Tropical Girl Reads

The Girl She Wanted – Book Review

Hey all! I am back with another book review!

The Girl She Wanted: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist by [K.L. Slater ]

What if my sister is unstable and everyone can see it but me? What was she really doing standing over Florence’s cot in the middle of the night?

Alexa has always looked up to her older sister Carrie. Carrie lives in Alexa’s family home, and adores her one-year-old niece Florence. Alexa doesn’t know how they would cope without her. So when Carrie is suspended from her job as a senior nurse, accused of the most terrible crime, Alexa reels in disbelief. Alexa knows how caring Carrie is, and as she watches Florence gurgling and cooing whenever Carrie is around, she knows her little girl is in safe hands.

Alexa’s husband doesn’t trust Carrie. He wants her out of the house, unable to ignore what people are saying about her. But when he suggests that Carrie could be a danger to their daughter, Alexa shuts him out. Nobody will ever come between her and her sister.

Then Florence is hurt while in Carrie’s care and Alexa at last starts to wonder. Alexa has always wanted to protect Carrie from the past they have hidden. But does Alexa know what Carrie wants? And will the secret that has kept the sisters together now destroy her little girl?

A completely gripping rollercoaster of a read about the darkness families hide behind closed doors. Fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be hooked on The Girl She Wanted.

No. of pages:- 357 pages

Date published:- will be published on 22nd October 2020

Genre:- Thriller

Kim is the million-copy bestselling author of twelve psychological crime thrillers.

Order of publication:
SAFE WITH ME (2016)
BLINK (2017)
LIAR (2017)
THE MISTAKE (2017)
THE VISITOR (2018)
THE SECRET (2018)
CLOSER (2018)
FINDING GRACE (2019)
THE SILENT ONES (2019)
SINGLE (2019)
THE APARTMENT – AUDIBLE ORIGINAL only (2019)
THE APARTMENT – eBook & paperback formats available (2020)
LITTLE WHISPERS (2020)
THE GIRL SHE WANTED (2020)

Her titles are published in eBook by Bookouture and in paperback by Sphere (UK) and Grand Central (USA). She also writes Audible Originals which are subsequently published in ebook and paperback formats by Amazon Publishing.

For many years, Kim sent her work out to literary agents and collected an impressive stack of rejection slips. At the age of 40 she went back to Nottingham Trent University and now has an MA in Creative Writing.

Before graduating in 2012, she had gained literary agent representation and a book deal. As Kim says, ‘it was a fairytale … at the end of a very long road!’

Kim is a full-time writer. She has one daughter, two stepsons and lives with her husband in Nottingham.

Publishers: Bookouture, Grand Central, Sphere, Audible
Agent: Camilla Bolton at Darley Anderson

Author website: http://www.KLSlaterAuthor.com
Twitter: @KimLSlater
Facebook: KL Slater Author
Instagram: KLSlaterAuthor

Thank You Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

When two unexplainable deaths occur in the hospital almost six months’ apart, Dr. Nathan Mosley, a junior doctor reports them and the main suspect of the deaths was the ward manager, Carrie Parsons as she was present at both their deaths. While evidences are mounting against Carrie, Carrie’s sister, Alexa believes that her sister is innocent although her husband Perry believes otherwise. Then Alexa’s daughter gets hurt and it was Carrie who was looking after her. Does Alexa know her sister?

I really like the suspense in the story. It kept the reader on the edge. Did Carrie really kill those two patients or was someone trying to frame her? These questions are tumbling into the reader’s minder as I kept reading. This is a fast paced thriller, addressing some family and personal issues, particularly between Perry and Carrie as Perry didn’t want Carrie to be living with them. The ending was quiet unexpected and didn’t see that coming!

Overall, this is a fast paced thriller, quiet a page turner keeping the reader at suspense. Worth five stars!

5 Star App Images, Stock Photos & Vectors | Shutterstock

For anyone interested in this book, this book will be released on 22nd October 202 so you can pre-order your copy now on Amazon!

The Girls in the Snow – Book Review

Hello all! I am back with a book review! Need to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC. This review is based strictly on my honest opinion only.

