Tropical Girl Reads

I Have to Save Them – Blog Tour

Title:- I have to Save Them

Author:- Ellie Midwood

Date published:- 31st January 2024

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 296 pages

Genre:- Historical Fiction/ Holocaust

Setting:- Germany/Auschwitz

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

Auschwitz, 1942: Her entire body trembles as she stands in the infirmary and realises the horrifying truth. She’s a nurse, but instead of saving her fellow inmates, she’s about to be ordered to kill them…

Surrounded by thick fog from the nearby forest, Orli stumbles from the cattle truck onto the frostbitten grounds of Auschwitz. Betrayed by her own husband for being a German resistance fighter, she has no one left in the world, and this is now her home.

Orli breathes a sign of relief when her nursing skills mean she’s assigned to work in the infirmary. Even in this hell on earth, she can still try to save some lives. But when she’s instructed to assist Dr Josef Mengele, she soon learns that he is known as The Angel of Death, and is the most feared man in Auschwitz. At his evil hands, thousands of inmates are cruelly killed and experimented on. And if Orli is to survive, she will have to help him. But how can she live with herself if she sentences her fellow inmates to death?

As she stares into his eyes, she soon realises her resistance work is not over. She has to stay and find a way to stop this monster—even if that means she will pay the ultimate price.

Inspired by the incredible true story of Orli Reichert, this unforgettable World War Two novel brings to life the powerful tale of a woman who risked everything to fight against evil. Fans of The Choice and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be utterly gripped by this unputdownable page-turner.

This is a heartwarming and emotional historical fiction that is based on Orli Reichart, a brave and courageous woman who worked at the Auschwitz clinic with the infamous Josef Mengele and how this woman saved inmates from going into a cruel death orchestrated by Mengele.

Being a history fanatic particularly Holocaust, I was particularly interested and intrigued with both fictional and non-fictional stories of brave and courageous people who fought against the Nazis and SS. Orli Reichart was one such woman. Ellie Midwood is a very talented writer and I always made sure to read all her historical novels. She writes stories based on real-life women and Orli Reichart is actually based on a real-life person. Her writing is engaging and intriguing and she had done tremendous research on Holocaust that while you are reading this book, you feel all those anger and hatred towards the Nazis, at the way they were treating the Jews, the emotional and heartbreaking moments when they were merciless killed by the Nazis…they were all too real and emotional to read. Although I did history in school, I learned a lot more about the Holocaust, the conditions at the infirmary, how the Jews and Aryans were treated at the camps, how the Jews were starved to death…it was too disturbing at the same time, one must never forget that these things did happen in real life. The writing as I mentioned was beautifully written and I liked how Midwood tackled with the history of the whole story.

I have to Save Them is one of the heartbreaking and emotional tale of a brave and courages nurse who would risk her own life to save the lives of the innocent–truly recommend this book and worth a whopping five stars!

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

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author, whose works have been translated into 14 languages. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, “The Girl from Berlin.” Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their two dogs.

Readers’ Favorite – winner in the Historical fiction category (2016) – “The Girl from Berlin: Standartenführer’s Wife” (first place)

Readers’ Favorite – winner in the Historical fiction category (2016) – “The Austrian” (honorable mention)

New Apple – 2016 Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing – “The Austrian” (official selection)

Readers’ Favorite – winner in the Historical fiction category (2017) – “Emilia”

Readers’ Favorite – winner in the Historical fiction category (2018) – “A Motherland’s Daughter, A Fatherland’s Son”

Author social media

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/EllieMidwood?_rdr

Instagram: @elliemidwood

Website: http://elliemidwood.com/

Author sign up below: https://www.bookouture.com/ellie-midwood

Twenty Seven Minutes – Book Review

Title:- Twenty Seven Minutes

Author:- Ashley Tate

Date published:- 30th January 2024

No. of pages:- 377 pages

Setting:- West Wilmer

Genre;- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 2/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 2.5/5

“The rare gift that delivers it all: elevated prose, characters with depth, unpredictable twists, and a pitch-perfect mood.”—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

Phoebe Dean was the most popular girl alive and dead.

