Tropical Girl Reads

The Woman in the Park- Book Review

Hello all!! A book review today–The Woman in the Park by Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist

The Woman in the Park by [Teresa Sorkin , Tullan Holmqvist]

When Manhattanite Sarah Rock meets a mysterious and handsome stranger in the park, she is drawn to him. Sarah wants to get away from her daily routine, her cheating husband and his crazy mistress, her frequent sessions with her heartless therapist, and her moody children.

But nothing is as it seems. Her life begins to unravel when a woman from the park goes missing and Sarah becomes the prime suspect in the woman’s disappearance. Her lover is nowhere to be found, her husband is suspicious of her, and her therapist is talking to the police.

With no one to trust, Sarah must face her inner demons and uncover the truth to prove her innocence.

A thriller that questions what is real-with its shocking twists, secrets, and lies—The Woman in the Park will leave readers breathless.

Print Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Beaufort Books (August 26, 2019)
Publication Date: August 26, 2019
Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Teresa Sorkin is a Television Producer with a passion for creating, writing, telling, sharing and producing great stories. She is the founder of Roman Way Productions, a production company with 32 projects in development. Teresa has produced shows and films for various networks and studios. Teresa received her degree in Marketing and Media from New York University (NYU) and Bocconi University in Milan. She was a journalist for RAI TV where she worked on entertainment and fashion hosting her own show for the network. When Teresa isn’t working on the best next story, she spends time with her husband Ian and two children. https://teresasorkin.com/

Tullan Holmqvist is an investigator, writer and actor, and is the coauthor of the psychological thriller novel and screenplay The Woman in the Park with producer Teresa Sorkin. Tullan’s work as a private investigator has included global fraud investigations, financial due diligence and art cases. She has a master’s degree in political science from the University of Florence; literature and language degrees from universities in France and Italy; and screenwriting and acting studies at New York University, Boston University, MH and HB Studios. Originally from Sweden, Tullan lives in New York with her composer-attorney husband Giovanni and two sons. www.tullanh.com

This book is about a woman named Sarah Park, who is living in Manhattan. She is living in a depressed sort of life, believing that her husband Eric was having an affair with a woman named Juliette and is having therapy sessions with Dr. Robin regarding her certain disorder. While in the park, she meets a man named Lawrence who shares that he liked the same book as Sarah was reading–Therese Raquin by Zola. Together they embark on an affair. However, Sarah’s life turn upside down when a woman goes missing and Sarah becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance.

So let’s start as usual with the ones I like about the book.

As expected in a thriller, there were unexpected twists and turns in the book. Towards the end, the twist in the story was unexpected.
The writing was OK and it kept the reader hooked into the story.
To me, the characters in the book are OK. You actually feel sorry for the main character, Sarah.
I like how each of the chapter started off with an extract from the book Therese Raquin and also provide psychiatrist’s notes about Sarah so the reader would know what type of person Sarah is, whether she is an unstable person or not.

Now about the things I didn’t like in the book.

The beginning was kind of boring although towards the end, it became interesting.
The story was a bit predictable

Overall, this is a good thriller, kept me on the hook. Worth four stars!!

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Sneak Peek at the Books I am reading

Hey all! I just started using audio book…I think it’s OK so far…

Here are the books I am currently reading and my future book reviews!

The Midnight At The Blackbird Cafe – Heather Webber

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Webber, Heather (ebook)

Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café.

It was supposed to be a quick trip to close the café and settle her grandmother’s estate, but despite her best intentions to avoid forming ties or even getting to know her father’s side of the family, Anna Kate finds herself inexplicably drawn to the quirky Southern town her mother ran away from so many years ago, and the mysterious blackbird pie everybody can’t stop talking about.

As the truth about her past slowly becomes clear, Anna Kate will need to decide if this lone blackbird will finally be able to take her broken wings and fly.

2. Behind Closed Doors – B.A. Paris

Behind Closed Doors: The gripping, shocking, million-copy and international bestselling psychological thriller from the author of The Dilemma. by [B A Paris]

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.