The Girls in the Snow: A completely unputdownable crime thriller (Nikki Hunt Book 1) by [Stacy Green]

Madison walked through the fallen snow, looking left and right. It had been Kaylee’s idea to use the trail through the forest; she said no one would follow them. But Madison lost sight of Kaylee for a moment and when she found her again she wasn’t alone…

In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen-year-old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local: someone knew where to hide the girls and thought they would never be found.

Though Nikki hasn’t been home in twenty years, she knows she must take over the case. The Sheriff’s department in Stillwater has already made a mistake by connecting the girls’ murders to those of a famous serial killer, refusing to consider the idea that the killer could be someone from town.

Then another girl’s body is found, a red silk ribbon tied in her hair, and Nikki realizes that the killer has a connection to her own dark past, and the reason she left Stillwater.

Nikki is not the only person in town who wants those secrets to stay hidden. Will she be able to face her demons before another child is taken?

Gripping and spine-chilling, The Girls in the Snowwill make you gasp, unable to put it down until the final heart-pounding twist. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner and Robert Dugoni.

No. of pages:- 347 pages

Date published:- October 19th 2020

Genre:- Thriller

Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.

Thank You Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

FBI Agent Nikki Hunt is called back to her hometown, Stillwater in Minnesota where she wanted to be further away from. The murders of two teenage girls, Madison and Kaylee were eerily similar to the Frost murders that FBI is investigating–they were left frozen to death on the snow with a red ribbon on their hair. Meanwhile, Nikki’s past comes haunting back to her when a man who she thinks is guilty of murdering her parents is appealing and many are supporting him as DNA tests came to light. And while trying to solve the two girls’ murders, her past is haunting her and the secrets long buried is come back to live…

This book is the first book I have read from the author. This book is also the first of the Nikki Hunt series. This thriller is quiet fast paced which I like and is quiet a page turner and unputdownable. There is so much suspense in the book that the author did a good job keeping the reader hooked into the story, I mean who actually killed those two girls? Is it the serial killer or someone doing a copycat murder? And then about Nikki’s past about her parents’ murder–is the man behind the bars innocent as he claims and who is responsible then? These questions haunt you in your head as you read more and more, wanting to know more. I like Nikki’s estranged relationship with her hometown as she has mixed feelings about returning back to the town as well her relationship with colleagues and her ex-boyfriend, John Banks. There were some twists and turns and towards the end, it was a bit unexpected. The writing was good and I simply couldn’t put down the book and read it really quick. Really enjoyed this thriller. Worth five stars!

five-stars | Gioventu Spa | Tratamientos de Belleza

#BookTag : The Fall Bucket List Book Tag

Happy Sunday everyone! The pandemic has arrived back in Sri Lanka and now I had to cancel my piano classes and conduct them online…

It’s the Fall season! Here in Sri Lanka, it’s really hot during the day and kind of cool at night, sometimes raining too. So here is a Fall Book Tag and boy I love book tags! Thank You Yesha @Books Teacapus and Reviews for tagging me the Fall Bucket List Book Tag this week!

Here are the rules

Link back to the original creator in your post.
Feel free to use any of my graphics in your post, or create your own!
Tag 7 other people at the end of your post, and let them know you’ve tagged them.

The Waffle House on the Pier: A gorgeous feel-good romantic comedy

The Waffle House On the Pier by Tilly Tennant

I really enjoyed reading this book–and this book actually made me feel warm and smile. I really enjoyed each of the characters, particularly Sadie and the how the family all got together to save the Waffle House.

Crazy Rich Asians: The international bestseller, now a major film in 2018 by [Kevin Kwan]

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I watched this movie and I remember how this book had so much hype! I watched the movie and read the book and really understood why this book have so much hype! I also read the second book of the series, China Rich Girlfriend which is equally good as well. Worth reading and really like the Nick and Rachel chemistry in both the book and the movie.

A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman

Who would think becoming friends with a grumpy old man who wants to commit suicide would be fun? Well this book is. This book as funny as it is filled with friendship and how one woman’s friendship would change Ove forever.

What Happened to Us?: An emotional, heartwarming story of love and friendship by [Faith Hogan]

What happened to us? by Faith Hogan

This book really warmed my heart and sometimes brought me tears. Even when the main character, Carrie gets dumped by her boyfriend Kevin for a Colombian woman, and how she helps him despite the fact that he dumped her…it actually warmed my heart at her character.

