," and I also liked, The Copy Shop, The Final Course, and I'm Not Ted; however, all were great!
I enjoyed how the author provided an introduction that was personal and appreciated her sharing this with her readers. (I think readers need to realize these authors have a life, and things happen to them as does to all of us).
I also enjoyed the intro before each story and how the story was inspired. I love it when an author provides this—as it makes the story more enjoyable and engaging.
If you enjoy dystopian, supernatural with a touch of horror, dark, and creepy —a gripping teen mystery/ sci-fi, apocalyptic last dinner theme, a Titanic vibe, laugh-out-loud dark sinister humor, a post-apocalyptic journey, a darker side of Narnia, a psychopath-cleaning lady, a despicable anti-hero—and Twilight fans —there are many to get your adrenaline pumping.
A great collection of stories for the thriller enthusiast. Looking forward to her next book, coming Jan 2023, The Drift!
Thank you to #RandomHouse #BallantineBooks #NetGalley for a gifted ARC.
C. J. Tudor returns following A Sliver of Darkness and The Burning Girls with her latest wild spine-chilling, post-apocalyptic, dystopian horror thriC. J. Tudor returns following A Sliver of Darkness and The Burning Girls with her latest wild spine-chilling, post-apocalyptic, dystopian horror thriller—THE DRIFT.
DRIFT: Department or Research into Infection and Future Transmission.
We meet three groups that converge in a world devastated by a dangerous virus in a game of survival. A world of power and control. Who is calling the shots?
There are three different storylines with three characters in this intense, bone-chilling thriller in this dangerous world full of Whistlers. Those infected and those trapped amid plunging temperatures in a snowstorm in different places with a lack of power, massive snowdrifts, harsh blizzard conditions, and ferocious winds.
The virus turns people into Whistlers (zombie-like) from the whistling sound they make through their lungs. Scary, right?
A world ravaged by a deadly virus. What will those do to survive?
MEG: (Mountain high cable car-gondola) Meg is a former homicide cop, who woke up with strangers on a cable car suspended over snowy terrain. She is a volunteer for the trial, and the others are on the gondola headed to "The Retreat." They are trapped, hanging by a wire, filled with fear, and there are secrets. There must be a murderer on board. A dead man? Why are they dressed in the same uniform as her? Was she drugged? What is going on? No memory of how they got there.
HANNAH: (Bus crash) Hannah, a medical student, evacuated from a boarding school, on a bus that crashed in the middle of a blizzard snowstorm—trapped with no heat. Doors and windows are jammed. Hannah has to take charge. An ice patch and over a cliff into a snow bank. Students are on board and some are experiencing symptoms of the virus. There is no way out. Everyone has secrets, including Hannah. They must work together to escape the bus and the harsh weather.
CARTER: (Snowed in Retreat-trapped) Carter, an employee at the mountainside facility called The Retreat. A chalet with others. They manufacture a vaccine for the deadly virus in exchange for the items they need for survival and essential needs. The generator at the Chalet is intermittent, with power outages (off and on). Some begin to disappear, and the vital supplies go missing. A body?
Something sinister is going down? What happens when it goes off for good? Who can be trusted?
Millions are subject to the deadly virus with no cure and horrific cold weather conditions. There is fear, danger, claustrophobia, and anxiety; everyone is terrified and frightened for their life in this survival game.
Alternating between the three groups/characters, we hear from each group and learn their secrets. So many questions: What is The Academy, and why were they selected to attend The Retreat?
Where is this headed? How are these groups connected? Each group is trying to preserve its humanity while surviving.
The author takes you on a nerve-wracking panic-filled disturbing dark journey in this terrifying thriller. I am not really into horror, post-apocalyptic, science fiction, or dystopian; however, I will give the author credit for pulling off this intense and complex THE DRIFT where, “Either you’re a good guy, or you’re a survivor.”
Since we are still in the COVID pandemic, this book is scary. Too violent, dark, and horror filled for my taste.
THE DRIFT is for fans of authors— Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Blake Crouch. However, this one is much darker than the other Tudor books I have read in the past and is not one of my favorites.
Some may think of Stephen King's The Stand (book and TV series). As with his book and Tudors, you will love or hate it. However, this was a popular book by King about an end-of-the-world scenario: a rapidly mutating flu virus released from a U.S. military facility, wipes out 99 percent of the population and sets the stage for an apocalyptic confrontation between good and evil.
If you do not like these types of books, I would stay away. However, if you like Science Fiction and gore, and horror does not bother you, go for it.
NYT bestselling author and queen of thrills (fav author) Freida McFadden's THE LOCKED DOOR is a twisty psychological thriller of a creepy locked roomNYT bestselling author and queen of thrills (fav author) Freida McFadden's THE LOCKED DOOR is a twisty psychological thriller of a creepy locked room basement when the past meets the present with a twist.
Some doors are locked for a reason…
Nora Davis's father is a murderer. As a young eleven-year-old girl, while she was in her bedroom doing homework, little did she know her father was in the basement murdering women. She wondered why the basement was always locked. She thought he was into woodworking in his workshop. She even wanted to help him, but the door was always locked.
Twenty-six years ago, Aaron Nierling, charming and charismatic, was arrested in his Oregon home. He was known to everyone as an upstanding citizen with a good job and a family man—a dedicated father and husband. A phlebotomist. A narcissist and psychopath who likely killed more than thirty women. A monster.
Someone made an anonymous tip, and the cops showed up and found the remains of many women murdered over time. Now he is in prison. He is serving eighteen years in a maximum security penitentiary. His wife was charged with accessory to murder and killed herself in prison before the trial.
Years later, Nora is an adult and has changed her name to hide her past. She is a successful surgeon and hides she is the daughter of a famous serial killer. She does not want to inherit her father's need to kill.
In the present, Nora discovers one of her female patients has been murdered. Someone is targeting her patents. Creepy, in the same way as her father when he murdered the women in the past.
From past to present, is there a copycat since her father is in prison? Or has someone found out and set her up to take the fall or worst of all, is she a killer like her father?
THE LOCKED DOOR is a wickedly twisted psychological thriller, and Freida keeps you entertained with twisty, short, action-filled chapters with the McFadden signature sinister twist that was unexpected. A lot of unlikeable characters here.
Check out the re-published version with an exclusive look at Freida's upcoming 2024 thriller, The Teacher!
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a complimentary reading copy. I also purchased the audiobook narrated by Shaina Summerville for an engaging, fun performance.
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