For the last ten years, the small, claustrophobic town of West Wilmer has been struggling to understand one thing: Why did it take young Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the fateful night of the car accident that took the life of his beloved sister, Phoebe?

Someone knows what really happened the night Phoebe died. Someone who is ready to tell the truth.

With Phoebe’s memorial in just three days, grief, delusion, ambition, and regret tornado together with biting gossip in a town full of people obsessed with a long-gone tragedy with four people at its heart—the caretaker, the secret girlfriend, the missing bad boy, and a former football star. Just kids back then, are forever tied together the fateful rainy night Phoebe died.

Perfect for fans of Jane Harper and Celeste Ng, Tate’s literary suspense Twenty-Seven Minutes is a gripping debut about what happens when grief becomes unbearable and dark secrets are unearthed in a hometown that is all too giddy to eat it up.

This book was actually a slow burn thriller

Phoebe Dean was one of the popular girls in the town and she was found dead. Within twenty-seven minutes, she could have been still alive yet she died on the spot.

Now nearly a decade later, the town in holding a memorial in Phoebe Dean. There are so many questions arising, why did her brother Grant took twenty seven minutes to call for help? There is someone in the town, who knows what really happened to Phoebe Dean on the night of the accident.

To me, this was a slow burn thriller. Not much twists and turns, and not only that, it was outright a little boring to me in my opinion. The story is told in multiple POVs–Grant, Becky, and June. It was slightly a bit difficult to distinguish between past and present but other than that, I found the book less appealing. The twist at the end was OK but overall, in the end, to me, the book was OK in my opinion. Would have been better if unnecessary parts were eliminated and made the story more intriguing and interesting. Overall this book worth 2.5 stars.

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

Ashley is a Canadian author; Twenty-Seven Minutes is her debut novel.

Midnight is the Darkest Hour – Book Review

Title:- Midnight is the Darkest Hour

Author:- Ashley Winstead

Date published:- October 3rd 2023

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Genre:- Horror/Thriller/Psychological Thriller

Setting:- Louisiana, USA

Rating:-

Plot:- 2/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 2.5/5

Recommend – NO but different people have different opinions about the book

Beware of the dark. You might like what you find…

Ruth Collier has always felt like an outsider, even as her father rains fire and brimstone from the church pulpit. In Bottom Springs, his word is as good as law.

But there are things the townspeople fear more than God, like the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to kill sinners in their beds on moonless nights.

When a skull is found deep in the swamp, a hunt for the Low Man begins. Suspicion turns to Everett – Ruth’s oldest friend, with a dark past. As Ruth and Everett grow closer, Ruth begins to unearth the town’s secrets, determined to discover the truth.

But as the line between good and evil grows ever thin, how far will Ruth go to save the person she loves most?

I always tend to read Ashley Winstead’s books whenever her books get published. I enjoyed In My Dreams I hold a Knife and was OK with her thriller The Last Housewife. So I was super duper excited to get my hands on this book but I have to say, this book is a pure disappointment.

If you are a fan of Twilight, then this book might be for you. There were mentions of Edward Cullen and Bella throughout the book.

Ruth Cornier is a daughter of a preacher. She befriends a boy named Everett Duncan who is an outcast in the small town of Louisiana. There is a folk tale among the townspeople that a Lone Man is lurking around the swamps at night and behead the men. The folk tale seem to have come through when a body of a man was found in the swamp. Ruth and Everett then try to hide a deep secret that they had been hiding many years ago.

This book talks about a lot about religious fanatism. Not only that, so many mentions of vampires and like the fact that the main protagonist is a fan of Twilight. The book in whole has a very creepy setting making the whole atmosphere creepy and eerie. The writing is like poetry typewritten thus making the whole book give an eerie feeling. But why didn’t I enjoy the book?

