Tropical Girl Reads

The Do-Over – Book Review

Title:- The Do -Over

Author:- Lynn Painter

Date published:- November 15th 2022

No. of pages:- 304 pages

Genre:- Romance/ YA/ Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

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

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

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

How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?

I have a grown a liking towards Lynn Painter and so I am determined to read all her books. After reading Better Than Movies and Betting on You, I got my hands on The Do-Over.

The Do-Over follows the story of Emilie during the Valentines’ Day. She was hoping to have a nice Valentine Day but ended up having a bad one–she got into a car accident, saw her boyfriend Josh cheating on with another girl, lost her place for a scholarship and above all, her father is moving to Texas. Emilie wished she had a better Valentine’s Day but the next day, she finds herself, repeating the same day again and again–she was in a time loop! And then slowly she realizes and starts fall in love with Nick Stark, a fellow lab partner in Chemistry.

I really like time loop-based stories so this book is no exception. I enjoyed reading this one and really found some parts of the book hilarious and laughable. I like how Emilie keeps re-living the same day over and over again and how in the end she ends up with Nick Stark. Reading this YA book will make you forget everything and enjoy this book so much with a smile on your face and I actually highly recommend this book!

Worth four stars.

The Guncle – Book Review

Title:- The Guncle

Author:- Steven Rowley

Date published:- May 25th 2021

No. of pages:- 326 pages

Genre:- LGBT/Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

Steven Rowley is the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus, a Washington Post Notable Book of 2016, The Editor, named by NPR and Esquire Magazine as one of the Best Books of 2019, and The Guncle, a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for 2021 Novel of the Year and semi-finalist for The Thurber Prize in American Humor. His fiction has been published in twenty languages. Rowley lives in Palm Springs, CA with his husband, the writer Byron Lane.

The Marriage Test – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Marriage Test

Author:- Ellie Monago

Date published:- will be published on 3rd September 2024

No. of pages:- 380 pages

Genre;- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

One tropical island. Four couples. They believe they’re on a TV show to save their marriages. But the people behind the cameras know all their secrets. They’re going to be revealed, one by one. Because everyone has something to hide…

An incredibly successful surgeon and her gorgeous partner enjoy a life of luxury. To get it, one of them had to hide a dark past…

A young couple are expecting their first child. Has one of them been unfaithful?

High school sweethearts, missing their two young children. But the suburban dream is becoming a nightmare…

A husband and wife running a successful business together. But with both their marriage and company failing, what is really happening behind closed doors?

But their secrets aren’t the only thing coming out under the bright lights. Because some of the people on this island have met before.

And one of them has a secret they’d kill to protect…

Who will pass the marriage test? And who will survive?

Four couples in a reality TV show, to save their marriage an filmed in a tropical island. But what supposed to save their marriages becomes a nightmare when one of them gets murdered during the TV show and that one of them could be the suspect…

The plot of the story is interesting and intriguing. A reality TV show, couples with questionable past, lies, cheat deceit…it all adds up to a juicy TV show. Plus the fact that a murder takes place also seemed interesting. However, even though I liked the plot of the story, I found the whole story to be slightly slow burn and not interesting. The snippets of the interview between the detective and the producer is interesting although the first part of the book was boring. The characters are all unreliable and are told in different POVs. I do like the concept of using unreliable characters in the story but I felt it didn’t really go well with the whole story. Despite the negativity, I do like the author’s style of writing.

Overall this is worth 3 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutes for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Ellie Monago is the pen name of a novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail. She spent most of her life living in the U.S. and now resides in Western Canada with her family.

The Villa – Book Review

Title:- The Villa

Author:- Rachel Hawkins

Date published:- January 3rd 2023

No. of pages:- 279 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

This is the second Rachel Hawkins book I have read, the first one The Heiress which I gave a four star rating.

This book follows two friends Emily and Jessica. Jessica known as Chess is a famous author and when she starts inviting Emily to the Villa in Italy, Emily willingly follows her to Italy. But the Villa has a dark history. In 1974, an up and rising rock star was found murdered in the villa and the rock star’s girlfriend Mari had written an infamous novel named Lilith Rising, based loosely on the murder.