You’d like to get to know Grace better.

But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.

Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows.

Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.

3. Coming Up Roses – Stacie Hart

Coming Up Roses: Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (Bennet Brothers Book 1) by [Staci Hart]

Everyone hates parts of their job.
Maybe it’s the paperwork. Maybe it’s the day-to-day grind. Maybe it’s that client who never knows what they want, or the guy who always cooks fish in the microwave.
But not me. I love every corner of the Longbourne Flower Shop, every flower, every petal, every stem. I love the greenhouse, and I love Mrs. Bennet, my boss. I love creating, and I love being a florist. I don’t hate anything at all.
Except for Luke Bennet.
The Bennet brothers have come home to help their mom save the flower shop, and Luke is at the helm. His smile tells a tale of lust, loose and easy. He moves with the grace of a predator, feral and wild. A thing unbridled, without rules or constraint. When he comes home to save Longbourne, I almost can’t be mad at him. Almost.
He doesn’t remember that night I’ll never forget. That kiss, touched with whiskey and fire. It branded me like a red-hot iron. But it meant nothing to him.
Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.
Because if I don’t, I’ll fall in love with him.

Pretty Revenge- Book Review

2nd book review of the day! I am making up for the yesterday since I couldn’t post a blog (because it was lightening and thundering here).

Pretty Revenge: Liebert, Emily: 9781982122102: Amazon.com: Books

The name of the game is revenge—no matter the cost—in this emotionally charged thriller reminiscent of The Wife Between Us and The Perfect Nanny.

Kerrie O’Malley, jobless and in an unfulfilling relationship, can isolate the singular moment in her life when things veered off course—the night she was irrevocably wronged by someone she looked up to. Eighteen years later, when Kerrie sees the very woman who destroyed her life on television, a fire ignites inside her. The stakes are high. The risks are perilous. But she’ll stop at nothing to achieve the retribution she deserves.

Jordana Pierson is a gilded New Yorker who appears to have it all: wealth, glamour, a successful and handsome husband, and a thriving wedding concierge business. Her record is spotless. Her business is flourishing. No one knows the truth about her and the dark shadows of her past.

No one, that is, except Kerrie.

Exploring just how far someone will go for vengeance, Pretty Revenge is a riveting, compulsively readable novel bursting with twists and turns and plenty of suspense.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books (July 2, 2019)
Language: English
Genre : Thriller

Emily Liebert is the USA TODAY bestselling author of six books. FACEBOOK FAIRYTALES, YOU KNEW ME WHEN, WHEN WE FALL, THOSE SECRETS WE KEEP, SOME WOMEN & PRETTY REVENGE. Her forthcoming novel, PERFECTLY FAMOUS, releases June 2, 2020.

She was born and raised in New York City, attended the Horace Mann School and Smith College, where she graduated with a B.A. in English Language & Literature.

After college, Emily landed her first job as an Executive Assistant at ABC News, where she honed her organizational skills and helped produce television specials for Peter Jennings Reporting. To this day, she is a whiz with “To Do” lists.

Since childhood, Emily’s had a passion for writing, so when the opportunity to become Editor-in-Chief of The WAG–a luxury lifestyle magazine covering Westchester and Fairfield Counties–presented itself, she jumped at the chance. During Emily’s five-year tenure, she wrote hundreds of articles, including celebrity profiles, travel, fashion, and beauty.

Ready for her next adventure, Emily became a full-time freelance writer, penning lifestyle pieces for media outlets such as, The Huffington Post, Oprah.com, Elite Traveler, Robb Report, Gotham, and Cottages & Gardens.

In 2009, Emily edited Kerry Kennedy’s New York Times bestseller Being Catholic Now: Prominent Americans Talk About Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning.

