I’ve enjoyed quite a few books by Heidi Perks. I thought Three Perfect Liars sounded like another gripping read.
Laura, Janie, and Mia all have someth I’ve enjoyed quite a few books by Heidi Perks. I thought Three Perfect Liars sounded like another gripping read.
Laura, Janie, and Mia all have something in common. They are all connected to the very successful advertising agency, Morris and Wood.
Janie is married to the owner of Morris and Wood. Laura works there but has been away on maternity leave and Mia has been covering Laura's position.
But now Laura is back.
When a fire breaks out at Morris and Wood, an investigation is launched. Someone wanted to destroy the agency. Unfortunately for them, fire won't keep secrets from being exposed.
And EVERYONE is keeping secrets.
I thought this was a good read. We find out about what happened in the time before the fire as well as present day. Interspersed are interviews with police and staff.
Another gripping read from Heidi Perks!!
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own. ...more
Jenna is an emergency room doctor who has been stalked for more than a year. Her stalker is unrelenting. At first, it was
3.5 Stars
A compelling read!!
Jenna is an emergency room doctor who has been stalked for more than a year. Her stalker is unrelenting. At first, it was limited to threatening messages. But he quickly moved on to leaving extremely disturbing gifts for her to find.
The police haven’t been very much help and Jenna is starting to feel hopeless. She’s not just worried about herself but her family as well.
Jenna doesn’t know what to expect when stepping out her front door. This is taking a toll on her entire family.
Will it ever stop?
But then something happens that puts the control in Jenna’s hands.
Now SHE has the power. What will she do?
I read the description for this book and thought it would be right up my alley. It was fast-paced and gripping and it definitely kept me guessing. A little over the top and unrealistic at times but I was still entertained. I do have to say that I was a bit perturbed by the ending.
Overall this was a good domestic suspense novel. I look forward to reading more from Lauren North. ...more
Liz is a pediatrician who is on call one evening when her friend, Jess brings her ten-month-old daughter, Betsey to the emergency room. Jess tells Liz that Betsey had fallen at home. She didn’t think it was serious but thought she should bring her in to be examined just in case.
After examining Betsey, Liz has some questions but Jess is being very vague with her answers. Liz has known Jess for some time. She is a fantastic mother of three who has also been a terrific friend to Liz. But now, Liz wonders if she ever really knew Jess at all.
Jess is shocked by what happens at the hospital. Things quickly go from bad to worse…
Who can be trusted?
Secrets, lies, and deception.
The majority of this story is told from Jess and Liz’s point of view. I read it quickly as I was anxious about how things were going to play out. It was gripping but some parts were uncomfortable to read. At times, I definitely had to suspend disbelief, but there were also parts that felt very real and honest.
I really thought I had things figured out but I did not see that ending coming!!
Overall, this was a well-written character-driven domestic suspense novel. It was an interesting story about motherhood and relationships that also deals with important issues like postpartum depression, anxiety, parenting, and more.
I look forward to reading more from Sarah Vaughan.
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own. ...more
A book written by a Billie Eilish fan for other Billie Eilish fans!
My daughter and I are both fans of Billie Eilish’s music so we were curious to see what “Be Bad Be Bold Be Billie” was all about. It’s made clear from the start that this book isn’t officially endorsed by Billie, but “pays homage to the multi-talented icon that she is.”
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell released her debut studio album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” in 2019. Just seventeen years old at the time, the record was a huge hit. With her deep, sultry voice, baggy clothing, and turquoise dyed hair, Billie Eilish was “less pop princess, more Eminem”. She was booked to play the big festivals (Coachella and Glastonbury) and early this year she won five Grammy’s. It was also announced that she would be recording the theme song for the new James Bond movie, “No Time to Die”. All this at only eighteen years old.
“Billie isn’t for conforming to others’ expectations of what a young woman should look and sound like”.
This book is definitely geared towards Billie’s young fans. It's filled with many Billie facts, (about her life, career, and style), plus quizzes and other activities. Chapters like “Billie Says Do You” and “Billie’s lessons in self-acceptance” offer helpful tips on setting goals, how to make a vision board, self-love, as well as advice on choosing your career, and speaking up for yourself. Many young people could benefit from the tips on dealing with difficult people and criticism, and the powers and dangers of social media.
Billie is an advocate for openness about mental health and has been very open about her own struggles with depression. It talks about knowing when to ask for help. Billie is also passionate about climate change and sustainability so there are also suggestions on how young people can make a difference.
The chapter “Billie’s Tracks for the Soul” suggests which Billie song to listen to when falling in or out of love, feeling insecure or heartbroken, etc. Quizzes like “What Billie Eilish song are you?” and “How Billie Are you?” as well as other fun activities fill the last chapter of the book.
Billie Eilish is vibrant and so is this book with its eye-catching cover, and thick pages filled with full-color illustrations. My twelve-year-old niece is a big Billie Eilish fan and she loved it.
A great book for young Billie Eilish fans!
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
“Bottled Goods is written in short bursts of “flash fiction” and explores universal themes of empowerment, liberty, family, and loyalty.”
