Tropical Girl Reads

One By One – Book Review

Note:- I know I am mostly posting non ARC books but I have to clear my Goodreads shelf

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Turn of the Key and In a Dark, Dark Wood returns with another suspenseful thriller set on a snow-covered mountain.

Getting snowed in at a luxurious, rustic ski chalet high in the French Alps doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world. Especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a full-service chef and housekeeper, a cozy fire to keep you warm, and others to keep you company. Unless that company happens to be eight coworkers…each with something to gain, something to lose, and something to hide.

When the cofounder of Snoop, a trendy London-based tech startup, organizes a weeklong trip for the team in the French Alps, it starts out as a corporate retreat like any other: PowerPoint presentations and strategy sessions broken up by mandatory bonding on the slopes. But as soon as one shareholder upends the agenda by pushing a lucrative but contentious buyout offer, tensions simmer and loyalties are tested. The storm brewing inside the chalet is no match for the one outside, however, and a devastating avalanche leaves the group cut off from all access to the outside world. Even worse, one Snooper hadn’t made it back from the slopes when the avalanche hit.

As each hour passes without any sign of rescue, panic mounts, the chalet grows colder, and the group dwindles further…one by one.

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Date published:- September 8th 2020

Publisher:- Gallery Scout Press

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 4/5 stars

A Christmas Carol” at the Indiana Repertory Theatre (4 stars) – Indianapolis Theater Reviews

After the reading, Woman at the Cabin 10, written by Ruth Ware, I was determined to read more books written by the same author. One By One is one of her books and boy, what a thrilling ride I had with this book!

Plot:- A famous company named Snoop comes over to a chalet located in the ski resort of St Antoine. But an avalanche blocks the resort and soon, one by the one, the members of the company goes missing or…dead. Could one of them be the murderer?

Good things:-

The story is told from the perspectives of Erin, who is the chalet girl and Liz one of the members of the Snoop. Both seemed to be having something to hide and both their characters in my opinion are interesting characters.
There were twists and turns in the book and to be frank, I was literally hooked into this book. I felt like I was in some sort of horror movie where you are trapped in a room with a murderer.
In fact, towards the end, I literally couldn’t put the book down that I wanted to know, what the hell was going to happen next!!!! I was so engrossed into the book.
I mean can you imagine you are trapped inside the chalet with no electricity, no running water and literally no connection to the outside world? Even though I was just reading the book, I kind of felt like one of those characters, feeling nervous, scared being locked inside a chalet.
The writing was so good and intense that I have to give kudos to the author. I think this book is much better than her pervious book I have read. Thus Ruth Ware has become one of my favorite authors.
The plot was really good, which was the main reason why I wanted to read this book and there was so much suspense in the story.

Now the bad things

I kind of knew who the murderer is–it was a bit predictable. So the ending was a bit predictable though the reason why the person did was shocking and sad.
Except for Erin’s character, I found some of the characters a bit annoying.

Overall, this book was like a roller coaster ride that you would finish this book in one go!

Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key and One by One have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times, and she is published in more than 40 languages. She lives on the south coast of England, with her family.

Visit http://www.ruthware.com to find out more, or find her on facebook or twitter as @RuthWareWriter

A Summer Scandal – Book Review

Summer has never been so scandalous…

When Violet moves to Swallow Beach, she inherits a small Victorian pier with an empty arcade perched on the end of it, and falls in love immediately. She wants nothing more than to rejuvenate it and make it grand again – but how?

When she meets hunky Calvin, inspiration strikes. What if she turned the arcade into an adult-themed arcade full of artisan shops?

Not everyone in the town is happy with the idea, but Violet loves her arcade and business begins to boom. But as tensions worsen and the heat between her and Calvin begins to grow, life at Swallow Beach becomes tricky. Is it worth staying to ride out the storm? And can Violet find her own happy ending before the swallows fly south for the winter?

