Tropical Girl Reads

Lately, I have been having a reading slump and also I was a little bit busy. so I am a bit late posting the reviews!

You can run from your past, but you can’t hide forever…

Rebecca Bray has moved on from a childhood she desperately wants to forget.

She has everything she’s ever wanted – the perfect fiancé, a loving stepdaughter, a career she’s proud of, and now the house of her dreams.

But when the family move to the Cornish village where Rebecca grew up, everything she wanted to bury from those years starts to claw at the surface.

Then, when her stepdaughter goes missing at a New Year’s Eve party, Rebecca must finally face the ghosts of her past – or Ava might never come home safely…

A haunting, atmospheric read full of twists, turns and bumps in the night – perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Nuala Ellwood and Sophie Draper.

Rebecca Bray returns to her childhood town in Cornwall, after she has inherited a house known as “Blackwater” from Gwen. She remembers all those fond memories of her childhood and teenage years and vowed never return back to the town. She and her fiance Daniel and his daughter Ava seemed to be the perfect family, living in this new house.

But one day, Ava goes missing. And while investigating Ava’s disappearance, Rebecca’s past came back to her tormenting, a past she vowed to forget…

This is really a good book. Though this was actually a thriller, to me, this was actually an emotional roller coaster ride, especially when reading towards the end and you find what Rebecca’s secret and past was, you feel a bit emotional and at times it was heartbreaking.

The story divides between the past–when Rebecca, Daniel and Ava moves into the house to the present, when Ava has disappeared and the police taking part in the case. In the beginning, we see a different picture of this picture perfect family but towards the middle of the book…well let’s just say, it’s not as picture perfect as it seems. The writing was engaging, the author doing a great job making the reader immerse into the story and making the reader feel like they are part of the story as well. I was so engrossed into the book and simply couldn’t put the book down. The characters, particularly Rebecca is broken character and despite being not biological mother and daughter, Rebecca and Ava seem to have a very strong bond with each other.

Nonetheless, the ending left me emotional and it was a bit heartbreaking.

Overall, this was a good thriller, that will make you emotional as well as unputdownable–worth five stars!

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

An unthinkable crime—and the tattered threads of a friendship gone wrong—come roaring back to terrible new life in Jody Gehrman’s riveting psychological suspense, perfect for fans of Joshilyn Jackson.

Twenty years ago, Tansy was drawn to Selene’s hard edges, her grit, and her knack for survival. Since then, the confused tangle of guilt about covering up a murder shattered their friendship, and even now, at thirty-eight, Tansy has never come to terms with what happened that night.

But now, Selene is back, demanding her old friend repay her. Selene’s daughter, Jupiter, attends the college where Tansy works as a guidance counselor. Selene is convinced that Jupiter’s boyfriend, Colton, is abusive, and wants Tansy to intervene. As she is drawn back into the intensity of Selene’s world, Tansy discovers the ugly truth about Colton. But Tansy suspects there’s far more to the story, and now she’ll finally have to confront Selene once and for all.

So I requested this ARC and was glad that I got this book. Though I was a bit skeptical about this book, to my surprise, I actually enjoyed reading this book!

Tansy is a counsellor at the university when her former best friend, Selene waltzes into her office one day, asking her to repay for a deed that they both have committed many years ago during the summer. Selene’s daughter, Jupiter is attending the same university and Selene is convinced that her boyfriend, Colton is abusing her. Reluctantly, Tansy agrees to help her and soon, she discovers some dark secrets about Colton and at the same time develops a bond between her and Jupiter and a romance blossom between her and Zack, Selene’s brother.

Initially, the first few chapters were a bit boring but gradually, the story got interesting. and intriguing as I kept continuing to read the book. Selene seemed to be a very complex character that as a reader, you don’t know, if she is really telling the truth or not. Tansy is loyal and helpful and a likable character in my opinion. Jupiter, suffers just like any other domestic victims insecure though later on, she starts becoming stronger with the help of Tansy. The writing was engaging that the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are also the part of the story.

Overall, if you like a bit of a family drama, then I would recommend this book–page turner and the few parts in the book can make you emotional and heartbreaking–worth four stars!

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

The first book review of the month of February!!

The #1 International bestselling author of Pretty Little Wife returns with another thrilling domestic suspense novel that asks, how many wives and girlfriends need to disappear before your family notices?

