July Reading Wrap-Up

 

📖 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝗽-𝗨𝗽 🎧

Mother Nature turned up the heat in July and I had a hot reading streak. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blackout

Falling 🎧

Razorblade Tears 

Malibu Rising 🎧

The Thursday Murder Club 

The Guncle 🎧

Sh*t, Actually 

The Other Passenger 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Find You First

Unfinished Business 🎧

The Pull of the Stars

Bad Moon Rising 🎧

Who is Maude Dixon? 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️

He Started It

I loved Razorblade Tears for it’s nonstop action and main characters. Falling is intense thriller from page one. Malibu Rising has great characters and family drama. The Thursday Murder Club is full of humor, characters, and mystery. The Guncle is full of heart. Sh*t, Actually is a hysterical look at some popular movies. Blackout weaves together sweet short stories about teenagers falling in love. The Other Passenger is an atmospheric story featuring an unreliable narrator. 

Find You First is a timely thriller in the age of DNA testing. Unfinished Business is a story of redemption and justice for an innocent man. The Pull of the Stars is historical fiction set against the backdrop of the 1918 flu pandemic. Bad Moon Rising features a tough female sheriff. Who Is Maude Dixon? is a twisty game of cat and mouse. 

Thank you to @simon.audio for the #giftedcopies of Falling, The Other Passenger, Unfinished Business, and Bad Moon Rising. 

What was your favorite July read? What are you looking forward to reading in August? 

#readingwrapup #july #monthlywrapup #fivestarreads #razorbladetears #falling #thethursdaymurderclub #theguncle #blackout #maliburising #theotherpassenger #shitactually #alwaysreading #bookreview #audiobookstagram #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #mybooks #readerlife #librarybooks #ebooks #audiobooks 

He Started It

 

Author: Samantha Downing

Publisher: Berkley

Year: 2020

This is the most dysfunctional family road trip ever. 

Three siblings, Eddie, Beth, and Portia, must recreate a cross country trip they took as children in order to collect an inheritance from their grandfather. 

Spoilers ahead- proceed at your own risk! 

The three siblings have to travel the same route and stop at the same tourist sights. Disturbing things start happening on the trip and family secrets are revealed. There was so much going on in this book, but it left me with more questions than answers and not just about that ending. Why did their grandfather take them on the road trip? He basically kidnapped them, but why? Was he just bored at home and wanted company on a road trip? How did the people in the black truck keep finding Eddie, Beth, and Portia? They were driving across the country and they couldn’t shake the sketchy people following them at all? Turns out, Eddie owed the people in the black truck a lot of money in gambling debts. So they followed him on a drive across the country? I would have just gone to Eddie’s house while he was on the trip and burned down his house. Why did Beth kill her husband? That made no sense to me. So much of this story made no sense to me. 

I loved the author’s first book My Lovely Wife. Hope this was just her sophomore slump because she is a talented writer. This one just missed the mark for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Friday! Any weekend plans? We’re still enjoying the beach! Hoping the humidity eases a little though. 

#roadtrip #crosscountryroadtrip #siblings #dysfunctionalfamily #familyvacation #familyvacay #thriller #mysteryfiction #kindle #librarybook #librarybookreview #ebook #ebookreview #morequestionsthananswers 

Who Is Maude Dixon?

 

Author: Alexandra Andrews 

Narrator: Thérèse Plummer

Publisher: Little Brown & Co

Year: 2021

The publishing world and the police want to know who exactly is Maude Dixon. But the answer to that could be deadly. 

Maude Dixon, a reclusive author, wrote a wildly successful book, but never gave an interview, never did any publicly, or book signings. She seemingly came out of nowhere. Now Florence, a young aspiring writer, has the chance to work for Maude as her assistant. It’s a dream job that gets Florence out of NYC, but it becomes more than she bargained for. 

What I liked: 

🖋 The characters - we learn Florence is a little sketchy right off the bat. She’s wildly ambitious and we’re not sure if her writing talent lives up to her aspirations. Maude Dixon is the pen name for Helen Wilcox. Helen is prickly and secretive. You just know something’s up with her. 

🖋 The settings - New York and then Morocco. I love a unique and international setting. 

🖋 All the twists and turns! The books starts off a little slow, but the back half more than makes up for that. It’s a cat and mouse game that’s filled with deception! 

🖋 The narrator- Thérèse Plummer is fantastic! 

