Close Knit by Jenny Colgan @avonbooks #bookreview

Posted on August 7, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

Follow Gertie MacIntyre from knitting circle to air stewardess in this glorious and romantic summer novel set in Scotland’s windswept Northern isles, by beloved New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan.

In the northernmost reaches of Scotland, where a string of little islands in the North Sea stretches towards Norway, lives Gertie MacIntyre, a proud island girl by birth. Her social circle is small but tight: family and friends, particularly the women in her knitting circle. In the whitewashed cottages of their hometown, everyone knows everyone, and the ladies of the knitting circle know more than most. In a place of long dark winters and geographic isolation, the knitting circle is a precious source of gossip, home, laughter, and comfort for them all. And while she knits, Gertie’s busily plotting what to do with the rest of her life. 

When Gertie develops a crush on Callum Frost, who owns the local airline, she dares herself to take a job as an air stewardess on the little plane that serves the local islands. Terrifying at first, the sixteen-seat puddle jumper also offers the first taste of real freedom she’s ever known. Will Gertie’s future lie in the skies? Or will she need to go further afield to find the adventure she craves? 

Review

Gertie lives on a little island in northern Scotland. She is a bit shy and her social circle is very limited. She has been offered a job at an airlines flying between the local islands. She decides to step out on the limb, leave her grocery store job, and take one in the friendly skies. Will Gertie finally succeed in finding adventure and maybe love??

Gertie is such a sweet girl, even if she is in a rut! I love that she is a big daydreamer. This gets her in trouble on more than one occasion! PLUS!!! She is a knitter! Being a knitter myself, I loved this part of the story. OH…AND ALSO, this book is set in my favorite place ever…SCOTLAND!

I enjoyed reading about Gertie. She came into her own and continued to grow throughout this novel. She decided to take a few risks and it was delightful to experience this with her!

As much as I loved the characters and the setting, this story is a bit predictable. That being said, it would be perfect for a road trip!

Need a sweet tale in a fantastic location…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen #audiobookreview #bookreview @macmillanaudio #smpinfluencers @stmartinspress

Posted on August 6, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

Wow, I loved this one so much! I didn’t want it to be over because I was enjoying it so much, but I couldn’t stop turning pages! House of Glass is a gripping thriller that was packed with surprises and compelling characters.”—Freida McFadden

The next thrilling novel from #1 New York Timesbestselling author Sarah Pekkanen, House of Glass.

On the outside they were the golden family with the perfect life. On the inside they built the perfect lie.

A young nanny who plunged to her death, or was she pushed? A nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects and refuses to speak. A lawyer whose job it is to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. But how can you find out the truth when everyone here is lying?

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny—in the midst of her parent’s bitter divorce—and immediately stopped speaking. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney, appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. She never accepts clients under thirteen due to her own traumatic childhood, but Stella’s mentor, a revered judge, believes Stella is the only one who can help.

From the moment Stella passes through the iron security gate and steps into the gilded, historic DC home of the Barclays, she realizes the case is even more twisted, and the Barclay family far more troubled, than she feared. And there’s something eerie about the house itself: It’s a plastic house, with not a single bit of glass to be found.

As Stella comes closer to uncovering the secrets the Barclays are desperate to hide, danger wraps around her like a shroud, and her past and present are set on a collision course in ways she never expected. Everyone is a suspect in the nanny’s murder. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the nanny’s boyfriend. Even Rose. Is the person Stella’s supposed to protect the one she may need protection from?

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

Review

This story leads the reader on a merry chase! And I enjoyed it! I knew something was wrong in this house and with this family but I just had no idea what kind of twist was coming! And everyone, including the nine year old Rose, is a suspect.

Rose’s nanny has recently died. She fell or was pushed out her bedroom window. Now her parents are getting divorced. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney, appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. She never accepts clients under thirteen due to her own traumatic childhood, but Stella’s mentor, a revered judge, believes Stella is the only one who can help. As Stella comes closer to discovering the secrets surrounding this family, she knows she herself is in danger and time is running out.

I enjoyed how this author slowly reels you in. She creates such a web of deception and lies! Did Rose kill her Nanny? She keeps sharp objects hidden everywhere. And now she is not talking. What about Rose’s parents? Affairs were had!!!! And what about the grandmother? She has some unique ideas about who should have custody. You need to read this to find out!

The narrator, Laura Benanti, is not really my favorite. She tended to speed up during the intense sections. And, in general, too dramatic for me.

Need a good thriller with a twisted ending…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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The Thirteenth Husband by Greer Macallister #audiobookreview #historicalfiction @recordedbooks

Posted on August 5, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

That’s about all we get out of life, rich or poor, isn’t it, a few hours of enjoyment here and there? I think it is folly to allow a single chance for pleasure to slip past you.”—Aimée Crocker, 1911

From the acclaimed author of The Arctic Fury and The Magician’s Lie

Tearing through millions of dollars, four continents, and a hearty collection of husbands, real-life heiress Aimée Crocker blazed an unbelievable trail of public notoriety, private pain, and the kind of strong independent woman the 1880s had never seen.

Her life was stranger than fiction and brighter than the stars, and she whirled through her days as if she was being chased. Greer Macallister brilliantly takes us into a world you won’t soon forget.

Review

Aimee Crocker’s father died when she was just a young girl. He left her millions of dollars for her inheritance. As Aimee grows up, she proceeds to keep the reporters busy with her extravagance and her many husbands.

I say this quite frequently, I love a book which has me researching. And believe me, I looked this lady up right from the get go. She was eccentric, extremely rich and never let anything get in her way. I mean, she got divorced in the late 1800s, almost completely unheard of for women. She partied with kings, visited mediums, and even married into Russian nobility.

She is a fascinating character, however, this story is a bit monotonous and long. I also felt the ending is a bit rushed. But I am so glad I read it. Aimee Crocker was indeed a unique person and I am I learned about her.

The narrator, Suzanne Toren, is just ok. This is going to sound weird, but, I could hear her smacking between sentences. It is more prevalent in the first half of the book, or maybe, I just got used to it.

Need a good historical fiction based on a real, eccentric person…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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The Body Next Door by Maia Chance #bookspotlight @harlequinbooks

Posted on August 4, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

Moody and mesmerizing, The Body Next Door takes readers on a twisty, creepy, and compelling ride through family dysfunction and betrayal.”
—Darby Kane, internationally bestselling author of The Engagement Party

They buried their secrets, but not deep enough…

Hannah McCullough’s life is far from perfect, but you’d never know it by looking at her. Instead, you’d see a beautiful young mother wholly devoted to her two children and a docile wife utterly besotted with her self-made millionaire husband, Allan. You’d see the designer clothes she wears, the luxury car she drives, the dewy-eyed au pair she employs.

You wouldn’t see the dark secret she carries.

But when a construction crew unearths the body of a young girl near the McCulloughs’ vacation home on Orcas Island, Hannah has no choice but to confront her past. She wonders how much Allan knows about the victim and the apocalyptic cult she was connected to. Meanwhile, Allan can’t seem to understand why his beautiful young bride, as polished and pristine as the collectible artifacts in his glass case, would threaten their fairy-tale lifestyle by digging too deep, in places she knows she shouldn’t.

As the police investigation into the gruesome discovery deepens, the facade of Hannah’s picture-perfect marriage starts to crumble, and she soon finds herself on a dire hunt for answers. And Hannah’s search takes an unexpected turn after she crosses paths with three strangers with shocking secrets of their own.

About the Author

Maia Chance is a national bestselling author whose writing has been described as “compulsive,” “twisty,” and “heart-wrenching.”

She was born in Colville, Washington and grew up in Moscow, Idaho. She graduated from Eastman School of Music with a B.M. in Violin Performance and went on to earn a Master’s in Violin Performance from Longy School of Music. After a brief career as an orchestral musician in the Boston area, she returned to the Northwest to earn a PhD in English Literature from the University of Washington. Along the way she began to write fiction, eventually publishing nine mystery novels. She has also published three short stories, and one of her mysteries was anthologized in Reader’s Digest Fiction Favorites. THE BODY NEXT DOOR is her first thriller.

She lives on an island in Washington State with her husband, two children, and one naughty dog.

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Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight @kimmccreight #bookreview

Posted on August 2, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

From the New York Times best-selling author of Reconstructing Amelia: A daughter races to uncover her mother’s secret life in the wake of her disappearance in this “breathless, shocking thriller.” —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times best-selling author

“I think you’ll be into it. I love a summer mystery.” —Jenna Bush Hager, the TODAY Show

“Deeply satisfying”—Angie Kim • “Gripping and bingeable.”—Ana Reyes • “As suspenseful as it is thought-provoking.”—Greer Hendricks

When Cleo, a student at NYU, arrives late for dinner at her childhood home in Brooklyn, she finds food burning in the oven and no sign of her mother, Kat. Then Cleo discovers her mom’s bloody shoe under the sofa. Something terrible has happened.

But what? The polar opposite of Cleo, whose “out of control” emotions and “unsafe” behavior have created a seemingly unbridgeable rift between mother and daughter, Kat is the essence of Park Slope perfection: a happily married, successful corporate lawyer. Or so Cleo thinks.

Kat has been lying. She’s not just a lawyer; she’s her firm’s fixer. She’s damn good at it, too. Growing up in a dangerous group home taught her how to think fast, stay calm under pressure, and recognize a real threat when she sees one. And in the days leading up her disappearance, Kat has become aware of multiple threats: demands for money from her unfaithful soon-to-be ex-husband; evidence that Cleo has slipped back into a relationship that’s far riskier than she understands; and menacing anonymous messages from her past—all of which she’s kept hidden from Cleo . . . 

Like Mother, Like Daughter is a thrilling novel of emotional suspense that questions the damaging fictions we cling to and the hard truths we avoid. Above all, it’s a love story between a mother and a daughter, each determined to save the other before it’s too late.

Review

Kat is a fixer at her law firm. She fixes everyone’s problems when they make terrible decisions. And she is a bit controlling with her college aged daughter. Their relationship is barely existent. Plus she and her husband are getting divorced. She has finally reached her daughter, Cleo, to come to the house so they can have a conversation. When Cleo arrives her mom is not there. There are signs of a struggle. These leads Cleo to investigate and she discovers a lot about her mom that she didn’t know.

Kat and Chloe are so different and so, of course, they have issues in their relationship. But, I really was not a fan of either of them. And lord, don’t get me started about Kat’s husband. He was just bad!

There are a lot of moving parts in this tale and a lot of characters. But this leads to a lot of suspects. I enjoyed all the mystery surrounding Kat’s disappearance. The way this author kept all the suspects straight with their own story and their own reasons to hurt Kat is terrific.

There is not a lot of intensity in this tale but there is a lot of guessing!

Need a good “who done it!” This is it! GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan #bookreview #audiobookreview @tantoraudio

Posted on August 1, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

On a small island in a remote corner of northwest Scotland lies Maundrell castle, owned by its wealthy namesake family for centuries—until now. Edwina Nunn is shocked to learn a relative she never heard of has bequeathed the castle and its land to her. What awaits Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, is even more startling, for the castle is home to a multitude of ghosts.

Yet there’s a strange beauty in the austere architecture and the eerie, bloody waters of Loch na Scáthanna, the Lake of Shadows. Beguiled by a frightened ghost who gazes longingly out of the castle’s windows, Edie and Neve are drawn to the legends shrouding the island and the mystery of the Maundrell Red—a priceless diamond that disappeared decades before.

Is the gem really cursed, and the cause of the family tragedies that have all occurred on Samhain-Scottish Halloween? As Samhain approaches once more, Edie and Neve race to peel back the dark secrets entwining the living and the dead—a twisted story of bitter cruelty and hidden love—or they will become another Maundrell tragedy trapped in the lonely hours . . .

