We Are The Brennans – Book Review

Title:- We Are The Brennans

Author:- Tracey Lange

Date published:- February 3rd 2022

No. of pages:- 289 pages

Genre:- Literary Fiction/Family Saga

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall:- 4/5

Some secrets you keep from your family. And some secrets you keep for your family.

When twenty-nine-year-old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, bruised and battered after a drunk-driving accident she caused, she swallows her pride and goes home to her family in New York. But it’s not easy. She deserted them all – and her high school sweetheart – five years before, with little explanation, and they’ve got questions.

Sunday is determined to rebuild her life back on the East Coast, even if it does mean tiptoeing around resentful brothers and an ex-fiancé. The longer she stays, however, the more she realizes they need her just as much as she needs them. When a dangerous man from her past brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin, Sunday realizes that the only way to protect her family is to reveal deeply buried secrets that will threaten everything they know about their lives. In the aftermath, the Brennan family is forced to confront painful mistakes – and find a way forward, together.

In the vein of Maggie O’Farrell and John Boyne, Tracey Lange’s critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller We Are the Brennans explores the staying power of shame-and the redemptive power of love, in an Irish Catholic family torn apart by secrets.

Sunday Brennan who lives in LA gets into a car accident while drunk driving. Her brother, Danny flies over to LA to take her back to New York. In New York, she meets her ex- fiance Cale, who is now married and has a son. Danny meanwhile is under bankrupt. No one knows the reason why Sunday left New York five years ago by breaking off her engagement to Cale. But there’s a secret that Sunday has been hiding that might ruin her family…

This story was well written–the story is based on Irish descendent Catholic family with many characters having Irish roots. It is also realistic and this book is more about the family drama particularly the story between Sunday and Cale, and Danny’s relationship with his wife Teresa. The first part of the story was slightly boring but then soon by the middle of the book, the story got interesting. I think the author did a great job of telling the dynamics and complexity of family relationships and Sunday’s relationship with the siblings particularly with Jackie.

The characters in the story are all complex in a way and since I listened to the story through audiobook, the narrator did a great job. Overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book. Worth four stars in my opinion.

Born in the Bronx and raised in Manhattan, Tracey Lange comes from a large Irish family with a few secrets of its own. She headed west and graduated from the University of New Mexico before owning and operating a behavioral healthcare company with her husband for fifteen years. While writing her debut novel, We Are the Brennans, she completed the Stanford University online novel writing program. Tracey currently lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, two sons and their German Shepherd.

The Do-Over – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Do Over

Author:- Sharon M Peterson

Date published:- will be published on 1st August 2022

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 328 pages

Genre:- Romance Comedy

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall:- 5/5

Sorry, the old Perci can’t come to the phone right now.

There’s nothing like experiencing the most humiliating break-up in history for a serious wake-up call. After getting dumped over the radio, with millions of listeners tuning in, my life is in serious need of a do-over.

Trying to please everyone else isn’t working, so it’s time to focus on me. Cue my anti New Year’s resolutions that even I can’t fail at:
Stop dating. (Men are the worst.)
Stop trying to lose weight. (I’m never giving up chocolate!)
Stop working so hard. (Selling mortgages is not my dream career.)
Stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. (Start living my best life!)

But not everyone is on board with the new Perci—my overbearing mother is still dreaming about me walking down the aisle with my awful ex. To keep her far away from my love life I made up an imaginary boyfriend, but in a moment of panic I accidentally blurted out my not-so-imaginary neighbor’s name instead!

Nate, the bad boy next door with gorgeous hazel eyes, a razor-sharp jawline and mysterious scar, might be hot, but he’s definitely not my boyfriend. Now all I need to do is stick to my resolutions while also keeping my interfering family away from my non-existent lover who has no idea that we’re fake dating. What could possibly go wrong?

Fans of TikTok sensations The Love Hypothesis, The Unhoneymooners, and Sarah Adams won’t be able to put this completely addictive, feel-good rom-com down. An absolutely hilarious page-turner for anyone who feels they need to start living life to the fullest.

So how do you feel when someone break up with you on live video? Well, this book was another funny comedy and romance book that will make you laugh out loud!