First of all, this book was—really slow paced. I kept skimming through the book and nearly DNFed but my motto is never DNF the book. Because sometimes, you might find interesting towards the end. But the ending to me was OK. There weren’t much twists and turns I thought I would find in a normally good psychological thriller. I am not sure why people have given four and five star rating on this book but to me, this book wasn’t one of her greatest novels. Worth 2.5 stars.

The Seven Year Slip – Book Review

Title:- The Seven Year Slip

Author:- Ashley Poston

Date published:- June 27th 2023

No. of pages:- 352 pages

Genre:- Romance

Setting:- New York City, NY USA

Rating:-

Writing:- 5/5

Plot:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

Worth reading:- YES

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: stay busy, work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.

An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

OK, this book has been made to one of my top reads this year! Despite being a romance genre book, I feel like this is one of the best romance novels I have read.

Clementine is dealing heavily with her aunt’s death. She is trying to overwork herself, to forget about her grief and the empty apartment that once belonged to her aunt, now belongs to her. So on Friday night, when she enters into the apartment, she finds herself slipped back to seven years when she is sharing an apartment with someone named Iwan who had come to New York to fulfill his dream of becoming chef. As they go back and forth between past and present, Clementine and Iwan then soon begins to head over the heels with each other.

I actually, couldn’t put this book down. I literally nearly read this book in one sitting. The plot itself is unique set of story which I actually enjoyed and thought intriguing. And the fact that as a reader, you are rooting for Clementine and Iwan with their sizzling chemistry with each other is too much to handle. The writing was really great and I like that in every chapter, it starts with a title. Of course, we all know that all romance novels have a happy ending and this book is no such exception. Nevertheless, the reason why I enjoyed this book is because of its unique plot which I enjoyed it really much.

So is this book worth the hype? Of course it is, and for the ones who are fans of romance genre, get this book! Worth five stars!

New York Times best-seller by day, fanfic author by night.

Viist her at www.ashposton.com.

The Child at My Door – Blog Tour Book Review

Title:- The Child At My Door

Author:- Sam Vickery

Date published:- 23rd January 2023

No. of pages:- 326 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

There’s a child at my door. I’ve never seen him before. He says he’s my grandson, but that’s impossible… how much of my life is a lie? What else don’t I know?

I’ve lived on this quiet street for years, in the same house I once shared with my husband and our beloved daughter, Chloe. Now they’re both gone and my home, that used to be filled with laughter, is too quiet, too still.

When a little boy I don’t recognise knocks at my door, without a parent in sight, I’m shocked. He trembles with nerves, and I tell him I can help find his mother. But I’m not prepared for what he says next. I’m left frozen, heart pounding in my chest.

‘My mummy’s called Chloe. You’re my grandma.’

My blood runs cold. It can’t be true. The curly-haired boy looking up at me is no older than five and my daughter died fifteen years ago. Didn’t she?

If she’s alive, then what really happened on the day I lost my daughter? And where is she now?

This was a fast paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of the seat!

The story is about a woman named Clarissa when she comes across a boy who is standing at her doorstep. He says that his name was Tommy and that he was sent to him by his mother Chloe. He also says that Clarissa is his grandmother. But Clarissa believed that it was impossible–her daughter Chloe died some fifteen years ago. Who is this woman who is Chloe and what exactly happened?

The plot was intriguing and unique, which makes the whole story unique as well. A daughter who is supposed to be dead yet many years later, her child turns up at the door of her mother’s house. The story divides between Clarissa and Chloe’s POV. The abuse, trauma as well as maternal love was all discussed in detail in this book. What makes it more interesting is when Chloe meets a man who looked a lot like her brother, whom according to her mother, she had killed him many years ago. The presence of a hidden story was fascinating to me.

Although the book started out slow, it became more fast paced and interesting towards the middle of the book that you really want to know what is going to happen next in the book. I like how the author managed to keep the reader on the edge. The ending was literally unexpected and this book is filled with many twists and turns that you wouldn’t expect. Worth five stars.

