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: Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.  This will be published on August 18, 2020.

 

I was expecting this to be more serious, but it is actually more of a rom-com.  I found myself laughing out loud fairly often at the situations and the banter between the main characters Elena and Jack.  Their very first meeting sets the stage for the comedy that ensues throughout the book.  Elena's best friend has set her up on a blind date on Valentine's Day, she is running late, and sits down with the only single man in the place.  She assumes that Jack is the person she is supposed to meet, and when he is charmed by her antics and the fact that she has no idea who he is, he doesn't correct her.  Sparks fly and they have a very nice evening.  Jack feels bad that he didn’t tell her who he was, but he does intend to make things right.  Unfortunately, the timing doesn’t work out and Elena finds out before he can explain. 

 

Both Elena and Jack have been betrayed by people they cared about, and Jack has a lot of baggage in his past that causes him to have major trust and commitment issues.  Elena is constantly trying to live up to everyone else's expectations and trying to fit into what the people in her small town think she should be doing.  Over the course of the book Elena has to decide if she really wants to go after her dreams of entering the fashion world to design lingerie while Jack has to figure out if he can heal from the past hurts he’s experienced and start to trust people again.  As an unlikely couple, they have to work together to see if they can make things work.

 

Just when you think this is going to be another insta-love story, it turns out not to be.  Jack and Elena are caught up in insta-lust for sure, and they can't deny that they are able to relax and be themselves when they are together.  They both have to grow as individuals as well as a couple before they can finally face their issues.  The whole time they are "dating", but they refuse to acknowledge that as they get to know each other.  This story takes place over time vs a few days which I really appreciate.  It gives the characters time to actually build a relationship that feels realistic instead of falling in love in a week and living happily ever after.

 

I really enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to more books in the series.  I hope we get books about some of the side characters.

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Cover Reveal: The Truest Thing by Samantha Young

   

      

She made him believe in the legend…

The Truest Thing, Book Four in the USA Today bestselling Hart's Boardwalk Series by Samantha Young, releases August 18, 2020!

 

Cover Artist: Hang Le

Nine years ago, Emery Saunders moved to Hartwell to start her life over as a bookstore owner. Her inability to trust people made it hard for her to find a place in the small community until Jessica Lawson moved to town and befriended the shy beauty.

But there was one person in Hartwell who tried to befriend Emery long before Jessica arrived…

Jack Devlin has his secrets. One of them is that he fell hard for Emery the moment she appeared in Hartwell. Another is that his father blackmailed him into covering up a dark family tragedy. It forced Jack to sever his relationships to protect the people he cared about. Yet, staying away from Emery has not been easy throughout the years and he hasn’t always succeeded. When Jack’s mixed signals hurt Emery once again, she puts him out of her heart for good.

Until the Devlin family secret is finally revealed, freeing Jack from his father’s machinations. What Jack wants more than anything is to repair his relationships, starting with Emery.

However, Emery isn’t ready to forgive and Jack’s not ready to give up.

And when the town’s latest scandal ties Jack and Emery together, Jack is not above using their new reality to prove to Emery once and for all that their love is worthy of the legend of Hart’s Boardwalk.

 

Pre-order Today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3etFUZF

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TheTruestThingSY

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Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Boms2e

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3dnyPcf

      

About Samantha Young:

Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Fight or Flight. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.

 

Connect with Samantha Young:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSamanthaYoung/

Website – http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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Email – authorsamanthayoung@gmail.com

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Bookbub - http://bit.ly/2D241eO

Review: Rich Prick

Rich Prick by Tijan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

This is a standalone, but it is set in the Fallen Crest world.  If you've read [book:Crew|41519287] and [book:Crew Princess|46130620] you will recognize some of the side characters, but if you haven't this reads as a standalone.  Reading the other books gives you some of the backstory on some of the side characters, but it isn't necessary to keep up with the story, which I really appreciate in a standalone that takes place in an already established world with established characters.