The following year, Emily published her first book, FACEBOOK FAIRYTALES, which was featured at the 2010 Frankfurt Book Fair, and Emily was one of 20 guests of honor–among Elizabeth Kostova, Russell Banks, and Lisa See–at the renowned Literary Feast 2010, a privilege reserved for best-selling and buzz-worthy authors.

Shortly thereafter, Emily was hired by Microsoft as the spokesperson for Bing’s partnership with Facebook and appeared in 30+ television and radio spots for the brand, which garnered exceptional ratings.

In 2012, Emily wrote her debut novel, YOU KNEW ME WHEN, which published on September 3, 2013. Her second novel, WHEN WE FALL, published on September 2, 2014. THOSE SECRETS WE KEEP, her third novel, released on June 2, 2015, her fourth novel, SOME WOMEN, came out on April 5, 2016, all with Penguin Random House. Her fifth novel, PRETTY REVENGE, released on July 2, 2019.

Emily is featured often in the press, by outlets such as: Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson Cooper, FOX News, Good Day New York, Oprah Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, InStyle, People StyleWatch, OK!, Nylon, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s World, WWD, Woman’s Day, The New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, People.com, and The Huffington Post.

When Emily’s not writing, she teaches Pure Barre classes and enjoys traveling, cooking, eating, and reading. She’s been known to ride on a Harley Davidson. And she does a mean Running Man on the dance floor. Emily lives with her husband, Lewis, and their two sons, Jax and Hugo, in Westport, CT where she moved kicking and screaming for fear that there would be no Chinese food delivery at three in the morning. She was right.

The name of the game is revenge–no matter what the cost

When I saw that this book is apparently the reminiscent of The Wife Between Us and The Perfect Nanny (which I have written a book review on), I decided to try this book out. And the plot line sounded interesting to me too. Kerrie O’Malley, a jobless with an unfulfilling relationship while watching TV comes across the face of a woman named Jordana Pierson, who is a form of celebrity and socialite being interviewed, Kerrie wanted to take revenge on Jordana…because many years ago, Jordana apparently destroyed Kerrie’s family. By changing her identity to Olivia Lewis, Kerrie leaves Connecticut and moves to New York City to work as an assistant to Jordana Pierson in her wedding business concierge. Meanwhile, Jordana is trying to live her new life as a socialite in New York but her husband and all the other people has no idea about her past…except Kerrie.

So as you can see, the plot sounded interesting.

As usual, I’ll tell about the things I liked about the book.

The story was told from the perspectives of Kerrie and Jordana so as a reader, you can have an idea of their views and on their thoughts–how Kerrie is plotting revenge, about Jordana’s past life.
The writing was easy to read and simple as well so it was easy to read fast.
The starting of the story was good and it did actually reach to a certain climax.

Now the things I didn’t like about the book.

As I said, this book is labeled as a reminiscent of The Perfect Nanny (which I have done a book review on) so usually in a thriller, you would expect some sort of twists or turns or something that will keep you hooked and be at the edge of your seat or something surprising that will happen. Unfortunately, this book does not have that, which was disappointing to me. It did keep you hooked into the story, but there are no twists or turns or those unexpected surprise turn. It was pretty much straightforward to me.
As I said in my positive points, the beginning was good, but unfortunately the ending was lame and I feel it was a bit of rush. The confrontation between Jordana and Kerrie seems a bit rush and hesitant, the ending was a bit vague. A bit disappointed in with that.

Overall, it was not really a bad thriller, it was OK. It’s not really a Gone Girl, Girl on the Train or The Perfect Nanny type of book though. This is pretty much a straightforward thriller. Worth three stars in my opinion.

After You Die–Book Review

Hello all! I am back with a book review–After You Die by Eva Dolan

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Dawn Prentice was already known to the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit.

The previous summer she had logged a number of calls detailing the harassment she and her severely disabled teenage daughter were undergoing. Now she is dead – stabbed to death whilst Holly Prentice has been left to starve upstairs. DS Ferreira, only recently back serving on the force after being severely injured in the line of duty, had met with Dawn that summer. Was she negligent in not taking Dawn’s accusations more seriously? Did the murderer even know that Holly was helpless upstairs while her mother bled to death?

