It took me a long time to read Where the Crawdads Sing. Please don't make the same mistake I did. There has been So. Much. Hype. around this 2018 novel by Delia Owens. It was picked up by both Oprah's Book Club and Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Book Club. And, the movie adaptation releases next week. Clearly, Where the Crawdads Sing is a BIG DEAL. So, why'd it take me so long to read it? **shrug** I'm suspicious about mega-hyped books....
I'm just going to come out and say it. **deep breath** A Discovery of Witches is Twilight for adults. **cringes** And y'know what? I liked Twilight better. **ducks as A Discovery of Witches fans throw things at her** C’mon, people! I can't be the first person to draw parallels between Deborah Harkness’ series and the wildly popular vampire books by Stephenie Meyer. SO MUCH of what happens in A Discovery of Witches, the first book in...
Honestly, is it even summer without a Mary Kay Andrews book to read? You all know my love for MKA runs deep, and The Newcomer hit every expectation that I had for my summer beach read: -- dreamy Southern vacation spot along the water? Check. -- a sweet and plucky heroine? Check. -- a predictable but enjoyable romance with a hot, too-good-to-be-true guy? Check. -- a spot of murder for a dash of intrigue? Check. When I told my husband the premise...
It took me awhile to shake off everything that happens in When No One Is Watching. This is the type of thriller that stays with you long after you turn the last page. Because even though Alyssa Cole's novel is a work of fiction, it's all too easy to see how fiction is spun out of facts. I picked up When No One Is Watching expecting something akin to a domestic suspense. Nevermind that I read the back cover description and sorta-kinda-shoulda...
Hello, Tartlets! I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for Hidden Pictures. Because I seriously loved this book. (Whew! What a relief. It would've been totally awkward to be part of a blog tour for a book I hated.) Billed as "The Haunting of Hill House meets The Perfect Nanny," this supernatural thriller by Jason Rekulak surpassed all the expectations I had for it. I ripped through Hidden Pictures in just two days. TWO DAYS! Every spare...
You're getting two books in one with The Plot, a story about a novelist who steals an idea from a student, becomes a bestselling author, and then is stalked by someone who wants to reveal "the truth" that the idea for his bestselling novel wasn't his. The majority of the The Plot follows fictional author Jacob Finch Bonner, the "idea stealer," but we also see a fair bit of the story Bonner writes based on the "stolen idea." Yeah, you noticing...
If you're looking for a darn good suspense novel, The Family Upstairs is what you should be reading next, Tartlets. The hauntingly engrossing story unfurls slowly, nudging the events of twenty-five years prior toward what's being revealed in the present day. Suspense builds steadily, as well as a growing sense of horror at what allegedly took place in an upmarket house in affluent Chelsea, London. It plasters on layer upon layer of disturbing...
I'm not sure how I stumbled across The Girl Who Died; I think author Ragnar Jonasson blurbed another scary book that I'd read and loved. I thought, if I loved that book, I'd probably love books by this author, too. The Girl Who Died, despite its off-putting title, was a really enjoyable read. It's brimming with tension and atmopshere, suspense and mystery. Main character Una spontaneously accepts a teaching job in the ultra-remote Icelandic...
Ugh. I can’t believe I’m writing a DNF review of a Liane Moriarty book… But, I am. I totally am. **face palm*
What's Apples Never Fall about? Apples Never Fall is the newest release from this highly talented writer, who is usually one of my favorite authors. I will read anything she puts out. Generally, I’ve liked all of Moriarty's books, and I’ve absolutely loved some of them (see below). As with most Moriarty novels, Apples...
Calling all fans of Broadchurch! Raven Black is the next book for you. Since most people know my affinity for stories set in remote, beautiful UK locations (looking at you, Irish Country Doctor and pretty much anything by Jenny Colgan), Ann Cleeves's Shetland series has been recommended to me countless times. I've made numerous mental notes to give it a try, so when I found myself wandering the backlist section at the library, my eyes light up...