Elisa Wright is a mom and wife, living a nice, quiet life in a nice, quiet town. She’s also convinced her brother-in-law is a murderer. Josh has one dead wife and one missing fiancée, and though he grieved for them he starts dating someone new. Elisa fears for that woman’s safety, and she desperately wants to know what happened to her friend, Josh’s missing fiancée.

Searching for clues means investigating her own family. And she doesn’t like what she finds. A laptop filled with incriminating information. Other women.

But when Elisa becomes friends with Josh’s new girlfriend and starts to question things she thinks are true, Elisa wonders if the memories of a horrible incident a year ago have finally pushed her over the edge and Josh is really innocent. With so much at stake, Elisa fights off panic attacks and a strange illness. Is it a breakdown or something more? The race is on to get to the truth before another disappearance because there’s a killer in the family…or is there?

Content Warning:- Substance Abuse, Mental disorder

After reading her debut book, Pretty Little Wife by the same author, I was excited when I got hands to her second novel, the Replacement Wife. However, I hate to say, this book did not live up to my expectations and didn’t come close to Pretty Little Wife, which I devoured in one go.

Elisa Wright is a dutiful wife and mother. After a shooting incident that left Elisa traumatized, she gets suspicious of her brother-in-law Josh, when she discovered some messages exchanged between a person named “concerned” and Abby, Josh’s fiancee, who went missing after she starts receiving messages from the “concerned”. Josh has a dead wife, a missing fiancee and Elisa thinks her brother-in-law is a murderer. But when Josh brings in a new girlfriend and introduces to the family, Elisa must do whatever to prevent the same fate that Josh’s previous partners faced.

The plot was good–is Josh really a killer or whatever that are happening to his partners are a list of unfortunate incidents? Elisa also on the other hand is an unreliable narrator that you would think whether she is truly delusional about her brother-in-law or not. However, besides the plot being good, there were so much negative points about this book.

Too much repetition made me bored–everyone is talking about Elisa suffering from traumatization, Elisa’s obsession towards her brother-in-law to the point of stalking him was a bit too much for me. None of the characters in the book appealed to me. But nonetheless, I kept the book going, thinking ok maybe, I might find something intense and interesting. Even the part towards the ending got interesting but eventually, it was…well, I didn’t like the ending much. I was confused. If I outline my doubts about the ending, I might as well put in some spoilers but I decided simply to say…I didn’t like the ending. It was unbelievable, unrealistic and nothing like how Pretty Little Wife ended.

This wasn’t a fast paced thriller, not much twists and turns, too much repetitions that will make you bored. Worth 2.5 stars.

Be careful what you wish for…

Callie has known sadness, and sometimes doubted she would ever have the life she wanted. When she meets James, also no stranger to grief, it seems as though her luck has changed. She becomes his wife, and in the process a stepmother to his two sons. Callie has finally got what she always imagined for herself.

But things don’t go to plan for Callie. She tries to get things right, but at every turn she makes mistakes. If she can only show her new family just how much she cares, perhaps everything will be okay. Yet the harder she tries, the more she fails. A split-second decision leads to her spiralling out of control, and there is no way back for Callie.

When the police arrest her for murder, the dark tale of Callie’s shocking fall from grace slowly unfolds. But how much is Callie willing to reveal about the choices she made? If those she cares for the most learn the truth, they will hate her. Will her secrets be her undoing? Or will she tell the truth, no matter the cost?

A compelling psychological thriller with an unforgettable ending from #1 bestseller Kathryn Croft. Perfect for readers who love Sheryl Browne, Alison James and Claire McGowan.

OK, I thought this book was actually a good thriller!

Callie is married to James and James has two sons from his previous marriage, Dillon and Luke. As much as Callie tried to be a good stepmother, Dillon and Luke couldn’t stand her. Then Callie meets Dillon’s best friend Rhys and the two embark on an affair…

The first part of the story was boring but gradually, it got interesting and intense with some twists and turns. Although Callie’s affair with a teenage boy like Rhys was slightly disturbing to read, nonetheless, the author manage to get the reader hooked into the story without going astray. Callie in my opinion is quite an unlikable character–I mean just because she thinks her husband is having an affair doesn’t mean she should have an affair…let alone a teenage boy! I do like the shifting of the timelines when Callie is questioned by the police to the past that led her being to that situation. The ending was a little unexpected and I liked the ending.

Overall, it was a good thriller–worth four stars!

