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Morgan Sheppard (1037 KP) created a post
Jan 22, 2022
Jennifer Roup (9 KP) rated The Last Mrs. Parrish in Books
Dec 19, 2017
Thriller That Will Keep You Guessing
Don't you love a good ol' fashioned "Who's the real bad guy" thriller? Well, in this case, it's rather "who is the bad woman?" because even though Amber, our first narrator, would like you to think she's the alpha-female who deserves what everyone else has, there are more sinister plans going on in the minds of the other characters.
The first Mrs. Parrish, Daphne, is impeccably dressed, refined and living in the lap of luxury. Amber nestled herself next to her, under the pretense of friendship, all the while planning to rip the Parrish thrown right out from underneath her.
But beyond the mansions, the cars, the luxurious vacations, Mr. & Mrs. Parrish have secrets of their own and Amber may find out too late that their facade is anything but grand.
There is a major plot twist and a shift of power in this thriller that will make you start reading with a quicker pace because you won't be able to put it down until you figure it all out.
Amber's plan to mimic Daphne and steal her husband may come with a much higher price that she bargained for. Who's the real loser in this game? Lovers of grit lit, you will hate to love this book.
For more books like this one, check out my "Grit Lit" reading list on Goodreads!
The first Mrs. Parrish, Daphne, is impeccably dressed, refined and living in the lap of luxury. Amber nestled herself next to her, under the pretense of friendship, all the while planning to rip the Parrish thrown right out from underneath her.
But beyond the mansions, the cars, the luxurious vacations, Mr. & Mrs. Parrish have secrets of their own and Amber may find out too late that their facade is anything but grand.
There is a major plot twist and a shift of power in this thriller that will make you start reading with a quicker pace because you won't be able to put it down until you figure it all out.
Amber's plan to mimic Daphne and steal her husband may come with a much higher price that she bargained for. Who's the real loser in this game? Lovers of grit lit, you will hate to love this book.
For more books like this one, check out my "Grit Lit" reading list on Goodreads!
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Next Right Thing: A Novel in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I won a copy of this book from First Reads on Goodreads.
First of all I have to say that it wasn't bad or good...more of an okay read. There was action & drama. There was a whole host of characters, but the downside to that in my opinion is that none of them were all that well developed with the exception of Randy the main character. His girlfriend MP, seemed important at the beginning of the book, but then she pretty much disappeared. I cound Troy & Emma to be the most fascinating characters, but they weren't developed to the extent that they could've been.
The book tells the story of ex-cop Randy Chalmers, who is now a highly in demand home builder & recovering alcoholic. One day his mentor Terry turns up long dead in a hotel room of an apparent heroin overdose in a seedy motel room. The catch is, Terry had been clean upwards of 15 years. So the former detective in Randy takes over when he begins to doubt that a simple O.D. is how he best friend died. In the course of his not so under the radar investigation, he stumbles across something much bigger & finds that his friend is smack in the middle of it.
The story was a promising idea that wasn't brought to it's fullest potential. It was a fast, okay read, but not one that I find myself dying to share with someone.
First of all I have to say that it wasn't bad or good...more of an okay read. There was action & drama. There was a whole host of characters, but the downside to that in my opinion is that none of them were all that well developed with the exception of Randy the main character. His girlfriend MP, seemed important at the beginning of the book, but then she pretty much disappeared. I cound Troy & Emma to be the most fascinating characters, but they weren't developed to the extent that they could've been.
The book tells the story of ex-cop Randy Chalmers, who is now a highly in demand home builder & recovering alcoholic. One day his mentor Terry turns up long dead in a hotel room of an apparent heroin overdose in a seedy motel room. The catch is, Terry had been clean upwards of 15 years. So the former detective in Randy takes over when he begins to doubt that a simple O.D. is how he best friend died. In the course of his not so under the radar investigation, he stumbles across something much bigger & finds that his friend is smack in the middle of it.
