reecaspieces

Overview

Fasten your seat belt. This is one wild ride.” ―Kirkus (starred review)

A road trip to find closure… or a reckless chase that could turn deadly?

Penny has never met anyone smarter than her. That’s par for the course when you’re a savant–one of less than one hundred in the world. But despite her photographic memory and super-powered intellect, there’s one mystery Penny’s never been able to solve: why did her father leave when she was in a coma at age seven, and where is he now?

On Penny’s twenty-first birthday, she receives a card in the mail from him, just as she has every year since he left. But this birthday card is different. For the first time ever, there’s a return address. And a goodbye.

Penny doesn’t know the world beyond her mother’s house and the special school she’s attended since her unusual abilities revealed themselves, but the mystery of her father’s disappearance becomes her new obsession. For the first time ever she decides to leave home, to break free of everything that has kept her safe, and use her gifts to answer the questions that have always eluded her. What Penny doesn’t realize is she might not be able to outsmart a world far more complicated and dangerous than she’d ever imagined…

Review

Penny is a 21 year old savant. She is not your usual savant. She received her abilities through an accident. She has also been raised in a facility. She has been studied because she is so rare. But now she has decided it is time to find her dad. He left after her accident and she needs him. This adventure does not go as planned.

I enjoyed Penny. She is tougher than you think. And she makes some pretty tough decisions, are they the right decisions??? Hmmm! But, I do admire her thought process and her tenacity. I love reading about savants. I have read some stuff before and it is still unique and interesting.

I did figure out part of the ending. However, that was probably the author’s intention. Then there is the part I didn’t figure out. A bit of a surprise but it fit perfectly with this tale.

Need a good cross country adventure…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

Named an Anticipated Read of 2024 by Entertainment Weekly and a Best Historical Fiction novel of 2024 by BookBub.

As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.

With the Great War finally behind them, many Americans flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.

Review

Wealthy industrialist, Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna are building a massive home in south Florida. Anna is not really enjoying how big their home is becoming. But, she is staying silent. It is what her husband wants. However, when there is a death off the wall around Biscayne Bay, secrets start to unfold.

Years later, Asher and his wife Carolina purchase this run down mansion with the goal of making it the showplace it was meant to be. But, Carolina ends up murdered and Asher is the main suspect.

Give me a house with a past and a possible ghost and I am here for it! I enjoyed this atmospheric setting! Add in the unsolved murders and the family history and you have a pretty dad-blamed good tale!

I enjoyed how this story unfolded. The different time periods that are parallel to each other really increased the mystery surrounding the house and the occupants.

Need a story which will captivate you…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

One by one, they will get what they deserve…

“I stayed up all night reading this book and loved it!” –Amazon

A night spent sleeping on dirt and leaves is not how Claire Matchett expected to spend her vacation.

She thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends. It sounded like heaven.

Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. But it turns out the woods aren’t as easy to navigate as they thought.

Hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost. 

And as they navigate deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously one by one. Has a wild animal been hunting them? Or is the hunter one of them?

But as more time passes, one thing becomes clear:

Only one of them will return home alive.

Review

Claire’s marriage is falling apart and she is going to end it. So when she and her husband and some friends decide to get a way for the weekend, she has asked for a separate room. But, Claire is not on the up and up. She is having an affair with her husband’s best friend. He is also on this trip. But, before they get to their destination, things start to fall apart. The car breaks down and they all get lost in the woods…then the real danger kicks in.

I am slowly working my way through Freida McFadden’s books. This one seems a bit more disjointed than her other books. These main characters, and there are quite a few, make some really stupid decisions and I wanted to pinch them silly, especially Claire!

But, the story itself is pretty intense and intriguing. At first, I thought this was going to be more of a horror tale. But as it unfolded I realized what was happening. And no one can make a twisty tale like McFadden!

Need a tale you won’t forget…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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The Book of Thorns

Author: Hester Fox

Publication Date: April 2, 2024

ISBN: 9781525812019

Publisher: Graydon House, Trade paperback original

Price (US) $18.99

Book Summary: 

An enchanting tale of secrets, betrayal, and magic…

Penniless and stranded in France after a bid to escape her cruel uncle goes awry, Cornelia Shaw is far from the Parisian life of leisure she imagined. Desperate and lacking options, she allows herself to be recruited to Napoleon’s Grande Armée. As a naturalist, her near-magical ability to heal any wound with herbal mixtures invites awe amongst the soldiers…and suspicion. For behind Cornelia’s vast knowledge of the natural world is a secret she keeps hidden—the flowers speak to her through a mysterious connection she has felt since childhood. One that her mother taught her to heed, before she disappeared.

Then, as Napoleon’s army descends on Waterloo, the flowers sing to her of a startling revelation: a girl who bears a striking resemblance to Cornelia. A girl she almost remembers—her sister, lost long ago, who seems to share the same gifts. Determined to reunite with Lijsbeth despite being on opposite sides of the war, Cornelia is drawn into a whirlwind of betrayal, secrets, and lies. Brought together by fate and magic at the peak of the war, the sisters try to uncover the key to the source of the power that connects them as accusations of witchcraft swirl and threaten to destroy the very lives they’ve fought for.

“The Book of Thorns is a gentle, magical tale of hope and healing in the midst of war. Fox does not hide from the fact that for all the romance surrounding Bonaparte’s exploits, nobody who fought at Waterloo came out unscathed, whether they were breathing by battle’s end or not. But Fox also reminds us that, even in fields tilled by cavalry charges and fertilized with gunpowder, flowers can grow.” –BOOKPAGE

Review

This story follows two young ladies, Cornelia and Lijsbeth. These two are sisters but with a different life path. Cornelia was kept and raised by her cruel uncle and Lijsbeth was given away and placed into a life of servitude. Their lives cross at a crucial time and it will take all these sisters have to escape the noose…even witchcraft.

I have enjoyed every novel by this author. And I have read almost every one. I love how magic plays a huge role in all her books. And this one definitely has magic and more!

Cornelia and Lijsbeth come together in the end to save Cornelia. I was unsure how this was going to happen…and you will need to read this to find out…but Lordy…I was a bit terrified there for a second!

Give me a good book with family mystery and magic and I am hooked. Add in the setting of the Napoleon era and you have a good read!

Need a book with a unique history and a bit of the occult thrown in…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

About the Author

Hester Fox is a full-time writer and mother, with a background in museum work and historical archaeology. She is the author of such novels as The Witch of Willow Hall, A Lullaby for Witches, and The Last Heir to Blackwood Library. When not writing, Hester can be found exploring old cemeteries, enjoying a pastry and seasonal latte at a café, or  scouring antique shops for old photographs to add to her collection. She lives in a small mill town in Massachusetts with her husband and their two children.

Social Links:

Author site: https://hesterfox.com/ 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17440931.Hester_Fox 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hesterbfox?lang=en 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hesterbfox/ 

Buy Links:

HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-book-of-thorns-hester-fox?variant=41079517413410 

BookShop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-the-season-of-violets-original-hester-fox/20070119?ean=9781525812019 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-book-of-thorns-hester-fox/1143567257 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Thorns-Novel-Hester-Fox/dp/1525812017/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Overview

The sensational brand new thriller that BookTok is calling “absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G” (@hollylovesbooks1519) and “impossible to put down” (@kurryreads), from the bestselling author of Local Woman Missing and Just the Nicest Couple

Everyone has secrets, but not everyone has remorse…

A terrible accident.

Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom and working full time as an ICU nurse, when a patient named Caitlin arrives in her ward with a traumatic brain injury. They say she jumped from a bridge and plunged over twenty feet to the train tracks below.

A shocking revelation.

When a witness comes forward with new details about Caitlin’s fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was Caitlin actually pushed and if so, by whom and why?

No one is safe.

Meghan lets herself get close to Caitlin until she’s deeply entangled in Caitlin’s and her family’s lives. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims…

Review

Megan is a single mom trying to balance it all. She an overworked ICU nurse and when she gets assigned the patient Caitlin, she knows her abilities will be tested.

Caitlin has a traumatic head injury. She jumped from a bridge…or did she. New evidence has been brought forward and Caitlin just might have been pushed.

I will be honest, there were places in this book where I found Meghan a bit naive and stupid. I even rolled my eyes a time or two. I kept reading thinking it would change and some of the mundaneness of this tale would fall away and I would see some action. And when I hit over half way through…I cussed a blue streak…I did not see the twist coming. And I should have, I know this author does this! What a fabulous set up! So, in other words…don’t give up!

This story takes you on a wild ride of trust! As a reader, you have no idea who to trust in this tale. Everyone is a suspect!

Need a good thriller with a huge twist…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

Purchase Here

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Overview

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching—the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects—is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe—or men in general—but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

Review

Wren has been dealt a blow by life. She decides to travel and do some geocaching. She just wants to be alone. But, she runs into Marshall Hendricks. She was a bit short with him, she hopes he got the message. But when Wren finds herself in a dangerous situation, she is very glad to see Marshall!

Wren is definitely not looking for love. She has had enough! But after Marshall saves her, she knows she must be nice. And this turns into a great friendship. Wren finds herself wanting a bit more!

These two are so cute together and have such adorable chemistry, especially since neither one is looking for the other. It just happens! Makes for a cute story you can’t stop reading!

I have read almost all of this author’s books. I have enjoyed every one. My all time favorite is The Girl He Used to Know . So add that one to your list as well!

Need a “not looking for love” romance…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

Purchase Here

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Bookbub

Overview

Discover a spellbinding love story in this dazzling time-travel adventure from the NYT bestselling author of The Last Tiara, M.J. Rose.

Setting aside grief from the fallout of the second World War and putting her energy into curating an upcoming show critical to her career as the Keeper of the Metalworks at London’s renowned Victoria and Albert Museum, Jeannine Maycroft stumbles upon a unique collection of jewel-framed miniature eye portraits—a brilliant romantic device and clandestine love token of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

One piece among the assembly intrigues her more than all the others: a twilight-blue man’s eye framed by opals shimmering with enchanting flashes of fiery color. But the beauty is just the beginning. Not only is the painting a self-portrait of one of her favorite Pre-Raphaelite artists, Ashe Lloyd Lewis, but the brooch itself is a portal eight decades into the past.

Despite being cast into an era she was never meant to be in, Jeannine and Ashe develop an immediate and passionate bond, complicated by the undeniable fact that she does not belong in 1867, and the disaster about to destroy her family and reputation in her time.

Striving to live a dual life and dangerously straddling two time periods, Jeannine fights to protect her career and her father from scandal in the present while desperately trying to save her lover’s life in the past.

Forgetting to Remember—richly embroidered with historical detail and heartbreaking conflict—is another luscious and thrilling masterpiece by M.J. Rose. A beautiful and compelling story of art, war, magic, and survival, wrapped in a love that defies time.

Review

Jeannine’s job is on the line. Not only that, her father’s reputation is about to take a hit! Jeannine knows she has to stop all of this from happening. She is reviewing some antique pins for a display when she accidentally pricks her finger. This sends her falling through time and this changes her whole world. It also gives her the opportunity to develop a plan to save her job and her father’s reputation.

I love Jeannine in this story! She is a go getter! She is the only female that has ever been the “Keeper of the Metalworks” at the Victoria and Albert Museum. So, this is full of historical artifacts that I had no idea about. I mean, miniature eye portraits! Geez, never heard of this! And when she falls through time…I was really hooked!

To say I love this author is an understatement. I have been reading her books for years! I love her Reincarnationist series and, of course, this series, The Daughters of La Lune! My favorite book in this series is The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams.

I originally had this as a 4 star read in my head. But, as I was writing this review, I realized how much I truly loved this mystical tale! I upped it to 5 stars in a snap! You do not have to read these books in order. But, I would read them! Like NOW!

Need a good mystical, historical fiction…THIS IS IT!

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

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