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

She doesn’t know I’m there, watching her in the mirror. She slides her hand under her blouse. And then I see something impossible. She isn’t pregnant…

She bursts into my life like a storm, and nothing is the same again. She seems so perfect, with her lilting laugh and her beautiful face. One by one, I watch as my friends fall under her spell.

Only I seem to suspect something. Only I see that her smiles don’t reach her cold, furious eyes. And when I’m accused of things I didn’t do, when my home is vandalized, I know she’s behind it. But she only lets her mask slip when no one is looking, so if I say anything, I’ll look crazy.

So when the baby shower comes around I’m there, sitting on a velvet sofa in a posh hotel room, surrounded by balloons. We share gifts, we pour small glasses of champagne, and she beams, her bump just visible under her bright red shirt.

But that afternoon, I finally learn the unbelievable truth.

There is no baby…

This was actually really good!

Jane and Sophie had been friends…until Lexie comes along. Lexie changes Jane’s life drastically so much that she loses her only friend Sophie to her, who has fallen into her spell. Lexie somehow makes Jane’s life miserable, for no reason. Then both Sophie and Lexie gets pregnant and Lexie hosts a baby shower at her expense. By chance, Jane sneaks into Lexie in the bathroom…and finds that she wasn’t pregnant and has been faking it…

Initially, it started out a little slow but gradually, it started gaining its momentum. The story is told from Jane’s perspective mostly and also Frankie, Jane’s boyfriend, who falls into a woman named Natasha’s charm. Towards the middle of the book, with the start of the baby shower–things start getting interesting with Jane finding out that Lexie is faking her pregnancy. Jane being a loyal friend tells Sophie who dismisses her and the two friends stop talking. It was really intense what with Jane finding out about Frankie and soon, the ending got really interesting. I kind of predicted the ending but nonetheless, I was hooked into the book from start to finish! The author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. I started liking Jane as in my opinion, she is a strong and courageous woman. I was glad “SPOILER ALERT” that she and Sophie did not continue being friends .

This is quiet an unputdownable thriller that will keep you up all night–worth four stars!

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

Never overstay your welcome…

One year ago, Avery’s best friend Sadie was found dead – dashed on the rocks the night of the infamous end-of-summer party. To Avery’s disbelief, the police quickly rule Sadie’s death a suicide.

A year later new evidence surfaces that suggests Sadie was murdered. Evidence that places Avery under suspicion. Grief-stricken and ostracized, Avery must clear her name before she’s branded a killer…

The Last House Guest was in Reese Witherspoon’s book club list so I decided to check the book out–I am having mixed feelings about the book.

Avery’s friend Sadie disappeared on the night of the summer end party. Her body was later found and the police ruled it out as suicide. Later on the police confirmed that Sadie was murdered and Avery was the main suspect. Avery must do anything to clear her name and find the real killer.

The story is mainly told from Avery’s point of view and divides the time between the days before the party to the present day. Initially, it was a slow burn, now very fast paced and it kind of got boring but towards the end, it got interesting with some twists along the way. The ending was OK. However, it wasn’t that of a great thriller but in my opinion it was an OK one for me.

Overall, I give this book a three star rating.

What was it like? Living in that house.

Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into a rambling Victorian estate called Baneberry Hall. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a memoir called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon.

Now, Maggie has inherited Baneberry Hall after her father’s death. She was too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist.

But when she returns to Baneberry Hall to prepare it for sale, her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the pages of her father’s book lurk in the shadows, and locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself – a place that hints of dark deeds and unexplained happenings.

As the days pass, Maggie begins to believe that what her father wrote was more fact than fiction. That, either way, someone – or something – doesn’t want her here. And that she might be in danger all over again . . .

Out of all the three books I have read of Riley Sager, in my personal opinion, this is his best book.

Twenty five years ago, Maggie Holt and her parents, Ewan and Jess moved to their “dream” house, known as Baneberry Hall, located in the small town of Vermonth. But three weeks later, the family fled the house after encounting a “dark” spirit–which prompted Ewan to publish a memoir known as “House of Horrors” which became an instant bestseller.

Now Maggie has inherited the Baneberry Hall from her father and believed that what her father had written were all lies. She moves to the Baneberry Hall and then realizes that what her father has written were facts and not fiction. Something…or someone doesn’t want her to live in the house.