This is kind of an opposites attract, insta-love, broken characters save each other kind of story.  The way Aspen and Blaise kind of collided and quickly fell for each wasn't really realistic and didn't work for me.  They didn't make sense as a couple, and they way their relationship started was a bit ridiculous.   As the book went on and their relationship developed in the second half of the book, I started to like them as a couple much more.  Both main characters have a ton of baggage to sift through in this book and that seems to draw them together like moths to a flame.  They are balms to each other's broken souls.  Much like Tijan's previous books there are alot of emotional discussions about what the characters are doing and how they choose to deal with those things. 

 That being said this book has alot of mature themes (sex, alcohol, violence).   

There is decent character development between the main characters, but I felt like Aspen dealing with her parents and Blaise dealing with his issues could have been flushed out a bit more.  For the most part this a fine addition to TIjan's New Adult selections.  Parts of it made me roll my eyes especially the voyeur scenes at the beginning, but I know I'm not alone there.  Aspen and Blaise really grew on me the longer I read this, and I'm glad we got to know more about them.  I'm looking forward to more books from this world.

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Blog Tour: Rich Prick by Tijan

“Blaise is the perfect rich prick to fall in love with! One of my fav reads in 2020!”

- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal Bestselling author

Rich Prick, an all-new not-to-be-missed, opposites-attract standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Tijan, is available now!

He walked into school on his first day and owned it.

I guess that’s what happens when you’re a prick, rich, and you’re best friends with the ruling school’s king.

Also didn’t hurt he’s drop dead gorgeous.

That’s all fine.

I mean, I have nothing to do with them.

I’m a loner, invisible, and that’s how I wanted it to be.

I was even proud of it, until I wasn’t.

Until I saw a girl kneel before him.

Until I couldn’t look away.

Until he caught me watching.

His name is Blaise Devroe. My name is Aspen Monson.

He only knew how to get, command, and demand attention.

I knew how to do everything but that.

And this is our story.

*Rich Prick is a full 100k standalone.

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/30WxruH Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/richprick Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/30ttr4i

Add RICH PRICK to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2ArZt5G

To celebrate, Tijan is giving away a $50 Gift Card. Click here to enter → http://www.tijansbooks.com/rich-prick-giveaway.html

Excerpt:

I’d done my research. Zeke Allen’s cabin was set a good ten miles away from the nearest neighbors. I should’ve been in the clear to sneak onto their land, do a little freestyle camping, and listen to the party sounds like the loser I was. But noooo. I was about to get company. As I snuck out of my tent, and realized who it was, I almost crapped my pants. It was Blaise DeVroe, holding hands with Mara Daniels. As popular girls went, Mara Daniels was one of the nicer ones. She was on the dance team. Dark hair. Shorter, but athletic. The problem with Mara was that she was friends with the other popular girls. Some of them were nasty—hence the reason I wasn’t friends with them. Not that they’d tried to get to know me. Not that I even registered on their radar. But then again, that’s what I did. I didn’t engage. I didn’t attend. I was on the edge. I was the invisible girl, and here I was, being the invisible girl once more, but man… When I saw it was him, and then saw how his hand went from holding hers and guiding her to a tree to slipping around and grabbing her ass, something came over me. I couldn’t retreat back to my tent. I couldn’t even stay hidden behind a tree and just listen. I know, I know. This was all sorts of wrong, but Blaise was Blaise. He’d become the guy in my dreams, my weird schoolgirl fantasies. He was my high school crush. Everyone had one. If you didn’t, you’re even weirder than me, and that’s saying something. So when I started salivating over Blaise DeVroe, I kinda just let myself go. I mean, nothing was ever going to happen. Guys like him didn’t date girls like me. They didn’t even notice girls like me. I wasn’t crazy. That’d make me all sorts of delusional. I was a realist. I knew my place in life’s hierarchy. I was at the bottom. I was not the very bottom—because of my family—but socially, I was barely one rung up the ladder. Anyway, when Blaise started kissing Mara, when Mara knelt in front of him, when she opened his pants—I lost all train of thought. And, oh my God. My whole body was awash with sensations, and I was captivated. Captivated! Entranced. Mesmerized. I could not look away. Then I felt throbbing and a warm feeling between my legs, and it was game over. It was all I could do not to make a sound, because I wanted to. So bad. I wanted to moan. I wanted to touch myself, but I didn’t. I kept myself reined in, but watch? Oh yeah. I watched. I couldn’t not watch. I watched the whole thing. I loved the whole thing. And then at the end of it, I almost died.