Sexy, sassy and full of heart, Kat French is back in a new summer sizzler.

No. of pages:- 305 pages

Date published:- June 28th 2018

Publisher:- Avon

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

This is the first book I have read from this author and surprisingly I enjoyed reading this book.

Plot:- After her grandfather Henry died, Violet inherits a pier in Swallow Beach–the place where her grandparents her mother used to live. Violet decides to move into the pier. While there, she meets Cal who looks more like a handsome Greek God, Barty, an eighty year old man who remembers Violet’s grandmother. But as Violet is getting used to live in Swallow Beach, Gladys the mayoress did not want pier to go to Violet and the fact that she was planning to convert adult themed park.

Good things:-

The story is really good! The plot was good and the author actually did a good job, making the reader hooked into the story.
The characters except for Gladys and Ursula are likable characters, particularly Violet.
I like the slow budding romance between Violet and Cal and how Violet soon got the community to support her.
While reading this book, I felt like I was in Swallow Beach with the characters.
There were some funny and comical moments in the book that I was bursting out laughing at some scenes!

Bad things:-

The book started a bit slow but then it picked up its momentum towards the end.

Overall, this is a cozy, romance book that you feel like you are enjoying the summer at Swallow Beach with Violet!

Kat writes romantic comedy for HarperCollins. She lives in England with her husband, two little boys and two crazy cats. She loves all things romance – reading it, watching it, and most of all, writing it. Mildly addicted to wine and fairy lights.

She also writes steamy erotic romance as her USA Today bestselling naughtier alter-ego Kitty French.

If you’d like to receive Kat’s newsletter about upcoming releases, please email on katfrenchwriter@me.com

What Alice Forgot – Book Review

What Alice Forgot: From the bestselling author of Big Little Lies, now an award winning TV series by [Liane Moriarty]

How can ten years of your life just disappear?

Alice is twenty-nine.

She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house.

She’s newly engaged to the wonderful Nick, and is pregnant with her first baby. But there’s just one problem.

That was ten years ago . . .

Alice slipped in her step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade.

Now she’s a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn’t speaking to her.

This is her life, but not as she knows it.

Just how many mistakes can you make in a decade?

Can she ever get back to the woman she used to be?

No. of pages:- 514 pages

Date published:- May 27th 2010

Publisher:- Penguin

Genre:- Women’s Fiction

Rating:- 2.5/5 stars

Here’s the thing–I LOVE Liane Moriarty’s books, having read Big Little Lies and My Husband’s Secret so I was determined to read all her books. What Alice Forgot is one of Liane Moriarty’s books and I expected I would enjoy this book as much as I did with her two other books.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy this book at all.

Plot:- Alice Love is twenty eight years, she is married to Nick and she is expecting their first child together and were planning to name the child as Sultana. But…Alice was twenty eight years old ten years ago. After doing a hectic exercise at the gym, Alice’s memory was lost and she believed she was twenty eight years old, when in fact she was in her forties, on the verge of getting divorce from her husband, already a mother of three children and is not in speaking term with her sister Elizabeth, with whom she believed to have a close relationship.

Good things about the book:–

The plot was unique and good. Alice lost her memory and her mind drifts back to ten years before. She has no idea why she is getting divorce, why everyone seem to hate her including her sister so I was actually intrigued with this book.
The writing as usual was good and I do love Moriarty’s style of writing.

But…

The book is way too long for a story like this. I was so bored that I almost DNF the book but usually, I don’t do DNF so I just skimmed through the last bits to finish off the book fast.
I didn’t like the main character, Alice at all. In fact none of the characters to me was appealing.
I felt some parts were being so repetitive and I am not sure if this was intentional to make the story longer.
Alice’s part was written in third person perspective but Elizabeth her sister was written in the first person perspective. I thought, in my opinion that Elizabeth’s part and Frannie’s blog is completely unnecessary in the story as this book is all about Alice.
I am a bit confused about Alice–did Alice get her memory back? From what I understand, yes. Did Alice and Nick get back together? Yes from what I can see.

