Review: ON THE SAVAGE SIDE by Tiffany McDaniel

February 24, 2023/12 Comments/by Suzanne

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

Published by Knopf Publishing Group on February 14, 2023
Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 464
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Bookshop
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel is not for the faint of heart. Set in an Ohio small town and inspired by the real-life unsolved murders of six women known as the Chillicothe Six, On the Savage Side explores how heroin addiction can rip apart a family and a community and how predators are lurking everywhere, just waiting to snatch up the pieces. It’s both a disturbing and haunting story, probably one of the darkest I’ve ever read.

The story follows Arcade and Daffodil (Arc and Daffy), twin sisters who are born to heroin-addicted parents. As their parents struggle with their addiction, life is pretty rough for the family, and when their dad dies from an overdose when the girls are six years old, things go from bad to worse. The one bright spot in their lives is their beloved grandmother, Mamaw Milkweed, who showers the girls with love and affection and teaches them the lesson that life has both a savage side and a beautiful side and that the key to life is to make the savage side beautiful. Mamaw Milkweed uses the underside of a crochet square she is working on to illustrate her point, tidying up the dangling strings to make both sides of the square beautiful. Arc and Daffy take this message to heart, and using their vivid imaginations, they try to find the beautiful side of every savage thing they witness in their young lives. Some of the loveliest moments of the book are those scenes between the girls and their grandmother, and those moments where the girls are weaving together imaginative stories to try to make life seem a little less horrific.

McDaniel makes it so easy to fall in love with Arc and Daffy and to mourn the loss of their innocence as their mother sinks further and further into her addiction with each passing year, even turning to prostitution to help pay for drugs. It’s absolutely heartbreaking when the girls start to follow in their mother’s footsteps, both in terms of drug use and prostitution. When a serial killer starts dumping the bodies of young women into the local river, the story takes on an even more ominous tone. I loved that Arc makes a vow to keep her sister safe – their bond is another one of the beautiful moments in the book – but at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel like the odds were stacked against them, especially when their town is filled with predatory, sadistic men, any of whom seemed like a likely suspect, and no one in the town seemed all that invested in finding out who the killer is.

The story is filled with twists and turns and I don’t want to give any of those away, so I’m going to pivot from the plot to talk about the writing. This may be one of the darkest stories I’ve ever read, but it’s also one of the most beautifully written. I loved the balance between the beautiful and the ugly moments of the story, and found McDaniel’s storytelling to be truly captivating and downright poetic at times. In particular, there are several chapters sprinkled throughout where the river itself becomes a character in the story, describing the women’s bodies as they are dumped into the water.

Filled with just about every trigger warning imaginable, from drug abuse and sexual abuse all the way to animal cruelty, On the Savage Side won’t be for everyone. But if you like a haunting and emotional read that takes a raw and unflinching look at a dark subject matter, On the Savage Side is a must-read. I know it’s a book I won’t be forgetting about anytime soon.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Drift & Find Her

February 23, 2023/14 Comments/by Sharon

Sharon here with another edition of Thriller Thursday. Both of the books I am reviewing this week take place during a snowstorm and since it is winter and cold here, they were the perfect settings to read while curled up on my couch under a blanket. 🙂 Here are my thoughts on C.J. Tudor’s, The Drift and Sarah A. Denzil’s, Find Her.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Drift & Find Her

The Drift Goodreads

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publication Date: January 31, 2023

Publisher: Ballantine Books

C.J. Tudor is a must-read author for me. I have loved every one of her books and her newest book The Drift is no exception. Set in the dystopian future, there is a highly contagious and deadly virus ravaging the world and it is winning, but atop a ski resort is “The Retreat”, a chalet that has been converted into a scientific center that is working on vaccines to combat the virus. The Drift is a story of survival that follows Hannah, Meg, and Carter as they try and survive long enough to reach The Retreat.

This story is told from the POVs of Hannah, Meg, and Carter. Each has their own survival story, all set during a snowstorm. I could not wait to find out how and when their stories would merge. When I found out how they merged, I was blown away! Tudor did an amazing job in laying out these three different settings, all the while keeping me in the dark on the outcome.

Hannah and some of her exclusive boarding school classmates were on their way to The Retreat, to keep them safe as the virus started infecting people at their school, when the bus they were on crashed. Hannah and a handful of others survive the crash, but they are trapped inside with no way to call for help. Even if they do manage to escape the bus, there is a storm raging outside and evil lurks in the woods. To survive they need to work together. I loved Hannah. She was a strong and very smart young woman. Her father is a scientist who is working at The Retreat, but we soon learn that her father is not a loving family man.

Carter works at The Retreat, but the generators have started to act up and with each waver the safe confines of The Retreat are threatened. When we first meet Carter there are only a few people left at The Retreat and the number dwindles quickly as the virus and the evils from the outside world penetrate the walls. I loved Carter as well. He was another strong character. He is not without his faults though and he did some not-so-great things, but the reasons he did what he did make up for it.

When we first meet Meg, she and five others awaken in a cable car suspended high above the ground. At first, they do not know where they are but then they remember they were on their way to The Retreat. As the temperature in the car drops, this group needs to figure a way out before they all die. And yes, I loved Meg too. Meg is a former police officer who lost her daughter to the virus ten years ago. She has had a tough time since her daughter died and I had so much sympathy for her.

Tudor did a great job of creating three separate settings and bringing them and the characters to life. This book had twists and turns that kept making my jaw drop. There were some gruesome and bloody scenes, so if you are squeamish be advised. The Drift is a wild ride of survival, that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing to an amazing ending. 4 ½ stars

Find Her Goodreads

Author: Sarah A. Denzil

Publication Date: November 1, 2022

Publisher: Sarah Dalton

I liked the premise of Sarah A. Denzil’s newest book Find Her, an isolated hotel hosting three weddings during a snowstorm on Christmas day, three missing brides and three dead bodies. Yup my type of read and I am happy to say Find Her lived up to the hype I created in my mind.