Whilst Ferreira battles her demons, determined to prove she’s up to the frontline, DI Zigic is drawn into conflict with an official seemingly resolved to hide the truth about one of his main suspects. Can either officer unpick the truth about mother and daughter, and bring their killer to justice?

Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Vintage Digital; Reprint edition (January 14, 2016)
Publication Date: January 14, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
Genre:- Thriller

Eva Dolan was shortlisted for the CWA Dagger for unpublished authors when only a teenager. The four novels in her Zigic and Ferreira series have been published to widespread critical acclaim: Tell No Tales and After You Die were shortlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year Award and After You Die was also longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Dolan’s first standalone thriller, This Is How It Ends, was longlisted for the 2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. She lives in Cambridge.

So I will start with the ones I like about this book

The book is fast paced and twisty as the reader would want to know who the hell had committed the murder–the murder of a woman and her disabled daughter
It was realistic in some ways as well.
The book talks about violence and the relationship issues that teenage girls face with their mothers, the online dating and of course the police investigation of the murder.
I have never read Eva Dolan’s books before and this book is a series of DS Zigic and Ferreira, one of them battling with the demons she had faced in her previous case. So I gave it a go and this book is really interesting.

Now the things that I didn’t like about the book

Some parts of the book was boring and less interesting
At times, some parts were a bit confusing

Overall I give this book as four stars!

The Price of Paradise- Book Review

Hello all! It’s Friday! Just finished with The Price of Paradise by Susana Lopez Rubio, a Spanish author. Here is my book review!!

In a city as corrupt as it was luxurious, those who dared to dream were bound to pay the price.

Havana, Cuba, 1947. Young Patricio flees impoverished Spain and steps into the sultry island paradise of Havana with only the clothes on his back and half-baked dreams of a better life. Blessed with good looks and natural charm, he lands a job as a runner at El Encanto—one of the most luxurious department stores in the world.

Famous for its exquisite offerings from French haute couture to Arabian silks, El Encanto indulges the senses in opulent extravagance. It caters to visiting Hollywood stars, rising politicos, and prerevolutionary Cuba’s wealthiest power players, including the notorious mobster César Valdés.

Falling in love with the mobster’s young wife, Gloria, is suicide. But Patricio is irresistibly drawn to the beautiful girl with sad eyes, a razor-sharp intellect, and a penchant for both Christian Dior’s clothes and Einstein’s theories. Within the walls of El Encanto, anything seems possible, even a love that promises to heal them and a desire that thrums with the mambo beat of the city itself.

In a reckless love affair that spans half a century, Patricio’s and Gloria’s lives entwine time and again, challenged by every twist of fate—for in a world of murder, betrayal, and revolution, those who dare to reach for paradise seldom survive unscathed.

Print Length: 374 pages
Publisher: Amazon Crossing (June 1, 2019)
Publication Date: June 1, 2019
Genre : Historical Fiction/ Romance

Susana López Rubio was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1978. She is a screenwriter who wrote the popular television adaptation of the novel Time In Between by María Dueñas. She writes short stories for adults and children.

I got this book free from Amazon during the “World Book Day”. This is a historical fiction, set in late 1940’s in Cuba. Patricio, the main protagonist of the story flees from impoverished Spain and moved to Cuba, in the hope of a better life. He gets a job as a clerk in a well reputed and prestigious department store in Cuba, El Encanto. While working in the store, he meets a beautiful girl named Gloria. The two first become friends and eventually starts a love affair secretly. But there’s a problem. Gloria is the wife of the notorious mafia gang leader, Cesar Valdez who is known to be ruthless, violent and cruel, feared by many people. What will happen if Cesar finds out about their affair? The story continues with how both their lives are entwined as Cuba is going through political changes and in a world of murder and corruption.

This is just going to be a lazy review so I will just say in point form.