Here’s the thing, I am not saying Moriarty is a bad writer–she is in fact really a good writer. But I will not recommend this book as she do have two best books in her resume. So overall, I found this book boring, with too much repetition and found the whole thing bland.

Liane Moriarty is the Australian author of eight internationally best-selling novels: Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist’s Love Story, Nine Perfect Strangers and the number one New York Times bestsellers: The Husband’s Secret, Big Little Lies and Truly Madly Guilty. Her books have been translated into over forty languages and sold more than 20 million copies.

Big Little Lies and Truly Madly Guilty both debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list – the first time this was ever achieved by an Australian author. Big Little Lies was adapted into a multiple award-winning HBO series with a star-studded cast including Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. Hulu is adapting Nine Perfect Strangers into a limited series starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy for release in 2021.

Her new novel, Apples Never Fall, will be released in September 2021.

Liane lives in Sydney, Australia, together with her husband, son and daughter. You can find out more at http://www.lianemoriarty.com and http://www.facebook.com/LianeMoriartyAuthor

Dial A for Aunties – Book Review

Dial A For Aunties: The laugh-out-loud romantic comedy debut novel of 2021 for fans of Crazy Rich Asians by [Jesse Q Sutanto]

**Your family would kill to see you happy**

‘Whip-smart, original and so funny. I found it impossible to put down and lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud’ Beth O’Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Switch

‘ARE YOU…DEAD?’
OH MY GOD. I THINK HE IS.
When Meddy Chan accidentally kills her blind date, she turns to her aunties for help. Their meddling set her up on the date so they kind of owe her.

WELL, THAT DIDN’T QUITE GO TO PLAN.
Although hiding this goddamn dead body is going to be harder than they thought especially when her family’s wedding business has THE biggest wedding of the year happening right now.

IT’S PRETTY BAD TIMING REALLY.
It turns out the wedding venue just happens to be managed by Meddy’s ex, aka the one who got away. It’s the worst time to see him again, or…is it? Can Meddy finally find love and make her overbearing family happy?

No. of pages:- 303 pages

Publisher:- HQ

Date published:- April 27th 2021

Genre:- Rom com/Dark Humor

Rating:- 4/5 stars

This book reminds me of a typical Asian lifestyle in a comical way.

Plot :- Madeline “Meddy” Chan was set up on a blind date by her mother. But the blind date turned sour and Meddy accidentally kills the blind date. And to whom does she seek for help? Her aunties of course with different personalities! And while they plot on how to get rid of the body, one of Meddy’s aunts keep the body in a cooler. But here’s the thing–the next day, there’s a big wedding that the aunties, Meddy and her mother are a part of and so when the cooler is also accidentally set off to the wedding venue, that’s where things started to get crazy for Meddy, her mother and her aunts.

Good ones:-

I used the audiobook and so the narrator did a good job keeping me the listener hooked into the story and the author also did a good job drawing the reader to the story
I am not very much familiar with Indo-Chinese culture so it was good to read about it in this book, particularly the tea ceremony that was held before the wedding (and where the drama starts)
I feel like I was watching a rom com movie with so much comedy scenes that there were some parts in the book where I burst out laughing! And speaking of rom com movies–this book will be made into a Netflix series soon!
I kind of feel connected to the story in someway, since I am a South Asian–how the families would all come together in an event of an emergency or trouble–and in this case murder!
The ramblings and bickering between the aunties were so comical to listen to that I couldn’t help but laugh!
I actually like Meddy’s close relationship with her aunts and her mother and her developing budding romance between Meddy and Nathan, her old flame.

Now here are the bad ones

The story in a way is unrealistic in some ways so as I mentioned earlier, this would be perfect for a make a believe rom com movie
The main character, Meddy to me was naïve and unsympathetic and there were times when I didn’t have a connection with her.

Overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book! Despite some flaws, overall, it was quiet and enjoyable, funny read that you wouldn’t want to put down! Prepare to laugh out loud and witness the drama between the four aunties!

Jesse Q Sutanto is the author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, and Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit. She has a master’s degree in creative writing from Oxford University, though she hasn’t found a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. The film rights to her women’s fiction, Dial A for Aunties, was bought by Netflix in a competitive bidding war. The novel will be out in April 2021. Jesse lives in Indonesia with her husband, her two daughters, and her ridiculously large extended family, many of whom live just down the road.

The Silent Witness (Detective Amanda Steele Book 3) – ARC Book Review

The Silent Witness: An absolutely unputdownable crime thriller (Detective Amanda Steele Book 3) by [Carolyn Arnold]

It’s 4 a.m. when her mom shakes her awake. “Get up baby, we’re going to play hide and seek.” The little girl presses back into the dark space, holding her breath as she hears the shots ring out. She knows she’s next…

When the bodies of a local family are discovered on a quiet street in the small town of Dumfries, Virginia, Detective Amanda Steele takes charge of the case. Brett and Angela Parker were shot three times each, leaving no hope of survival, and their tidy suburban home has been ransacked. But there is no sign of their beloved six-year-old, Zoe.

Zoe is the same age as Amanda’s daughter was when she died, and Amanda can’t bear the thought of another little girl in danger. She’s organizing a search for the child, when she notices something strange about the ottoman at the foot of the Parkers’ bed. She opens it to find Zoe, mute and traumatized, but alive.

With Zoe completely uncommunicative, Amanda must find another way to untangle what destroyed this seemingly perfect family. It’s clear that the killer is searching for something the Parkers had, and until she has this monster behind bars, Amanda fears that he may return for Zoe. When she learns that Brett Parker cut short the family’s recent lakeside vacation, she wonders why. What happened at that lake house, and did it ultimately get them killed?

Amanda heads out to Lake Chesdin on the feeling it might be key to the case, and when she finds a cell phone in the murky waters next to the Parker cabin, she knows she’s made a breakthrough. But then terrible news reaches her from Dumfries; Zoe has been taken from her school playground.

Someone wants to silence the Parker family for good, can Amanda catch them before the little girl she’s desperate to protect pays the price?

A completely gripping and addictive crime thriller that will keep fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan and Robert Dugoni entertained into the early hours.

No. of pages:- 263 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on September 24th 2021

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Behold! Detective Amanda Steele is back with a brand new case!

Plot:- How would you deal with a situation, when both parents are murdered at gun point and the only witness is the six year old girl who was hiding? Zoe Parker saw both her parents being murdered at gun point. Detective Amanda Steele and her partner Trent are in charge of this case. While investigating this case, they find that the Parkers were on a vacation in Lake Chesdin, a few days before their murder but their vacation was cut short by returning early. And while investigating, they find out that Zoe Parker’s father was a witness to a horrible crime committed at the lake and the detectives think that the they are both related. Then while in school, Zoe Parker was abducted and Amanda and her partner Trent realize that they are running out of time…

Good ones

Gosh, there are so many good things about this book!

From the first chapter to the end, the story was so gripping that I was literally hooked into the story, not wanting to put the book down!
I felt like I was watching some sort of acting-packed thriller and I felt like I was sitting at the edge of my seat while reading this book!–it was that good!
The slow budding developing relationship between Zoe and Amanda sounds so maternal and touching–that Amanda in fact reminded Zoe of her deceased daughter Lindsey which was very touching to read.
So many of twists and turns, many are unexpected and as I said earlier, quite unputdownable!
The writing of this was intense, the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story!
AND I cannot wait for the fourth book to come soon!

Bad things…not many!