Perci after her humiliated break up makes up New Year Resolution which involved not dating any men. So then one day, she accidently let’s out the name of the imaginary boyfriend–in which case, the not so imaginary bad boy neighbor Nate. Then they start fake dating each other but eventually, they start falling for each other.

Even though this was the debut book of the author, I actually enjoyed reading this book. There were some funny parts in the book that would make the reader laugh out loud. I do like Percy’s relationship with her own mother and Mimi her grandmother, whom she seemed to be taking an inspiration from. I also like the friendship between Percy and Nate and how it slowly developed into romance. I enjoyed reading this book and looking forward to read more books from this author!

If you like a cheesy summer romance, then I recommend this book for you–worth five stars!

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

Sharon M. Peterson is a former middle school teacher and has the personality to prove it. One of her favorite quotes is from Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath: “It was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.” She strives to tackle life that way and create characters who do the same. She lives in Washington with her husband and four children, including two autistic sons. She has one cat, two dogs, one tattoo, and an intense fear of poodles (don’t ask). She can usually be found hunched over her computer, creating characters and stories she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.

She’s Up To No Good – ARC Book Review

Title:- She’s Up To No Good

Author:- Sara Goodman Confino

Date published:- will be published on 1st August 2022

No. of pages:- 395 pages

Genre:- Comedy/Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall:- 5/5

For two women generations apart, going home will change their lives in this funny, poignant, and life-affirming novel about family, secrets, and broken hearts by the author of For the Love of Friends.

Four years into her marriage, Jenna is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce. With time on her hands and her life in flux, she agrees to accompany her eccentric grandmother Evelyn on a road trip to the seaside Massachusetts town where much of their family history was shaped.

When they hit the road, Evelyn spins the tale of the star-crossed teenage romance that captured her heart more than seventy years ago and changed the course of her life. She insists the return to her hometown isn’t about that at all—no matter how much she talks about Tony, her unforgettable and forbidden first love.

Upon arrival, Jenna meets Tony’s attentive great-nephew Joe. The new friendship and fresh ocean air give her the confidence and distance she needs to begin putting the pain of a broken marriage behind her.

As the secrets and truths of Evelyn’s past unfold, Jenna discovers a new side of her grandmother, and of herself, that she never knew existed—and learns that the possibilities for healing can come at the most unexpected times in a woman’s life.

This is such a cute, funny romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud!

Jenna’s husband, Brad wanted a divorced when he told her that he felt the marriage has gone wrong and that he was having a relationship with another girl. Heartbroken, Jenna moves back to her parents’ house while going through the divorce. It was then that Jenna’s grandmother, Evelyn was going on a road trip to Hereford and Jenna decided to join her grandmother. And as they go to the road trip together, Evelyn , a Jewish woman during her younger days was in love with a non-Jewish man named Tony. While switching between past and present, Jenna during her stay meets Joe, who is Tony’s grand-nephew and even though Jenna didnt really want to fall in love, a romance starts developing between the two.

I actually enjoyed reading this book. Like For the Love of Friends, this was really cheesy and there were so many funny parts, particularly the conversation between Jenna and her grandmother that made me laugh out loud. I really like the writing and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are also part of the journey with Jenna and Evelyn. I got interested in the romance between Evelyn during her younger days with Tony and how she faced so much of objections from her father as Tony wasn’t Jewish. I did like the slow romantic relationship that developed between Jenna and Joe. The endign though predictable, I actually liked it and I really enjoyed having a fun time reading this book.

So if you are looking for a perfect summer read with funny background and a roadtrip to remember, then this book is one for you–worth five stars!

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

The Mother In Law ARC Book Review

Title:- The Mother-In-Law

Author:- Karen King

No. of pages:-271 pages

Date published:- will be published on July 29th 2022

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall:- 4.5/5

He loves you now. He loved her first.

I’ve fallen in love with a man called Sam. And he’s perfect, just perfect.

It’s a whirlwind romance. And when our dream home falls through just before our wedding, we decide to move in with his parents. He says his mother, Evelyn, is the sweetest person. But I’m not so sure.

