The House on Vesper Sands, By Paraic O’Donnell ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Victorian Historical Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tin House Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 12th, 2021

408 Pages

Synopsis:

London 1893: High up in a house, on a dark, snowy night, a lone seamstress stands by a window. So begins the swirling, serpentine world of Paraic O’Donnell’s Victorian-inspired mystery, the story of a city cloaked in shadow, but burning with questions: why does the seamstress choose to jump out of that window? Why is there a cryptic message sewn into her skin? And how is she connected to a rash of missing girls, all of whom seem to have disappeared under similar circumstances?

On the case is Gideon Bliss, a young Cambridge dropout who is in love with one of the missing girls, and his partner, Inspector Cutter, a detective as sharp and committed to his work as he is wryly hilarious. There is also Octavia Hillingdon, a young reporter determined to tell stories despite her employer’s preference that she write a woman’s society column. By turns, clever, surprising, and impossible to put down, The House on Vesper Sands peels back the mystery layer by layer, offering in the strange undertow of late 19th century London a startling glimpse at the secrets we all hold inside.

The House on Vesper Sands is a little slow in the beginning, but it gathers steam as it moves along, and turns out to be an imaginative Victorian mystery, touched with a bit of the supernatural. The characters are well written and I especially enjoyed the engaging repartee between Inspector Cutter and young Gideon Bliss. Their exchanges provided some much needed moments of levity amidst the darker, eerie tones of the story. While much of the action takes place in the final chapters of the book, I found O’Donnell’s atmospheric writing and quirky characters quite entertaining, and was thoroughly satisfied with the way the ending wrapped everything up. I’m actually hoping that O’Donnell turns this into a series because I’d love to see more of Cutter and Bliss. While it shares some similarities of other books in the sub-genre of Victorian Gothic, it contains many unique elements that make it stand out. I particularly recommend The House on Vesper Sands for fans of classic authors such as Wilkie Collins and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Woman Outside My Door, By Rachel Ryan ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mental Health, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 5th, 2021

288 Pages

Synopsis: All children have imaginary friends, Georgina tells herself. It’s perfectly normal, and they all grow out of it in the end. But when her seven-year-old son Cody, tells her about New Granny, the new friend he’s met in the park, Georgina is instantly suspicious. Something—call it maternal instinct—tells her he isn’t making it up.

But maybe Georgina is losing her mind. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all. And with her own mother’s recent death leaving her bereft and trying to cope with life as a busy working mom, it’s no wonder she’s feeling paranoid that Cody has invented a “New Granny” to replace his beloved grandmother.

Her husband Bren, becomes the voice of reason, assuring Georgina that it’s just a game, the product of their son’s overactive imagination. But what if Cody’s imaginary friend isn’t so imaginary after all?

The Woman Outside My Door, is the debut novel by Irish author Rachel Ryan, and much to my delight, while it seems at first as though it’s going down the same predictable road as others in this genre, it takes a surprising twist and brings in part of Ireland’s dark history to boot. I have to be honest and state I really didn’t care for Bren at all and continually questioned why Georgina didn’t show him the door, but that was my one and only issue with the book. Everything else, from Georgina’s self-doubt, her past trauma, the identity of New Granny and the numerous twists that had me guessing from beginning to end, made for an engrossing and quick read. I highly recommend The Woman Outside My Door to readers looking for a puzzling mystery. I’ll definitely be looking out for Ryan’s next venture.

City of Villains (City of Villains #1), By Estelle Laure ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 26th, 2020

240 Pages

Synopsis: Disney’s Villains meet Gotham in this gritty fairy-tale inspired story.

Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school senior by day, but by night she’s an intern at the Monarch City Police Department. She watches with envy from behind a desk as detectives come and go, trying to contain the city’s growing crime rate. For years, tension has simmered between the city’s wealthy elite, and their plans to gentrify the decaying neighborhood called the Scar—once upon a time the epicenter of all things magic.