Overall, this was an unputdownable, gripping twisty thriller that will keep you up all night!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

The Liar’s Child – ARC Book Review

The Liar's Child: A totally gripping and nail-biting psychological thriller by [Sheryl Browne]

I’ll do anything to protect my daughter…

When I pick my beloved daughter Poppy up from school one afternoon, my mind races when I see the little girl holding Poppy’s hand. With the same heart-shaped face, long brown hair and dark eyes, the two girls look identical. In fact, they look like sisters.

Is the secret I’ve been holding on to for so long about to be revealed?

That night, I cuddle Poppy even harder, desperately trying to decide what to do. And then my husband’s phone vibrates. A message. And then another. And another. All from a number I don’t recognise.

Is someone going to tell my husband what I did? Could I be about to lose everything I have worked so hard to protect?

But I’ve spent so long hiding the truth, I never stopped to wonder if I was the only liar in the family… The only thing I’m sure of is that nobody is going to take my child away from me.

If you can’t get enough of addictive psychological thrillers like Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us and The Marriage, you’ll love The Liar’s Child. With nail-biting suspense and an ending that will make your heart pound, this is one book you simply won’t be able to put down.

No. of pages:- 359 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on September 21st 2021

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 4.5/5

Of all the books I have read of Sheryl Browne, this book I must say is one of her best.

Plot :-Kay is a creative writing professor at a university and her husband, Matthew is a doctor. When Kay goes to school to pick her daughter Poppy up, she introduces Kay to her new friend named Olivia. But here’s the thing–Olivia and Poppy they both look alike that Kay was sure that both of them are sharing the same father and Kay is determined to find the secret…

Good:-
Let’s start with the good ones in the book

*The author has done tremendous research on the neonatal diseases and other medical terms to make this story more realistic as possible.

The story started off well and by the middle of the book, things started to get heated up and came gripping wth unexpected twists and turns you wouldn’t really have expected.
Many of these characters are unreliable and complex characters particular Kay and her husband Matthew, both of them seem to be hiding something dark secrets. Both characters suspect of each other and Kay believes Olivia is a love child of Matthew and Matthew believes Kay is hiding something. Meanwhile, another woman weasels her way into Kay and Matt’s life–Amelia. Kay knows this woman as Amelia, a student in her class and Matt knows her as Rachel the part time nurse. Though Amelia’s perspective was not much given, it’s very clear that she has a set agenda against Kay or Matt with a plot to take revenge, and as a reader, you are wondering what that is all about!
The author has done a good job drawing the reader to the story! I was literally hooked from the beginning to the end, wanting to know what is going to happen next!
And what a rollercoaster ride I had with this book!

Bad things…well literally I couldn’t find any actually–I must say, this book is one of Sheryl’s best work so far!

Overall, this was such a gripping thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat!

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

Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, writes taut, twisty psychological thriller. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Sheryl has also obtained a Certificate of Achievement in Forensic Science and – according to readers – she makes an excellent psychopath. Sheryl’s latest psychological thriller THE LIAR’S CHILD comes to you from fabulous BOOKOUTURE. Her previous works include eight previous psychological thrillers, all with Bookouture, and the DI Matthew Adams Crime Thriller series, along with contemporary fiction novels, The Rest of My Life and Learning to Love published by ChocLit.

Sheryl lives in Worcestershire UK with her husband and her rescue dogs, Brie and Pablo. She expects her family to grow, however. imminent arrivals being other rescue dogs with disabilities who need that extra special bit of love and care.

To find out more about Sheryl’s novels, go to http://www.facebook.com/SherylBrowne.Author/ or follow @SherylBrowne on Twitter. To find out more about Sheryl, go to http://www.sherylbrowne.com

The Girl Who Survived – ARC Book Review

The Girl Who Survived: Based on a true story, an utterly unputdownable and heart-wrenching World War 2 page-turner by [Ellie Midwood]

Germany, 1941: “We live together, or we die together.” A novel that will stay with you forever, The Girl Who Survived tells the inspiring true story of Ilse Stein, a German Jew who was imprisoned in a ghetto––and who fell in love with the man she was supposed to loathe.

