Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Boyfriend & Original Twin
Welcome to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon. My reviews for this week are, The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden and Original Twin by Paula Gleeson. I enjoyed both of these books so much.
The Boyfriend Goodreads Author: Freida McFadden
Publication Date: October 1, 2024
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
I can always guarantee that when I pick up a Freida McFadden book I am going to love it and her latest book The Boyfriend is no exception. I was very excited to read The Boyfriend and McFadden did not disappoint.
Sydney Shaw is a single thirty-year-old living in New York, and she has the worst luck with men. She has dated men who have stuck her with the check, lied on their dating profile, who are mama’s boys, and who won’t take no for an answer. Sydney believes she will never find Mr. Right. But then all that changes when she meets Tom, a charming, handsome doctor. Sydney thinks she has finally hit the jackpot. But when a young woman is brutally murdered and the prime suspect is a mystery man the woman dated, Sydney is on edge. She should feel safe dating Tom, but there are a few red flags that are starting to make Sydney suspicious that he may not be as perfect as she thought. Sydney needs to get to the truth, or she could be the next victim.
The story is told in a dual timeline. In the present day we get Sydney’s POV as she navigates the dating world and tries to get the truth about Tom. And then we get Tom’s POV from when he was in high school. In this POV we learn more about who Tom is. I don’t want to say too much about what we learn from when Tom was in high school, I think getting that info as you read adds to the mystery and outcome of the story.
I liked Sydney for the most part, but I did think at times she made the worst decisions. She meets Tom, right after a young woman is murdered and yet she has no qualms about jumping right in. Sure, you are not going to just stop dating, but do a bit of research on the guy first. LOL! I do give her points for what she does after she starts getting suspicious of Tom.
As always Freida McFadden created a story that had me engrossed from start to finish. As the story progressed and we got more info from Tom’s timeline, I really thought I had things figured out, and then McFadden threw in a twist that blew my theory out of the water.
The Boyfriend is another winner from Freida McFadden. If you have enjoyed her other books, then I believe you will enjoy this one as well. And if you are looking for your first McFadden book, then definitely give The Boyfriend a read. 4 stars
Original Twin Goodreads Author: Paula Gleeson
Publication Date: June 1, 2024
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Original Twin is Paula Gleeson’s debut novel and what a debut it was. I am already looking forward to her next book that is due out next year.
May and June may be fraternal twins, but they are so different from each other. May is plain looking, quiet and withdrawn. Whereas June is beautiful, loud and outgoing. June went missing a year ago and at the time everyone thought it was just June being June. Now a year later they are having a funeral for June, even though she was never found. May doesn’t believe June is dead, but goes along with her father, aunt and grandmother to have the service. While she was looking through June’s things in her bedroom, May finds and old newspaper article from nineteen years ago. The article is about their mother who also vanished but turned up three weeks later. May had no idea their mother had also vanished at one time, but what really stands out is the date. Both June and their mother vanished on the same exact date. May now realizes that June was looking into the events of what happened to their mother. In order to find June and find out what happened to their mother, May has to follow the clues that June has left her. Following these clues will unbury a dark family secret.
I love how Gleeson unfolded this story. The book opens at June’s funeral, with May’s discovery of the newspaper article. And we then follow May as she finds more clues that June left her. With each clue that May finds, more questions are brought to life. We also get chapters from May and June’s mother, Diana. In these chapters we get bits of information on what happened to Diana when she was missing for those three weeks and the events that followed. And then there are chapters with letters that June wrote to Diana, who died the year before June went missing. In these chapters we follow as June investigates what happened to her mother all those years ago. I loved following each of these women and getting to know them, as well as trying to figure out both the mystery of what happened to Diana and what happened to June.
There were so many twists and turns in this story. I really thought I knew where things were going to go and then in comes a twist to turn things around. I was not sure who to trust while I was reading. I love when a story does that to me.
I thought all of the characters were well developed. They were all flawed and complicated. Original Twin was an amazing debut novel and I definitely recommend it. 4 stars
Can’t Wait Wednesday – HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about. It is a meme that I have loved participating in since I first started blogging, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.
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My selection for this week is HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan. This one caught my eye and I’m excited to read it since it sounds like it has the perfect blend of humor, fantasy, and romance.
HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan
by Berkley
Publication Date: November 12, 2024
A centuries-long curse is no match for rom-com shenanigans when a medieval knight is brought to life in modern-day Chicago.
Forgotten by time and abandoned by hope, Sir Griffin de Beauford’s existence stretches out before him. Cursed by a ruthless enchanter to see, hear, and think, but never to move or speak, Griffin suffers the long, lonely centuries trapped in stone…until an unexpected kiss from a fair maiden breathes new life into his soul—and his body.
Emily Porter, a recently divorced conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago, is charged with the restoration of a statue of a medieval English knight. Breaking curses was not part of the job description. And yet, here he is, the man of her dreams come to life, resplendent in shining armor as he joyously barrels into priceless antiquities…and goes on to dismantle her defenses, wreak havoc on her senses, and tempt her to believe once more in happy-ever-afters.