This is a fun, twisty thriller! Fans of The Talented Mr. Ripley should definitely check it out. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Happy Wednesday book friends! My husband and I went out with friends last night to an outdoor beer garden. I think it’s the first time we’ve been out for drinks in forever. 

What’s everyone reading this week? I haven’t picked my next read yet. Maybe I’ll finally start The People We Meet on Vacation. 

#whoismaudedixon #alexandraandrews #thereseplummer #littlebrownandcompany #audiobookreview #audiobook #audiobooksofinstagram #libbyapp #authors #thrillerbooks #morroco #marrakesh #penname #catandmousegame #stolenidentity #killerbestseller 

Malibu Rising

 

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Narrator: Julia Whelan

Publisher: Random House Audio

Year: 2021

Have you seen enough great reviews of Malibu Rising yet? Do you really need one more? No? Good, because I really don’t have anything new insights to add to the conversation. 

I loved: 

🏄‍♀️ the characters- all four Riva siblings are fully fleshed out and authentic. I really want to hang out on the beach with them. 

🏄‍♀️ the setting - Malibu from when it was a sleepy little beach town to when the celebrities started moving in. I swear I could smell the coconut scented Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil while I was reading the book. 

🏄‍♀️ the story- it’s a wild ride from Mick and June’s early romance to the night of Nina’s party. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid weaves together a compelling story of family. 

🏄‍♀️the narration- Julia Whelan is perfection. 

Is it too soon to ask for sequel about Kit? 🙏🏻 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Monday! I’m in my happy place- the beach! We’re meeting up with friends later today to take all our dogs (our two and their two) on a nice walk on a local nature trail. What’s your plan for the day?

#maliburising #taylorjenkinsreid #juliawhelan #randomhouseaudio #malibu #malibubeach #surfing #beachread #familydrama #siblings #beachbook #lgbtq #bookrecommendation #audiobookreview #audiobook #audiobooksofinstagram #libbyapp #lovemylibrary 

Hitting the Road

 

Happy Friday! 

✅ beach towel

✅sun screen 

✅sunglasses

✅book

✅kindle

✅audiobooks

✅ AirPods 

How many books do you take on vacation? 

I think I’m all packed to head to the beach this weekend. I’m taking the book The People We Meet on Vacation. My kindle and phone are loaded with ebooks and audiobooks. I think I’m ready to hit the road! 

Hope y’all have a great weekend! 

#thepeoplewemeetonvacation #emilhenry #vacation #whichwaytothebeach #roadtrip #vacation #vacationmode #beachreads #beachready #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #readinglove #booknerd #iread #readerlife #beachbound 

Currently Reading

 

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗲!

I’m #currentlyreading Samantha Downing’s He Srarted It. It’s a page turner, but like the book’s characters, I’m getting a little tired of their road trip. Hoping it picks up the pace a little more in the last half of the book. I really liked her book My Lovely Wife. I thought it was creepy and cleverly written.  Downing’s new book, For Your Own Good, dropped this week. 

Laundry, packing, and cleaning out the fridge are on my agenda today. Hitting the road for our vacation tomorrow. What’s on your agenda today? 

#currentlyreading #hestartedit #samanthdowning #berkleypublishing #roadtrip #inheiritance #siblings #thrillerthursday #thrillerbooks #crosscountryroadtrip #backlistbooks #librarybook #kindle #ebook #bookworm #booknerd #alwaysreading #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #bookstagram 

Bad Moon Rising

 

Author: John Galligan

Narrator: Samantha Desz 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio 

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you @simon.audio for the gifted copy. 

Sheriff Heidi Kick investigates the death of a homeless man who was last seen alive miles from where he was found alongside a road in rural Wisconsin. The last thing Sheriff Kick needs is an unsolved murder because she’s in the midst of a nasty re-election campaign. Her opponent is running a smear campaign against her and calling her Sheriff Mommy. As the investigation intensifies and more bodies pile up, Heidi must deal with family problems and rumors that could derail her career and the investigation. 

John Galligan is a new to me author and this is the third book in his Bad Axe County series. I had no problem jumping into the series with this book. There was enough background info to get me up to speed with the characters. Heidi is a compassionate and strong female character. She doesn’t have an easy time being the top law enforcement officer in a rural county, but she has some allies on her side. The plot had some wild and weird twists and turns that wrap up at the end. The story is a good mix of police procedural and family drama. The narration by Samantha Desz is smooth and compelling.  I’m going to have to read the backlist titles in this series because I really liked Heidi’s character.  Bad Moon Rising is available now. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy hump day! How’s your week going? 

