Make Up Reading

5 out  of 5 stars Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of The Night Swim in exchange for an honest review. Am I the only one who loves listening to audio books as a way to relax? For me there is nothing more calming then listening to a good audio book and doing other things like crocheting to feel myself completely relax. What makes that even better? When the book is great and the narrators are super awesome!  Bailey Carr; January LaVoy; Samantha Desz are great narrators that really captured the feel of the novel and the mood of the characters.  The actual story was really awesome as well. I read a really good book by Megan Goldin  (The Escape Room) last year and was blown away by it. I have to say I enjoyed The Night Swim a bit more which surprised  me! I think one of the things I liked so much about this is we followed a true crime podcaster as she decided to dedicate her latest season to a rape trial. ...

5 out of 5 stars Megan McCafferty is definitely a fun read! It's the early 90's and Cassie Worthy is super excited to spend the Summer working with her boyfriend in the Mall with her boyfriend. She is finally over the Mono that kept her locked in her house for months on end so she is determined to have a blast. Well, this read like a teen comedy from that era so we know that things do not go as planned!! As Cassie deals with her teen world falling apart she begins to realize that sometimes things end for a reason and there is often something or someone better out there for you.  If you love the 90's you will love this. This is a fun, Summer must read! 

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this in exchange for an honest review. Audio has become my favorite medium and I listen to tons of audio books and I have heard a lot of narrators, some bad some god but these narrators were fantastic! Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine did a really good job of introducing you to the characters and of making you care about them. I also want to say the this audio book was packaged really well. You hear the POV of Anna, Jack and the killer and the killer's voice is masked the whole time. Super awesome! After losing her job as a news reader and getting pushed back into the correspondence field again  she returns to the home town she escaped from at 16 to cover the murder of an old school friend/enemy.  Jack left London a few years ago and is now the head of police in the town of Blackdown only to find that the murder victim is someone whom he has been having a secret relationship. This is a taut, wel...

3.75 out of 5 stars I would like to thank Netgalley and St.Martin's press for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.  I love finding authors that are new to me and Netgalley has introduced me to many of my favorite authors, Anna Downes will be added to that list. Emily's life is a disaster. She makes terrible life choices, is estranged from her parents and just lost her job. When Emily's former boss offers her a new job that seems way too good to be true she accepts it. I mean who wouldn't want to jump at that chance? Okay, you wouldn't? I wouldn't either but Emily is extremely naive so she takes it. I liked the feel of this novel. It had a kind of Gothic feel to it and it really held my interest. It was a bit predictable but was still a good mystery. I like Anna Downes voice and look forward to reading more by her.

5 out of 5 stars Megan Miranda never lets me down. there are certain authors that you just wait excitedly for each release and that is the case with Miranda.  Her novels pull me in right away and I absolutely love each of her main characters. This book was just as good as I hoped/expected! Arden survived something terrible, at six years old she was sleepwalking and she disappeared.  She was found three days later in a storm drain by Sean Coleman, a quiet volunteer. Arden's disappearance made the small town  of Widow Hills famous  as well as Arden and her Mother. Life was never the same and not in a good way. Every time an anniversary of the incident she gets bothered by reporters and harassed by some of the people in her town. With the twenty year anniversary coming up   Arden finally feels safe from the prying eyes of the public. In her small town . She is now named Olivia and no one knows who she is, at least she thinks so but it seems her past is c...

4.5 out of 5 stars I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review Fifteen years after a disastrous Summer spent at the family's second home on Cape Cod when things are changed forever between Annie, her sister Poppy and their adoptive brother Michael Annie returns with Poppy. The sisters want to move on from what has happened and they feel that the only way they can is to sell the house. Michael, however doesn't want to sell it. He wants what he sees as the truth to come out. The relationships between the siblings was interesting and I loved that the house felt like a character as well. I love it when a town, a home or school feels like it's own character.  I won't say too much more about the family secrets because I fear it would give away too much.  This is a perfect Summer read and I would highly recommend it!

4.5 out of 5 stars The last thing June wants to do is spend a weekend at her college nemesis Sadie's gorgeous home in the San Juan Islands she doesn't have much of a choice after her boyfriend dumps her in a text her best friend talks her into going. After all Em points out that getting away from home too see all of your best college friends should be a good way to heal. Things do not go well  when they all wake up not being able to remember anything and even worse there is blood splattered on the wall and Sadie is missing. I really enjoyed this and would really like to read more books featuring June. I really believe a series featuring June would be so fun! If you want a modern day Agatha Christie then this is a book for you! 