Cream Caramel and Murder (Holly Holmes Cozy Culinary Mystery Series Book 1) by [K.E. O'Connor]

Cream Caramel and Murder- K.E. O’Connor

This book is such a fun read, including all the yummy delicious descriptions of mouthwatering desserts and food! Holly Holmes is not just a talented investigator but also a talented chef!

The Love Detective by [Alexandra Potter]

The Love Detective – Alexandra Potter

This book is one of those joyous books I have read! It was so much fun to read and quiet enjoyable too!

I tag only 4 though I am suppose to be tagging 7

The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane – Book Review

Hello all! I am back with a book review–finished Ellen Berry’s The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane.

The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane: A feel-good romance to warm your heart by [Ellen Berry]

Prepare to fall in love with beautiful village of Burley Bridge.

Growing up in a quiet Yorkshire village, Roxanne couldn’t wait to escape and find her place in the world in London. As a high-powered fashion editor she lives a glamorous life of perennial singlehood – or so it seems to her sister Della. But when Roxanne gets her heart broken by a fashion photographer, she runs away, back to Della’s welcoming home above her bookshop in Burley Bridge.

But Burley Bridge, Roxanne discovers, is even quieter than she remembered. There’s nothing to do, so Roxanne agrees to walk Della’s dog Stanley. It’s on these walks that Roxanne makes a startling discovery: the people who live in Burley Bridge are, well, just people – different from the fashion set she’s used to, but kind and even interesting. Michael, a widower trying to make a go of a small bakery, particularly so. Little by little, cupcake by cupcake, Roxanne and Michael fall into a comforting friendship.

Could there be a life for Roxanne after all, in the place she’s spent years trying to escape?

The perfect cosy, heartwarming read for fans of Trisha Ashley.

No. of pages:- 369 pages

Date published:- September 7th 2017

Genre:- Fiction

Ellen Berry is an author and magazine journalist. Originally from rural West Yorkshire, she has three teenage children and lives with her husband and their daughter in Glasgow. When she’s not writing, she loves to cook and browse her vast collection of cookbooks, which is how the idea for this story came about. However, she remains the world’s worst baker but tends to blame her failures on ‘the oven’.

This book had been in my TBR list for a long time and since I have started reading E-books more, I have been ignoring to read paperbacks for sometime. Then when I got tired of E-books, I decided to go back to reading paperbacks. I got this book at a book fair last year–The Big Bad Wolf Book Fair so now only I read this book and finished it.

Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first but soon, I enjoyed reading this book. Roxanne Cartwright, who is working in a leading fashion magazine is asked to take a “sabbatical” by her new editor, Marsha when she introduced another woman named Tina to do Roxanne’s work. Feeling hurt and angry, Roxanne returns to her childhood village in Yorkshire when she lives with her sister, Della who owns a bookshop on the Burley Bridge. She meets a man named Michael, who owns a bakery shop in Burley Bridge and both Roxanne and Michael starts having a comforting friendship.

This book is so warm and funny to read. The characters except for Marsha, Tina and Sean are all likable that you feel you are friends with each of these characters. The descriptions of the village makes you feel like you are in the village with Roxanne. The book has some funny parts in it that will make you burst into laughter. I really like the outline and the plot of the story. And the bakery stuff! It really made my mouth water! It was a cozy, funny and warm book to read, filled with laughter and you certainly didn’t want to put this book down!

Worth four stars!

The Toy Box – Book Review

Hey all! I just finished an awesome thriller today–The Toy Box by Charly Cox and wow!

The Toybox: A totally addictive, nail-biting crime thriller (Detective Alyssa Wyatt Book 2) by [Charly Cox]

You don’t want to play their games…

All around Albuquerque, New Mexico, young women are going missing, seemingly vanished into thin air. With no link between the victims, Detective Alyssa Wyatt is quickly plunged into a horrifying case with no obvious clues.

And when Jersey Andrews, the best friend of Alyssa’s teenage daughter, Holly, joins the list of vanished girls, the case becomes personal.

But this investigation will lead Alyssa and partner Cord into the most sinister depths of humanity; an evil place where life is expendable, and where the depraved can fulfil their darkest desires – if they have the money to pay for it.