Lucy is engaged to Henry, whose first wife died after falling down a flight of stairs. His teenage son Jacob does not like Lucy and is looking for any opportunity to get rid of her.

Mila is engaged to Rafael and their life together has been perfect, until his parents started insisting that Mila sign a prenuptial agreement which she is dead set against. Mila has an end game, but her past is starting to catch up to her and her plans need to be altered and fast before anyone finds out who she really is.

Claire is engaged to Adrianna and they cannot wait to get married, but someone is stalking Claire and making both of their lives miserable. Claire served on a jury for a gruesome murder and now someone is sending her photos from the crime scene, and she is sure it is the brother of the man she helped convict.

This book is told from multiple POV’s that lead up to the wedding and also the POV of one of the brides that is missing during the day of the wedding. I think Denzil did a great job of presenting so many views without having things get too complicated. I loved how she was able to bring each character to life and smoothly jump to each POV. Each of the characters had some sort of secret and I loved getting the bits of information on them and then trying to figure out what was going on. I especially liked the chapters from the unknown bride and trying to figure out who she was.

Out of all the characters Mila was my favorite. She was the more complex of them all. I also felt she was the strongest of the brides. I liked Claire and Lucy, but I did think they were a bit whinny at times. Yes, Claire had a psycho stalker after her and Lucy had a weird stepson following her, but I wish they could have been a bit more assertive. I think Mila jumped out at me more because she had more of a mystery to her and I couldn’t wait to find out what her end game was.

I know I didn’t say much of what went on in this book, but I don’t want to give anything away. Find Her starts off as a nice even paced read and by the end of the book the tension and pace picks up to full steam full of twists and turns. 4 stars

Romance Reviews: BEST SERVED HOT & THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR

February 20, 2023/18 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope your Monday is off to a good start. My family and I are all getting over a nasty stomach bug, so I’m feeling fortunate to wake up today feeling much better than I have been. About the only good thing that came with not feeling well was that I could just lay around and read and no one gave me grief about it, haha. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on two of the fun romances I read while I was recovering.

Romance Reviews: BEST SERVED HOT & THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR

Best Served Hot Goodreads

Author: Amanda Elliot

Publication Date: February 21, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

In Amanda Elliot’s new novel Best Served Hot, Julie Zimmerman dreams of becoming a restaurant reviewer for a major newspaper. Right now, however, she’s working as an executive assistant and only has an unpaid side gig as a food influencer on Instagram. She applies for a restaurant critic position at the prestigious New York Scroll, but loses out to rich society guy, Bennett Richard Macalester Wright. Julie hates everything about Bennett, from his obnoxious name all the way to his haughty attitude toward social media influencers and followers. When a public argument between them on this subject goes viral, Bennett’s boss loves the chemistry between Julie and Bennett and decides it would be fun to have a collaboration between the two of them, an old guard (print journalism) vs. new guard (social media) approach to reviewing the same restaurants. Julie is torn between being appalled at having to spend time with Bennett, while at the same time, knowing that this could bring her a lot of exposure and open doors for her.

I love a good rivals to lovers story and am also a fan of the forced proximity trope, so Best Served Hot was right up my alley. I loved the chemistry between Julie and Bennett, especially the transition from those early awkward, borderline hostile scenes, to those moments when Julie realizes that maybe hanging out with Bennett and eating delicious foods isn’t the worst way she could be spending her time and that maybe he isn’t as pompous and entitled as she originally judged him to be. I also just really liked watching them work together, how different their styles were, and how they actually learned from each other.

The vibrant food descriptions were of course a hit with me and practically had me drooling on my kindle, and I also loved the entire cast of secondary characters, especially Jada, another foodie social media influencer who reaches out to Julie during her competition with Bennett, and Alice, Julie’s bestie and a talented coder who has grown frustrated working with obnoxious, arrogant men. I loved the sense of community and sisterhood between these ladies. Emerson Leigh, a rich girl who is oblivious of her privilege but who also has a heart of gold, also turns out to be a gem of a character.

If you enjoy foodie romances as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to check out Best Served Hot! 4 STARS

The Neighbor Favor Goodreads

Author: Kristina Forest

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest. Is there an actual trope for bookish characters and bookish settings? Because, if not, there really should be!

Lily Greene is a lifelong book lover who works in publishing. She’s not quite where she wants to be, which is to work as a children’s book editor, but she’s trying to get there. One day she decides to email her favorite fantasy author, N.R. Strickland, and they begin a months’ long correspondence that becomes the highlight of Lily’s days. They have wonderful conversations and really open up to one another, to the extent that it has Lily imagining what life could be like if she were to meet him in person, a new friendship or possibly more? That is until he abruptly ghosts her and deletes his email account with no explanation. Shocked and a bit heartbroken, Lily moves on with her life.

I loved Lily. She of course scored points with me immediately by virtue of being a book lover, but I also just really admired her determination to keep going after her dream job, as well as her perseverance when it came to taking control of her love life. Up until N.R. Strickland (or Strick as she called him) ghosted her, Lily had been caving in to her sisters’ endless attempts to set her up her dates that went nowhere, but after getting burned by Strick, she decides it’s time to bring her sisters’ meddlesome matchmaking efforts to a halt. I also very much related to her social awkwardness and loved that this awkwardness is what actually ends up driving the plot of the story because in order to find a date, she turns to her new neighbor, the sexy and charming Nick Brown. He’s not looking to date anyone but is happy to help Lily find someone and get her sisters out of her hair. Unbeknownst to Lily, her new neighbor is actually N.R. Strickland.