When the daughter of one of the city’s most powerful businessmen goes missing, Mary Elizabeth is thrilled when the Chief actually puts her on the case. But what begins as a missing person’s report soon multiplies, leading her down a rabbit hole of a city in turmoil. There she finds a girl with horns, a boyfriend with secrets, and what seems to be a sea monster in a poison lake. As the mystery circles closer to home, Mary finds herself caught in the fight between those who once had magic, and those who will do anything to bring magic back.

This dark and edgy YA series explores the reimagined origins of  Maleficent, Ursula, Captain Hook, and other infamous Disney villains like you’ve never seen before.

I was quite excited when I read the premise of City of Villains with the tagline Disney villains meets Gotham, but I have to be honest and say it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. My biggest problem I think is that everything is told rather than shown. I was never able to fully connect with the characters, the setting, or the story. However, seeing the origin stories of some of my favorite Disney villains was interesting and kept me turning the pages. I also have to say this is a quick read which I breezed through in couple of hours. Overall, while City of Villains wasn’t everything I was hoping it would be, there was just enough there that not only kept me reading, but also has me sufficiently interested enough to give the sequel a try when it comes out.

Every Last Fear, By Alex Finlay ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Discussion of suicide, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 2nd, 2021

368 Pages

Synopsis: “They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat, and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matthew Pine, returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—him mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed, Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, the frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth that sent his brother to prison—putting his own life in peril—and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view, and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear, is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story of a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

Oh my goodness! Every Last Fear was a nearly perfect page-turner for me. I’ll begin with my small issues. First, this is told through several POVs, yet Danny, who has been possibly wrongfully convicted, gets one chapter in the final half of the book. Seeing as how everything comes back to what happened the night his girlfriend was killed, I would have liked to have heard more from him. Also, the identity of the culprit was fairly predictable, but the journey getting there was still enjoyable. What I loved the most were the characters, particularly the Pine family. They helped turn this into not only a compelling suspense tale, but a heartbreaking family drama. I couldn’t tear myself away from this and finished the book in one sitting. Overall, Every Last Fear is an impressive debut from Alex Finlay, and I can’t wait to see what he comes out with next. I highly recommend this particularly to fans of authors like Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay.

What She Found in the Woods, By Josephine Angelini ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Mental Illness, Mystery, Serial Killers, Substance Abuse, Suicide, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: December 1st, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: Running from a scandal at her New York private school, Magdalena heads to her family home to recover under the radar.

Over-medicated and under-confident, she’s fearful she’ll never escape her past.

Until she meets Bo out hiking. Gorgeous, wild, and free he makes her believe she might finally be able to move on.

But when a mutilated body is discovered in the woods, Magdalena realizes she can’t trust anyone.

Not even herself.

I’ve enjoyed Josephine Angelini’s previous books, especially her Starcrossed series, so it comes as a shock that I really didn’t care for her standalone What She Found in the Woods.

My biggest issue was the way social issues like mental illness and drug addiction were portrayed. I don’t want to venture into spoiler territory, but in my opinion these themes were used as shallow plot devices instead of being a thoughtful exploration of the afflictions that plague so many. I feel terrible writing this after reading Angelini’s reasons why she included these topics as part of the story, but as always, I feel the need to be honest with my review.

While the enigmatic Magdalena was a puzzle to me that I felt the need to solve, most of her teen friends were pampered, entitled brats who annoyed the heck out of me. The romance between Magdalena and Bo was sweet, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the main problems I had.

There were some elements here that I enjoyed, namely the mystery of what was really happening and who was responsible, but as intriguing as that was, my distaste for the mainly superficial depiction of the all too real illnesses that millions battle, overrode everything else. There are many positive reviews of What She Found in the Woods, on Goodreads, so if your interest is peaked by the premise, don’t just go by my opinion, as I believe I’m an outlier regarding my feelings. As I said, I’ve enjoyed Angelini’s other books, so I’m looking forward to her next.