From start to finish, the story was intense and gripping and I was literally hooked from the beginning. The story is mainly told from Maggie’s perspectives, with her motive to prove that her father’s ghost tale about the house was false. Then there were excerpts from her father’s book, retelling the story that happened twenty five years ago, when Maggie was five years old. As a reader, I wondered, is the house really haunted? What dark secrets are hiding inside this house? What made Maggie’s parents leave the house leaving behind all their things in the middle of the night? I kept reading this book, waiting to find the answers and finally, towards the end, I got the answer! Though I expected that ending, it was such a twist that left me really chilling….

I really like Riley Sager’s writing–while reading this book, I actually felt like I was watching a horror movie and not really reading a book–this book kind of reminded me of the horror movie, Conjuring a little bit. Though there were no jump scares moments (except the snake part), nonetheless, it was a little scary at some places to read. So kudos to the author for doing a good job of creating a horror atmosphere in the book and making the book engaging. Maggie Holt, the main protagonist is a complex character–she is an adult and doesn’t really want to believe in ghosts, with her mother urging her to stay away but at the same time, she was having a mixed feelings about her father’s book. I have to say, this is somewhat an engaging horror thriller.

Overall, if you like a version of horror movie that will make you scared, this book is one for you–worth full five stars!

‘Think Jack Reacher fronting Line of Duty’ Ian Rankin

You get away with murder.
In a remote sea loch on the west coast of Scotland, a fisherman vanishes without trace. His remains are never found.
 
You make people disappear.
A young man jumps from a bridge in Glasgow and falls to his death in the water below. DS Max Craigie uncovers evidence that links both victims. But if he can’t find out what cost them their lives, it won’t be long before more bodies turn up at the morgue…
 
You come back for revenge.
Soon cracks start to appear in the investigation, and Max’s past hurtles back to haunt him. When his loved ones are threatened, he faces a terrifying choice: let the only man he ever feared walk free, or watch his closest friend die…

When reading this book, I thought I was watching an action packed thriller that is keeping me at the edge of my seat!

In a remote place, a fisherman disappears without trace. Then a man jumps out of the bridge to his death and soon, the police find clues that link the two cases together.

This is the second book of the DS Mac Craigie series although I haven’t read the first book of the series yet. Though it was slightly confusing initially, gradually, I was hooked into the story from the start to the finish! The writing was good and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story, making the reader feel like they are in this adventure with Max and Janie and Ross! In fact, I can’t wait for the third book of the series to come out soon!

Overall, this is an unputdownable thriller that will keep you up all night–worth five stars!

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

A totally gripping mystery thriller inspired by a true story: an innocent young girl holds the key to unlocking a long-buried crime. Perfect for fans of Gregg Olsen, Catherine Ryan Howard and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. Pulse-pounding, heart-wrenching and unforgettable.

Manchester, England 1965: Little Kathy Openshaw is waiting in the car with only her toy doll for company. Whilst her mother Connie visits close friends Myra and Ian, Kathy gazes out at the surrounding moorland and dreams of a happier life.

But when Connie returns to the car, Kathy has vanished. Instantly she thinks of the news reports of the children who have gone missing from the area. Parents everywhere are worried sick. Connie is struck with terror: what kind of mother leaves their child alone when a kidnapper is on the loose?

Black Fell Farm, Saddleworth Moor: no one has visited Ronald’s farm in decades. But when a young couple start acting suspiciously on his land and a mysterious visitor arrives on his doorstep, Ronald feels instantly threatened. He doesn’t want any unwanted attention directed towards his farm.

For on the wild and desolate moorland, Ronald has buried his own dark crime for years and if his secret is ever exposed, it will be more than just his life at stake…

Completely addictive and inspired by the true crime story of the Moors murders, this stunning mystery will keep you reading long into the night.

The title and the plot was intriguing to me and so I requested this book through the Netgalley.

The story is set during the 1965 when Kathy Oppenshaw was in the car playing with the doll while her mother Connie was visiting friends. When she returned back to the car, her daughter, Kathy is missing. Connie had heard of the kidnapping of young children in the area and blames herself for leaving her daughter behind. Meanwhile, Ronald returns back to the moorland where a couple start acting suspiciously. Ronald do not want anyone to be near the moor as he had buried the secret many years ago.

This was a good thriller though not very fast paced and not much of twists and turns you would usually expect in a thriller. However, I do like the 1965 setting, slightly different from the normal thrillers that I usually based which is based on the present day. But anyway, it was enjoyable, the author’s writing style was good and the ending was really good.

Overall, this is a good thriller and worth three stars!

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