But the modern age tries Griffin’s patience and pride, and Emily is a prime suspect in the investigation of the missing sculpture. In a complicated world, can they find their way to a fairy-tale ending?
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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂
Thriller Thursday Reviews: The House That Horror Built & The Swimmer
Happy Thriller Thursday! Sharon here with a couple of great books to read for spooky season. 🙂 This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Christina Henry’s, The House That Horror Built and Loreth Ann White’s, The Swimmer. I hope everyone is getting some great reading in and if you have any recommendations for spooky season let me know. I love finding new authors. 😀
The House That Horror Built Goodreads Author: Christina Henry
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
I love Christina Henry, so I was very excited to read her latest book, The House That Horror Built. I am happy that I waited for spooky season to read this, as this book was perfect reading for this time of year.
Harry Adams is a single mother to fourteen-year-old Gabe. Harry loves horror movies and books, so no surprise that she takes a job cleaning the house of award-winning horror director Javier Castillo. His Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled with props and costumes from not only his movies, but other horror movies as well. Javier lives as a recluse after a family tragedy five years ago. Harry keeps her head down and does her job, even though she swears she hears banging and voices coming from a locked room and is sure one of the props is moving and watching her. After being evicted from her apartment, Harry reluctantly moves with Gabe into Bright Horses with Javier, who has taken an instant liking to Gabe. But Harry soon realizes that moving in was a bad decision and she needs to get her and Gabe out of there before it is too late. Javier is hiding secrets that put Harry and Gabe’s life in jeopardy.
OMG this book was so creepy and gave me the chills. As you know I also love horror, so I was instantly hooked. My first thought when I read the synopsis was, if my favorite horror director needed someone to clean their house, sign me up! LOL! But, If I started hearing noises coming from a locked room and the props started moving, I so would have been out of there. I have seen enough horror movies to know, that is not a good combination.
I love how Henry incorporated so many of my favorite horror movies into the story. There were so many mentions of my favorites, I would have loved to tour this house and see all the props. I also think Henry did a great job of creating Javier Castillo and bringing him to life. Being a horror director, he came across as odd and a bit quirky.
I really liked Harry and thought she was also a well-developed character, as well as her son Gabe. Harry does everything she can to give Gabe a good life. She has gone without things, just so he could have what he needs. She was a great mother. She instilled her love of horror in Gabe, so it was fun watching him in fan mode when he met Javier and toured the house.
I kind of figured out what Javier’s secret was, but there was a twist at the end I so did not see coming.
My only issue with this book is that I wish the end had more to it. It ended abruptly and I think there should have been at least one more chapter to explain things and tie everything up. But all in all, I loved this book and if you are looking for a book to read this spooky season, I definitely recommend The House That Horror Built. 4 stars
The Swimmer Goodreads Author: Loreth Anne White
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Publisher: Montlake
Loreth Ann White’s newest story, The Swimmer, is another winner. This book had lots of twists and turns, characters I loved and characters I hated, as well as a few tearjerker moments.
Chloe Cooper has always been socially awkward. She is forty years old and for her whole life her mother has instilled in her to never draw attention to herself, and to trust her instincts. If something seems off, then it probably is. Chloe spends her days caring for her ailing mother, as well as being a dog walker and bartender. Chloe is also a people watcher. When new neighbors, Jemma and Adam Spengler, move in next door, Chloe is instantly drawn to watching them. One rainy morning while Chloe is walking her mother’s dog, she witnesses a swimmer get hit and killed by a jet ski. Chloe is sure that it was Adam on the jet ski and against her better judgement she calls the police and reports what she saw. In doing so, Chloe has put herself in the Spengler’s path. The Spengler’s are not the happy, carefree couple they portray to be, they are harboring secrets that has put Chloe’s life in danger.
The first part of the book is broken up into chapters labeled, The Hit-and-Run, and After-The-Hit-and-Run. The second part of the book is broken up into chapters labeled, Before the Murders and After the Murders. And we also get chapters throughout the book from a true crime podcast called, It’s Criminal: The Chloe Cooper Story. I loved how Loreth Anne White created the story this way. It created so much suspense and mystery with lots of twists and turns added in. I found myself caught off guard so many times while I was reading.
I loved Chloe and had so much sympathy for her. I did find myself tearing up a few times while reading. Being so socially awkward, Chloe did not always make the right decisions, and I found myself thinking “No Chloe don’t.” Especially when it came to Jemma. Chloe so wanted them to be friends and I hated how Jemma used that against Chloe. White did a great job in creating Chloe and having her jump off the pages.
White also did a great job in creating the other characters as well, especially Jemma and Adam. OMG! I loathed them both. LOL!
I really cannot say what happens in the story because I think it is best to go in blind and have the twists and turns blow your mind like they did mine. If you are a Loreth Anne White fan, I recommend The Swimmer, I don’t think you will be disappointed. 4 stars