She’s obsessively protective over Sam. She wants to know where he is all the time. She wakes us up in the morning, bustling into our room like he’s a small child, not a grown man. She doesn’t want me to be alone with him. And with every day that passes – as I keep having accidents I can’t believe are coincidental – I start to fear more that she doesn’t want me to marry her son.

That she wants to be the only person he will ever love.

Then I overhear an argument between her and Sam’s dad. Evelyn has a secret. And it changes everything I thought I knew about the family I’m marrying into.

From that moment, I know that if I want to make it to my wedding day alive, I will need to be very, very careful…

This was actually an gripping psychological thriller that will keep you hooked from the beginning till the end.

Dana is getting married to Sam after a whirlwind of romance. So when Sam introduces Dana to his posh parents, Evelyn and Harold, Dana however seemed to have gotten a cold feet with Sam’s mother Evelyn as apparently she preferred Tamara to be Sam’s wife rather than Dana. Then odd things start happening to Dana after Sam and Dana moved into their parents’ house which involved Dana getting into accidents. Is her future mother-in-law really out to stop the wedding?

We all know that most women do not really get along with their mother-in-law–I am not married but then I do know what it really feels like when your boyfriend’s mother doesn’t really approve of his son’s choice in women. That was the case of Dana as well as Dana tried hard to please Evelyn but accidents happen that made Dana look clumsy and unreliable. The writing was really good and the author managed to grip the reader into the story. The story was fast paced as well with some twists and turns, making the reader feel suspicious of Evelyn. However, the ending to me was predicatable and bit lame, which lowered my rating to four stars. Otherwise, the thriller was really good and worth four stars!

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

Karen King is a multi-published bestselling author of fiction for both adults and children. She has also written several short stories for women’s magazines.

Currently published by Bookouture and Headline. Karen writes about the light and dark of relationships. She is presently writing two more psychological thrillers for Bookouture, and a romance for Headline.

Blood Sugar – Book Review

Title;- Blood Sugar

Author:- Sascha Rothchild

Date published:- April 19th 2022

No. of pages:- 336 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall:- 5/5

An utterly delicious debut thriller that tells the story of the most likable murderess you will ever meet, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll.

“I could just kill you right now!” It’s something we’ve all thought at one time or another. But Ruby has actually acted on it. Three times, to be exact.

Though she may be a murderer, Ruby is not a sociopath. She is an animal-loving therapist with a thriving practice. She’s felt empathy and sympathy. She’s had long-lasting friendships and relationships, and has a husband, Jason, whom she adores. But the homicide detectives at Miami Beach PD are not convinced of her happy marriage. When we meet Ruby, she is in a police interrogation room, being accused of Jason’s murder. Which, ironically, is one murder that she did not commit, though her vicious mother-in-law and a scandal-obsessed public believe differently. As she undergoes questioning, Ruby’s mind races back to all the details of her life that led her to this exact moment, and to the three dead bodies in her wake. Because though she may not have killed her husband, Ruby certainly isn’t innocent.

Alternating between Ruby’s memories of her past crimes and her present-day fight to clear her name, Blood Sugar is a twisty, clever debut with an unforgettable protagonist who you can’t help but root for—an addicting mixture of sour and sweet.

This was actually a great debut book where you will meet your favorite murderess, Ruby who is a psychiatrist was suddenly questioned by Detective Jackson on four murders that she committed, including her husband Jason. But there is one problem. Ruby is only guilty of three murders but she did not kill her husband. Who did?

The story shifts between back and forth, from past to present, the present where Ruby was questioned by the detective and the past where she committed

the three murders and how she met her husband and her life in general. The writing was really great and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story and I actually enjoyed reading this book. Jason is a diabetic and so are Ruby’s pets, Mr. Cat and Kangaroo hence the title ‘Blood Sugar’. This was also fast paced and engrossing thriller and you actually enjoyed reading more about Ruby! I actually cannot believe that this was author’s debut book and so I cannot wait to read more books from this author!

Worth five stars!