For eighteen-year-old Ilse life is unrecognizable. A year ago, she wasn’t forced to wear a star on her clothes. A year ago, her parents were alive, not yet killed by their own countrymen. A year ago, she had her freedom.

Now, at the break of dawn, she steps off the cattle train into a Minsk ghetto. This is Ilse’s new home: trapped by barbed wire, surrounded by SS guards she is forbidden to look in the eye, with no choice but to trade the last of her belongings for scraps of food. Sentenced for the crime of simply existing, she doesn’t expect to live past the summer.

Yet the prisoners in the ghetto refuse to give up––the underground resistance is plotting their escape. Ilse’s first act of defiance is smuggling from the munitions factory, slipping bullets into the lining of her pockets.

But this is just the beginning… When Ilse meets Wilhem, a local SS administrative officer, she never dreams that her greatest rebellion will be falling for him. Wilhem promises that she will survive, even if the cost is his life. But in a world of such danger, daring to love is the most dangerous risk of all…

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and Orphan Train will be completely gripped by this heartbreaking tale. Based on a true story, this powerful novel shows that love is stronger than terror, and that when life takes everything from you, death is not to be feared…

No. of pages:- 316 pages

Date published:- will be published on 7th September 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

Ellie Midwood has become one of my favorite authors in historical fiction genre!

“We live together, or we die together.”

Plot :- The Girl Who Survived is based on true events, about the lives of Ilse Stein, a German Jew and Wilhelm an SS administrative officer. Ilse’s life turned upside down when she and her family were sent to Minsk ghetto. She becomes friends with Lisa, a Soviet Jew and starts working for Wilhem. She was supposed to hate him but in the end, a romantic relationship develops between the two and Ilse gets involved in supplying ammunition to the partisan groups.

Good Things:- As usual, Ellie’s writing is mesmerizing and captivating and knows how to make the reader get into the story. I was so hooked into the writing that I couldn’t even put the book down! As usual, any Holocaust stories that are based on true stories will make me emotional and this book was one of the emotional reads. The story is told from Ilse’s point of view and her raw emotions, feelings seemed all too real. When one reads this book, it’s like you couldn’t believe that these things did happen in real life–the brutal things. The author must have done tremendous research on this story so kudos to the author! I have heard many stories about how the Nazis treated Russians with brutality so here also, we get a peek at how Soviets were treated. Some parts were heartbreaking to read.

I also liked the slow-budding romance between Ilse and Wilhelm. If you know the history behind the Nazis, the romance between Jews and Germans is forbidden so as a reader, I was worried that someone might find out about their relationship! The ending was so emotional but I wish I know what really happened to Ilse and Wilhelm in the end–the story ends in the year in 1943.

There is literally nothing I didn’t like about this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. 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 Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

Mid Year Book Rating

I know it’s the end of August almost and the year is soon coming to an end. But I thought I would do a blog where I would take two of the best books I have read in each genre so far! This includes both the ARC and the books that have been already published

Let’s start with one of my favorite genres–Thriller/Mystery

So far my favorites are

The Wife Between Us – By Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks

2. The Girl from Silent Lake – Leslie Wolfe

The Girl from Silent Lake (Leslie Wolfe) » p.1 » Global Archive Voiced Books Online Free

Next is Romance genre, so far my favorite books I have read in romance genre are

Take a Hint Dani Brown – Talia Hibbert

Take a Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters, #2) by Talia Hibbert

2. One Night Only – Catherine Walsh

Now let’s go to Historical fiction–unfortunately there are too many favorite historical fiction in my list but with almost difficulty I chose these two!