The story is medium paced and I like all these newspaper articles, snippets of writing from Mari’s published novel and of course Mari’s POV in 1974. It was slightly boring at first but then things got started interesting when Emily discovers Mari’s published book. I didn’t really like Emily’s POV part much although I did think it got interesting when Emily discovered Mari’s diary . I also like the descriptions of Italy that made me did feel like I was in Italy. However, I feel entertained throughout the story and I actually did enjoy reading the book, though not as much as I did with the Heiress. Overall, in my opinion, it wasn’t really a great book but then it was an OK thriller.

Overall this book worth 3 stars.

Spooky Season Book List

September means the beginning of the Spooky Season! From the beginning of September till the beginning of November, I will be reading selected books that is most suitable for spooky season. Here is the list of books that I am planning to reaD

The September House – Carissa Orlando

One of the most anticipated books that I have always wanted to read and specifically reserved to read during the spooky season.

The Pet Semetary – Stephen King

Currently started reading and so far a little eccentric but waiting for the best bits to come…

3. Theme Music – Marie Vandelly

A disturbing horror thriller which I am dying to read

The Hacienda Isabel Canas

I seemed to be having an infatuation towards Mexican horror novels after reading Mexican Gothic so looking forward to read this one.

Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier

I have read this book long time ago but I decided to reread it again

The Whistling – Rebecca Netley

The plot sounds…creepy and definitely a must read for spooky season

There are other books but for now, I will be reading these books

What are the books you are going to read for spooky season?

The Serpent and the Wings of Night – Crowns of Nyaxia Book 1 – Book Review

Title:- The Serpent and the Wings of the Night

Author:- Carissa Broadbent

Date published:- August 30th 2022

No. of pages:- 504

Genre:- Fantasy/Romance/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4.5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Being a thriller fan girl, I can’t believe that I have been reading a lot of fantasy novels lately. The Serpent and the Wings is one of those fantasy novels that seemed to have so much hype on Booktoks and Instagram and which I have always wanted to read.

If you are a fan of ACOTAR series, then check this book out.

The Serpent and the Wings follows a young human girl named Oraya who is adopted by the vampire father Vincent who is the King of Nightborn. Oraya then takes part in a legendary tournament known as Kejari organized by the Goddess Nyaxia. It is said that the winner of Kejari tournament will have their wish granted by the Goddess herself. In the tournament, Raihn is a notorious vampire and quiet a dangerous vampire too. Oraya knew that being a human, she should not trust any of the contestants including Raihn but she finds herself drawn to him and become teammates with him.

I actually liked the setting of the story. The story is divided into five parts, outlining the parts of the games. The story also builds a friendship and relationship between Oraya and Raihn and also the father-daughter relationship between Oraya and Vincent. Oraya is ruthless, courageous and brave human girl determined to win the tournament at any cost. The writing was great and I was instantly drawn into the story that I couldn’t put the book down. The ending…that was completely unexpected and this little cliffhanger in the end made me want to read what is going to happen next between Oraya and Raihn!

If you haven’t started on this series yet, I suggest you start reading immediately–if you are fans of ACOTAR then definitely you will love this book–worth 4.5 stars

I’ve been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.

When I’m not writing, I’m working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.

An Irish Bookshop Murder – Book Blog Tour

Title:- An Irish Bookshop Murder

Author:- Lucy Connelly

Date published:- 22nd August 2024

No. of pages:- 290 pages

Genre:- Cozy Mystery

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

An utterly gripping cozy crime murder mystery

Meet Ireland’s newest daring she’s a bookstore owner, a coffee lover, and a crime writer. Now Mercy McCarthy needs a little Irish luck as she takes on her first case!

After receiving unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove. But before they can take in the beautiful view of the sea, one of their neighbors drops dead!

Mercy finds the Judge, a well-respected man who lives next door, dying on his own doorstep. She rushes to help, but with his final words, he accuses Mercy of murder! Most of their new neighbors hear his words and, with suspicion pointing at Mercy, she decides to investigate the case to clear her name.