Sascha Rothchild grew up in South Beach and excelled in school although not at the expense of causing trouble. Her defiant teen years are infamously portrayed on the national radio show This American Life.
After majoring in playwriting at Boston College and graduating summa cum laude, Sascha moved to Los Angeles to begin her television writing career. She broke into the tv and film business when her humorous personal essays published in LA Weekly got the attention of movie studios. Her article How To Get Divorced By 30 was optioned by Universal Studios and she was given a book deal by Penguin. She was then hired to write the feature for the studio, putting her on the Hollywood map, and her memoir How To Get Divorced by 30 garnered lots of buzz. She then went on to also sell feature films to Dreamworks, Sony, Paramount, Disney and Fox.
She shifted her attention to television, her original goal, and sold a comedy pilot to NBC. She was also staffed as a writer and Consulting Producer on The CW show The Carrie Diaries. Sascha has since developed original TV pilots for Freeform, ABC, The CW, HBO and Netflix. She was named one of ten “writers to watch” by Variety in 2014.
For the past three years she has been writing and co-executive producing the Emmy nominated Netflix series GLOW as well as writing and producing the Netflix show Huge In France. She also wrote and co-executive produced the fourth season of the lauded Freeform/Hulu show The Bold Type and is currently an Executive Producer and writer on the hit Netflix series, The Babysitters Club. Sascha continues to also write personal essays, the most recent was published by Elle Magazine.
Sascha is thrilled to announce that her debut novel, Blood Sugar, is being published by Putnam in the Spring of 2022.

This Is Gonna End In Tears – ARC Book Review

Title:- This is Gonna End In Tears

Author:- Liza Klaussman

No. of pages:- 362 pages

Date published:- will be published on 7th July 2022

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall:- 4/5

Growing up, it was always the three of them: Miller and Olly and Ash. They stuck together, like they were keeping a secret. They needed each other. As teenagers, they drove to LA, lived in a ramshackle place on the beach in Malibu, set up a record label. They were successful, best friends and Olly and Miller fell in love. Before it fell apart, it was beautiful.

Then Olly stopped looking at Miller the way he used to. Miller spent a night with Ash, which turned into a marriage. And Miller and Ash came back to Wonderland, the tidal island of sugary painted houses they’d run away from. Now Miller’s forty and she feels like she’s disappearing. She wears her tinted sunglasses so often sometimes she forgets the world isn’t green. Ash is having an affair with a helmet-haired tv presenter and Olly’s career is over. Olly doesn’t want to think about what he was going to owe, what any of them owed, to each other. But after everything that has happened, Wonderland is the only place it makes sense for him to go.

Over a long, hot summer of Chardonnay and Chicken, Olly, Miller and Ash try to work out what it is that exists between them. They’re so consumed with their love, losses and longing and the possibility of a redemptive third act, they barely notice what’s going on between Miller’s son, his best friend and the girl who lives next door.

Some summers are spent yearning for something to happen, others are charged with the terrifying, exhilarating, feeling that everything is going to change. Welcome to Wonderland.

If you like Taylor Jenkins Reid, then this book will be perfect for the fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid.

The story is centered around three people–Ash, Miller and Olly. They were inseparable as friends but soon, their friendship turned sour and got separated in their own ways. Ash and Miller got married and is leading a wedded life in Wonderland with their son Nate. But the three friends reunite again when Miller who is now in her forties realize that her marriage wasn’t great and Olly comes back into their lives after getting fired.

The story is set in the 1980’s and 1950’s when the three were thick as friends. so it was kind of great reading a story set in the 1980’s. Initially, this book started out a little boring but by the middle of the book, it got interesting. The story is realistic, talking about the complex relationships and the lifestyles. The writing was great and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. I actually enjoyed reading this book. There’s a great storyline and the characters are also great as well.

Overall, this book worth four stars.

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

Liza Klaussmann worked as a journalist for the New York Times for over a decade. She received a BA in Creative Writing from Barnard College, where she was awarded the Howard M. Teichman Prize for Prose. She lived in Paris for ten years and she recently completed with distinction an MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, in London, where she lives. She is the great-great-great granddaughter of Herman Melville.

