Mystery/Thriller

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

This was an intense YA mystery/thriller about six friends headed to spring break that get trapped in an RV in the middle of nowhere by a sniper intent on learning one of their secrets. The story is told from the perspective of Red. Her mother, a police officer, was executed on the job 5 years ago and her father succumbed to alcoholism. This, as well as having little to no money, set her apart from other teens. Her best friend Maddie and a few others, however, have her back and make sure that she’s not left out.

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December 2, 2022 0

The Christmas Party by Mikayla Davids

This was an interesting mystery involving a dysfunctional family, a 5 star hotel in the country and a snow storm. What more do you need for dark family secrets to come out and someone to commit murder?

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November 24, 2022 0

Mrs. Hudson and the Christmas Canary (Holmes and Hudson #6) by Martin Davies

This is a pretty good historical fiction mystery set in Victorian London. Flottie is the teenage housemaid for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. She occasionally assists Mrs. Hudson, the cook, and Holmes in his investigations. This time, Flottie helps solve a 23 year old mystery of the missing solid gold Christmas canary that belonged to a wealthy family and was handed down over the generations. It was displayed as the Christmas tree topper every year, until it was mysteriously stolen during a house party.

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November 15, 2022 0

The Wicked Remain (Grimrose Girls #2) by Laura Pohl

This was a satisfying conclusion to a good YA Fantasy duology. The events pick up a few months after the first book. The girls continue to search for a way to break the curse, but are waylaid by personal issues that distract them from their goal. As they make progress on finding out the origin of the curse, more girls start dying.

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November 9, 2022 0

The Prisoner by B.A. Paris

I’ve been a bit ambivalent about the author’s previous books, but I enjoyed this one. It’s a good mystery/thriller that kept my attention and kept me reading late into the evening. Amelie is a young woman that is used to struggling to survive. Down to her last few dollars, she befriends a group of wealthy women and begins working as a housekeeper and cook for one of them. This brings her into contact with Jed Hawthorne, a wealthy billionaire. Before she understands what’s she gotten herself into, she’s married to Jed and forced to be his perfect trophy wife. Then one night Amelie is snatched from her bed and wakes up in a pitch-black room with no idea where she is. The captors don’t speak and she doesn’t know why she’s taken, or why she feels safer with the captors than she does with her husband.

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November 9, 2022 0

Racing the Light (Elvis Cole and Joe Pike #19) by Robert Crais

This is another fun and exciting Elvis Cole mystery/thriller. This time, Elvis is hired by a mother desperate to find her son Josh, a controversial podcaster. She thinks he’s in mortal danger, and although she’s quirky and has a flock of professional bodyguards following her around, Elvis takes the case. And the cash. As Elvis starts to look into the son’s life, he once again attracts danger and enlists the help of his buddy Joe Pike to watch his back.

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November 8, 2022 0

A Murder at Balmoral by Chris McGeorge

This is a good locked-door mystery set in an alternative universe England where King Edward VIII did not abdicate and marry an American divorcee. In this story, his lineage sits on the throne. As the story begins, King Eric has required his immediate family attend Christmas as Balmarol and he’s sent all of the staff away, except his chef Jonathon and his head security officer. During an after dinner speech, King Eric begins to speak, begins choking, and falls to the ground. Moments later, he’s dead. Each member of the family has motive and opportunity, is keeping secrets, and they’ve elected the chef to investigate the murder.

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October 30, 2022 0

A Life Unplanned by Caitriona Drexler

I am total nerd that goes to San Diego Comic-Con every year, so when I was given the opportunity to read this book where the couple meets at New York Comic-Con, I jumped at the chance. I absolutely loved their meet-cute – it’s every nerdy single girl’s dream to be swept off her feet by Batman!! While there were plenty of nerdy references and comic touches, the book also deals with some tough issues. I loved Sadie and Theo’s relationship and how they communicated with each other. About half-way through, however, the book started to lose me a bit. I think the book lost momentum as it veered away from the relationship and I wasn’t as invested.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Katie and Brey PA and the author. All opinions are my own.

October 18, 2022 0

The Quiet Girl by Nichole Heydenburg

Violet Hale moves with her family to North Carolina from Michigan. She had friends and a boyfriend in MI, but in NC, isn’t able to easily makes friends and draws the attention, and ire, of the school’s queen bee on her first day. Every day after that, Violet is bullied by her and the popular kids. One day a cute boy, Jess, defends her after Violet is bullied, and he and his friend Kayla befriend her. Violet is grateful to finally make friends, but the more she gets to know them, the more sinister their friendship becomes.

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October 18, 2022 0