The Girl at the Back of the Bus – Suzette D Harrison

Amazon.com: The Girl at the Back of the Bus: An absolutely heart-wrenching historical novel: 9781800191747: Harrison, Suzette D.: Books

Tie – 2nd place goes to Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson and The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

The Henna Artist (The Henna Artist, #1) by Alka Joshi

Now, I used to not like reading YA genre themed books but so far, the YA genre I read were so good that like historical fiction genre, I am having a hard time selecting two books that I enjoyed most.

So first stop goes to

The Firekeeper’s Daughter – Angeline Boulley

Firekeeper's Daughter: The New York Times No. 1 Bestseller: Amazon.co.uk: Boulley, Angeline: 9781786079046: Books

2nd place is tie – Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean and With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Tokyo Ever After (Tokyo Ever After, #1) by Emiko Jean

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

LGBTQ Themed books have also become one of my favorite Genre books lately. Here are my top two books belonging to LGBT genre

The House of the Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Literary or Women’s Fiction–here are my two favorites from this genre

The Inn at Tansy Falls – Cate Woods

2. The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season- Molly Fader

So which of the books you enjoyed most reading?

The Children’s Secret – ARC Book Review

THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS ASKING.
BUT THEY’RE NOT TELLING . . .

At a children’s party . . .
Nothing ever happens in a sleepy American town like Middlebrook. Until the shocking events of one hot Saturday afternoon when, at a back-to-school party, nine children sneak off to a barn. And one child is shot by another.

In the media storm that sweeps the nation . . .
The press are asking questions. About the type of parents who let their children play unsupervised in a house with guns. About how damaged a child must be to commit this kind of atrocity.

In the ensuing police investigation . . .
Two questions are the most urgent, and the most baffling. Of the nine children who were present in that barn, which one actually pulled the trigger?

And why are the others staying silent?

Incredibly gripping and gorgeously written, this is a spellbinding novel that asks how far we’ll go to protect our children, and how we can come together when so much divides us.

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Publisher:- Sphere

Date published:- will be published on September 7th 2021

Genre:- Suspense

I am having mixed feelings about this book.

Plot – the plot was interesting and intriguing, which is the main reason why I chose and requested for this ARC. Ten children were at a party and they were inside a stable when one of the children fired a gun, leaving another child in coma. The story basically tells about the effects of after shooting.

Let’s start with good things
–I like the diversity in this book–from all American families to Pakistani and British immigrants living in the small town of Texas.
–As I mentioned earlier, the plot was interesting and intriguing
–The first few parts of the book was interesting and left me hanging in some parts.

Now the bad things
— Though the writing was good, too much repetition in certain parts that left me bored with the book.
—The characters are all bland to me and I found Priscilla’s character so annoying. I do understand the distraught and distress she is in, considering the fact that it was her daughter who got shot and is in coma but come on, she didn’t have to turn this into a political agenda (oopsy, a bit of a spoiler here)
—400 pages is a lot for a story like this one. 200-300 pages would be more sufficient. Lot of unnecessary stuff that would leave the reader slightly bored

Nonetheless, I did enjoy this book and found this book more a family drama sort of thing than a mystery/thriller

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

THE CHILDREN’S SECRET is my first novel under my pen name, Nina Monroe – you can find my other novels, both for adults and young adults, under Virginia Macgregor.

I was born in Germany, spent my toddler years on the island of Corsica and moved to Oxford in England at aged five where I realised I had to learn English pretty fast if my five year old friends were going to understand a word I was saying!

I went to school and studied at Oxford before becoming an English teacher and working in boarding schools around the UK. Working with teenagers inspired me to write my YA novels, WISHBONES and AS FAR AS THE STARS. I still dream of writing a boarding school novel one day – those communities are filled to the brim with stories.

While I was teaching, I spent every spare minute I had – early in the morning, at weekends, on holidays – writing. When I met my husband he told me to take a year out to write and to see whether I could make it as a published author. I never looked back.