 

The Wife Upstairs, By Rachel Hawkins ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 5th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates—a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie—not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past—or his—catches up to her?

With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?

The Wife Upstairs is a modern day adaptation of Jane Eyre, and although it shares many similarities such as people’s names, and the plot, Hawkins deft hand gives it several twists which makes it stand apart from its predecessor. If you’ve read Jane Eyre, then the mystery at the heart of this won’t be a shock, but getting there is as delicious as a mint julep. That’s thanks to the inhabitants of Thornfield Estates, who might not be likable but they’re utterly fascinating. The main characters all have their backstories tweaked and modernized, making them familiar yet intriguing. This is the very definition of a page-turner and I gobbled it up in one sitting. The ending is a little different from the original classic, but it’s perfectly in keeping with the story and quite satisfying. I HIGHLY recommend The Wife Upstairs to anyone who loves sly twisty mysteries.

Notorious (Rebels of the Ton #1), By Minerva Spencer ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Diversity, Historical Mystery, LGBTQ, Regency England, Romance, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: November 24th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: The cure for a willful wife…

Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn’t marry. But that doesn’t stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend’s brother, notorious rake, Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel’s heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it’s enough to make Dru’s formidable resolve crumble…

…is a smitten husband.

She’s sharp-tongued, exasperating, and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there’s the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprising sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru’s affection, his temperature flames even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they’re to save their future—and their very lives—they’ll need to trust in each other and their growing love.

I have to confess that for the first few chapters I thought Notorious was going to be the second book in a row that would turn out to be a disappointment. I thoroughly disliked the shrewish Drusilla, and after a brief scene where Algerian born Gabriel, victim blames (he almost immediately apologizes), her, I wasn’t overly fond of him either. But then, much to my surprise they started growing on me. What begins as a cold marriage of convenience realistically develops into a true love match which was pleasurable to follow. The secondary characters are equally interesting, notably the villainous Godric Fleming, Earl Visel. Having done his best to torture Gabriel from the beginning of the book, his backstory is revealed about halfway through, and it makes him much more complex and sympathetic. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book, Outrageous, which will feature him and Gabriel’s stepsister and Dru’s best friend, the impetuous Lady Eva de Courtney. Overall, Notorious is a thoroughly entertaining Regency romp with surprisingly diverse characters.

The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1), By Nora Roberts ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Diversity, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 24th, 2020

464 Pages

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts, begins a new trilogy of adventure, romance, and magick in The Awakening.

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan, emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twenty-something mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying “Come home Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home.” Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a realm of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…

Many of you already know that I’m a longtime fan of Nora Roberts, and her upcoming novel is a perfect example of why. The first in a new fantasy trilogy, The Awakening is a gorgeously told tale that has left me eager for more.

For personal reasons, I really connected with Breen and enjoyed her transformation from timid mouse, to the beginnings of a fierce warrior. I was a little slower to embrace Keegan as his alpha male persona put me off in the beginning, but it didn’t take long for my feelings toward him to thaw. The secondary characters are numerous, but all are immensely likable. The world building is, well in a word, magical. From a Philadelphia drag queen club, to the misty Irish countryside, to the delightful world of Talahm, I was fully immersed with the delightful settings and characters. Except for a few scenes with the big bad and a couple of his minions, there’s not a lot of action, but due to Robert’s talented storytelling skills, this in no way takes away from the story.

For me, the mark of a perfectly written story is when it’s so immersive that it’s difficult to get my head back in the real world. If you’re looking for an escape I can’t recommend The Awakening enough. It’s an enchanting tale with memorable characters that will leave you eager for the next book.