Searching amongst the Judge’s old books, Mercy uncovers letters proving several of the townsfolk had reason to dislike the judge—but was it the local pub landlord, the kindly cook or neighborly knitter who killed him?

Then Mercy’s chief suspect turns up dead and she receives a threatening note, typed on paper from her own bookstore… Ireland was supposed to be a fresh start for Mercy and Lizzie, but dead bodies keep turning up.

Does Mercy have what it takes to nail the culprit or will the killer close the book on her time in this charming Irish village?

Mercy McCarthy received a very unexpected inheritance gift from her grandfather–a charming antique bookshop located in a small scenic Irish village. Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie moves to Ireland to become the proud owners of the bookshop. However, their neighbor the judge turns up dead and soon Mercy becomes involved in a murder investigation.

This is a cute read. This is the first book of the Mercy McCarthy series and I actually enjoyed it. There are so many suspects in the story as the judge had known making enemies and author keeps dropping hints so us readers could figure who the real suspect can be! It was interesting, unputdownable with so many likable characters that trail along the book. Not only that–the vivid descriptions of the seaside village in Ireland makes me felt like I was actually in Ireland trying to solve the mystery.

I liked the ending and as such, I actually enjoyed reading the first book of the Mercy McCarthy series and couldn’t wait to read more. Overall a great read that is worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. Thank you Bookouture for making me a part of the blog tour. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

https://www.lucyconnelly.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LucyConnellyBooks/

https://www.instagram.com/Candace_Havens

Tweets by CandaceHavens

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Lucy Connelly here: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/Lucy-Connelly

The Couple on the Train – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Couple on the Train

Author:- Claire Cooper

Date published:- 23rd August 2023

No. of pages:- 356 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

I look at where the woman was sitting. There’s a scrap of paper tucked into the gap between the seats. With shaking hands, I pick it up. The note Help me.

At first glance, the couple on the train look normal. She’s dressed smartly, a floral patterned bag on her lap. But her hands are clenched, her fingers white. The man with her has his arm looped through hers, but not in a comforting way. He’s holding her too tightly.

She catches my eye and I see desperation there. I’m opening my mouth to speak when the train grinds to a halt and the man stands, hauling her away. She looks at me again, then at the seat behind her, her face pale.

I find the message she left behind. Help me .

When I call the police, there’s no sign of the couple on CCTV. The kind detective gently suggests that it’s not surprising, with my history, that I am imagining things. Wanting to save someone.

I know what I saw. If no one will believe me, I’ll find her myself.

But as I search, what I find seems personal. Little things that remind me of what happened ten years ago. And I think I’m being followed, that someone broke into my flat.

The hunt for the woman on the train is leading me somewhere I should never go. Can I save her, or will I be next?

Laura sees a couple in the train– they look like typical couple. However the woman looked anxious and frightened and before leaving she slips a note to Laura with only one sentence- Help me. However when Laura goes to the police the couple was nowhere to be seen and no one believes Laura. Laura must prove that she wasn’t imagining before it is too late.

This was a slow burn thriller and Laura is a typical unreliable narrator. The story started out slow not much of twists and turns and a but boring to begin with. However the ending got little interesting and this made me gice the book a three star rating.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Good Bad Girl – Book Review

Title:- Good Bad Girl

Author:- Alice Feeney

Date published:- August 29th 2023

No. of pages:- 311 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things. Alice Feeney, returns with another thrilling mystery filled with drama and her trademark surprises.

Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.

Edith may have been tricked into a nursing home, but at eighty-years-young, she’s planning her escape. Patience works there, cleaning messes and bonding with Edith, a kindred spirit. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything.

Edith’s own daughter, Clio, won’t speak to her. And someone new is about to knock on Clio’s door…and their intentions aren’t good.

With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim. If they do, they might just find out what happened to the baby who disappeared, the mother who lost her, and the connections that bind them.

In the style of Daisy Darker and Rock Paper Scissors, Good Bad Girl is a thriller in which nobody can be trusted and the twists come fast and furious.