Bottled Goods is set in the 1970’s Romania during Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s repressive regime. Alina and her husband, Liviu are both teachers living in Romania. While life is far from easy, they are relatively happy.
Then came the Saturday when everything changed…
They arrive home one afternoon and find two men in grey suits waiting for them. “Please come with us. We have to ask you a few questions.”
It seems Alina’s brother-in-law; Mihai is not planning on returning to Romania.
They are persecuted for Mihai’s defection and immediately put under surveillance. They are harassed by authorities and ignored by their friends. Alina is visited by the secret police weekly, and the visits become even more terrifying.
Alina and her husband struggle for freedom. But freedom can come at a great cost.
How can they possibly escape if the government is watching and listening? Plus there are others who may want to jinx their plans.
Will Alina’s Aunt Theresa be able to help?
To be honest, “Bottled Goods” is not likely a book I would have chosen for myself. However, I’ve been trying to broaden my horizons by reading books I might not normally read.
This was a very quick read at 192 pages, and the short chapters seemed to make it go even faster. The story is told from Alina’s point of view.
The author created some very intriguing characters, especially the superstitious Aunt Theresa. I couldn’t help but feel for Alina and I can’t imagine how I would have handled the situations she was in. I enjoyed learning more about Romanian folklore, and while I’m not a huge fan of magical realism, it seemed to fit in well here. I’m not sure how I felt about the ending but overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read.
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Alison Gaylin is one of my favorite authors. Her previous novel, "Never Look Back" was one of my favorite reads last year. So I was thrilled to see sh
Alison Gaylin is one of my favorite authors. Her previous novel, "Never Look Back" was one of my favorite reads last year. So I was thrilled to see she'd written a short story for the Hush Collection.
Oscar-winner, Lyla McCord is at the premiere of her latest film. She's posing for photos on the red carpet when her cellphone vibrates inside her clutch. She ignores it. She briefly wonders who it was, but she doesn’t particularly care. The only person of real importance is her daughter, Fidelity who wouldn’t be calling her. Again it vibrates. Again she ignores it. Eventually, she turns it off without looking at it and heads to her seat in the theater.
Who could be calling? It doesn't matter.
Oh, but it really does.
Just as the lights are about to go down a man in a dark suit taps her on the shoulder. A Scotland Yard Inspector. There are two people with him. When the inspector tells her why he's there, her legs give out, and someone catches her just before she hits the floor.
"The Gift" was my second short story from the Hush collection and I decided to try the audiobook version. I’m really happy I did. At just 53 minutes, I listened to this in one easy sitting. The story pulled me in immediately, and I was gripped right up until the unexpected ending.
Alison Gaylin writes compelling and thrilling stories, and I’m excited about her next novel. Cassandra Campbell is a marvelous narrator, and I can’t wait to hear more from her as well.
So far I’m really enjoying this collection. I can’t wait to see what’s up next!...more
This was my first read from the Hush Collection and it's definitely not going to be my last!
The Hush Collection is a collection of six sho 4.5 Stars!!
This was my first read from the Hush Collection and it's definitely not going to be my last!
The Hush Collection is a collection of six short stories (e-book or audiobook) written by six well-known award-winning authors. From what I've seen so far, social media seems to play a part in all of the stories. I love books that have anything to do with social media so reading (or listening) to these is a no brainer.
When Liz Kelsey finds her husband's secret burner phone filled with compromising text messages things start to heat up.
I've enjoyed many novels by Laura Lippman and I'm adding this little story to that list.
Secrets, lies, and deception. This story had it all!
I had a physical copy of this book as well as the audiobook. I found myself switching back and forth between the two.
If I had to describe this book in only two words I would say it was dark and disturbing. However, it was also timely and gripping.
I understand that this book won’t be for everyone.
The story was very uncomfortable to read and listen to at times. However, the topic being what it is, it should be uncomfortable. The story alternates between past and present. It delves into the “relationship” between fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye and her forty-two-year-old English teacher, Jacob Strane.
It was a powerful and intense read. There were times I forced myself to stop reading/listening to give myself a break.
There are no happy endings in stories like these. The long term effects this kind of abuse has is heartbreaking.
This was a dark, disturbing, and gripping read that will hopefully spark many important conversations.
Well-written and thought-provoking. "My Dark Vanessa" is going to stay with me for a very long time....more
I HAD to check this out after reading the reviews from my GR friends, Dita and Nazanin. Both of them rated it highly and after listening t 4.5 Stars!!
I HAD to check this out after reading the reviews from my GR friends, Dita and Nazanin. Both of them rated it highly and after listening to it last night, I completely agree.
I love books about secrets. So a book about real secrets? Well, that's even better. These stories pulled so many different emotions out of me. Some stories had me fuming while others definitely had me reaching for the tissues. Some of them hit very close to home.
Stories about addiction, abuse, sexuality, love, parenthood, gender, religion, and more. I took a little something from all of them.
I thought I would listen to these stories over the course of a week or so, but I honestly couldn't stop.
I really hope that Helena Dea Bala publishes a second (and third, and fourth, etc) edition of stories. I'll read (or listen to) them all!