Well, we made it to summer, everyone! If you’re like me, you're dreaming about what vacations you want to take. Warm weather always makes me think about jet-setting somewhere exotic -- or, really, to anywhere that’s different from what I see 24/7 in my daily routine. The past few years have yielded a lot more daycations than vacations for me, though, so I’ve been getting my vicarious vacation fix through books. Which brings me to this...
Oh, man. This book is heavy. The Things She's Seen was a hard one to read, but it's oh-so worth it. I received an ARC of this YA title by Australian brother-sister writing duo Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, and I was thoroughly hooked from the first page. This story is a poignant blend of mystery, fantasy, and brutal reality that will leave you eagerly turning the pages for more. There's a lot of action and issues packed into this slim...
Well, An Unwanted Guest was a nice little murder mystery. What's An Unwanted Guest about? When I first started reading this third novel by Shari Lapena, I immediately was reminded of Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun – or, of the movie version since I’ve never actually read the book. An interesting cast of characters have all ended up at the same place – but instead of at a lux resort in the Adriatic, it’s at a cozy inn in the...
Thrillers. Easily one of my new favorite genres. For a long time, though, I wouldn't touch them. Although I love me some supernatural thrillers, I had no interest whatsoever in suspense, mystery, or "whodunits." I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I haven't always been so great at picking books to read. I was an English major, so I've read a lot of novels. I eagerly devoured whatever titles were assigned for AP English and Lit back in...
Oh, Wendy Webb. Will you ever write a book that I don't enjoy? Probably not. I don't think you're capable of it. I was fortunate enough to receive an Advance Review Copy of Daughters of the Lake, and I was totally psyched when it arrived in the mail. I've read all of Webb's previous novels and have been eagerly anticipating her newest -- so, receiving an advance copy to read and review for the blog had me...
Well. That was certainly a different take on my favorite “serendipitous inheritance” theme! As you’ve learned from previous posts, I have a soft spot for books in which the main character (usually a woman whose life has become up-ended) either buys a house in some random place in an attempt to build a new life (à la Under the Tuscan Sun or Tumbledown Manor), or happily inherits a charming fixer-upper from some unknown relative just as her...
You don’t even know the level of excitement I had when I received the email from my library that this book had come in. A heat wave had just hit, and The High Tide Club seemed like the perfect beach read for a hot summer’s day. And, while I don’t plan on going near any beaches this year, you can bet your bottom sand dollar that I plunked myself down under my pergola to read this, pretending that the grass surrounding me was sand and the...
I started reading The Broken Girls by Simone St. James on a grey and chilly Saturday morning. As usual, I was awake long before Husband, but hearing the rain outside my window made me want to snuggle back down into my cozy bed. I decided that a moody, atmospheric thriller would be the best way to start the day, so I got out of bed to fetch my book and make myself a warm cuppa. Then, I grabbed my cat and headed back to bed, settling into the...
