Well, that was a nice little murder mystery. An Unwanted Guest is Shari Lapena’s third novel, but I have to admit, it’s probably my least favorite of her works. The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House definitely had more twists and turns, and more suspense. But, An Unwanted Guest is a tidy and dependable novel that kept me intrigued until the very end. While it didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat, it’s fast-paced, has good...
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...
The Perfect Nanny would not exist if Myriam and Paul Massé had just bought themselves some nanny cams from the French Home Depot. I'm serious, though I didn't have this realization until I was more than halfway done with the book. If these parents had been a little more invested in their children’s safety, so much could have been revealed, and therefore so much could have been prevented. But, that's part of the problem in this book, isn't...
Sometimes, the books we look forward to the most leave us the most disappointed. *cries* I’m sure I’m in the minority on this, but Melmoth has been put on my DNF list. You all know about my 50-page rule: the book has 50 pages to suck me in, or I drop it. Melmoth was kind of a backwards read for me. I started off really into this book. It’s very atmospheric, and I flew past the first 50 pages without even realizing it. I have no...
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. Also, that's not a challenge! 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...
Um, the main character in Lying in Wait is batshit crazy. Well, one of the main characters. There are several who are more than a little "off," but the one I’m talking about is Lydia, the woman who tells you within the first few pages that she committed a murder. She relays this information so matter-of-factly, it’s as if she’s telling you what groceries she just picked up from the store. La di da. Bought this, bought that, murdered a...
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...