As the first bodies appear, abandoned on the streets, Alyssa is forced into a frantic hunt to track down the killers – before more innocent women lose their lives. But when the truth comes out, it seems that the key to solving the case was hiding in the last place anyone expected…

A dark, tension-filled and absolutely nail-biting crime thriller with a twist – this one will have you reading until the small hours. Fans of Robert Bryndza, Melinda Leigh and Lisa Regan will not want to miss this addictive read.

No. of pages:- 316 pages

Date published:- June 3rd 2020

Genre:- Thriller/Mystery

Born in the South, raised in the Midwest, Charly now resides in the Southwest in the Land of Enchantment, Green Chile capital of the world, which is good because she enjoys eating copious amounts of the spicy food. When she’s not reading, writing, or plotting sinister evils with her antagonists, she enjoys doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, hanging out with her husband and her spoiled Siberian Husky, visiting her son in Arizona, and traveling, preferably to places surrounded by sun, sand, and warm uncrowded beaches.

This is the book 2 of the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series. This book is not really a continuation of the series but has some mentions of what happened in the previous book. This is the first book I have read from this author.

Rachel Otis was attending a frat party with a friend named Anna but then she suddenly disappeared and found herself in a room, locked with other girls, wearing kimono designed clothes. Jersey Andrews, Detective Wyatt’s daughter, Holly’s friend also disappeared after arguing with her boyfriend Bear and cousin Sophie and she too also find herself in the same room with the other girls. Turns out that they are in a part of a sick and twisted sex ring. Meanwhile, Detective Wyatt along with her partner, Cord is running against time to find the two missing girls and then soon another thirteen year old girl goes missing.

I would say, this is a nail biting mystery! The writing was good, the author did a super good job of making the reader immerse into the story, as if they are a part of this chase to find the killer. I also like how Detective Wyatt is dealing with the emotional family issues as well at the thought of these girls being kidnapped. The book is fast paced, quiet a page turned and literally unputdownable that will give you chills and hooked into the story! There were twists and turns in the book and the ending was OMG!

Overall, this is a fast paced thriller that will make you read all night and a page turner. Worth five stars!

Rating Five Stars Motion Graphics Transparent Background Stock Video - Download Video Clip Now - iStock

First Date – Book Review

Hey all! I know I have been off from the blog for few days but today I am back with a review! First Date, a classy thriller written by Sue Watson

First Date: An absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller by [Sue Watson]

She’s been waiting her whole life to meet a man like Alex. But he’s been waiting too. And once he has her, he’ll never let her go…

Hannah has done everything to make sure her life is safe and secure. A long way from her unstable childhood growing up in foster care, she’s content with her sweet, little, messy apartment and her satisfying job as a social worker. She quietly worries that, aged 36, she might never fall in love. But otherwise her life is where she wants it to be.

Until, encouraged by her best friend to join a dating app, she meets Alex. He’s irresistibly handsome. He loves the same music as her. The same food as well. They both dream of travelling the world but agree they’d be equally happy escaping to a cottage by the beach in Devon. Both of them would love to own a Labrador one day. It’s like he’s made for her. It’s like he’s too good to be true.

Hannah’s friends aren’t so sure about him. But Hannah thinks he’s perfect.

Which is good. Because Alex knows she’s perfect for him too. In fact, she’s exactly the girl he’s been looking for…

And nothing Hannah’s done to make her life safe will ever be enough.

No. of pages:- 376 pages

Date published:- 16th October 2019

Genre:- Thriller

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels, and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW and FIRST DATE out on 16th October.

Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her family in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – okay, procrastinating, eating too much confectionery, and watching ‘My 600lb Life,’ on the sofa.

Thank You Netgalley and BOOKOUTURE for the ARC! This review is based on my honest opinion

Hannah at the insistence of her friend/colleague from work Jas goes on a date with a man named Alex, whom she met through online. Alex seems to be what Hannah has always dreamed of for a life partner–a handsome and charming solicitor who seems to share the same interests as Hannah. The two then embarked a relationship. But as their relationship continues, Hannah starts receiving roses with a threatening note and a musty aftershave in her car. Is someone stalking her or is Alex obsessed with her.