About Tijan

Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new YA series along with so many more from north Minnesota where she lives with a man she couldn’t be without and an English Cocker she adores.

Connect with Tijan

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30oxe0f

Facebook:http://bit.ly/2vreAub

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Vx4DpD

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2PyLhwy

Reader Group: http://bit.ly/38bz8nQ Audiomen Group: https://bit.ly/3bFFKgB

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EcGBqB

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2T88ibY

Website: http://www.tijansbooks.com/

Release Blitz: Rich Prick by Tijan

“Full of angsty goodness and a bad boy hero who will steal your heart” —Elle Kennedy, New York Times bestselling author

Rich Prick, an all-new captivating, angst filled romance by New York Times bestselling author Tijan, is available now!

He walked into school on his first day and owned it. I guess that’s what happens when you’re a prick, rich, and you’re best friends with the ruling school’s king. Also didn’t hurt he’s drop dead gorgeous.

That’s all fine. I mean, I have nothing to do with them. I’m a loner, invisible, and that’s how I wanted it to be.

I was even proud of it, until I wasn’t.

Until I saw a girl kneel before him. Until I couldn’t look away. Until he caught me watching.

His name is Blaise Devroe. My name is Aspen Monson. He only knew how to get, command, and demand attention. I knew how to do everything but that. And this is our story.

*Rich Prick is a full 100k standalone.

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/30WxruH Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/richprick Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/30ttr4i

Add RICH PRICK to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2ArZt5G

About Tijan

Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new YA series along with so many more from north Minnesota where she lives with a man she couldn’t be without and an English Cocker she adores.

Connect with Tijan

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30oxe0f Facebook:http://bit.ly/2vreAub Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Vx4DpD Instagram: http://bit.ly/2PyLhwy Reader Group: http://bit.ly/38bz8nQ Audiomen Group: https://bit.ly/3bFFKgB Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EcGBqB BookBub: http://bit.ly/2T88ibY Website: http://www.tijansbooks.com/

Release Blitz: Faked by Karla Sorensen

Title: Faked

Author: Karla Sorensen

Genre: Sports Romance

Release Date: June 16, 2020

Every action has a consequence, and Claire Ward knows it. And yet, even knowing that her decision to swap places with her identical twin sister, Lia, for a night could be disastrous, she still does it.

Why? 

Because it will give her an evening with the man she’s been crushing on for years, Lia’s best friend, Finn. 

Miss Straight A Student has thought through all the angles, and knows the risk is worth it. And everything would have been fine, if Finn had been the one to show up at her door. 

But it wasn’t. 

Bauer Davis— Finn’s half brother and his exact opposite in just about every definable category is the one waiting for her instead. A professional snowboarder, Bauer is covered in ink, full of attitude, and has a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Olympus. The kind of bad boy that Claire has never been attracted to before. 

Now the good girl is with the wrong brother for a night, and when the consequence is that they have to pretend to be together for an event, it’s nothing she could have predicted. But maybe, just maybe, what makes Bauer so bad, is exactly what Claire needs.

Well, let’s see ... I’m a wife and a mother. If the things that I write bring a smile to someone's face, then I've done my job. I am obsessed with Outlander (both the books and the show). I’m almost exclusively a romance reader, which means some people will never consider me a literary snob. If I could meet one historical figure, it would be Jane Austen. I received my Bachelors in Public Relations and worked in health care marketing before I had my babies. I hate Twitter. I do it, but I hate it. Also, if you want to get on my good side, bring me wine and I'll love you forever.

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