The author seemed have done tremendous research on the lifestyles of rich and poor in Cuba during the 1940’s till the Cuban Revolution in 1958. Rich people seemed to be enjoying a luxurious lifestyles and splendor in Havana while poor people seemed to be struggling with day to day activities. This was outlined in Gloria’s lifestyle as she is married to a rich mafia and enjoying a lifestyle of luxury (though she doesn’t really) and Patricio who is struggling with the money.
As a reader, I learned a lot about the Cuban culture (like the fact that the children are dancing in the rain), many of the names of the Cuban cuisine. We also learned about the politics in Cuba–from being having a corrupted dictatorship regime to communism. As such, I learned a lot about Cuba and in my mental image,I felt as if I am in Cuba with Patricio and Gloria.
The story was told from Patricio’s and Gloria’s perspectives so we get to know what each of them thinks about each other.
I also like the friendship between Patricio and the two men that Patricio befriended after arriving to Cuba. Even after Patricio flees from Cuba, I like how he maintains his friendship, showing strong bond between the three friends.
I like how Patricio, though he is not a Cuban embraces Cuba as if it is his own country and how much he misses being in Cuba.
I like the relationship between Patricio and Gloria–how their innocent friendship soon turns into a romantic affair. Sometimes, as a reader, I was afraid of them getting caught!
The only bad side about this book was, it was a bit too long but I enjoyed reading the book nonetheless

Overall, this is a good romantic historical fiction, learned really a lot about Cuba and its culture. Worth five stars!

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The Breakdown–Book Review

Hey all! Just finished reading The Breakdown by B.A. Paris and today will be the book review about this book!

The Breakdown: The gripping thriller from the bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors by [B A Paris]

f you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

It all started that night in the woods.

Cass Anderson didn’t stop to help the woman in the car, and now she’s dead.

Ever since, silent calls have been plaguing Cass and she’s sure someone is watching her.

Consumed by guilt, she’s also starting to forget things. Whether she took her pills, what her house alarm code is – and if the knife in the kitchen really had blood on it.

Print Length: 337 pages
Publisher: HQ (February 9, 2017)
Publication Date: February 9, 2017
Genre:- Psychological Thriller/ Women’s Fiction

B A Paris is the internationally bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown and Bring Me Back. Having sold over one million copies in the UK alone, she is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller as well as a number one bestseller on Amazon and iBooks. Her books have sold in 38 territories around the world. Having lived in France for many years, she recently moved back to the UK.

I have not yet read her first novel, Behind Closed Doors yet (which I am planning to read soon). I decided to try this book, The Breakdown first.

The story begins with Cass Anderson, who was at a party with her colleagues from work. On her way home, she takes the shortcut, instead of taking the main road, that is through the woods. While driving through the shortcut, she sees a car, parked by the side of the road, and sees a woman inside the car. Cass stops and then drives away, as it was raining heavily and she thought that the woman had already asked for help. The next day, the news came that the woman who Cass saw in the car was murdered brutally. Later on, we find that the woman’s name was Jane Walters who Cass befriended two weeks ago at a party. Cass is now overwhelmed with guilt of not helping her friend at the time. And then, she starts receiving silent phone calls and then she keeps forgetting things…

Let’s start with the ones I like about the book.

I thought the plot line for the story was actually good. It was in fact intriguing.
Towards the end, there were twists to the story so it actually hooked me into the story as to what is going to happen next.
As a reader, you would think if Cass is actually going crazy or if she was imagining things in her head.
The book is well written in my opinion–it was easy to read.

Now about the ones I didn’t like about the book.

The story to me was a bit predictable, including the one of the characters I knew would be Jane’s murderer
None of the characters in this book are likable–Cass, the main character to me was naive and whiny, her husband, Matthew is inconsiderate and her friend Rachel to me, I didn’t really like her.
This is a slow paced thriller which is not to my liking

Overall, this was a good book but only worth four stars because of the good plot and the story was well written.