We Had To Save Them – ARC Book Review

Title:- We Had To Save Them

Author:- Elle Van Rijn

No. of pages:- 339 pages

Date published:- will be published on 5th July 2022

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall:- 4.5/5

Amsterdam, 1941. My name is Betty. Until a few months ago, I was just like every other nursery teacher in the city – singing silly songs with the toddlers, sharing lunch with friends, smiling at the handsome stranger on the rickety tram ride home to my family each evening. Until the Nazis came and tried to take our children away…

Now, our humble nursery is part of a Nazi deportation centre for little ones and their families. My heart pounds when I hear the rumours about what awaits them at the end of the forced transports across the border, to Auschwitz.

My eyes fill with tears when I see my old friends and neighbours turn their faces away, pretending not to see. None of them want to risk themselves, even to save a child’s life. So, at the nursery we form a plan, though I know it’s horribly dangerous. The Germans shoot anyone who crosses them and there are spies everywhere. But each time I smuggle the warm, innocent bundle of a sleeping baby past the watchful guards and into the arms of the underground network, I know it’s worth the risk.

What I don’t know is if – when the Nazi soldiers discover what I’m doing and come for me – I’ll be able to save myself from the same, terrifying fate…

Based on the heart-wrenching true story of an ordinary young woman who risked everything to save countless children from the Nazis. A heartbreaking and gripping read that will have you reaching for the tissues. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones and The Nightingale.

This is a story of a courageous woman named Betty who managed to save babies from the Nazis and is based on the true story.

Anything that is based on Holocaust is appealing to me. So when I heard that this is based on the true story of an actual woman who saved babies from deportation. We all know that Nazis deported the children and the Jewish people to the concentration camps. I was mesmerized this character and it was actually emotional and heartbreaking as some parts of the story. The author must have done tremendous research about the Holocaust and about the woman in general that it actually felt realistic while reading the story and did a good job of making the reader feel like they are part of the story. Reading about how Jewish people suffered under the Nazi rule was too heartbreaking and emotional to read.

If you like a historical fiction based on the true story, then this book is one for you–worth five stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

This Place Of Wonders – ARC Book Review

Title:- This Place of Wonder

Author:- Barbara O’Neal

Date published:- will be published on 19th July 2022

Publisher:- Lake Union

No. of pages:- 316 pages

Genre:- Women’s Fiction

Rating;-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall:- 5/5

n the wake of a personal tragedy, four women face the past, their futures, and each other in a novel of broken ties and healing by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids.

When famed chef Augustus Beauvais dies, he leaves behind a celebrated reputation―and four women grappling with loss, anger, pain, and the question of how the world will turn without him…

Meadow, the ex-wife with whom Augustus built an empire―and a family―still holds a place for him in her heart, even as she continues to struggle with his infidelities, which ended their twenty-year marriage. More unforgiving is Maya, his estranged daughter, who’s recently out of rehab but finally ready to reclaim her life. Norah, his latest girlfriend, sidelined her own career for unexpected love and a life of luxury, both of which are now gone with Augustus. And then there’s Rory, Meadow’s daughter, the voice of calm and reason in a chorus of discontent.

As Meadow, Maya, Norah, and Rory are flung together by tragedy, grief, and secrets yet to be revealed, they must accept―or turn away from―the legacy of great intentions and bad decisions Augustus left them. And when the circumstances around his death are called into question, their conflicted feelings become even more complicated. But moving forward is the only choice they have, and to do so, they’ll need to rely on family, friendship, and inner strength.

Set on the stunning, rugged California coastline, This Place of Wonder is an emotional, lush, and empowering story of four women finding their way in a changed world―and what a wondrous journey it will be.

This is a family drama story of the lives of three women who knew Augustus Beauvais. Meadow was the ex-wife of Auggust, Norah was the mistress of Augustus and Maya was the daughter of Augustus from his first marriage. Augustus Beauvais dies suddenly and his death affects the three women in different ways.