Review

Edie has just discovered she has inherited a castle. She truly does not believe it. She is, after all, an orphan and has no family. But she and her daughter decide to go check it out. They soon discover a lot of dark secrets and a unique tale of abuse and forbidden love.

Let me start by saying…the setting is my favorite part of this book…an island in Scotland with an old castle…My favorite!! Add in the family secrets, the ghosts, and the lost jewel and this is a good one!

This would be a very good book to read around October. These ghosts have a strange story to tell and Edie is hoping she can discover which one is her parent. But it is not unfolding the way she thinks and she discovers a lot more than she bargained for.

The narrator, Siobhan Waring, is excellent! There are a lot of voices in this tale and she was unique for every one!

Need an atmospheric, ghost story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Last Night at Villa Lucia by Simon McCleave @dreamscapeaudio #bookreview #audiobookreview.

Posted on July 31, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

A body is floating face down in the middle of the infinity pool.

For a second I think I’m imagining it. My head is throbbing as I pull my sunglasses down over my eyes. It’s not even 8 a.m. and the blazing Tuscan sunshine is already stifling.

Flashes of last night play over in my mind. The spiteful words hurled across the table. The ruined meal. The endless glasses of crisp white wine. My daughter watching my every move.

Tears choke my throat. This beautiful villa was the only good thing that came out of my painful divorce. I fix my eyes on the gently swaying cypress trees as I try to calm my breathing.

A police siren pierces the tranquility and I collapse onto a wicker chair. I must get my story straight fast. But one question plays over in my mind without an answer.

What really happened last night?

Once you start listening, you won’t be able to stop until you’ve uncovered the shocking truth hidden within the walls of this seemingly perfect Tuscan villa. Fans of The Housemaid, T.M. Logan and Gone Girl will be utterly gripped by this addictive, twisty psychological thriller from multimillion-copy bestselling author Simon McCleave.

Review

Cerys is struggling to keep her yoga retreat/bed and breakfast alive in a beautiful villa in Italy. Plus, she is barely holding it together herself. She is a full fledged alcoholic and it is beginning to take a toll on her life and her relationship with her daughter. When a body is found floating in her pool, everyone on the premises is a suspect.

Cerys is a train wreck in more than one way. Not only is she an alcoholic, she has lots of trauma. Her ex-husband is extremely abusive and she is just struggling to keep herself upright.

There are a lot of moving parts to this tale. The author does a good job keeping all the balls in the air. There is Cerys’ past, her daughter’s situation (you will need to read this to find out), her abusive husband, the murder…all of these form one big outcome you do not want to miss.

This story is more of a 3 1/2 star rounded up. It has a really slow start and the ending is a bit drawn out. I thought that it would end at a certain point and when you listen to this or read this, you will think the same thing.

The narrator, Clare Corbett, did a good job, especially with all the voices. There are quite a few characters and she keeps it rolling pretty well.

Need a good murder mystery with a twist…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Maria by Michelle Moran #historicalfiction #bookreview @randomhouse

Posted on July 30, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

Maria von Trapp. You know the name and the iconic songs, but do you know her real story? This dramatic novel, based on the woman glamorized in The Sound of Music,brings Maria to life as never before.

“As immersive, heartbreaking, and ultimately redemptive as the musical . . . This one is not to be missed.”—Allison Pataki, author of Finding Margaret Fuller

In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein is asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp. He’s intrigued to learn that she was once a novice who hoped to live quietly as an Austrian nun before her abbey sent her away to teach a widowed baron’s sickly child. What should have been a ten-month assignment, however, unexpectedly turned into a marriage proposal. And when the family was forced to flee their home to escape the Nazis, it was Maria who instructed them on how to survive using nothing but the power of their voices.

It’s an inspirational story, to be sure, and as half of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein duo, Hammerstein knows it has big Broadway potential. Yet much of Maria’s life will have to be reinvented for the stage, and with the horrors of war still fresh in people’s minds, Hammerstein can’t let audiences see just how close the von Trapps came to losing their lives.

But when Maria sees the script that is supposedly based on her life, she becomes so incensed that she sets off to confront Hammerstein in person. Told that he’s busy, she is asked to express her concerns to his secretary, Fran, instead. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran about her life, contradicting much of what will eventually appear in The Sound of Music.

A tale of love, loss, and the difficult choices that we are often forced to make, Maria is a powerful reminder that the truth is usually more complicated—and certainly more compelling—than the stories immortalized by Hollywood.

Review

We all know Maria. But do we really? Maria von Trapp has shown up to NYC to confront Oscar Hammerstein. She is very upset with his latest musical about her life. She ends up creating a friendship with his secretary, Fran. And Fran soon discovers almost everything she knew about Maria is false.

This is a well researched and awesome tale about a real life person we all know and love! Hollywood really fooled us! But, I still love Maria. She was raised in a horrible situation, escaped the Nazi’s, (barely) and just did the best she could. No, she was not perfect (like the movie portrays). She was human! And this book brings all that to life. She pushed her step kids into performing after they arrived in America, to the point that most of them disliked and hated singing.

While I was reading this book, I was steadily looking up the history surrounding Maria. How did I just assume Hollywood got it right???!! She was a strong, fascinating woman who loved fiercely and was determined to be the best.

Need a fantastic tale about a unique lady…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Fleeing France by Alan Hlad #audiobookreview #historicalfiction @highbridgeaudio

Posted on July 29, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

France, 1939: A talented singer, Ruth Lacroix has left Maine to live with her aunt and uncle, dreaming of performing at the Casino de Paris. But with the outbreak of war, and the heartbreaking news that her cousin has been killed by German forces, that goal is supplanted by another—to support France in any way she can.

Though Ruth has never driven a vehicle larger than the tractor on her parents’ farm, she joins a friend in enlisting as a driver for the French ambulance corps. On their way to transfer injured soldiers to Dunkirk for evacuation, they encounter Jimmie, a British Royal Air Force pilot with No. 73 Squadron RAF, who has bailed out of his burning plane. As Dunkirk falls, blocking off the route to the northern coast, word spreads of a daring Allied plan to rescue the remaining troops and civilians from ports in western France: code name Operation Aerial.

Over two hazardous weeks, Ruth and Jimmie will journey hundreds of miles together, helping other refugees as they rush to reach the sea before they are overtaken by the Germany army. But all their courage and resilience offer no certainty in wartime, when a single stroke of luck, or a split-second decision, can mean the difference between life and death . . .

Review

Ruth Lacroix is an American singer living in Paris. When the war breaks out, she wants to do her part to help France. She becomes an ambulance driver and ends up meeting a downed RAF pilot, Jimmie, in Dunkirk. As Dunkirk falls and over two hazardous weeks, Ruth and Jimmie will journey hundreds of miles together, helping other refugees as they rush to reach the sea before they are overtaken by the Germany army.

This is a well researched tale. It is full of history and great characters. I enjoyed Ruth. She has a big heart and lots of courage.

The only reason for the 4 star rating is the love story was a bit overly dramatic. Their conversations just didn’t feel real. Minor issue!

The narrator, Moniqua Plante, is excellent. She did a wonderful job with all the different voices, accents and emotions…and believe me, this story is emotional!

Need a well researched historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer #bookreview @randomhousegroup

Posted on July 26, 2024 by fredreeca

Overview

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.

Review

Oh! Y’all! This book is soooo good! I almost skipped it. I am not a big fan of Narnia-GASP! But, this book captured me in a unique world and I do not want to forget it!

This story follows Jeremy and Rafe. As young boys, they were lost in a West Virginia forest for 6 months. But, were they really lost?

Now, it is 15 years later. Jeremy is an expert in finding lost people. He has been contacted by Emilie. Her sister has been missing for years. Jeremy knows where she is and now he needs Rafe to help him return to the enchanted world they discovered in their youth.

This tale is full of wonderful characters, magic, mystery, abuse, love, terror, friendship and just plain creativity. It also had me laughing out loud in places.

Need a magical read that is present in both worlds…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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