The story was a promising idea that wasn't brought to it's fullest potential. It was a fast, okay read, but not one that I find myself dying to share with someone.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Darkest Edge of Dawn (Charlie Madigan, #2) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I’ve been anxiously awaiting the sequel to my new favorite five-star series for about a year now, and it was well worth the wait. The Darkest Edge of Dawn lived up to my expectations and continued the story left in The Better Part of Darkness.
Charlie is still probably my favorite literary heroine. She’s sarcastic and just a little obnoxious, she’s a tough as nails, kick @$$ kind of girl. She loves her daughter—I especially liked the part with her and her daughter at the end! That was sweet—and she would do anything for the people she loves. That of course includes her Siren partner, Hank, who she is definitely in love with (like me) but won't admit it (unlike me). crazy girl.
I like the writing style of Gay's series: the sarcasm mixed with the seriousness of the situations keeps the story easy to read and not too stressful, though it is intense at times.
With action, mystery, love, and betrayal, The Darkest Edge of Dawn is a great sequel, and I will continue to be a faithful reader of Charlie Madigan's adventures.
Content/recommendation: Just as the last book, I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone who can't stomach some violence, is easily offended by language and some sex or sensuality. Ages 18+
Click here to enter a contest at goodreads for a copy of The Darkest Edge of Dawn.
Charlie is still probably my favorite literary heroine. She’s sarcastic and just a little obnoxious, she’s a tough as nails, kick @$$ kind of girl. She loves her daughter—I especially liked the part with her and her daughter at the end! That was sweet—and she would do anything for the people she loves. That of course includes her Siren partner, Hank, who she is definitely in love with (like me) but won't admit it (unlike me). crazy girl.
I like the writing style of Gay's series: the sarcasm mixed with the seriousness of the situations keeps the story easy to read and not too stressful, though it is intense at times.
With action, mystery, love, and betrayal, The Darkest Edge of Dawn is a great sequel, and I will continue to be a faithful reader of Charlie Madigan's adventures.
Content/recommendation: Just as the last book, I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone who can't stomach some violence, is easily offended by language and some sex or sensuality. Ages 18+
Click here to enter a contest at goodreads for a copy of The Darkest Edge of Dawn.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Finding Grace in Books
Feb 24, 2019
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
At what age do you allow your child to walk home from a friend's house alone? It is an argument many couples have had for decades. In Finding Grace by K.L. Slater, Lucie and Blake Sullivan agree to allow Gracie to walk home from her friend's house the day after her ninth birthday. What Gracie does not know is both sets of parents have agreed to watch her walk halfway. What could go wrong? It is a 5 minute walk, on the same street, and without her knowing, Gracie would be watched the whole time. Except Gracie never arrives home.
K.L. Slater writes about a fear parents are constantly worried about. Everyone has a past. Many of those prior events are ones we would like to keep hidden. She shows that every couple has secrets from each other and from the rest of the world.
She is able to reveal the main characters' secrets in a way that I continued rooting for all of them to come out this alright.
Her novel is fast paced and difficult to put down. This is the 1st novel of hers I have read and have added her to my "author to read" list.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 2/24/19.
At what age do you allow your child to walk home from a friend's house alone? It is an argument many couples have had for decades. In Finding Grace by K.L. Slater, Lucie and Blake Sullivan agree to allow Gracie to walk home from her friend's house the day after her ninth birthday. What Gracie does not know is both sets of parents have agreed to watch her walk halfway. What could go wrong? It is a 5 minute walk, on the same street, and without her knowing, Gracie would be watched the whole time. Except Gracie never arrives home.
K.L. Slater writes about a fear parents are constantly worried about. Everyone has a past. Many of those prior events are ones we would like to keep hidden. She shows that every couple has secrets from each other and from the rest of the world.
She is able to reveal the main characters' secrets in a way that I continued rooting for all of them to come out this alright.