I honestly wanted to hate Nick for ghosting Lily, but the more we get to know him, he has very real reasons for doing what he did even if he went about it the wrong way. I went from wanting to hate him to very much wanting him and Lily to see that they were perfect for each other. I also enjoyed getting the glimpses into Nick’s journey as a reclusive author trying to complete a sequel to his best-selling fantasy novel, which also happens to be Lily’s all time favorite book.

The chemistry between Nick and Lily is wonderful and I enjoyed all of their scenes, from fun and silly ones trying to buy Nick furniture at IKEA to more poignant and heartfelt ones as Lily tries to help Nick deal with some long-standing issues he has with his father. And don’t even get me started on the adorable bookish dates they go on. Be still my book loving heart!

This was my first time reading a novel from Kristina Forest and I very much look forward to reading more from her because The Neighbor Favor was just a pure delight! 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Last Invitation & No Place To Run

February 9, 2023/18 Comments/by Sharon

Happy Thriller Thursday! Yup, it’s me Sharon. This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Darby Kane’s, The Last Invitation and Mark Edwards’, No Place To Run. Both of these books were fast paced thrillers that kept me on my toes.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Last Invitation & No Place To Run

The Last Invitation Goodreads

Author: Darby Kane

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Publisher: HarperCollins

“They meet the second Tuesday of every month and vote…and then someone dies.” That line in the synopsis of Darby Kane’s latest book, The Last Invitation, really grabbed my attention. I love a good thriller with a bunch of power-hungry women who think it is up to them to provide justice when the courts don’t.

The Sophie Foundation is made up of seven powerful women, who meet over cheese and wine and review the files of men who have behaved very badly, but never got the justice they deserved. Over the past few years some very prominent men have died via a series of fluke accidents and suicides.

Jessa Hall is a lawyer who is at the lowest point of her career, so when she receives an invitation to join The Sophie Foundation she jumps at the chance. Jessa is more than ready to make the bad guys lose. But Jessa soon realizes she may not be ready to go as far as the foundation expects her to go and that trying to leave the group is dangerous and could cost her her life.

Gabby Fielding’s ex-husband has just died from an apparent suicide. Gabby does not believe he would commit suicide and when she starts to push for an investigation into his death, she finds out that there is more to the story. As she pushes forward to find the truth she puts herself, her daughter and brother in-law in danger. Gabby and Jessa are frenemies but realize that to take the Foundation down, they need to work together.

There is so much I want to say about what happens in this book but cannot without spoiling things. I had a love/hate relationship with both Gabby and Jessa. They were both badass, strong women. I liked Gabby more; she was determined to get to the bottom of her ex-husband’s death, even though their divorce was anything but amicable. I didn’t warm up to Jessa until the end. She was a bitch. LOL! She didn’t play by the rules and crossed the lawyer ethical line a lot of times and always found a way to justify it. I really enjoyed watching both Gabby and Jessa work together when they teamed up. Neither trusted the other one, which made for some very tense moments. I really hoped that they would be able to overcome their differences and reveal the truth about the foundation, as well as survive the process. They also had a lot of great back and forth banter that made me chuckle at times.

The Last Invitation was a fast paced read that had a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing. There were a couple of twists at the end that made my jaw drop and also put a tear in my eye. 4 stars

No Place to Run Goodreads

Author: Mark Edwards

Publication Date: June 21, 2022

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Mark Edwards’ latest novel, No Place To Run, follows Aidan Faith in his search for his missing teenage sister, Scarlett. Scarlett went missing two years ago when she was visiting Aidan in Seattle. There was no trace of her, and the case went cold, but Aidan never gave up. When an older woman sees a girl running in a forest clearing in Northern California, she is certain it is Scarlett. After this woman contacts Aidan, he heads to the small town in California, where he meets Lana, who is searching for answers to her brother’s death. As Aidan and Lana start to uncover clues as to what happened to these two teens, they are met with locals who will do anything to keep them silent and protect the truth about what is going on.

I really loved both Aidan and Lana. They were both determined to find out what happened to their siblings no matter what. Aidan is wracked with guilt over his sister’s disappearance; he was supposed to be protecting her and he feels like he failed. I loved the brotherly bond he had with Scarlett and the fact that he never stopped searching for her. Lana’s brother died in the forest fires that were sweeping through California a year ago. Lana does not believe for one minute that her brother would have been in the forest while they were burning, and she is determined to find out what really happened to him. Lana was one tough cookie; she did not take any crap from anyone, and she was not afraid to push buttons if it would get her to the truth. She also had me chuckling a few times with her witty banter. I also really liked the chemistry between Aidan and Lana. You could tell they were attracted to each other, but they did not give into any temptations because they had a higher purpose in finding their siblings. The whole time I was reading I was hoping they would both make it out okay so they could pursue a relationship.

I don’t want to say too much about what happened to Aidan and Lana’s siblings, but I will say that if you add lots of gun fire, car and foot chases, drugs, and cult like activities, you get one fast paced read with lots of twists and turns.

While I did think the conclusion was a tad over the top, I still really liked No Place To Run and think that Mark Edwards did a great job on creating a story that kept my adrenaline running throughout the book. 3 ½ stars

Reviews: NOT YOUR EX’S HEXES & JUST MY TYPE

February 6, 2023/18 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend. It was freezing here so I pretty much stayed inside and read all weekend. Today I’m back to share my thoughts on two books that will hit bookstore shelves this week. If you’re looking for some fun and romantic reads as we close in on Valentine’s Day, you’re going to want to check out both of these!

