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Kristina (502 KP) rated Verity in Books

Dec 7, 2020

Verity

Colleen Hoover | 2018 | Romance

8.5

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

First off... WTF?!?!
I did NOT want to put this book down! Unfortunately, the body cannot function without sleep and I'd denied mine too much in the days leading up to starting Verity. I know better than to begin a new book at night because I'm always convincing myself of one more chapter. But, I mean, it's Colleen Hoover, how could I deny myself the simple pleasure of just one... or eleven chapters before I lay my head down at night?
I finished the book as soon as I got up the next day, all in one sitting, my eyes refusing to be torn away from the pages. With each chapter, I grew more and more concerned. I was freaked out more often than not. There was still that oddly recognizable voice that belonged to Colleen in most areas, but there were moments when I had to remind myself who the author really was. At one particular point, I could literally describe myself as numb. I had to set my book down and stare vacantly at my wall for a solid five minutes, my eyes not even in focus, as I absorbed the insanity of what I was reading. With each word read from Verity's manuscript, I kept telling myself it couldn't get worse, but somehow it did. Then I reached the epilogue and thought, surely, it would focus on a happily ever after to cleanse my mind of the atrocious events leading up to it. But no. Colleen knew better than to do that. Instead, the epilogue ended on a twist so disturbing, so crazy, I'm still not sure what to believe!
For the last few months, before I heard about Verity's release and the genre Colleen was thinking about stepping her foot in, I'd been finding myself leaning more toward thriller mysteries instead of the romance I've always read. And now I know why. I was unknowingly preparing myself for Verity, putting myself in the right mindset and headspace. And Colleen still blew me away.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Haunted House Murder in Books

Aug 30, 2019

Cozy Halloween Hauntings

This collection of three novellas focuses on Halloween. The book opens with the title story featuring Leslie Meier’s protagonist Lucy Stone. A couple has moved into the old abandoned house in town, but they are rebuffing efforts from Lucy and others to welcome them to town. Then strange things start happening and rumors start flying. What is happening? Up next is “Death by Haunted House” by Lee Hollis which takes up back to 2009 and shows us what life was like for Hayley Powell while she was married. When the house next door, which is rumored to be haunted, gets a new family, Hayley’s husband Danny is certain that they are up to something. The discovery of a dead body in the nearby woods just confirms his theory – at least to himself. Is he right? Finally comes “Hallowed Out” from Barbara Ross. The local Haunted House tour is gearing up for Halloween, trying to bring some more people to town in the fall. However, when a reenactment of a crime leaves an actor dead, Julia Snowden must figure out what happened.

As you might expect in a collection of stories by various authors, some are stronger than others. Personally, I found the opening story to be the weakest – I think it might have worked as a short story, but even as a novella is was too long. The middle story was better, with some fun scenes and a good twist to the mystery. I adore Barbara Ross’s Maine Clambake mysteries, so it was the reason I picked up the book. It also means I found the third story to be the best, with some good twists and a very fun sub-plot. While each story has plenty of fall atmosphere, these stories aren’t that spooky – they are by cozy mystery authors after all. Still, fans of these authors will enjoy picking up the book.