5 out of 5 stars Thank you to Netgalley and  Mysterious Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This one will be a bit hard for me to go into a more in depth review as I don't want to give away spoilers. Let me just start by saying that this is the best novel I have ever read about Dissociative Identity Disorder. The depiction felt far more real than other novels I have read. I have to say that I found myself caring for each of the personalities living inside of Carolyn Grand. I really had a soft spot for homemaker/Mom Martha and artistic Serena. Yes, there is a mystery involved but in reality this book was much more about a day in the life of these personalities.  If you are looking for something that will may make you cry, will hold your interest and even give you some hope then I would pick this up.

4 out of 5 stars Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC I received in exchange for an honest review. Madeleine  d'Leon  is a successful cozy mystery writer. Her Veronica Killwilly series is sch a hit she is in talks about turning it into a television series.  She is bored with it though so she sets out to start a ew mystery. The more she writes about Edward McGinnity the more real he becomes to her, in fact he begins to take on a life of his own. I really enjoyed this novel and thought it would be a five star novel until the end. Now, just because I found the ending to be lacking the amount of satisfaction I was looking for I do believe that many will enjoy the whole book  and will love the ending. It just wasn't my cup of tea, This is sooooooo worth a read! This is not just a mystery but a bit of love story as well.

4 out of 5 stars I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. During Christmas break three girls disappear from one of their homes with no trace. There were no signs of struggle and their phones and purses are left behind. Kelly Falls may seem like the perfect small town but something is wrong.  It has been three months and no new news on where the girls could be. Twenty three year old patrol officer Shea O'connor is still trying to recover from the last time she went undercover at the local high school to catch a serial killer. She is not sure that she wants to go undercover at Kelly Falls community college to get to know some of the missing girl's friends in hope that she can find out what was going on in their lives before they disappeared.  I really enjoyed this novel but I find it kind of hard to describe. It is an adult mystery but because Shea was with teenagers t...

4 1/2 out of 5 stars When Shayna Darby gets an e-mail from her twin sister Angela's  boyfriend Seb in Paris that she was missing she ignores it at first. She and Angela have not spoken in three years since their parents died in a car accident.  Then she gets another e-mail  from Seb and this one tells her that the police believe Angela is dead after a shooting at the Sorbonne. It seems that Angela was abducted during the chaos of the shooting and that she was killed shortly after so Shayna hops on a plane in order to find out what happened to her sister. Paris was most definitely a main character in this novel and that was one if my favorite parts. I have always had an interest in the catacombs  so I really loved that, It was also kind of cool to see the not so romantic side of Paris.  In some ways Shayna's journey to find her sister felt like Alice in Wonderland.  I  would like to add that it was nice to have a mixed race main character. It will b...

5 out of 5 stars Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Where to start? How can I describe How much this book moved me? It is hard to put down in words. This was such a special book told in such and unique and personal way. The story is told from the other various neighbor's POV. Two young lovers meet when  Juniper's family moves into the house that her step Father had built right behind Xavier and his mother's house. From the moment they set eyes on one another it is love. The issue? Juniper is white and Xavier is bi-racial. What's the big deal? You may ask yourself that, after all the year is 2020. The problem is that there are still ugly people that judge people by the color of their skin. There is also the problem with Juniper's step Father Brad and Xavier's Mother Valerie. Valerie didn't care for Brad from the start. It could have been that he immediately ...

5 out of 5 stars Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review Chicago native Dr.Sadie Foust moves to a small Main island with her husband and two sons after his sister commits suicide and leaves him her house and her 16 year old daughter Imogene. Sadie is not thrilled with leaving Chicago but what can they do? Her son has been expelled from his school, she has had issues with work and her husband has recently had an affair. So they pack up and move. The problem is that the Main island is small and everyone seems to know everyone. It also doesn't help that Imogene seems very hostile towards Sadie no matter what she does.  Things that go from bad to worse when the woman down the street is murdered and the police keep stopping by and asking Sadie questions. Determined to solve the murder herself before someone in the family gets blamed for out Sadie puts herself in danger. I think this the best Mary Kubica book that I h...

4 1/2 out of 5 stars First off I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel to read in echange for an honest review. I have to admit that this is only the second book that I have read by Sarah Pinborough and I was not blown away by that novel. I am happy to say that I really, really liked "Dead to Her"!   Marcie Maddox and her husband Jason really are not thrilled with having to go to the party that Jason's boss William is throwing for his new English bride. When Keisha makes her grand interest Marcie is rather shocked at first. Keisha is beautiful, sexy,young and black. Marcie can't help but wonder how the high society of Savannah will react to all all this and then she glances at her husband.  She catches Jason staring at Keisha,practically salivating as he looks at her. Marcie, who until Keisha arrived was the young, sexy second wife. She felt as if she was finally starting to get accepted...