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

Sam Vickery is an English author who loves gritty, emotional stories that can make you sob. As a child, she was forever getting in trouble for being caught with her nose in a book, and these days are no different. She lives on the south coast of England with her husband, two children and a cat that thinks it’s a dog.
https://www.facebook.com/SamVickeryWrites/

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CP66TJWFsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

The Sleeping Girls – ARC Book Review

Title- The Sleeping Girls

Author:- Rita Herron

Date published:- January 22nd 2024

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 402 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

The young girl looked so innocent, like a sleeping angel. Kelsey lay on a bed of white sheets, golden hair fanned across the pillow, eyes closed, pale lips pressed together. A white teddy bear was tucked under her slender arm… “My baby, she’s dead” her distraught mother choked out.

When the call comes in that fifteen-year-old Kelsey Tiller has gone missing from her bedroom in the middle of the night, Detective Ellie Reeves rushes to talk to her distraught parents. They tell her that Kelsey, a slender blond with green eyes and a timid smile, had plans to go shopping for her homecoming dress the next day, insisting she would have no reason to run away. But when neighbors report seeing Kelsey with a secret boyfriend, Ellie wonders how much Kelsey really told her parents.

Ellie is determined to find Kelsey’s boyfriend and interviews her friends and teachers at school. But just as she is making headway with the case, she receives some devastating news. Kelsey’s parents have received a photo of their daughter lying on a bed with white sheets over her body, skin ghostly pale under the freckles dotting her nose, her precious life snuffed out.

Desperate to find answers for those who loved Kelsey, Ellie studies the picture and realizes that her body has been posed in the same way as a teenage girl murdered ten years earlier. And when she learns Darnell, the killer in that case, has just been released from prison, fear crawls through her. Could Darnell have stolen another innocent life?

But just as Ellie thinks she has cracked the case, Kelsey’s best friend Ruby is snatched from her home, and Darnell has an unbreakable alibi. Haunted by Kelsey’s ashen face, Ellie knows she must race against time to find Ruby alive. And when she discovers one of her team is hiding critical information, she realizes she needs to act alone. But is she dealing with a twisted copycat killer or is the danger far closer to home?

A totally gripping and pulse-pounding crime thriller that will have you holding your breath as you race through the pages! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh.

Detective Ellie Reeves is back with another case!

A man is released from prison when he was convicted of killing his own sister some twenty years ago. However, as soon as the man is released, a girl named Kelsey is being abducted. Detective Ellie Reeves immediately take up on the case to find Kelsey friends with Ruby and June and the three girls were being bullied in the school. But as the investigation goes on, they realize that the way Kelsey was murdered was similar to the girl who was murdered twenty years ago committed by the same man who was just released from the prison.

This was a fast paced thriller, packed with twists and turns. The author manages to keep the reader feel like they are on the edge while reading this book. I simply couldn’t put the book down and since I have been reading this series for sometime, this Detective Ellie Reeves series have become one of my favorite series after the others. I do like Ellie’s bond with Agent Derrick, and I also like how this book is a page turning thriller. You can read this book as a stand-alone if you haven’t read the other books in the series. Overall, this book worth five stars!

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

The Only One Left – Book Review

Title:- The Only One Left

Author:- Riley Sager

Date published:- June 20th 2023

No. of pages:- 385 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

I always make sure to read all of Riley Sager and this book is one of them!

The Only One Left is about a woman named Kit McDreere who goes to Hope’s End to work as a caregiver to Lenora Hope. Many years ago, rumors circulated around that teenage Lenora killed her own parents and sisters, even making rhymes out of these murders. Kit was a bit reluctant to work for Lenora but then she relents as she has no other jobs to do. As Kit takes care of Lenora, she has a typewriter, where Lenora promises to tell Kit all that happened years ago.