This is the first book I have read from this author. Initially, this book was boring at the beginning but then soon towards the middle, it got more and more interesting–learning more about Hannah’s relationship with her work colleagues, Jas, Sameera and Harry (particularly with Jas) and also her work as a social worker, as how she handles her case with a teenager named Chloe. The story was interesting, with Jas thinking Hannah is going too fast or that Alex is creepy. Is she right or is she plain jealous that Hannah is moving on? And with the façade Alex is showering Hannah with expensive gifts and love, is he obsessed with her or does he simply overprotective of her by showing her too much love? These are the questions that tumble the reader and so the author did a good job of making the reader want to know more. There were twists and turns in the book and the ending…it was good! The ending was so unexpected and I didn’t really expect that nail biting twist in the end!

Overall this is a good book–unputdownable thriller that will keep you up all night. Worth four stars!

The Green Lace Corset – Book Review

Hey all! Just finished with a book, The Green Lace Corset by Jill G. Hall.

The Green Lace Corset: A Novel by [Jill G. Hall]

Anne McFarland, a modern-day, thirty-something San Francisco artist in search of spiritual guidance, buys a corset in a Flagstaff resale boutique—a purchase that results in her having to make a decision that will change her life forever. One hundred and thirty-five years earlier, in 1885, naïve Sally Sue Sullivan, a young woman from the Midwest, is kidnapped on a train by a handsome but dangerous bank robber. Held prisoner on a homestead in Northern Arizona’s Wild West, Sally Sue discovers her own spunk and grit as she plots her escape.

Ultimately, both Anne and Sally Sue face their fears and find the strength to journey down their designated paths and learn the true meaning of love and family . . . with a little push from the same green lace corset.

No. of pages:- 313 pages

Date published:- October 13th 2020

Genre:- Historicsl/Women’s Fiction

Jill G. Hall’s dual-timeline novels The Black Velvet Coat, The Silver Shoes and The Green Lace Corset are about women searching for their place in the world connected by vintage finds. She is a seasoned presenter at seminars, readings, and community events. In addition, Hall creates whimsical mosaics using found objects, practices yoga, tap dances, and spends time in nature.On her blog, Crealivity, she shares her poetry as well as musings about the art of practicing a creative lifestyle. http://www.jillghall.com

Thank You Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me this free copy! This book is solely based on my opinion.

This book is the 3rd book of the Anne McFarland series but this is the first book I have read from this author. In a nutshell, Anne McFarland moves to San Francisco and is applying for a residency at the museum with her so called enemy, Karl. She also buys a Green Lace Corset from a Flagstaff resale boutique shop and this corset would change her life forever. Many years later, somewhere in 1885, Sally Sue is travelling from Missouri and she comes across a man named Cliff who is wanted for a bank robbery and murder. She is then kidnapped by this man and was then taken to somewhere remote in Arizona.

Because of this Green Lace Corset, this teaches both Anne and Sally Sue some life lessons and helps them to make decisions wisely.

I really like the whole story plotline. The beginning was a bit boring but towards the middle and towards the end, it got interesting. I like how the chapters changed from the present in Anne’s point of view to the past which is Sally’s point of view and how this corset affected both their lives in different ways. Though this book is a continuation of the series, it was not really necessary to know what really happened in the other two books. I like the friendship between Anne and Fay, Sally Sue seems to be a naive girl but the characters were actually likable. Really liked learning about the history during the late 1880’s in America so kind of learned a bit.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Worth four stars!

Home At Summer’s End – Book Review

Hey all! I have just finished with Home at Summer’s End by Alys Murray and here is my review of the book!

Home at Summer's End: An absolutely perfect small-town romance by [Alys Murray]

Rose Anderson is done with being known as “the nice one” in the small town where she lives. She’s done with playing third, fifth, seventh wheel at loud gatherings on her family’s flower farm. And most of all, she is done with the pitying looks she gets about her single status from the way-too-interested townsfolk.

Busy with her flower-arranging business, Rose has no time for a man, thank you very much. And it has nothing to do with the scars she still nurses from her last breakup. So when she meets Cole McKittrick, Rose gets an idea. But first she needs to get beneath his aloof exterior and convince him to agree…

Cole McKittrick is trying to keep calm. So what if he quit a steady job for a shot at his dream, was dumped and his move to Yokel County, California is bringing back childhood memories he’d rather forget? It’s all about perspective. He doesn’t want to get any more involved in this town than he has to be, so his first instinct is to push Rose Anderson and her intriguing idea away. But the woman won’t get gone, and then she makes him an offer he can’t refuse.