Her novel is fast paced and difficult to put down. This is the 1st novel of hers I have read and have added her to my "author to read" list.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 2/24/19.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Promise in Books
Feb 28, 2019 (Updated Mar 1, 2019)
More of a slow building suspense novel then a psychological thriller.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I was intrigued as soon as I read the opening of The Promise by Teresa Driscoll. The story has a few twists and turns but, based on the book's description and opening, I expected it to be much darker than it is. However, although I enjoyed the novel, I would not consider it to be dark. It is more of a slow building suspense novel then a psychological thriller.
Three girls, Beth, Sally, and Carol, were best friends at a boarding school and as close as sisters. Something happens and they make a promise to never tell the secret of what happened.
Years later, all of them have been affected by the secret in different ways. Beth and Sally are still close friends but Carol has become estranged. When they find out the boarding school is to be sold and demolished, fearing their secret will be revealed, Beth and Sally attempt to find Carol..
Driscoll wanted to establish a intense connection between the girls but did not want to make them sisters. The setting helps you to understand why the girls would keep the secret.
I have added Teresa Driscoll's I Am Watching You to my want to read list.
Published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 2/28/19.
I was intrigued as soon as I read the opening of The Promise by Teresa Driscoll. The story has a few twists and turns but, based on the book's description and opening, I expected it to be much darker than it is. However, although I enjoyed the novel, I would not consider it to be dark. It is more of a slow building suspense novel then a psychological thriller.
Three girls, Beth, Sally, and Carol, were best friends at a boarding school and as close as sisters. Something happens and they make a promise to never tell the secret of what happened.
Years later, all of them have been affected by the secret in different ways. Beth and Sally are still close friends but Carol has become estranged. When they find out the boarding school is to be sold and demolished, fearing their secret will be revealed, Beth and Sally attempt to find Carol..
Driscoll wanted to establish a intense connection between the girls but did not want to make them sisters. The setting helps you to understand why the girls would keep the secret.
I have added Teresa Driscoll's I Am Watching You to my want to read list.
Published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 2/28/19.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Stalker (Joona Linna #5) in Books
Mar 21, 2019
5th novel in the Joona Linna series. Can stand-alone
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Stalker by Lars Kepler is the 5th novel in the Swedish police series involving the main character, Joona Linna. Linna is a detective who is on the hunt of an obsessive, stalking serial killer who secretly video records his victims before brutally murdering them. He taunts police by sending them videos showing the victim alive and clearly unaware they are being recorded.
This novel can stand-alone but, according to reviews on Goodreads, the earlier novels provide information and background stories on characters in the series. I have never read the previous books but have had several of them on my "want to read" list since the 4th book, Sandman, could be found all over social media last year.
I was hesitant to start the series because, I have found when a book has that much hype surrounding it, it feels like a disappointment when reading. I did not feel that when reading Stalker. The novel started off slowly. This may be because I was not familiar with the characters. Familiar or not, after the slow start, I was sucked into the story and will be moving the rest of the series to the top of my "want to read" list.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 3/21/19.
Stalker by Lars Kepler is the 5th novel in the Swedish police series involving the main character, Joona Linna. Linna is a detective who is on the hunt of an obsessive, stalking serial killer who secretly video records his victims before brutally murdering them. He taunts police by sending them videos showing the victim alive and clearly unaware they are being recorded.
This novel can stand-alone but, according to reviews on Goodreads, the earlier novels provide information and background stories on characters in the series. I have never read the previous books but have had several of them on my "want to read" list since the 4th book, Sandman, could be found all over social media last year.