Reviews: NOT YOUR EX’S HEXES & JUST MY TYPE

Not Your Ex's Hexes (Supernatural Singles, #2) Goodreads

Author: April Asher

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St Martin’s Griffin

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The only thing better than having lots of great witchy reads to devour during spooky season is having lots of great witchy reads to enjoy throughout the entire year. I’m especially loving the witchy rom com trend and so couldn’t resist requesting a review copy of Not Your Ex’s Hexes, the latest installment in April Asher’s Supernatural Singles series.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes is a sexy, magical, grumpy-sunshine delight! It follows Rose Maxwell, a sassy, headstrong witch who, after having recently stepped down from the Supernatural Council, is now trying to find her path in life. All she knows at this point is that she is not looking for love. Sex, yes. Love, no. She goes to a bar and sets her sights on Damian Adams, a sexy half-demon who is the perfect candidate for a one-night stand. Once her sexual needs have been attended to, the next item on Rose’s to-do list is to rescue some abused horses she saw in a field. What Rose doesn’t learn until she is caught by the police, is that the abused horses had actually already been rescued. The field she saw them in was part of an animal sanctuary that is run by none other than Damian Adams, her one-night stand who also happens to be a veterinarian. To make matters even more awkward, Rose is sentenced to community service at the sanctuary so she’ll have to work in close quarters with Damian.

You guys, this was such a fun read! I loved both Rose and Damian. Rose is smart, sassy, and just brimming with energy and enthusiasm, especially when she learns the sanctuary is in financial trouble. She makes coming up with ways to save the sanctuary her mission in life, even if she drives Damian crazy in the process. Damian is a sexy, broody guy who is very much trying to keep his inner demon at bay. He may be grumpy and gruff on the outside, but deep down, he’s really just an animal-rescuing cinnamon roll. Like Rose, Damian is also not looking for love, primarily because he was hexed by a former girlfriend and literally cannot let himself fall in love or he will lose his soul. Damian is attracted to Rose though so when she suggests the two of them engage in a no-strings continuation of their one-night stand, Damian readily agrees. Will the two of them be able to keep things casual? If they can’t, what about Damian’s curse?

Filled with sexy, steamy scenes, magical hijinks, demon hunting, and an array of adorable rescue animals, Not Your Ex’s Hexes has a little something for everyone! 4.5 STARS.

Just My Type Goodreads

Author: Falon Ballard

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance and Falon Ballard delivers a great one with her latest novel, Just My Type, which follows two high school sweethearts who are reunited under contentious circumstances.

While they were dating in high school, Lana and Seth had big plans for the future, all of which revolved around them attending the same university and moving in together. When their plans fell through, Seth breaks up with Lana because he doesn’t want to hold her back from her dreams of becoming a journalist. When Seth then goes on to reject Lana at their high school reunion a few years later, Lana is embarrassed and hopes that she’ll never see Seth again. When Seth later takes a job as a journalist at the same media outlet Lana works for, Lana is in utter disbelief, especially when her boss, sensing the tension and still simmering chemistry between them and smelling a potential ratings explosion, puts forth a writing challenge for the two of them, a series of relationship advice articles. Whoever’s writings are the most popular with their audience will win a highly coveted spot as a columnist where they can write about whatever they want.

The competition was such a fun backdrop for Lana and Seth to work through their own personal relationship issues – Lana bounces from one relationship to another, while Seth apparently can’t commit to anyone, as well as to work through their issues with one another. I loved that one element of the competition involved them choosing relationship-related activities for each other to take part in, and that another caveat of the competition forced them to occasionally team up on these activities. It was such a great use of the forced proximity trope to get Lana and Seth talking again and to eventually work their way up to talking about their past, what happened after high school and especially what happened at that reunion. Some of the conversations were painful and emotional, but they were necessary and the more that was revealed about what happened, the more I became invested in the two of them finding their way back to each other, especially since it was clear the love was still there.

I enjoyed the balance of humor with the more emotional moments in this story. There’s a wonderful secondary cast of journalists and their often hilarious group chats are interspersed throughout, providing a bit of comic relief. I also loved that we actually got to read each of the articles Seth and Lana were writing. The author did a great job of incorporating all of these elements into Just My Type, creating an entertaining and moving read that I didn’t want to end. 4 STARS

Reviews: FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN & THE TWYFORD CODE

January 30, 2023/9 Comments/by Suzanne

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and got lots of quality reading time in. I know I did and actually feel refreshed for a change as we start the new week. Yay! Anyway, today I’m back to share my thoughts on two new mystery/thriller reads that are January releases. One is the newest book in the Finlay Donovan series, which is a favorite of mine, and the other is a book that I believe was actually released in the UK last year through Viper Books and is now being released in the U.S. by Atria.

Reviews: FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN & THE TWYFORD CODE

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan, #3) Goodreads

Author: Elle Cosimano

Publication Date: January 31, 2023

Publisher: Minotaur Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third installment in Elle Cosimano’s popular Finlay Donovan series and I’m happy to report that it does not disappoint! For those unfamiliar with the series or those who might need a refresher, Finlay is an author and single mom, who along with her nanny/accountant/sidekick, Vero, have found themselves unexpectedly tied to the Russian mob. At the end of the second book, the mob actually does Finlay a huge favor, but that favor, in a move that surprises no one, especially Finlay and Vero, comes with some equally huge strings attached.

The third installment kicks off with the Russian mob boss calling in his favor. He wants Finlay and Vero to identify and locate EasyClean, an anonymous killer-for-hire, before the police do. Finlay and Vero want no part of this of course, especially since some signs point to EasyClean actually being a cop him or herself. Our dynamic duo decides that the best way to figure out if EasyClean is a cop or not is to join the new citizen’s police academy that Finlay’s crush, Nick is in charge of, and all the while, Finlay is desperately trying to write a spicier version of her next book to get her editor off her back. Needless to say, shenanigans ensue!