The two are soon neck deep in deception, playing up a starry-eyed romance in public while they clash wits and wills in private. But Cole has been hiding a big secret from Rose about his past. And when Rose finds out could it spell the end for their picture-perfect romance, or will she realize that he has taken over not just her home, but also her heart…?

A fun, charming romance about family and finding the one, perfect for fans of Robyn Carr, Debbie Macomber and Carolyn Brown.

No. of pages:- 249 pages

Date published:- will be published on 15th October 2020

Genre:- Women’s Fiction

Alys Murray writes novels for the romantic in all of us. Born and raised in New Orleans, she received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and her Master’s in Film Studies from King’s College London. She loves black and white movies, baseball games that go into extra innings, and reminding people like Michael Bay has two films in The Criterion Collection.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC! This review is based completely on my honest opinion.

This book is the fourth and final book of the Full Bloom Farm Series. This is the second book I have read from this author, the first, Perfect Hideaway, which is book 3 of this series. This time, the book tells about Rose Anderson who is now the only single one in the family. She is happily running her flower shop and is creating perfumes with the flowers in her shack. Then meet Cole McKittrick, a famous Hollywood actor, who breezes into Hillsboro from L.A. for a movie shoot. Annie Martin sets the two of them together. Rose is not really interested in romance and Cole wants to act as if they are together, so he could get back together with his ex-girlfriend, Vivienne. So they fake that they are dating together and at the same time, Cole starts reading romance novels and Rose helps him with them. And soon, without realizing, they both fall for each other…

The story started out really good. The chapters were divided as Rose’s parts and Cole’s parts and there were some parts that were funny to read. The writing was good as well and I was drawn into the story, so the author did a good job making the reader go into the story. Both Rose and Cole’s characters are quiet likable as well. This romance book is cheesy and warm and cozy to read as well. Only thing was the story was not very realistic but other than that, I enjoyed reading this book and couldn’t really put the book down!

This book worth four stars!

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If you are interested in this book, this will be released on October 15th 2020 so you can pre-order your copy now on Amazon!

Everybody Lies – Book Review

Hey all! I am back with a book review, Everybody Lies by Emily Cavanagh

Everybody Lies: A gripping page-turner with a twist by [Emily Cavanagh]

Evvy has lived on the island of Great Rock all her life. Every year, after the holidaymakers have departed, storms begin to roll in off the Atlantic and the island returns to the small group of locals who, like her, have decided to make it their home.

When a body is found on the snow-covered beach it sends shockwaves through this tight-knit community and rattles Evvy to her core.

The dead woman worked on the island the previous summer and it seems strange she would have been visiting so out of season. What drew her back and who was she meeting? When Evvy learns that her partner,Ian, was the last person to see her alive, the shadow of the murder falls far too close to home.

As the icy weather closes in, the island is cut off from the mainland, and Ian is taken into custody. Rumours about what is really going on in Great Rock reach fever pitch, as Evvy works to prove Ian’s innocence before it’s too late.

But there are things about the people she loves that Evvy doesn’t know or has chosen not to see. The truth might not save the life she has worked so hard to build for herself. Instead, it might tear it apart…

No. of pages:- 296 pages

Date published:- will be published on 15th October 2020

Genre:- Women’s Fiction

A teacher as well as a writer, Emily Cavanagh lives with her husband and two daughters on Martha’s Vineyard Island. She is the author of EVERYBODY LIES (forthcoming October 2020), THIS BRIGHT BEAUTY and THE BLOOM GIRLS. Her work has been published in Red Rock Review, Grain Magazine, and Martha’s Vineyard Arts and Ideas, in addition to a variety of other print and online publications. Read more about Emily’s work and life at http://www.emilycavanaghauthor.com

Thank You Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC! This review is based on my honest opinion.

In a nutshell, a woman named Layla Dresser was found strangled on the beaches of a sleepy island, Great Rock. The story actually tells about how the murder of this girl had affected the lives on the people living in the island, particularly the lives of the three women–Caroline, Ennvy and Daisy.