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Cappuccinos, Cupcakes and a Corpse–Book Review

Happy Monday!! I am back with a book review–I got this book free from Kindle. The first series of Cape Bay series, Cappuccinos, Cupcakes and a Corpse, a cozy mystery book by Harper Li.

Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse (A Cape Bay Cafe Mystery Book 1) by [Harper Lin]

Francesca Amaro moves back to her hometown of Cape Bay, Massachusetts, and takes over the family business, Antonia’s Italian Café. She spends her days making delicious artisan cappuccinos, until she stumbles upon her neighbor’s dead body. When the police discover Mr. Cardosi was poisoned, Francesca becomes a suspect.

The victim’s son, Matty, happens to be Francesca’s old high school friend. Together, they uncover the secrets of the locals in order to find the killer in their idyllic beach town.

Print Length: 286 pages

Publication Date: May 25, 2015

Genre:- Cozy Mystery

Harper Lin is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of cozy mysteries. When she’s not reading or writing mysteries, she loves going to yoga classes, hiking, and hanging out with her family and friends.

I have been reading a lot of cozy mystery books and this is one of the books. The story begins with Francesca, who moves back to her hometown in Cape Bay from New York after her mother had passed away. She owns a family chain cafe in Cape Bay and keeps herself busy most of the time. And one day, when she was on her way home, she sees Mr. Cordozi, slumped on his chair, dead. And then begins her investigation.

So let’s start with the ones I like about the book.

I like the book cover of the book.
Towards the end, the book got interesting as both Fran and her childhood friend Matt set about to find Mr. Cordozi’s killer.

Things I didn’t like

I felt many parts of the story was not really related to the story–a lot of unnecessary parts

Overall this is an OK book. Give three star rating

Stuck in the Blizzard–No Exit Book Review

Just finished a fast paced thriller, No Exit by Taylor Adams and so can’t wait to share my insight with you all.

A brilliant, edgy thriller about four strangers, a blizzard, a kidnapped child, and a determined young woman desperate to unmask and outwit a vicious psychopath.

A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do?

On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers.

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate.

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one?

Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape.

But who can she trust?

With exquisitely controlled pacing, Taylor Adams diabolically ratchets up the tension with every page. Full of terrifying twists and hairpin turns, No Exit will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless

Print Length: 287 pages

Publisher: William Morrow (January 15, 2019)
Publication Date: January 15, 2019
Genre- Psychological Thriller

Taylor Adams directed the acclaimed short film And I Feel Fine in 2008 and graduated Eastern Washington University with the Excellence in Screenwriting Award and the prestigious Edmund G. Yarwood Award. His directorial work has screened at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival and his writing has been featured on KAYU-TV’s Fox Life blog. He has worked in the film/television industry for several years and lives in Washington state. EYESHOT is Adams’ debut novel, published by Joffe Books.

I have wanted to read this book for a while had been in want to read list. I finally found this book as an E-book on Scribd and so started reading it!

Darby Thorne is a sophomore from CU Boulder, who is driving from Boulder to Utah, as her mother is in the final stages of cancer and was at the hospital. While driving and due to to hazard of blizzard and the threat of closing the roads, Darby stops at a small rest in. In this small rest in also four other people, who are also stuck in the rest place because of the blizzard. While outside, trying to get a signal on her phone, she sees that inside one of the vans, a girl was being caged in a dog cage. Then begins the story, as to who is the one who is carrying a captive in a van.

So as usual, I will start with the ones I like about the book.