As with the first two hilarious installments in this series, a lot of what happens is over the top and definitely involves the reader suspending disbelief, but that’s what makes the series so much fun. I laughed my way through from start to finish, cheering Finlay and Vero on every step of the way. I got to the point where I couldn’t decide what I wanted Finlay to succeed at more: finding EasyClean, getting that spicy novel finished, or finally hooking up with hottie Nick.

I read that there will be a fourth book in the series and I’m totally here for it! If you’re in the mood for a hilarious and action-packed cozy thriller that is pure escapism at its best, definitely check out the Finlay Donovan series. 4 STARS

The Twyford Code Goodreads

Author: Janice Hallett

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Publisher: Atria Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett is one of the more unique books I’ve read in recent years. Presented to the reader in the form of nearly 200 audio transcripts taken from an old iPhone 4, the story follows one man’s journey to find the mysterious connection between the disappearance of his beloved English teacher 40 years ago and an unsolved code that lies hidden within the text of a children’s book.

Smithy, the protagonist, is an interesting guy. He’s an ex-con, who after serving a long prison sentence, meets his now-adult son for the first time. His son isn’t ready for a relationship but gives Smithy his old iPhone so that when he decides he’s ready, he can contact his father. In the meantime, Smithy decides to use the phone to record his thoughts about the direction his life has taken over the years. He hopes his son will listen to them some day to better understand him and how he ended up in prison.

Smithy also uses the phone to document his journey to answer a question that has bothered him for years: what happened to his English teacher? She disappeared in the middle of a school field trip – a trip that was inspired by a strange book Smithy found on the bus and shared with her one day. Smithy feels responsible for her disappearance and is desperate to learn what happened to her. I found Smithy to be a very sympathetic character. He had a pretty awful childhood and, as if that wasn’t enough, he also struggled to read and write. His remedial English teacher was the first person to really give him the time of day so it was easy to see why she meant so much to him.

The bulk of the story actually focuses on the missing teacher and the secret code in the children’s book Smithy found. If you’re a fan of stories like The DaVinci Code and National Treasure, you’ll really enjoy this as Smithy and some fellow former students from remedial English set out to solve the code because they think it will give them answers as to why their teacher went missing. This adventure was a wild ride that often required me to suspend disbelief, but I did love how the author crafted this part of her tale.

I did have a couple of minor struggles as I was reading. I have to admit that the transcript format took some getting used to and really slowed me down at the beginning. Once I finally got used to the unique formatting, I was able to settle in and follow along, especially since the bulk of the speaking is done by Smithy. One other issue I had was that the pacing seemed to slow in the middle of the book and I found my attention starting to wander. Thankfully the pace picked back up though and I raced to what turned out to be a pretty clever ending. There was an element of trickery involved that I have mixed feelings about, but I commend the author on delivering an ending that was completely unexpected.

If you like puzzles, original storytelling, and underdog protagonists, The Twyford Code might be just the book you’re looking for. 3.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Five Survive & The Personal Assistant

January 26, 2023/18 Comments/by Sharon

Sharon here, back with another edition of Thriller Thursday! This week I am reviewing Holly Jackson’s new book Five Survive and Kimberly Belle’s new book The Person Assistant.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Five Survive & The Personal Assistant

Five Survive Goodreads

Author: Holly Jackson

Publication Date: November 29, 2022

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Holly Jackson’s YA thriller Five Survive follows Red Kenny and five of her friends as they travel in an RV from Philadelphia to the Gulf Shores for spring break. And as the title suggests, six friends start out on this trip but only five of them will survive. This story is told over an eight hour time frame and Jackson weaves an incredible story that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading.

Things start out great for Red and her friends (Simon, Arthur, Maddy, Maddy’s older brother Oliver, and his girlfriend Reyna), but then they lose cell service and end up getting lost and the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. The friends soon realize that this was no accident and that there is a sniper out in the dark who wants one of them dead. But first, the sniper wants to know the secret they are carrying. As the hours go by, the friends start to turn on each other as it becomes clear that one of them has been lying and they need to figure out which of their secrets this killer wants.

I thought Holly Jackson did a great job creating this story, the characters, and the setting. The book is not only told over a short period of time, but it also takes place in the RV and I think Jackson did an amazing job with this setting. I could visualize myself there and I could also relate to everything the friends were feeling and the tension they were experiencing within this tight space.

Red was my favorite character. She has been through a lot in her life. Her mother was a police sergeant and was killed four years ago. Red was on the phone with her mother not long before she was killed and they had an argument and Red cannot forgive herself for the things she said before she hung up on her. Red was also a little quirky. I am not sure if it was just with what she went through with her mother or if she was possibly on the autism spectrum. She would write to do lists to herself on her hands and arms, and her mind would wander a lot. But she was strong and as the story progressed, we got to see how strong she was.

Oliver was my least favorite character. He thought because he was the oldest, he was the one that made the decisions. And let me tell you, his decisions were always wrong! He would never take the blame when things went wrong though; it was always someone else’s fault. He was just so arrogant.

I cannot say whose secret the killer wanted and I definitely cannot say who did not survive, because duh, major spoiler LOL! But I will say that I was pretty much completely in the dark on the outcome of this book. Five Survive had me hooked from the first page. I was on the edge of my seat at the end and I think Holly Jackson did a great job of tying all the ends together. She even left me with a few tears in my eyes. 4 ½ stars

The Personal Assistant Goodreads

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publication Date: November 29, 2022

Publisher: Park Row

Kimberly Belle’s latest book, The Personal Assistant, is a cat and mouse thriller with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.