The story is realistic and well written though I should say there were some parts in the story that was a bit boring. The story is told from the perspectives of Caroline, who is dealing with the separation of her husband, Jack, who is the chief of police in the area and whose son, Connor is suffering from drug addiction, Ennvy, who is in a relationship with a man named Ian, who is the suspect of the woman’s murder and who is suffering from domestic abuse and Daisy, Ennvy’s daughter and Connor’s friend. It’s actually interesting to know what each of these women think about this whole situation but I thought it was a bit unnecessary to highlight more on Daisy and her developing relationship with Todd. I like how the author did a good job of highlighting about how parents deal with their children who are addicted to drugs, the dangers of drug addiction and at what length they would do to protect their children from drugs. So I would say the author did a good job making the story realistic as possible. Some parts of the story captivated the reader and sometimes, it was a bit emotional story.

Overall, it was a good story. Worth three stars however.

If this book interests you, you can pre-order your copy now on Amazon, as this will be released on 15th October 2020!

Non Fiction Book Review – Surviving the Angel of Death

Hey all! I am back with a book review–a non fiction, Surviving the Angel of Death, based on the true story of Holocaust survivor, Eva Mozes

Surviving the Angel of Death: The True Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz by [Eva Mozes Kor, Lisa Rojany Buccieri]

Eva Mozes Kor was just ten years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. While her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, she and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man known as the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele. Subjected to sadistic medical experiments, she was forced to fight daily for her and her twin’s survival. In this incredible true story written for young adults, readers learn of a child’s endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil and Eva’s recovery and her controversial but often misunderstood decision to publicly forgive the Nazis. Readers will learn of how she triumphed over unfathomable pain and suffering into a life-long work for peace, human rights, and Holocaust education.

The new edition provides interesting details and important context to the events related in the original story. A new Afterword by publisher Peggy Porter Tierney offers a richer portrayal of Eva as a person, the truth behind the controversies, and the eventful last ten years of her life.

Lisa Rojany has written dozens of children’s books, 2 adult books, a few YA novels, and a YA memoir, including several award-winning and bestselling titles. She is also a publishing executive and editor with over 20 years of experience in the industry. As well as spearheading four publishing startups, Lisa has simultaneously run her own business, Editorial Services of L.A. She has been Editorial/Publishing Director for Golden Books, Price Stern Sloan/Penguin Group USA, Intervisual Books, Gateway Learning Corp (Hooked on Phonics), and Intervisual Books. She loves working with authors to make their work the best it can be. She may be contacted at http://www.EditorialServicesofLA.com.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book is based on the true story of Eva Mozes Kor, who along with her twin sister Miriam were used as test subjects for one of the Mengele’s experiments. Josef Mengele was the one known as “Angel of Death”. The fact that this is actually a true story itself was unbelievable and as a reader, you can never imagine the type of horrors that the Holocaust survivors, including Eva and her twin sister had gone through. It was actually emotional, terrifying and also I admire how brave and courage both Eva and her sister were, as they were determined to survive and go through the horrors of the Holocaust. It’s really disturbing to read the experiment part in Auschwitz, how Mengele conducted the experiments on the twins. I also loved reading about how the twins led their lives before the war–Eva was a strong one while Miriam was the quiet one, how the twins wore identical clothes so people would not be able to identify which one is which one. Then with the war, the attack against the Jews in their small village Portz in Romania coupled with them taken to the ghetto and eventually to Auschwitz was so sad and emotional to read, particularly when her parents and her older sisters did not survive the war. I also like reading about their lives after the war, how communism would soon affect them, how they eventually emigrated to Israel where Eva was a draftsman and where she met her future husband Michael Kor and moved with him to U.S.A to start new life. I like how Eva still struggled with the nightmares of the Holocaust and how she eventually overcame her nightmares by simply forgiving the Nazis.

This book is actually the new edition, with a detailed page of what Eva’s life was after the war. Her willingness to forgive the Nazis and how even survivors also didn’t agree with her idea of forgiveness. Eva actually teaches us, readers how to give forgiveness and then only you will be able to survive whatever the nightmares you are going through. The story is actually really a good lesson to all of us, as it will remind us, never to forget the horrors of the WWII. A must read for those interested in WWII history and Holocaust.

Worth five stars!