Thriller

book Review

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“Men don’t have to pay attention the way we do. Men die because they make mistakes. Women? We die because we’re female.”

In horror movies, the final girl standing is the who’s left when all said is done. The one who survived while others including loved ones, friends, and others around her are gone, the one who fought back and made it to the end of the movie but what really happens to the brave souls who did what they needed to make it to the end? Well as I’m sure you would think anyone who survived something like this is need of extensive therapy and that is exact what happens once they get out of it. These brave women try to not let it define them as they work through their pain together in therapy as a group but what happens when one of the girls doesn’t show up for a session? The others know something is sinister is happening and they must act quickly before they get picked off one by one until there are no more final girls left.

This book was quite a wild ride and one that I didn’t expect to be so all over the place. This is my second book that I’ve read by Hendrix and I do like how he mixes in witty and dry humor as it makes it so more interesting and how he writes horror is done really well with keeping up the suspense throughout till the end.It did take some time to like some of the characters especially Lynette, I found her annoying but I did appreciate how different they were from one another. They seemed like such a odd bunch but the dynamics between them felt very real and not forced or awkward and the ending was absolutely bonkers. Being a horror novel, this book was filled with gore and gruesome acts of violence but it didn’t bother me as much as it would’ve years ago because I’m older and I do enjoy good slasher films from the time to time. If you’re into slashers, you might check this out but if you have a queasy stomach then I would skip this one.

Book Review: The Murder of Mr. Wickham

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The happily married, Mr. Knightley and his wife Emma are throwing a house party, bringing together distant relatives and new antiquates, characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. It will be a delight for everyone but all that is dashed when a unwelcome guest, Mr. Wickham shows up and it’s very obvious that no one is thrilled to see him as his latest financial scheme has earned him a long list of enemies, including people attending the party. As the party starts, secrets are to be revealed and tensions start to flare with everyone wishing Mr. Wickham would’ve never come at all. But they’re all shocked when the uninvited guest ends up murdered. To solve the mystery, they need someone who isn’t a suspect in the case and that falls on two of the youngest guest, Jonathan Darcy and Northranger Abbey and the two must put aside their poor first impressions before an innocent person is hanged.

This was a really fun who-dun-it and I absolutely loved how it was a retelling featuring Jane Austen’s leading literary characters as she’s one of my favorite authors. I thought the story was nicely done but I do wish that she would’ve added a bit more suspense and action in some of them because it did feel a bit boring at times. It did get chunky but at least the ending didn’t feel so rushed and wasn’t something that I predicted. I am planning on reading more retellings of historical fiction mysteries because I did really enjoy this one and hopefully will find more as enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining who-dun-it than this is it for you!

BOOK Review: ONe Of The Girls

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It was supposed to be the perfect weekend vacation for Lexi’s upcoming wedding that was just around the corner and all the girls were excited about spending it soaking up the sun, drinking martinis, and having fun while trying not to get into too much trouble. But, beneath the dangerous undercurrents, suspicious between the women began mount as each women is hiding a secret and someone is trying to make sure that Lexi’s wedding never happens and that one of them doesn’t leave the island once the trip is over. If the women don’t put aside their suspicious before it’s too late, there may not even be a wedding.

While the start was pretty slow, it picked up towards the middle and I was hooked till the end. The writing was what really helped me stay invested and I loved how well throughout the characters were and Lexi and Bella were the ones I liked and related to the most. It was a little challenging with so many POV’s and some weren’t as interesting as the others but I got used to it. There were surprises that I didn’t see coming which is always a good sign of a mystery living up the hype and being true to the genre. A lot of times there are books that I’ve read that were proposing but I could tell early on what was going to happen. So all in all, it was a fun and exciting thriller!!

BOOK REVIEW: JUST LIKE HOME

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“This house, the house her father built, the house where her mother would die—this place was safe. This place knew her. This place was where she belonged.”

As much as Vera wanted to disobey her mother’s words to come home, she knew that she couldn’t continue to run anymore. She had to face the memories that she had buried deep never to think about them again, to the home that she grew up in and the home of a serial killer. To make matters worse, she’s not alone as there is a parasitic artist is living in the guest house while also stripping up her childhood home. Even though he swears, he’s not the one writing letters in her father’s handwriting, she can’t help but be on her guard a bit more when he’s around. In order to deal with her past, she must face the secrets that will be discovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder house.