I loved Riley Sager’s books as his books are a blend of horror and thriller. The Only One Left is also such example. I like how fast paced the book was, and you get snippets of typewritten papers, detailing about Lenora’s life. There were twists and turns and Sager did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. I was literally drawn into the book and I simply couldn’t put the book down–it was that really good in my opinion! In my opinion, this was one of Riley Sager’s best books, the book that wouldn’t allow you to put down the book. The unexpected twist at the end was so…unpredictable that literally blew my mind away.

Overall, if you like a page-turning fast paced novel packed with twists and turns, then this book is one for you–worth 4.5 stars.

Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, most recently THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE and SURVIVE THE NIGHT. His first thriller, FINAL GIRLS, won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel and has been published in more than thirty countries. His latest novel, THE ONLY ONE LEFT, will be published in June.

A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, cooking and going to the movies as much as possible. His favorite film is “Rear Window.” Or maybe “Jaws.” But probably, if he’s being honest, “Mary Poppins.”

Website: www.rileysagerbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rileysagerbooks
Twitter: @Riley_Sager

The One – Book Review

Title:- The One

Author:- John Marrs

Date published:- July 15th 2016

No. of pages:- 418 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

How far would you go to find The One?

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.

That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.

Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…

A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.

I saw this book many times on Instagram and also since this book was made into a Netflix movie (which I haven’t watched yet) I decided to get my hands on this book.

This was actually an interesting, unexpected and unpredictable book.

Meet five main characters–Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie. All these five to this infamous Match the DNA test and all of them find their true love–Mandy meets a man named Robert, Christopher is a serial killer who kills women until he reaches his target number and meets Amy, a police officer, Jade who moves all the way to Australia to meet her match, Nick who is engaged to Sally but ended up getting matched to another man and Ellie, who is the CEO of the Match DNA and meets a charming man named Tim. Are all these characters connected to each other? Not in anyway but Ellie who is the CEO is indirectly linked to the other characters. Basically, the story tells about the life of each of these characters and the downfall they face when they meet their match.

This was overall an unpredictable thriller. I didn’t really know where the story was headed but then the whole story was fast paced and intriguing. The plot line itself was unique and interesting. The ending was quiet unexpected and basically, the whole story talks about how this DNA thing broke off many relationships of the characters in general. This was also a page-turner thriller. Overall in my opinion, this book worth 4.5 stars and guaranteed will keep you up all night!

John Marrs is the author of #1 Best Sellers The One, The Good Samaritan, When You Disappeared, The Vacation, Her Last Move, The Passengers, The Minders and What Lies Between Us. Keep It In The Family and The Marriage Act are released soon.
What Lies won the International Thriller Writers’ Best Paperback of 2021 award.
The One has been translated into 30 different languages and is to be turned into an eight-part Netflix series starting in autumn 2020.
After working as a journalist for 25-years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time writer.
Follow him on Twitter @johnmarrs1 Facebook: @johnmarrsauthor Instagram: @johnmarrs.author website: johnmarrsauthor.co.uk

The Summerville Sisters – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Summerville Sisters

Author:- Heather Dixon

Date published:- 9th January 2024

No. of pages:- 291 pages

Genre:- Literary Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

Over one eventful summer in the tranquil lakeside town of Summerville, two women uncover a shocking family secret and together begin an extraordinary journey towards healing and forgiveness.

Claire is still reeling from her beloved mother’s death after a short illness, when the doorbell rings. On the doorstep is a woman with a startling resemblance to Claire’s mother.

And when she introduces herself as Audrey – the name of the baby sister Claire has always believed died in a car crash – Claire’s world falls apart.

As she and this stranger – who might just be the long-lost sister she always yearned for – piece together their past, a new revelation rocks them both. Claire discovers a devastating truth about her childhood that threatens to blow her world apart.

Can she find the courage to forgive her mother’s mistakes and rebuild her life?