Alex Hutchinson is a social media influencer who has reached one million followers and is on top of the world. Within the span of a few hours, however, her world comes crumbling down. Alex didn’t intend to become an influencer, but what was originally a hobby, soon became a full-time job. Alex, her husband Patrick, and her personal assistant AC, celebrate her million followers milestone with a few too many drinks and the next morning Alex wakes up to a firestorm due to a controversial post she drunkenly made the night before, though she has no memory of making the post. When Alex tries to contact AC to help with damage control, AC is nowhere to be found. As the police start their search for AC, it becomes clear that she is not who she said she was. Things start to escalate as a certain troll is leaking information about Alex and her family is now being threatened, and then a dead body (who is not AC) is found in Alex and Patrick’s carriage house. Is AC behind all this? Who is she really and where is she?

The book is told from the POV of Alex, Patrick and from a woman named Anna Clare in 1994. I wasn’t that crazy about Alex or Patrick. Patrick was keeping secrets and the more we learned about them, the more I did not trust him. Alex in my opinion was just very self-centered. With all that was going on, she was more concerned about keeping her social media page open than she was about the welfare of her twin teenage daughters. Yes when things really started ramping up she took it more seriously and did what she could to protect them, but I never really warmed up to her.

I really liked having the Anna Clare chapters thrown in as that added more mystery to the story. I kept thinking I knew how those chapters tied into what was happening now, but alas I was wrong.

I think Belle did a good job on giving us a look into the inside of what goes on with influencers and how their pages are run. It really is a business, and one wrong thing can bring it all down. Influencers are a big part of our world now and seeing how the trolls reacted to the post Alex made had me thinking no way would I want to put myself out there like that. Those trolls are vicious.

I don’t want to say too much about what happens, but there were lots of twists and turns and I didn’t figure anything out until the very end. While The Personal Assistant was not my favorite book by Kimberly Belle, I still thought it was a solid read. 3 ½ stars

Reviews: BEGIN AGAIN & DO I KNOW YOU?

January 23, 2023/18 Comments/by Suzanne

It’s another new week so it’s time for a fresh set of reviews for upcoming fiction releases. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on two romance novels that will be hitting the shelves tomorrow, Begin Again from one of my favorite YA authors Emma Lord, and Do I Know You? from the wonderful writing duo, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. Let me know in the comments if these sound like books you’ll be interested in reading. 🙂

Begin Again Goodreads

Author: Emma Lord

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Publisher: Wednesday Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I was a little nervous going into Begin Again by Emma Lord just because I haven’t had much luck with YA novels lately. I should have known better though because Emma Lord has always delivered wonderful reads for me and Begin Again was no exception.

First of all, it’s set on a college campus, which has become one of my favorite YA settings. I don’t know if it’s the nostalgia factor since I loved college so much or if it’s just that there aren’t that many YA books set on college campuses, but whatever the reason, the college setting put a smile on my face from the first page. Second, I also liked that the protagonist was coming in off cycle as a second semester Freshman transfer student, also something I don’t often see in YA novels and a scenario that presents its own unique set of challenges for the protagonist.

Speaking of the protagonist, I found Andie to be a likeable character with a very relatable journey. She has finally arrived at the college of her dreams, after failing to get in the first time she applied, and immediately goes searching for her boyfriend who also goes there. She’s hoping to surprise him because she didn’t tell him she had applied as a transfer student. Andie’s the one who ends up surprised though because guess what? Her boyfriend wanted to surprise her too and has transferred to the community college Andie had been attending.

The rest of the story focuses on Andie figuring out who she is and what her place is without having her identity and all of her choices intertwined with her boyfriend’s. I loved this journey for her and that she met so many wonderful friends along the way. Her new roommate, Shay; her R.A and maybe crush, Milo; and her stats tutor, Valeria; become the found family Andie didn’t even know she needed and they help her navigate so many of the challenges she faces as a new college student. I loved how they supported her and also got her out there having fun and truly embracing the college experience.

In addition to the coming of age/finding your path aspect of the story, there’s also a very moving subplot involving Andie’s connection to the college through her parents who both went there. Andie’s mom died several years ago and she’s still processing that grief, as well as dealing with an estranged father who basically ran away after Andie’s mom died, leaving her to live with her grandmothers. Attending this college allows Andie the opportunity to form an even deeper connection with her parents as she joins a secret society her mom and dad founded back when they were students. It also opens the door to help heal the rift between Andie and her dad and there are some very moving scenes between those two that choked me up a bit.

With its college setting, found family, empowering coming of age journey for the protagonist, and a slow burn super cute friends to lovers romance, Begin Again has all of the ingredients for a delightful read that will leave you with a smile on your face. 4 STARS

Do I Know You? Goodreads

Author: Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Publisher: Berkley Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka have another winner on their hands with their latest novel, Do I Know You? I always enjoy a good second chance romance, but I especially enjoyed this one because it features a couple who have become estranged but who are hoping to find their way back to each other. I really enjoyed this fresh take on what sometimes happens after the happily ever after.

The story follows Eliza and Graham, who are on their way to spend a weeklong vacation at a romantic resort in Northern California. A relative has treated them to this trip to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. They feel obligated to go, but it’s obvious from the first chapter that neither of them is really excited about the trip. They’re stiff and awkward and can barely make even the most basic small talk with one another. There’s no hostility, but it’s clear that something is just off between them. They’re both secretly hoping that this trip will help reignite the spark between them, but neither knows where to even begin. When a mix-up at the hotel leaves them staying in two separate rooms, they decide to embrace this as an opportunity for a second chance. They begin a flirtatious game of role play where they pretend to be strangers meeting again for the first time. At first, there’s skepticism but then both Graham and Eliza realize how freeing something about their newfound situation is and so they go for it.