This thriller is actually fast paced, which I liked about the book. Something is going on or going to happen in each of the chapter and so the author did a good job of keeping the reader hooked into the story
To Darby, every four person is a suspect–Ashley, the talkative accountant, Ed a retired veterinarian and his cousin Sandi and Lars, a creepy teenage looking boy. We have no clue as to who is actually having a small girl as a captive in one of the vans. (I am not going to let too much info about that)
Also, once Darby finds the real culprit, it becomes a cat and mouse chase and as a reader, we are wondering who is going to get out of the place alive or whether the girl inside the van will get saved.
The author uses the hours and time as chapters in the book, beginning with the evening when Darby is driving and is stopping over at the rest in and ending in the dawn time.
There were twists in each and every one of the chapters.
To be honest, while reading the book, I thought I was in kind of a horror movie–an interesting horror movie, with no telephone signals stuck with a certain psycho so that actually made the reader feel tensed and at the edge of the seat.
Like most psychological thrillers (nearly every protagonists in a psychological thriller is dealing with some personal issue), Darby is a vulnerable girl, who has some personal issues and a dysfunctional relationship with her mother and as a reader, you kind of feel sorry for the character as she herself (or even the reader) has no idea if she is able to save the little girl and save her life or die.
The ending was a bit unexpected.

Now about the ones I didn’t like about the book.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!! I am a bit confused about the ending. However I assumed that Darby is dead and Jay was talking to the ghost of Darby.
It was a bit gory and disgusting when you are reading towards the end i.e. too much violence towards the end. I don’t really like violence much.

Overall, if you like a fast paced thriller, then No Exit is for you. Worth four stars in my opinion.

April Wrap-Up

April has come to an end, it’s been more than a month since the lockdown and stuck at home. So I will just briefly wrap up the ones I have read in April.

Title	Genre	Rating
Pachinko	Historical Fiction	*****
The Husband’s Secret	Women’s Fiction/Thriller	****
The Librarian of Auschwitz	Historical/True Story	*****
Indecent	Women’s Fiction	***
Baby Doll	Thriller	****
The Murmur of Bees	Historical Fiction/Family Saga	*****
The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes	Contemporary/Women’s Fiction	*****
Cream Caramel and Murder	Cozy Mystery	****
The boy in Striped Pajamas	Historical Fiction	****
My Sister The Serial Killer	Thriller/Dark Humor	****
The Girl I Left Behind	Historical Fiction	*****
How to Bake a Murder	Cozy Mystery	****
The Secret of Lost Stones	Magic Fiction/Friendship	*****
The French Girl	Thriller	****
Coffee and Crime	Cozy Mystery	*****

Stay Tuned for my May Wrap Up coming soon after May!!!

Pretty Girls – Book Review

Hello all! I am back with one of Karin Slaughter’s thriller books, Pretty Girls and so I am going to be sharing a review with you all!

Sisters. Strangers. Survivors.

More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed.

The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.

No of Pages :- 592 Pages

Language :- English

Genre:-Thriller/Mystery/Suspense

Karin Slaughter is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including the Will Trent and Grant County series and the instant NEW YORK TIMES bestselling standalones, COP TOWN and PRETTY GIRLS. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print around the world. Find her on the web at http://www.karinslaughter.com

So I will first start with the the things I liked in the book

The book is well written, with vivid descriptions and scenes with a good use of language–Karin Slaughter is a very good writer and she manages to keep the reader at pace and at the edge of the seat when she ends each chapter with a nail biting moment.
The story is emotional tale of sisters’ relationship–One sister disappeared about twenty three years ago, two sisters have an estranged relationship and were reunited when one of the sisters find a dark secret her husband had kept away from her for eighteen years.
Story also talks about the emotional stress that leaves a mark to the family when one of their members go missing. Karin has written the father’s perspective by writing letters to his missing/dead daughter.
There were many twists and turns particularly when Claire finds that her husband who she assumed is dead is still alive and is a violent psychopath.

The things I did not like

OK, most of Slaughters books are violent and this is violent. It talks about sexual abuses, and is not just sexual abuses–there were some parts in the book where it is disturbing, particularly the parts where Slaughter writes a scene where the girl is brutally branded with an iron rod.
The brutal torture description that Lydia one of the sisters have to go through particularly waterboarding with urine (ewww) is too much
The part where the girls were raped with a machete (!?!?!?!?!) and tortured with cattle prod and machete is so disturbing and gory.

Overall, my rating for this book will be