I was hesitant to start the series because, I have found when a book has that much hype surrounding it, it feels like a disappointment when reading. I did not feel that when reading Stalker. The novel started off slowly. This may be because I was not familiar with the characters. Familiar or not, after the slow start, I was sucked into the story and will be moving the rest of the series to the top of my "want to read" list.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 3/21/19.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated What She Saw in Books
Jun 15, 2019
Slow burn, debut novel
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
In What She Saw by Wendy Clarke, you meet Leona, a loving and extremely protective mother of teenaged Beth. They do everything together, absolutely everything. They seem to be perfect and have the perfect life. Of course, things are not always what they seem. Leona and Beth both have secrets which they keep from each other and from everyone else. The question asked is, "how far will a mother go to keep her child safe?"
What She Saw is a slow burn which I had difficulty getting into. However, since I did, I could not put it down. I was a Psychology major and am a sucker for when a character meeting with a psychologist partly reveals the story.
The story uses flashbacks and the present. It starts slow but is suspenseful and well-written.
According to Goodreads, Clarke has published over three hundred short stories published in national women's magazines, and this is her debut novel. As of 6/13/19, it has a rating of 4.25 out of 5. Most of the ratings are 5 stars, and none are 1 star. For a debut novel, that is quite impressive.
I am looking forward to reading more by Wendy Clarke.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 6/15/19.
In What She Saw by Wendy Clarke, you meet Leona, a loving and extremely protective mother of teenaged Beth. They do everything together, absolutely everything. They seem to be perfect and have the perfect life. Of course, things are not always what they seem. Leona and Beth both have secrets which they keep from each other and from everyone else. The question asked is, "how far will a mother go to keep her child safe?"
What She Saw is a slow burn which I had difficulty getting into. However, since I did, I could not put it down. I was a Psychology major and am a sucker for when a character meeting with a psychologist partly reveals the story.
The story uses flashbacks and the present. It starts slow but is suspenseful and well-written.
According to Goodreads, Clarke has published over three hundred short stories published in national women's magazines, and this is her debut novel. As of 6/13/19, it has a rating of 4.25 out of 5. Most of the ratings are 5 stars, and none are 1 star. For a debut novel, that is quite impressive.
I am looking forward to reading more by Wendy Clarke.
This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 6/15/19.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Serial Wives in Books
Dec 9, 2018
Couldn't connect with any of the characters (1 more)
Seems to be a long book but only 204 pages
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I was immediately intrigued by the description of "Serial Wives" by Yvonne Eve Walus. A guilt ridden girl, a mother with a husband who recently returned home but is still a bad boy, and a serial killer who murders women and displays their bodies dressed in a white sheet and puts a fencing mask on them. This description had me hooked. Unfortunately, I did not feel connected to any of the characters. I did not find myself rooting for them to succeed or survive. I did not hate them nor was I actively hoping any of them failed or died. I just was not sympathetic toward them. I found the story to be all over the place, leaping from one person to an other. From the beginning you knew all of the characters were going to be connected. The "reveals" did not seem like reveals.
The book seemed very long. When I finished, I was surprised to see if was, according to Goodreads, only 204 pages. I think the story was ok and would give it 3 stars. Yvonne Eve Walus has written 13 books but I do not think I will add any to my "want to read" list.
I was immediately intrigued by the description of "Serial Wives" by Yvonne Eve Walus. A guilt ridden girl, a mother with a husband who recently returned home but is still a bad boy, and a serial killer who murders women and displays their bodies dressed in a white sheet and puts a fencing mask on them. This description had me hooked. Unfortunately, I did not feel connected to any of the characters. I did not find myself rooting for them to succeed or survive. I did not hate them nor was I actively hoping any of them failed or died. I just was not sympathetic toward them. I found the story to be all over the place, leaping from one person to an other. From the beginning you knew all of the characters were going to be connected. The "reveals" did not seem like reveals.
The book seemed very long. When I finished, I was surprised to see if was, according to Goodreads, only 204 pages. I think the story was ok and would give it 3 stars. Yvonne Eve Walus has written 13 books but I do not think I will add any to my "want to read" list.
Morgan Sheppard (1037 KP) Jan 31, 2022
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) Jan 31, 2022