3 1/2 out of 5 stars Thank you to Netgalle and Graydon House for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thursday's husband Seth has two other wives that she has never met. When Seth told her that he loved her and wanted to marry her he informed her that he wanted to be with her and wanted to marry her even though he has a wife already. It seems that his other wife does not want to have children but he loves her and wants to stay in a relationship with her as well. He also informs her that he grew up in a polygamist household.  She agrees to what he wants because more than anything Thursday just wants to be with him. Thursday has always been curious about Seth's other wives but she has become increasingly more curious since Seth took on the third wife. What she finds is not what she expected and her husband is not who she thought he was.  This book was heading for a solid 4 1/2 to 5 stars until the end. Don't get me wrong, ...

4 out of 5 stars Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer  Alice is happy living in her small town and working at the paper. Life seems to be going pretty well until one Wednesday when she gets a whispered phone call tell her that they will use a cheese wire on her. Of course she is freaked out, I mean who wouldn't be? Her boss, work friend's and boyfriend to her not to worry.  That she is a reporter and there are all kinds of people that harassing reporters with whom they do not agree. Alice does her best to move on and not think of it too often. That is until the next Wednesday when the stalker contacts Alice once again. After this Alice's boyfriend Tom contacts Matthew Hill a private investigator to protect Alice. As the stalker intensifies we begin to find out that Alice herself has been keeping a secret or two from the police and Matthew.  I really enjoy Theresa Driscoll novels. She does something a little bit different than most authors, she has recurr...

4 out of 5 stars  Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Claire and her husband Ethan are still devastated over the loss of their son Colton  from a condition caused by Claire's mitochondrial  DNA. Though they have tried to heal from it they are not doing well. Ethan wants another child but Claire is afraid of giving birth to another child destined to die at a young age.. Even though Claire knows it is unfair she is afraid that she could not love a child that is not hers by blood as much. Then one day while on her support board Mito Moms someone mentioned something that makes Claire change her mind as she comes up with a plan to have a biological child after all.  She decides to go to Robert Nash a Doctor working on creating a child with DNA from 3 people.  She gives birth to a miraculous daughter named Abby. This is  a very well written psychological/medic...

3.75 out of 5 stars I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. We meet three woman, Emma, Marlee and all graduates of Denham House an extremely prestigious private school where only the wealthiest and smartest girls go. As they get close to the graduating class of 1993's 25th anniversary the past begins to catch up with them. Right before graduation Tessa's body was found. The case was closed quickly as a suicide. That never felt right to Emma though. She saw something right before Tessa died and feels that her death was  really murder. I would not classify this as a psychological thriller but more of a slice of life mystery. While the death of Tessa looms large in each woman's life the things going on now are in many way far more important to the story than the mystery itself.  Each character is very much a person unto themselves so you will have no problem distinguishing the ...

5 out of 5 stars I would like to thank Netgalley and Ballatine books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I have wanted to read a J.P. Delaney book for a long time so I was super excited when Netgalley informed me that I had been approved to read an advanced copy of The Perfect Wife. Let me just say that I was not disappointed in any way! This was in no way, shape or form your typical psychological thriller. It was totally and completely original and I am thrilled that I got read this!   Abbie awakens and has no idea where she is or what happened to her. She is confused but when the man beside her tells her that his name is Tim, that he  is the brains behind a extremely successful tech company and that he is her husband. Abbie thinks she may have been in an accident and as some of her memories start to come back she immediately asks  her husband about their son Danny. Only after she is told that he is fine d...

I want to thank Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Nat is in a terrible position. She is a broke art student struggling to pay her bills as well as trying to work things out with her two roommates who are not fond of her. One day after class she goes for a drink with the beautiful Ava who seems to be living a great life in NYC while Nat lives in a crowded apartment in Brooklyn Ava lets Nat in on a secret, she is a sugar baby. At first Nat equates sugar baby with prostitution but Ava says you only have to do what you want. You go on this site, meet up and usually get 500 dollars for a drink or coffee date. It's that simple. Nat still is not interested until she loses her job and is informed by her roommates that she owes them money. Desperate she decides to give it a go. When Nat meets Gabe, a divorced Dad of an 18 year old daughter she thinks she has really lucked out.  Gabe is a good 30 years older t...