The story is told from the perspectives of Norah, Meadow and Maya who recounts their experience with Augustus. The author has a unique style of writing and did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. It was also very interesting to read each of these characters as each of the characters are holding a secret that may ruin their lives. The story is set in California and the description of the places makes the reader feel like they are in California as well.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this story and if you like a story with family drama, then this one is for you–worth five stars.

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

Stuck With Him – ARC Book Review

Title:- Stuck With Him

Author:- Danielle Owen Jones

Date published:- will be published on 12th July 2022

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 327 pages

Genre:- Romance/Comedy

Rating:- Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall:- 4/5

Lucy Clark has just bought a house with her worst enemy.

From the moment Lucy – Miss ‘my self-worth comes from setting myself impossible standards of perfection’ – meets Zack – Mr ‘I’m your infuriatingly laidback yet impossibly ripped new yoga teacher’ – it’s hate at first sight.

So when Zack puts in a competing offer to buy her childhood home, there’s no way she’s backing down. After losing her business and her best friend in one great margarita-themed disaster, there’s no way she’s losing her beloved house. Except there’s one tiny problem – she can’t actually afford it.

When Zack suggests they buy the house together, inspiration strikes. Lucy will wear him down, with a never-ending supply of lists and rules, until he’s begging for escape. That’s until Zack arrives, with his non-existent sleepwear and a ridiculously sincere appreciation for the simple things. Suddenly, Lucy finds herself re-evaluating her own warped priorities.

Will living with the enemy end up with Lucy losing her sanity? Or is it true what they say – that there’s a thin line between love and hate?

An absolutely page-turning, laugh-out-loud rom com, perfect for fans of The Hating Game and The Spanish Love Deception.

This is a cozy romance novel where two people at first hate each other and then ended up falling for each other!

Lucy Clark is a workholic and with her friend’s request she starts yoga. While doing yoga, she meets Zach and the two didn’t get along well. In fact, the two cross the path when Zach offers to buy Lucy’s childhood house. The Lucy and Zach becomes housemates.

Not very sure about why there were low ratings but I actually did enjoy the book. I can say that the first part of the story was boring but then it kind of got a little interesting.. There were some funny parts in the book that will actually burst into laughter and I do like the how the romance slowly developed between Lucy and Zach. The only negative things about the book is there were too much of dialogue and of course the ending was very predictable. However, the writing was really good. Even though it seemed to me that many readers did not like the Lucy character, I thought she was actually an OK character.

If you like romance where with enemies to lovers trope in it, then this book is one for you–worth four stars!

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

Two Can Keep A Secret – Book Review

Title:- Two Can Keep A Secret

Author:- Karen M McManus

Date published:- January 10th 2019

No. of pages:- 330 pages

Genre:- YA/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall:- 4/5

The follow up YA thriller from the author of the international bestseller One of Us is Lying.

A perfect town is hiding secrets. Secrets that somebody would kill to keep hidden.

Ellery’s never been to Echo Ridge, but she’s heard all about it.

It’s where her aunt went missing at age sixteen, never to return. Where a Homecoming Queen’s murder five years ago made national news.

And now she has to live there with her estranged grandmother, after her mother lands in rehab.

Malcolm grew up in the shadow of the Homecoming Queen’s death.

His older brother was the prime suspect and left Echo Ridge in disgrace.

But now he’s back- just as mysterious threats appear around town, hinting that a killer will strike again.

Then another girl disappears.

As Ellery and Malcolm race to unravel what happened, they realise every secret has layers in Echo Ridge.

This was the third book I have read of Karen McManus although this was her second book after her successful debut book One Of Us Is Lying

The story tells of Ellery and Ezra who moves to Echo Ridge all the way from California to live with their grandmother while their mother is in the rehab. Echo Ridge is not a typical small town that you would expect–it has dark secrets. In 1996, Ellery’s aunt, Sarah disappeared mysteriously and was never heard from again. Five years ago, Lacey Kilduff was murdered and was found in the Halloween park. Both are connected to the homecoming events. And this year, while the homecoming event is held, the killer seems to be back.

The story is told from Ellery’s and Malcom’s point of view. Malcom is the brother of Declan who is the main suspect of Lacey Kilduff’s murder. So far, I actually enjoyed reading this book–this was fast paced and