In 2016 I moved to New Hampshire in the US with my husband, my two year old daughter and our two cats. Living here inspired me to write THE CHILDREN’S SECRET: I wanted to explore the rich, complex and difficult issue of gun control through the lens of a small New Hampshire community. I now have three children and four cats and live in a lovely light blue house in Concord, New Hampshire and yes, my kids how have an American accent and you might, occasionally, find me saying diaper instead of nappy.

You can find my other novels under Virginia Macgregor: WHAT MILO SAW, THE RETURN OF NORAH WELLS, BEFORE I WAS YOURS, YOU FOUND ME, WISHBONES & AS FAR AS THE STARS.

Do look up my website for more about my books, information about my latest events and you can also a sign-up for my newsletter: http://www.virginiamacgregor.com.

The New Home – ARC Book Review

The New Home: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist by [Chris Merritt]

You never know what’s happening behind closed doors…

Freya loves her new home on a quiet suburban street. And her beautiful neighbour Emily is everything she’s ever wanted in a best friend. Finally, she has somebody to share her secrets with over a glass of wine. But as Freya watches her new friend setting the table for dinner one evening, she sees something shocking that makes her think that Emily’s life might not be as perfect as it seems. Days later, Emily and her daughter vanish…

When you meet Emily’s husband, you will think you know what he’s hiding.

You will ask yourself whether Emily and Freya really did meet by chance.

You will think you know what happened to Emily and her little girl the night they went missing.

But when you discover the truth, it will shake you to your core and you will lie awake at night wondering if you can ever really trust the people in the house next door…

Fans of Claire McGowan, Shalini Boland and Lisa Jewell will love the gripping tension and unexpected twists of The New Home. Once you start reading, you’ll be hooked!

No. of pages:- 302 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on September 7th 2021

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 4/5

After reading Detective Lockhart series by Chris Merrit which actually had me hooked, I was looking forward to read more of his books. The New Home is actually his standalone psychological thriller and I was super duper excited that I got this book!

Freya Northcort moves into their dream house with her fiance Jack, a cardiologist. She meets Emily and her daughter Thea along with her husband Michael who lives opposite their house. A month later, Emily and her daughter goes missing and Freya thinks Michael has something to do with the disappearance. As Freya becomes more and more embroiled in her own investigation, she is facing many threats, asking her to stay away from the investigation…

I think it was actually an enjoyable thriller to me. The story is mainly told from Freya’s point of view so at what point as a reader, you support her but when her mental history comes through, we wonder if she was delusional. Everyone seemed to be a viable suspect in this story–from Michael to even her own fiance, Jack. The writing was great, the author as usual doing a good job of drawing the reader into the story. The ending…was completely unexpected and what a twisted ending! Didn’t even realize that it would end in a bit dramatic way.

Overall, this book gave me a rollercoaster ride filled with unexpected twists and turns, guaranteed that you would stay up all night, trying to find out what the heck is going to happen next!

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

Hello! I’m a British author whose crime thrillers combine psychology, suspense, and characters you care about.

All my novels are set in London, where I live. My first trilogy starred Zac Boateng and Kat Jones, two detectives motivated by family, who tackle organised crime and police corruption. LAST WITNESS, the second Boateng and Jones book, reached #13 in the UK Kindle chart in 2019.

My second series features detective Dan Lockhart – an ex-soldier with a missing wife – and psychologist Dr Lexi Green, an American living in London. These novels are darker, more psychological serial-killer cases, with romantic relationships as a central theme.

I began writing fiction in 2014, after previous careers as a diplomat, based in Iraq and Jerusalem, and later as a psychologist working with victims and perpetrators of crime. I specialised in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which sparked my interest in telling stories about how people cope when faced with extreme adversity.

Now, I spend most of my time writing novels and drinking coffee while *thinking* about writing novels. When I’m not writing, I love climbing and playing basketball.

You can find out more about my work at http://www.cjmerritt.co.uk or follow me on Twitter @DrCJMerritt