An utterly captivating and heart-wrenching novel about the resilience of the human heart and the depth of a mother’s love. Fans of Mary Alice Munro, Pamela Kelley and Barbara O’Neal will be gripped by this emotionally charged and gripping story of family secrecy, sisterhood, betrayal and healing the power of forgiveness.

This is a heartbreaking, emotional tale between two sisters that talk about trust and betrayal.

Claire is dealing with her mother’s death and while she was cleaning up her mother’s house, a woman by the name Audrey comes and tells Claire that she was her mother’s daughter. Claire believed that her younger sister died in a car accident along with their father. So it was a huge surprise that after all these years, both her father and Audrey are very much alive. They decided to do DNA testing and when the results come in, things began to change.

This was a very intense and powerful story. I do like the bond that is formed between Audrey and Claire as both accept each other as siblings. I also like Lilah, Claire’s daughter’s relationship with Audrey. There were some parts where it gets emotional and I just like the style of author’s writing in this new novel. This book will give you an emotional rollercoaster ride as well. Overall, this is a tear-jerking heartbreaking story that is worth five stars!

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

Heather Dixon is an author of contemporary women’s fiction and family drama, including Burlington, Last Summer at the Lake House, and The Summerville Sisters. In addition to writing fiction, Heather is a managing editor of a non-profit website. She started her career in the marketing and advertising industry as a copywriter, and then began a freelance career writing for businesses, as well as writing content for top parenting sites such as Red Tricycle and Pregnant Chicken. Her writing has appeared in a number of established sites, including Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Motherly and others. She has appeared on CBC radio and in print in the Globe and Mail.

Find her on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hdixonwriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherdixo…
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherdixon…

The Guests – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Guest

Author:- Margot Hunt

Date published:- will be published on 9th January 2024

No. of pages:- 296 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Writing:- 4/5

Plot:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

From USA Today bestselling author Margot Hunt comes the chilling tale of what happens when a family besieged by a storm must play host to uninvited guests.

When a Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit their coastal Florida town, the Davies family takes refuge in their waterfront manse. Marlowe, Lee, and their teenage twins invite their close friends to wait out the storm in comfort and style.

Uninvited are the three strangers who dock on the family’s shore right before the storm descends. Brothers Jason and Bo—and Bo’s girlfriend, Darcy—are a charming, helpful trio in need of a safe haven that the Davies are only too happy to provide.

But as the storm outside grows more threatening, so does the tension in the house.

Soon, the lines between family, friends, and strangers blur. Danger mounts with every pointed finger and broken confidence, and long-held secrets are revealed one after another until only one truth not everyone is going to make it out alive.

This was an intense and gripping thriller that actually made me feel at the edge of the seat!

Category 5 hurricane is poised to hit the coastal town in Florida and the Davies family are preparing for the hurricane. Their house is equipped to protect them from hurricane. However, three strangers dock by their house and invite themselves into the Davies house. They are Bo, Jason and Darcy. As hurricane start to hit, one by one are getting murdered and the Davies family as well as their friends are kept as hostages in their very own home by these three strangers.

If you have watched, the movie Funny Games, this book reminded me of the movie a bit. The story is told in the POVs of Marlowe, the mother, June and Tom, the teenage twins, Isabel who is Marlowe’s assistant and Felix, who is June’s friend. The story was engaging, intriguing and from start to finish, I was literally hooked into the story, wanting to know what is going to happen next. There were no twists and turn but the story as a whole was fast paced in my opinion. It was also slightly predictable as well. There were past moments in the story and I sometimes got a little confused with the present ones. Nonetheless, this was a great book that may keep you up all night. Worth 4 stars!

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

Margot Hunt is the author of LOVELY GIRLS, THE LAST AFFAIR, FOR BETTER AND WORSE, and BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. She has also written the Audible Original novellas TELL HER STORY, THE HOUSE ON THE WATER and BURIED DEEP. Her next book, THE GUESTS, will be released in January 2024.

Learn more about Margot and her forthcoming books at
margothunt.com