As a married woman whose relationship has definitely had many ups and downs over the years, I related to Graham and Eliza’s situation so much. I also especially loved that the story was presented from both of their perspectives so that even though they were struggling to communicate with one another, we get that inside look at what they’re each thinking and feeling, and what they wish they could say to one another. It was equal parts heartening and frustrating because those inner thoughts reveal not only how madly in love with one another they really are, but also how tightly they have each bottled up their emotions. Part of me wanted to yell at them to just have a big fight already and get all of those emotions out on the table.

I really enjoyed both characters though. Eliza is a voice actress who narrates audio books so she really goes all out when she and Graham decide to engage in this flirty role play adventure. I really enjoyed some of the schemes she comes up with along the way to win back the Graham she originally fell in love with. I loved Graham too. He’s a handsome successful guy who has somehow developed a major case of low self-esteem and feels completely unworthy of Eliza and her love. His inner thoughts, especially early on in the book, really broke my heart, and I just wanted to give him a big hug so many times along the way.

While Do I Know You? definitely has a healthy dose of angst and raw emotion because it centers on a marriage in crisis, there’s also a nice balance of fun and flirty moments as Eliza and Graham begin dating anew and take part in some of the resort’s romantic activities. They also meet some new friends while there that also adds to the entertainment factor.

Filled with smart, sexy dialogue, complex well drawn characters, and a very relatable and realistic relationship in crisis scenario, Do I Know You? has a little something for every romance fan. 4 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Family Game & The Girlfriend

January 12, 2023/13 Comments/by Sharon

Happy New Year! Welcome to Sharon’s first 2023 Thriller Thursday post. I hope 2023 brings you all some fabulous reads. I read some great books in 2022 (thriller and non-thriller) and from the looks of new releases, 2023 is going to be another banner year. Today I am sharing my thoughts a couple of books that I finished off last year with. Catherine Steadman’s The Family Game and K.L. Slater’s The Girlfriend.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Family Game & The Girlfriend

The Family Game Goodreads

Author: Catherine Steadman

Publication Date: October 18, 2022

Publisher: Ballantine Books

The Family Game is my first read by Catherine Steadman, but it certainly won’t be my last. I originally borrowed this from the library, but this book was so good that I bought a copy to have in my collection.

The story follows Harriet (Harry) Reed, a best-selling mystery writer, who is in a deadly cat and mouse game with her fiancé, Edward Holbeck’s family. The Holbecks are a very wealthy and powerful family, but Edward has distanced himself from them and forged his own path in life. Even though Edward has cut off most ties to his family, they still want him back because as the eldest son, he is set to inherit the family fortune. Harry meets Edward’s family on the night of Thanksgiving, and she is very nervous about meeting Edward’s father Robert and making a good impression. Robert pulls Harry aside to have a chat with her and all seemed to go well, but before they parted, Robert gave Harry a cassette tape with a shocking confession on it. Why would Robert give Harry a tape that could ruin their family? As Harry works to uncover the truth behind the confession, she learns things of the family she is about to be married into and what she learns could cost her her life.

The Holbecks have one twisted and dark sense of humor and they love to play games. Not your normal everyday run of the mill board games either. Monopoly, Scrabble, and card games, are not for this family, oh no. They celebrate Krampusnacht and they go full out. Harry participated and was paired up with one of Edward’s small nephews, Billy. Harry did not know what Krampusnacht entailed until the game started and Billy explained it to her. So needless to say, she was shocked that the adults would put the children through this. I was not familiar with Krampusnacht myself until I googled it and I am not sure if all families go to the lengths the Holbecks did, but I was right there with Harry in my thinking on what a twisted family this was.

On Christmas the adults take part in a scavenger hunt. Now that may seem all nice and fun, but nope, not with this family. Everyone in this family has secrets they want to keep hidden, Harry included, so the winner of the game gets to keep their secret and they also learn everyone else’s as well. It is as she is playing this game that Harry pieces together all she has learned from the tape Robert gave her and she knows which member of the family is willing to kill to keep their secret hidden.

I know I was vague on what happens in this book, but I didn’t want to spoil anything. The Family Game has so many twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. If you like twisty cat and mouse thrillers, then you definitely need to check this one out. I don’t think you will be disappointed. 4 ½ stars

The Girlfriend: An utterly unputdownable psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist Goodreads

Author: K.L. Slater

Publication Date: October 24, 2022

Publisher: Bookouture

K.L. Slater’s newest book The Girlfriend is a fast-paced psychological thriller that is full of family drama and suspense.

Jennifer Finchman thought when her husband Cole died suddenly in a car accident that her world had hit rock bottom, but she was so wrong. A few days after Cole died, a woman named Sarah shows up on Jennifer’s doorstep claiming to be Cole’s girlfriend and that the baby in her arms is his son. And that should have been when Jennifer hit rock bottom, but nope there is still more to come. Sarah informs Jennifer that Cole borrowed money from her and everything Jennifer thinks is hers (the house, the cars, the money in the bank) is actually Sarah’s. Now Jennifer’s world has hit rock bottom. Sarah suggests that they share the home and since Jennifer does not want to be homeless with her own two children, she agrees. When the police determine that Cole was actually murdered and Jennifer starts to learn more about Sarah, she soon realizes that she and her children are living under the roof with an unstable and dangerous woman.

The book is told mostly from Jennifer’s POV, but we also get some chapters from Sarah’s POV, as well as chapters from when she and Cole started their relationship. Right from the start, I didn’t trust Sarah and wanted to know what her end game was. The more I learned of Sarah, the crazier I thought she was and feared for Jennifer and the kid’s safety. Jennifer came across as naïve at first and some of her decisions made me want to scream, but as the book progressed her momma bear persona came through and she would do whatever she had to do to keep her children safe.