This is the third Alice Feeney book I have read–my favorite so far being Rock, Paper and Scissors, which I couldn’t put the book down. Good Bad Girl follows the story of three women named Clio, Patience (which is not really her real name) and Frannie who all got embroiled in each other’s lives and got involved in murders–three suspects, two murders and one victim. It also follows about an incident that happened twenty years ago when a six-month old baby was abducted during the mother’s day.

The story is told in the POV’s of Clio, Patience, Frannie and Edith. They are nearly all unreliable characters with history. Edith is a resident at a care house, Patience works at the care house and is known as Ladybug by Edith, Clio is the daughter of Edith and Frannie is the mother of Patience, whose name is Nellie. There is some sort of connection between the four women and the whole story begins when a care manager at the care home was murdered. The story is a little bit slow paced but towards the middle of the book, it got fast paced. Not many twists or turns but this book is actually a page turner. However, in my opinion, this book wasn’t great as her previous books Rock, Paper and Scissors, His and Hers, which I simply couldn’t put the book down. However, I feel this was actually an OK thriller and not really her best.

Overall, this book worth 4 stars in my opinion.

Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Good Bad Girl is her sixth novel.

You can follow Alice on Instagram or Twitter: @alicewriterland

For the latest book and TV news, and to sign up for Alice’s free newsletter, please visit her website: www.alicefeeney.com

The Second Mrs. Strom – Book Blog Tour

Title:- The Second Mrs. Strom

Author:- Kaira Rouda

Date published:- 16th August 2024

No. of pages:- 284 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating;-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

I don’t want the perfect marriage. I want revenge…

If you had met me a year ago, you wouldn’t have noticed me. A beautiful woman, but a struggling nobody in a tiny apartment, invisible…

Meeting Paul changed that.

And now here I am in Paris, after a whirlwind courtship and a stunning beach proposal. I smile at my handsome husband, my eyes shining in the candlelight, my huge diamond ring sparkling on the starched white tablecloth. Other women look at me in envy. They see a couple completely in love.

They’re wrong.

Despite this incredible luxury vacation, my husband and I can’t escape our problems. I can’t get over what he did with that woman just after our wedding, and my bright smile can’t hide the hardness in my heart.

I wonder if Paul knows the truth. That our first meeting, when we fell in love, wasn’t the coincidence he thinks it was. That what I want from him has nothing to do with his money.

And now that he’s wronged me, I’ll stop at nothing to get it…

This is an intense psychological thriller that is unputdownable and a page turner.

Paul and Cecelia are celebrating their first year wedding anniversary in Paris. Paul suspect that Cecelia is having an affair while Cecelia is having something in her mind. Both are gold diggers and both would do anything to get the inheritance of a lady who had passed away recently, even if it involves murdering one of them.

I didn’t know this was a sequel but then I read this book as a standalone. Paul and Cecelia are typical gold-diggers each greedy with their own agenda. The writing was great, intense and the atmosphere created by the author in the book is also very intense. This was a page turning thriller, unputdownable full of twists and turns and some drama involved in the story. Overall, reading this whole story will make you feel like you are watching an action paced thriller movie.

This book is a five star read for me.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. Thank you Bookouture for making me a part of the blog tour. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Kaira Rouda is an award–winning, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her novels of domestic suspense include The Widow, Somebody’s Home, The Next Wife, The Favorite Daughter, Best Day Ever, All the Difference, Beneath the Surface – optioned for a feature film – and Under the Palms. Her next novel, The Second Mrs. Strom, is out in August 2024, and Only the Nanny in November 2024. To date, Kaira’s work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Three of her novels have been named Amazon Editor’s Picks for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. The Next Wife was named a Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award, and a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense Novel and a 2022 Silver Falchion first runner-up for Best Book of the Year.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is working on her next novel. Please sign up for her newsletter to learn about new releases and exclusive content on her website, and follow her on social media.

Home

https://www.facebook.com/KairaRoudaBooks

https://www.instagram.com/kairarouda/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/kairarouda?lang=en&lang=en

@kairaroudabooks

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D4S1QCP7social

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz3