Review: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

The narrator did a great job voicing the different characters and kept the pacing moving along wonderfully.  She did a good job adding emotion and tension in the right places.  

This was a really interesting phycological thriller.  It follows attorney Stella as she works a case to figure out the best custody arrangement for young client Rose.  Rose's parents have filed for divorce after their live in nanny fell out a window and it came to light that she was having an affair with Rose's father.  Rose has stopped speaking after the horrible events in her home, so it is Stella's job to put together the facts and determine what the most suitable and safe environment for Rose will be after the divorce.  As she gets to know the family, it is clear that they are hiding something and they know more about the nanny's death than they are letting on.  The closer she gets to the truth, the more likely it is that anyone of them could have murdered the nanny including nine year old Rose.  As Stella investigates the case, trauma from her own past surfaces, and she struggles to keep her own feelings out of the case she is investigating as her past overlaps her present.

This kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.  One second I was convinced it was the daughter, the next it was one of the parents, then it was the grandmother, then in the next chapters I changed my mind again.  The author does a good job providing the reader with a good amount of red herrings to keep you guessing but does leave enough clues lead you to the right answer.  I also enjoyed learning about Stella's background story, it had you wondering if it was a distraction from the main plot, if she was projecting her own trauma onto the case or if she was doing a better job because of her past.  I do think the addition of the romantic subplot was a bit unnecessary, it was a small part of the book so it wasn't that distracting.

Overall I enjoyed this, I thought I had great pacing, and while I normally don't like books with small children in them when it comes to thrillers this one was worth the read.

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Review: He'll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman

He'll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC via Inkslinger PR, all opinions expressed are my own.

When I read the description of this, I knew I had to read it.  It sounds like everything I want in a thriller.  I wasn't disappointed.  This is a YA thriller, so if you don't like a ton of graphic detail, gruesome descriptions, or violence this is one I'd highly recommend.  This is perfect for younger readers, those getting started in the thriller genre, or if you just want a break from violent and gory descriptions that you sometimes find in adult thrillers.

I the amnesia aspect was it was done really well here and gives main character Tess a bit of an unreliable narrator feel as she tries to piece together what happened to land her in the hospital.  She wakes up to find herself in the hospital with multiple broken bones, her body in pain, and her memory a jumble.  When her therapist suggests she start journaling to put her thoughts in order and try to recover as much as she can about what happened, Tess slowly starts piece the night back together.  She also starts to observe the strange behavior of the adults around her.  Her parents and some of the medical staff are keeping information from her, and some of her friends haven't been to visit her.

As Tess remembers what happens she also has to deal with some other things unrelated to her accident that she also remember that happened on that snowy Saturday that changed her life.  The more she remembers the more she wants to forget that it ever happened and her life is turned upside down when her memory finally returns.  While I kind of figured out the twists ahead of time I still enjoyed the reveals and thought they were well done.  I wouldn't say this was predictable, but avid thriller readers will see things coming before they happen in this one.  Not only do we get a well crafted YA Thriller, we also get a decent contemporary novel as well.  This also deals with alot of heavy emotions regarding the events that take place before, during, and after the accident.  Tess has to process quite a bit of stuff before she can move on from that event and figure out what to do next.  Alot of times we only see a short wrap up of what happens after the bad event in the thriller and the bad guy getting caught.  In this case, we stay with Tess for quite a while afterwards as she figures things out and processes everything.  It gets pretty emotional at times.

This is my first book by Liz Alterman, and I very much enjoyed it.  I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.  I had a hard time putting this one down!

Excerpt:

A blast of heat smacks my face as I walk through the automatic doors. I look at the monitors. If someone gave me a dime for every time the word “canceled” appears beside a flight, I could buy a private jet.

Stranded holiday travelers sleep on the floor using their suitcases for pillows. Families eat dinner slumped against garbage cans. Two men scream over who’s been waiting longer for an outlet to charge their phones. The stale air smells like French fries and feet. It’s chaos, and though I don’t want to drive again anytime soon, I’m jumpy to get out of here as fast as possible.

Circling the baggage carousels like a shark, I’m bursting with adrenaline after that hell ride. My shirt, damp with sweat, sticks to my skin. I feel chilled beneath Mom’s coat. I’m wondering how I’ll ever find Nick Lawrence in this sea of people when a guy walks up to me. At first, I think he’s going to ask me for money or a ride, but then I take a closer look. Dark hair, dark eyes, empty-looking duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He’s wearing a lightweight hoodie over a t-shirt. The neck is stretched out and wavy. He looks sloppy, not like a guy who attends a top university, but maybe he’s shot from finals too. His eyes, vaguely familiar, meet mine. He holds out a thick, clammy hand.

When our palms touch, an electric shock passes between us. He holds my hand a beat too long and smiles, a weird, goofy grin. I have the sudden urge to pull away, turn around, leave him standing there. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy James would befriend, but James always reminds me: Don’t judge a book by its cover.

 
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Review: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is my favorite book of Sager’s so far!  I really loved this!

I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book was published yesterday, June 30, 2020 and I highly recommend it.

Every house has a story, and boy does Baneberry Hall have a story to tell.  Maggie Holt has just inherited the famed mansion after her father's death.  She spent only a few weeks there as a child, but  she has no real memories of her time there as a five year old girl.  Her memories are supplied by the book her father wrote, House of Horrors, a nonfiction account of her family's time spent in the house.  All grown up, a designer and house flipper, Maggie is determined to clean up Baneberry Hall and sell it, and in the process find out what really happened so she can prove that "the book" is all lies and get rid of it from her life once and for all.

As I said initially, I think this is my favorite of [author:Riley Sager|15263414]'s four books to date.  I've enjoyed the other three, but there was just something about this one that really kept my attention.  This book is told in what I would call mixed media format.  It alternates between Maggie's perspective, and excerpts from "the book".  The chapters from Maggie's perspective are present day, while the chapters from the book give you a past tense version of what happen when the Holt's stayed in Baneberry Hall the first time.  The longer Maggie stays in the house and investigates her past, the more she comes to realize that some of the things that her father wrote about actually did happen.  This leads her and the reader to wonder, is Baneberry Hall really haunted?  I really liked how Sager misleads the reader several times before revealing what is really going on.  I thought I had it figured out a few times, but then he revealed something that completely busted my theory.  I think I was just as confused as Maggie was at times, and I really love that in a thriller.

I thought the pacing was good.  Maggie's POV has a slightly slower pace than the sections from Ewan's (her dad's) book, which is a little faster paced.  While this has a good many side characters, the house itself is the character that shines the most.  While Maggie and Ewan tell the story and have the majority of the experiences in the house, the house itself provides not only the backdrop but the atmosphere for everything that happens.  Without Baneberry Hall and all it's creepy vibes, there would be no story.  If you like suspenseful thrillers with a paranormal element give this a go.  I loved every moment I spent with this book and I can't wait for more from this author.

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Review: The New Husband by D.J. Palmer

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was just OK.  I won't rehash the synopsis because lots of reviewers have already done that.  I found this very predictable from the first chapter, and I never felt connected with the main character Nina.  When I read a thriller, I want my heart to race and I want to feel compassion and anguish for the main character.  I didn't get that from this.  The pace was too slow, and I felt like Nina was missing the obvious clues and letting all of this happen to her.  I guess that was the point though, Simon was so perfect and so good at manipulation that she didn't even realize it was happening.  Nina was a bit of a contradiction for most of the book, she'd do something independent then feel bad about it and do exactly what she said she wouldn't do.  It made Nina, a woman who is portrayed as intelligent and self sufficient, appear very dumb and weak.    I'm not a fan of characters like this, but again Simon's manipulation of her was a big part of the plot.  Maybe this is realistic, but the way it happens was almost too over the top for me at times.

I liked the addition of Maggie's perspective.  Her interactions with her friend Ben were the best part of the book.  Maggie, as a social outcast befriends a socially awkward boy at school and together they begin to uncover some of Simon's secrets.  Of all of the characters, she showed the most character development and growth.  When Nina finally realizes what is going on and the plot finally starts to unfold, the pace starts to pick up.  There are a few twists, but again I found it very predictable and I didn't feel the suspense.

I loved Saving Meghan, and while this wasn't my favorite thriller I am looking forward to Palmer's future works.

I was provided an ARC via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This came out on April 14th.


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Review: Breaking Jess by H.B. Moore

Breaking Jess by H.B. Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I purchased the ebook version of this and have had it on my shelves for a while, but the author provided me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. This is narrated by Steve West and Karissa Vacker who do an outstanding job narrating as Logan and Jess.  Steve West is one of my favorite narrators for audiobooks, so when I saw he was one of the voices I jumped on the chance to review this.  Karissa Vacker is quickly becoming a favorite, she's narrated some recent releases I've listened to and I really like her.  I really like Heather's books, she writes cleaner fiction and she writes in several different genres.  Her books are more plot and character focused without being graphic, graphic descriptions of stuff and language don't bother me, but sometimes I want something that isn't vulgar and a little more wholesome.

The thriller part of the story is pretty good, I didn't want to stop listening as it unfolded but I could have done without the romance. It was completely unnecessary in my opinion, and the end dragged a bit for me as the "thriller" was over and we switch over to mainly romance. I really enjoyed the medical/psychological thriller part of the book and would have prefered that it just end there, but that's just my opinion. There will be plenty of others that enjoy the romantic element to the story. As for the romance, I'm pretty happy with the way that ended up given the circumstances. I also really liked the way Jess developed from beginning to end. The ending really showed her character development and how far she's come as a person and how much she's overcome her ordeal.

On to the story itself, this follows Logan a psychiatrist who begins treating Charles for blackouts. Charles asks Logan to also begin treating his sister Jessica, who has been in a phyiciatric facility for the last 9 years for killing their parents. Jessica doesn't remember committing the crime and Charles has been her guardian, which may or may not be contributing to his blackouts as he seems pretty stressed out by overseeing Jessica's care. As Logan gets to know the brother and sister, he notices that something is not right between the two of them. At the same time his former flame Gwen happens to be looking into the case as some of the details just don't check out. Gwen doesn't do everything according to the book, which is why things didn't work out with Logan, however her unconventional ways have them looking into details of the case that might have been missed. This gets Logan asking Jessica questions about her memories which are coming back as she has decided to stop taking her meds and take back some control in her life. Her super controlling brother isn't very happy, and his own mental state begins to spiral out of control. As Logan and Jessica spend more time together and go through some traumatic events, something more than just a doctor patient relationship begins to develop between them. You have to actually read the book to find out what happens because I won't spoil it for you.

I really enjoyed the broad cast of characters and watching them develop as the story unfolds. If you've ever read H.B Moore's books before you will know that they are fairly clean with respect to violence, language and sexual situations. Things will be implied or mildly explained, but nothing graphic.

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Review: The Whisper Man by Alex North

The Whisper Man by Alex North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can't decide if this is a 4 or a 5 stars so it is somewhere in between. This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time, maybe the best one this year. This kept me guessing and left me feeling disturbed at the end. I love when I can't figure out what's happening with a thriller and this one got me every time I thought I had it figured out.

This follows writer Tom Kennedy and his 7 year old son Jake as they are still grieving from the sudden death of wife and mother respectively, Rebecca. Tom struggled to connect with Jake even before Rebecca's death and Jake is a unique child and doesn't find it easy to communicate with people. In an attempt to make a clean start, Tom finds them a new house to live in. As they start their new life, Jake starts to hear whispers in the night at his window. What makes things worse is another young boy has recently gone missing and appears to be a copycat of a missing persons/murder case from 20 years ago. The killer from that case is still in jail, however the detective is brought in to consult. Pete Willis has been haunted by The Whisper Man for 20 years because he never found his last victim and truly closed the case. Now someone knows intimate details about the case that were never released to the public and is recreating the horrific crimes from the past. As Pete is pulled back into his worst nightmare, Tom and Jake find themselves the target of the new Whisper Man's very creepy fantasy.

I really loved how everything wraps up in this and everything is connected. All of the plotlines come together so smoothly in the end. There were times when I was thinking I wasn't sure why this or that was part of the story, but Alex North does not disappoint with plot holes and useless threads. Everything serves a purpose and all is revealed in due time if you let it. This book is eery, creepy, suspenseful, and kept me turning the pages. There is quite a bit of character and relationship development in this book which I really enjoyed. I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This book will be released on August 20, 2019. 

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Review: Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an advanced copy via the publisher William Morrow in exchange for an honest review.  I was so surprised when a hardback copy of this showed up on my doorstep.  This will be available on July 30, 2019.  I love the cover, the purple just draws me in, and it is perfect for the thriller aspect of the book.

This is my first book by Joshilyn Jackson, but I'm looking forward to checking out more of her work in the future. I really enjoyed this. It is a solid domestic thriller with plenty of twists and turns. Everytime I thought I had something figured out, that wasn't the answer. Jackson leads you with breadcrumbs, some of which are clearly obvious, some are misleading, and some you just don't see coming.

This starts out in Amy Whey's perfect home in the middle of her perfect life during the monthly ladies book club she and her bestie Char host. Enter new neighbor Angelica Roux who upsets everything and brings Amy's not so perfect past up from the depths where Amy has buried it. Roux starts the familiar game of Never Have I Ever with the ladies of the book club who have perhaps had a few too many drinks at book club, and out start pouring secrets they never intended to share. Amy, the good hostess sends everyone home and doesn't share her dark secrets. She has worked hard to have an ordinary life, a nice family, and she's tried to forget the past that Roux is determined to bring to the present. Roux lets Amy know that she knows her secrets and will either out her to her friends and family ruining her reputation and relationships, or she can pay her off with the money she has in a secret account. Amy must make a decision to play Roux's game to win or to pay and keep her secrets buried.

This book was wild, at every turn what I thought was going to be the big reveal was not the big reveal. This was carefully crafted to keep you guessing as Roux and Amy play their game for keeps. Each one keeps trying to outsmart the next one in a very strategic game of deceit and betrayal, both of them are driven by their own motivations and wanting to protect themselves and those they love. Their interactions were quite enjoyable despite them being negative. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the realistic nature of the story and characters.

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Blog Tour: In Her Words by J.S. Ellis

Title: In Her Words

Author: J.S Ellis

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: May 7, 2019

My Review

“Edge of your seat read!” - Amazon Review

“In Her Words is a thriller that will capture a reader’s curiosity until the very last page.” - Crazies R Us Book Blog

“This was excellent. An engaging and intense read I read straight through. I held my breath a few times. Twisted and heart breaking. Fabulous debut!” - Novels and Latte Review

While she seems to have it all, Sophie Knight is looking for more. When gorgeous and carefree Michael Frisk walks into her life, he offers the excitement and passion she desires.

Sophie is willing to risk everything she has. After all, she is used to concealing things from her husband—like her alcoholism, her unhappiness. But soon she has more to hide. She wakes up one morning in an alcoholic haze and finds bruises on her body, but has no recollection of what happened to her. Was she raped?

When unsettling notes and mysterious phone calls start, Sophie wonders whom she should turn to. Is Michael the cause of the frightening things happening in her life, or is he the answer to her problems? 

While preparing the evening meal, I slammed pots and pans, and slipping into a terrified murmured, oh no, no, no, what am I doing? What am I thinking? Trying to convince myself that, somehow, I am blameless.

Couldn’t I be? There is the address of another man in the bin! Shall I remove it? It’s unlikely Richard will go through the rubbish.

I’ve done nothing wrong. I admit, I find Michael positively beautiful, and I’ve flirted a bit, but I’m sure he gets it a lot from both women and men. He’s a talented musician. It’s his job to create a certain allure, but luring me into seeing him in his apartment? The danger of being with him in a room alone! How suffocating the whole experience would be. I have a fairy tale image in my head of the goblin leading the princess to his lair. 

I stopped cooking and caught my reflection in the living room window, surprised how flushed I appeared. The streets were empty except a few people walking by. Does Richard have plans tomorrow? He told me something, but I can’t remember. Everything he says is a blur. I’m sure he has to go golfing. Michael has conquered my eyes. Why have I allowed him into my imagination? I have a healthy marriage, not ideal or a perfect one, but I accept it for what it is. I get lonely, but I’m not alone. I have Richard. I get bored too sometimes because of the routine, but that’s marriage. I never thought of it as a sport. If I did, I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. 

Did Michael sense something, or give him the impression I’m trapped in an unhappy marriage? Even so, the logical thing to do is not get involved with another man's wife. I took vows that Michael is breaking. I can’t say I’m a fabulous wife, or Richard is a fantastic husband, but we’ve managed all these years. He’s older than I am, and uses his authority and superiority which makes me feel inferior to him, but I don’t dwell on the petty stuff. I’ve learned to ignore him. 

I inspected my wedding ring, which I’ve never removed since Richard slipped it on my finger. My life commitment, forever. But forever is such a long time. How did I get myself into this mess? Oh no, no, no, what I am going to do?

J.S Ellis is a thriller author. She’s currently working on an adult Dystopian series called the Chaperone. She’s also working on another thriller novel for now it’s called Opium, as it’s still a wip.

J.S always liked to scribble from a young age, but started writing by the age of sixteen. She spent all this time, enhancing and learning about the craft. Writing is her passion books are her obsession. 

She has a degree in Creative Writing, English literature, and digital marketing. She works in an accountancy firm. She lives in Malta with her fiancé. 

When she’s not writing or reading, she’s either cooking, eating cheese, and chocolate, or listening to good music and enjoying a glass of wine or two. 

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Review: In Her Words by J.S. Ellis

In Her Words by J.S Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie is an alcoholic; because she is always under the influence she has the feel of a very unreliable narrator. This book is told from the perspective of Sophie’s diary entries. She is a successful woman, with a good husband, but something is missing in her life. As the book goes on we come to find out what she is missing and why she drinks all the time. While her husband is away on business she goes out with her best friend for a girls night, however the next day she finds herself in a ripped dress, covered in bruise,s and unable to remember anything from the evening before. As she tries to unravel the mystery from her crazy night out, she learns that she met up with the young men that live next door and they tell her she just drank too much and fell. She can tell they are hiding something and she is determined to find out the truth. As she searches for more information on her wild night out, she meets beautiful Michael who immediately captivates her. Their relationship quickly escalates from neighborly chat to something much more. Sophie continues to spiral out of control in her personal and professional life, especially when it comes to Michael, and then someone starts leaving her cryptic notes and following her. Michael eventually becomes possessive and jealous of her husband and they fight constantly. They are the definition of a toxic relationship.

As far as character development goes, I think given the fact that this was told via diary entries we really get a good glimpse into Sophie and her inner self. Michael was well developed, and for the small parts they played the side characters did their jobs. I found none of the characters to be particularly likeable in this book, despite that I found them oddly compelling and was completely invested in Sophie and her story. The twist at the end was creative.

I’m going to hide this next part because of potential spoilers. I enjoyed this book but there were a few things negatives that bothered me. (view spoiler)[ The main character is an alcoholic and that is used as a plot device. Many times her husband, lover, and best friend all call her out on her drinking and tell her she needs to stop, get help, or threaten rehab and then it is just left to continue. Alcoholism is a very real and serious disease and I’m probably taking this a little too personally, but I didn’t like the portrayal of an alcoholic main character that gets zero support from her loved ones. I also have an issue with the way the sexual assault in this book was handled and the victim shaming that took place afterwards because of the aforementioned alcoholism. (hide spoiler)]


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Release Blitz: In Her Words by J.S.Ellis

Title: In Her Words

Author: J.S Ellis

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: May 7, 2019

While she seems to have it all, Sophie Knight is looking for more. When gorgeous and carefree Michael Frisk walks into her life, he offers the excitement and passion she desires.

Sophie is willing to risk everything she has. After all, she is used to concealing things from her husband—like her alcoholism, her unhappiness. But soon she has more to hide. She wakes up one morning in an alcoholic haze and finds bruises on her body, but has no recollection of what happened to her. Was she raped?

When unsettling notes and mysterious phone calls start, Sophie wonders whom she should turn to. Is Michael the cause of the frightening things happening in her life, or is he the answer to her problems? 

I took a long bath with Maria Callas playing in the background, emptying my mind. I put on a black long-sleeved skater dress, but as I inspected myself in the mirror, it seemed too provocative. I didn’t want to send the wrong message, so I changed into a different dress that wasn’t so short. I applied too much makeup which made me look like a tart, so I removed it and started again. My hands trembled as I drew on my eyeliner. I drank a glass of wine and took several drags of my cig to steady my nerves.

 I went outside and hailed a taxi. I must have been out of my mind. The cabbie kept looking at me through the rear view mirror. I bet he knew what I was up to, or maybe not. I probably looked like a corporate woman heading for a meeting with a client.

  I almost told the cabbie to turn around, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. Mama by Phil Collins was playing on the radio. Here I was on my way to meet a kid, who had seen me at my worst, if not at my most degrading. It wasn’t too late to change my mind. However, I didn’t change my mind when I paid and tipped the cabbie. I didn’t change my mind when I scanned the block of flats and rang the bell. I didn’t change my mind as I plodded along the corridor adjusting the hem of my dress.

When I arrived, Michael was leaning against the doorframe, waiting for me looking flawless in black, with long earrings dangling from his ears. I like how well dressed he is, unlike those boys who wear jeans under their buttocks - they make me want to pull them up for them. He led the way. It was too late to change my mind now.

He shut the door. I smiled, and he smiled back. With the back of my hand, I ran it across his cheek feeling the softness of his skin. A sexual wave built in my groin, I moved close enough that my lips almost brush against his. I was intoxicated by his beauty, his talent, his strangeness. It was so forbidden and sexy.

J.S Ellis is a thriller author. She’s currently working on an adult Dystopian series called the Chaperone. She’s also working on another thriller novel for now it’s called Opium, as it’s still a wip.

J.S always liked to scribble from a young age, but started writing by the age of sixteen. She spent all this time, enhancing and learning about the craft. Writing is her passion books are her obsession. 

She has a degree in Creative Writing, English literature, and digital marketing. She works in an accountancy firm. She lives in Malta with her fiancé. 

When she’s not writing or reading, she’s either cooking, eating cheese, and chocolate, or listening to good music and enjoying a glass of wine or two. 

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