This book was so fucking creepy but at the same time so freaking good. I was on the edge of my seat as I turned the page as I didn’t know what to expect but I didn’t think it would be this creepy. The writing really helped set the mood and I found myself very invested from the beginning and even though it was slow in some parts, I felt as though the pacing was right. Vera is quite an interesting and intriguing character and I did feel for her especially during the parts about her childhood in particular the relationship with her mother. I think that’s something I strongly related to her as I’ve had my own problems with my mother but not to this extent. It’s always hard to read about relationships like this and I thought the way the author handled it was very well done and cheesy. Vera’s family is incredibly complicated, I mean what do you do when you’re the child of a infamous serial killer? This is a spooky and fun book that will leave you wanting more so I highly recommend it.

Book Review

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So, you’re Cat’s new pet, huh?”

After a difficult year at NYU, aspiring writer Lora Ricci feels like things are starting to turn around when she lands an summer internship with Elle, a famous fashion magazine. Upon her arrival, she meets Cat Wolff, the contributing editor and soon Lora finds herself spending more and more time with Cat. Their friendship over the course of the internship leads to Lora dropping out of NYC to be Cat’s ghostwriter and Lora feels like all this is good to be true but at the same time she’s willing to make the move. But, Lora begins to wonder if she made the wrong choice as Cat’s perfect exterior begins to crack leaving Lora to question who she really is.

This was such a wild ride and I love how it unfolded from beginning to end. I found the way of using text messages, emails, phone calls transcripts as a way to tell the story was very interesting. It did take some time to get used to that because most books aren’t done that way but I did like it for the most part. The plot was super interesting and I did find it hard to put the book down because I had to find out what happened next. As for the characters, I found Lora and Cat very interesting and the dynamics between felt very real and although Cat did some very dumb things, I did feel for her at times. All in all, I enjoyed it and if you’re looking for a good mystery thriller, this is it!

Book review

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“Maps are love letters written to times and places their makers had explored.”

For as long as Neil Young can remember cartography has long been her passion and it’s one she shared with her father, Dr. Daniel Young who is a legend in the field and Neil’s personal hero. But, the pair had a nasty falling out due to an old map that she had found and haven’t spoken since he fired her and destroyed her reputation. When Neil hears the tragic news that her father was murdered, she soon finds that out that map that drove them apart is incredibly rare and even if old wounds resurface, Neil knows it’s her duty to find out what happened to her father.

Finally got around to reading this and I’m glad that I did. While it did take sometime to get into story, I did enjoy the plot, characters, and how it developed until the end. I didn’t even really know what Cartography was in depth before this book and it actually made me more interested in it. The way that Shepard weaves into the writing added to the plot and it was very interesting to learn and read more about. What really made me invested into the book were the characters and the writing as I found it engaging and each character were well written with flaws, quirks, and I did enjoy the dynamics with each character. Overall, it was a very good read!

MYSTERY WRAP UP

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Excited to share my reads with you!

If you could describe Cat Winthrope in one word, it would be determined as she has worked hard to get the life that she’s always wanted. A handsome husband, gorgeous home, good social standing, and all the love she can get from those she is close with. But soon her dream is throw into a tailspin when a new couple moves into the neighborhood and threatens the very life she has worked hard to make come true.

This is one of the few books that I read in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down cause it had me on edge. In the last year or so, I’ve been reading more mysteries and thrillers. I think I may have found my new favorite author because Torre really knows how to reel you in and keep you guessing. The plot was very interesting and I did enjoy the dynamics between the characters especially Cat and Neera. The only thing I didn’t like is how short it was, I usually read books that are longer than 200 pages but even with that, I enjoyed it. Would highly recommend especially if you’re looking for a good thriller!

Dr. Gwen Moore is an expert on killers who has spent a decade treating California’s most deadly and depraved killers and unlocking their motives especially the killer known as the bloody heart serial killer who last victim escaped who later identified, high school teacher, Randall Thompson as his captor. The case against Thompson was an open and shut case or so everyone including Gwen thought until a new development throws everything into a tailspin making Gwen question everything she knows.

Wow! This was such a good thriller! I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I’m glad that I started reading her books because I haven’t been disappointed yet. Torre knows how to reel you in and make you feel like you’re a part of the story and I love that. Her writing is something else that I really enjoy and she does a great job creating the dynamics between the characters and making it feel very real. This was such a enjoyable thriller so I highly recommend it to anyone even if you’re not super into them.

Taylor and Sierra thought they’d be best friends forever but things started to change between them when Taylor is caught kissing Sierra’s trust, things begin to change. Taylor is fed up with how Sierra treats her friends as she doesn’t seem to care when she hurts them. So when Sierra goes on a date with Jacob Jones who Sierra thinks is the one, everyone including Taylor laugh it off. Like her usual dates, everyone suspects she’ll be back the day next day but when she doesn’t show up, Taylor begins to worry as days keep passing with no word from her. Taylor begins to wonder if something sinister has happened to Sierra and she must find out before it’s too late.

This the first book by Ferris that I’ve read and it won’t be the last as I was absolutely entranced from beginning. Thrillers and mysteries have become my new favorite genre after I got burned out reading fantasies. Some thrillers have been predicable but this was a true thriller as I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The plot was super interesting and not done like it usually is so I did like that Ferris changed things and made it unique. This isn’t like the usual YA thrillers that I read, this felt more adult than anything and I feel as thought the topics in the book were handled with care while also making it real. Highly recommend this book!

The Exiled Fleet

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“What’s our motto, friends?”
“Get it done fast and don’t die, sir.”

The crew of sentinels, led by courageous Adequin Drake are making a desperate preparations to return to the galaxy that abandoned them all before they all starve. Having stabilized the situation at the Divide, the immediate threat, the crew is now low on supplies and their is a impending mutiny brewing. With tensions building, the team must find a way to get through this or they may not make it out alive.

A thrilling and entertaining follow up to The Last Watch and I am so happy that I didn’t have to wait a long time to read this follow up or else I would’ve been unhappy. I was engrossed from beginning to end and while I did find the novel very entertaining there were a few things that didn’t make me love it as much as the first one. One plus was the continued developed fo the characters as I felt like it was very real and and relatable especially with Rake and her own self-doubt about whether she’s fit to be a leader. Out of all the characters, she’s probably my favorite. It’s hard not to root for her and the other members. I felt like this novel was a bit overcrowded with new characters, plot details, and a bit too much information that made me confused at times. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more it there wasn’t so much going on as it was hard to keep track of who was who especially with new characters being introduced in this book. But even with all of that, Dewes crafted a entertaining and fun follow up to the first book and I am excited for the third to come out even though it won’t be for a long time!

His and Hers

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“Tell a person they’re wrong, and they’ll cover their ears. Tell a person they’re right, and they’ll listen to you all day long.”

This is the story that is told from three pov’s: His, Hers, and Truth. When a young woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, everyone is on high alert. The case begins to unfold as Jack London, a detective covering the case is suspicious of Anna Andrews, a newsreader who is reluctantly covering the case. But before Jack can make any movements, he becomes a suspect is his own murder investigation. Danger lurks in the shadows as someone isn’t telling the truth and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

What a fascinating murder mystery as I found myself deeply immersed into the characters, the plot, and how the story was told. This the first book by Feeney that I’ve read and I will reading more of her books as this was truly enjoyable and a true thriller. Anna, works as a BBC Commentator and Jack is a chief police officer who find themselves tangled in web of lies, seduction and murder. Anna tells her story while Jack tells his and we also get a POV from the killer! The way the POV’s are told really makes you turn the page in anticipation to find what out what will happen next and I really enjoyed how Feeney wrote the POV’s and the way she set up the atmosphere, it really felt like I was there. There are just some books that reel you in and you can’t set it down because you want more and yo don’t want to wait to find out. Well, that’s how I felt with this book as it really felt like a thriller and didn’t have silly plot points but the development of the characters, the plot, and eventually the ending made this story truly satisfying and enjoyable. I highly recommend it especially if you’re into thrillers and mysteries!