Lies Like Poison, By Chelsea Pitcher ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Diversity, Drug Abuse, Implied Child Abuse, LGBTQ, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 10th, 2020

304 Pages

Synopsis: Poppy, Lily, and Belladonna would do anything to protect their best friend, Raven. So when they discovered he was suffering abuse at the hands of his stepmother, they came up with a lethal plan: petals of poppy, belladonna, and lily in her evening tea so she’d never be able to hurt Raven again. But someone got cold feet, the plot faded to a secret of the past, and the group fell apart.

Three years later, on the eve of Raven’s birthday, his stepmother turns up dead. But it’s only belladonna found in her tea, and it’s only Belladonna who’s carted off to jail. Desperate for help, Belle reaches out to her estranged friends to prove her innocence. They answer the call, but no one is prepared for what comes next.

Now everyone has something to lose, and something equally dangerous to hide. And when the tangled web of secrets and betrayal is finally unwound, what lies at its heart will change the group forever.

I have to be honest and say that I’ve been waffling on how to rate and review Lies Like Poison. There is no doubt that Chelsea Pitcher’s writing style is beautifully lyrical which completely enthralled me. However, I did find a few weaknesses which detracted from the story.

The story is told from the perspectives of Belladonna, Poppy/Jack, and Lily. They all have secrets they’re keeping from each other and Raven, and their unreliability kept me me on my toes for a good portion of the book as to what actually happened the day Raven’s stepmother died. There’s also the mystery of who killed Raven’s mother and both wind up becoming intertwined. 

The characters are diverse and interesting. Raven is black, fragile, and very sweet, and it’s heartbreaking what he’s suffered. Two of the girls are in a romantic relationship, which I didn’t really by into at first, but as more of their backstories are revealed, I understood their connection more. But I was especially interested in Poppy/Jack who in addition to dealing with the murder, is also coming to terms with how being trans will effect his relationship with Raven. I absolutely loved his relationship with Raven, and that wound up being my favorite part of the book.

Adults do not come across well in this tale. Even the one parent who I initially liked and was sympathetic to, let me down in the end. I really don’t like books that use this one dimensional type of character development as it never seems plausible to me.

The story itself starts out a little slow, but soon gathers speed. There aren’t many shocking surprises except for one twist near the somewhat too-neat ending, but what saves this from being a ho-hum story is Pitcher’s evocative and poetic writing.

After mulling it over, I’m giving Lies Like Poison 4 Stars instead of the 3 to 3 1/2 stars which was my original intent. Despite its flaws, this contemporary murder mystery, with dark fairytale themes, turned out to be quite memorable, as did its main characters, which makes it a success for me.

Invisible Girl, By Lisa Jewell ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

368 Pages

Synopsis: Owen Pick’s life is falling apart.
In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.

Across the street from Owen live the Fours family, headed by mom, Cate a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.

Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection to him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.

With evocative, vivid, and unputdownable prose and plenty of disturbing twists and turns, Jewell’s latest thriller is another “haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late, read.” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author).

Lisa Jewell is one of my go-to authors for exciting thrillers/mysteries, and she has never let me down. Her latest, Invisible Girl will undoubtedly will further cement her well-deserved reputation as wonderful writer of both character and plot-driven novels.

The story is told from the POVs of Cate, Owen, and Saffyre. Cate I thought was the weakest and found her to be much too easily manipulated. Owen and Saffyre however wonderfully complex characters and their chapters kept me riveted. As for the mystery, well, there are really two: what happened to Saffyre, and who has been sexually assaulting women and young girls in the area. I refuse to give any spoilers, but let me say that all is not as it seems. Just when I thought I had things figured out—BAM—another twist would come that turned everything upside down. Even the ending which at first seems to bring everything to a fitting conclusion, takes a sudden final twist in the last couple of pages.

I swear, at the end of every one of Jewell’s books I think to myself “THAT was her best book yet!” Well, Invisible Girl has done it again. This will definitely please her legions of fans, and most definitely attract new ones. I HIGHLY recommend it for readers who love complicated characters and twisty plots that keep you guessing.