I loved all the twists and turns the book took as Jennifer started digging into Sarah’s past and the police worked their investigation into Cole’s death. I was all over the place on where I thought things were going and I am happy to say that Slater kept me guessing until the very end. Then just when all was revealed there was another major twist that had my jaw drop. I also found myself having sympathy for Sarah at the end. Well done K.L. Slater, well done.

The Girlfriend is full of tension and suspense, with well developed characters that had me engrossed from beginning to end. 4 stars

Reviews: EXES & O’s and THE BACKUP PLAN

January 9, 2023/23 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! Today I’m back to share reviews from two authors who were new-to-me in 2022, Amy Lea and Jill Shalvis. I enjoyed my first time reading them so much that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on their newest releases. I’m thrilled to report that I’m still just as enamored with their writing as I was last year.

Exes and O's (The Influencer, #2) Goodreads

Author: Amy Lea

Publication Date: January 10, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Exes & O’s is the second book in Amy Lea’s The Influencer series. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, which featured a fitness influencer, but as soon as I saw the Exes & O’s features a romance book reviewer as its protagonist, I knew I was going to love it!

Tara Chen is all about romance. She loves to read romance novels, and she has her own Bookstagram account where she reviews books and goes live to talk about her favorite romance tropes. Tara is practically a living, breathing heart eye emoji, but although she loves everything about love and romance, has had little to no luck in her own personal life. She has had her heart broken ten times and each time, she was the one getting dumped, and was often told it was because she was too clingy.

Even with all her bad luck in the romance department, Tara remains convinced her one true love is out there. She just has to find him. Tara is a bit gun shy about putting herself out there with total strangers, however, and decides a second chance romance with one of her exes is the way to go. She begins to seek out each of her exes, documenting her progress on her Bookstagram account. As she embarks on this new adventure, Tara is also in the process of moving in with a new roommate, thanks to her last breakup leaving her homeless. Unlike Tara, her new roommate Trevor, a sexy firefighter from Boston, has no interest in love and romance. Even with his dislike of romance, Trevor can’t resist Tara’s charms and soon finds himself enlisted to help Tara find her second chance romance.

Oh my goodness, guys, this story was freaking adorable! I truly adored Tara. She wears her heart on her sleeve and is just so precious. I loved both her passion for romance and her passion for all things junk food, both of which led to some pretty hilarious moments between herself and Trevor. My heart also broke for her because she was so unlucky in love and almost all of her exes sounded like complete jerks. I practically screamed at the book when she announced her plan to try to reconnect with one of them because OMG, they already broke her heart once. Why would she let them get close enough to do it again?

As much as I adored Tara, I think I loved Trevor even more. He may be the grump to Tara’s sunshine, but it becomes pretty obvious within a few days of them living together that he is actually a cinnamon roll who would do absolutely anything to put a smile on Tara’s face. The two of them were just so cute together and their scenes were filled with fun and sexy banter. I was rooting for Tara to ditch her exes plan and jump Trevor’s bones from almost the beginning and so were Tara’s Bookstagram followers when he accidentally appears in one of her livestreams, haha!

The journey to Tara’s true love is definitely a slow burn one, but the pay off is worth the wait and the ending was so sweet, it had me crying happy tears. Exes & O’s was the perfect sweet and swoony rom-com to kick off my 2023 reading year with, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the friends to lovers and grumpy/sunshine romances. 4.5 STARS

The Backup Plan (Sunrise Cove, #3) Goodreads

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Backup Plan is the third book in Jill Shalvis’ Sunrise Cove series, and as much as I enjoyed the first two books, I think this one is my favorite. It’s a heartwarming story about love and loss, family and friendships, and above all, about forgiveness and second chances.

The story follows Alice, Lauren, and Knox, who all grew up around the same time in Sunrise Cove. Alice and Lauren were best friends who became estranged after Will, Alice’s brother and Lauren’s then boyfriend, was killed in a car accident. While Lauren stayed in Sunrise Cove, Alice left, vowing to never return. Knox, while not involved in any of the drama surrounding Alice and Lauren, has emotional baggage of his own related to Sunrise Cove and he, like Alice, left with no plans to return. Knox also happens to be the guy Alice had a not-so-secret crush on when she was a teenager. It has been years since they have all seen each other but when the three of them co-inherit an inn, courtesy of a woman named Eleanor, an awkward reunion is thrust upon them and they each must face ghosts from their past as they come together to renovate and reopen the inn.

Everything about this story captivated me, especially the emotional and awkward moments between Lauren and Alice. The tension between the two of them is palpable throughout the story, as each of them remembers how they used to be as close as sisters, and because they know they’re going to have to eventually confront each other and talk about what happened to drive them apart. Knox is often caught in the middle, doing what he can to try to diffuse the tension between the two women. He also has awkward feelings of his own that he’s dealing with, however, namely that he very much reciprocates the crush Alice had on him back in the day. Now is not the time for romance though…or is it?

As much as I loved getting to know Alice, Lauren, and Knox firsthand, I also loved getting to see them through the eyes of Eleanor. We never actually meet Eleanor, as she is already deceased when the story opens, but she is truly the driving force behind the story. Eleanor was a childless woman who was practically a second mother to both Alice and Knox, while Lauren was the grand niece she loved but never got to know because Lauren’s father cut Eleanor out of their lives. Through a series of email drafts she has left behind on an iPad, Eleanor slowly reveals to Alice, Lauren, and Knox why she left each of them a portion of the inn, why they were so important to her, and why she thought they needed each other.

It’s not all heavy emotion and drama though. The story also has some downright hilarious moments as Alice, Lauren, and Knox work to get the inn into shape in time for a grand reopening Eleanor had set into motion before her death. I lost track of how many times I laughed out loud at the three of them and their antics.

If you’re looking for an engrossing story filled with both heart and humor, you’re going to want to add The Backup Plan to your TBR. 4 STARS