#badmoonrising #johngalligan #simonaudio #samanthadesz #murdermystery #policeprocedural #badaxecounty #wisconsin #audiobook #audiobookreview #audiobookstagram #giftedbook #booknerd #boomworm #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #readerlife #readinglife #sheriff #murderinvestigation #fiction #familydrama

The Thursday Murder Club

 

Author: Richard Osman

Publisher: Pamela Dornan Books

Year: 2020

𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘺. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘩, 𝘑𝘰𝘺𝘤𝘦, 𝘙𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳.

The Thursday Murder Club is a delightful mystery about a quartet of retirees trying to solve cold cases as a hobby. When an actual murder takes place in their bucolic retirement village, the amateur sleuths spring into action and set about finding the killer. 

Although the mystery part is well plotted with plenty of twists, this is a character driven novel without a doubt. The four main characters are just charming. Elizabeth, possibly with MI6 before retiring, is the group’s ringleader. She’s quick witted and has contacts all over the world who owe her favors. Joyce, a former nurse, is shrewdly observant. Ron, a former union organizer, is still a firebrand and likes a good argument. Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist, is the details man whether it’s figuring out the best driving route or putting together a presentation. 

The dry humor throughout the story kept me smiling. Author Richard Osman gently skewers the small absurdities of life in a retirement community - from the power of the parking space committee to the murder club learning to Skype. Osman also touches on aging with dignity, grieving and guilt, and how some long buried secrets have unimaginable consequences. 

I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did because cozy mysteries aren’t my thing. I’m so glad the #betweenfriendsbookclub chose it for this month’s read and I got to meet the marvelous members of the Thursday Murder Club. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I feel like I’ve been on a hot streak with read the last two weeks. I’ve read several books that just blew me away. Have you ever had a streak of reading five star books? 

#thethursdaymurderclub #richardosman #pameladormanbooks #murdermystery #mysteryfiction #retirementcommunity #retirementvillage #humorfiction #england #retirement #retirees #bibliophilelife #greatreads #bookrec #cozymystery #alwaysreading #kindlepaperwhite #iread 

The Pull or the Stars

 

Author: Emma Donoghue 

Publisher: Little Brown 

Year: 2020

Happy Monday! 

Did I read a third book about a pandemic since the start of the covid pandemic? Yes, yes I did. 🤷🏻‍♀️This historical fiction novel was my book club’s pick for this month. The Pull the Stars is set in Dublin, Ireland during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The city is reeling from on-going WWI and the deadly pandemic. People are scared to go out and there’s all sorts of superstitious cures. Nurse Julia Power is assigned to a small ward for expectant mothers who have the flu. The book takes place over a few short days while Julia cares for several pregnant women sick with the flu. Nurse Julia is a compassionate caregiver trying to save lives during harsh circumstances. The hospital is so short staffed that only help Julia gets is Bridie, a young woman who grew up in an orphanage and has no medical training. But Bridie is cleaver and eager to learn. She also opens Julia’s eyes to the horrendous abuse and living conditions of unwed mothers and orphans suffer at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them. Julia must draw on all her strength and knowledge and break some norms to advocate for and fight to save the women and babies in her care.

Author Emma Donoghue clearly did her research about the great flu pandemic and early 20th century labor and delivery practices. Heartbreaking to think what women had to go through back then-both as patients and as medical providers. 

Book club consensus:  compelling story, interesting characters, great discussion and comparing the 1918 pandemic with today. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: child abuse, sexual abuse, stillbirth

Hope y’all had a good weekend! Any exciting plans for the week?  Not much going on in my little corner of the world. I have to start packing for vacation next week. 

#thepullofthestars #emmadonoghue #littlebrownandcompany #dublin #ireland #spanishflu #thegrippe #wwi #pandemic #nurse #nursing #maternityward #medicalcare #midwife #midwifery #kindle #bookstagram #bibliophile #alwaysreading #booknerd #bookworm #historicalfiction 

Falling

 

Author: T. J. Newman

Narrator: Steven Weber

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰🎧

Thank you @simon.audio for the gifted copy. 

This book is a roller coaster ride of intensity and it’s a awesome ride! A pilot is given an unimaginable choice-crash a plane full of passengers or sacrifice his wife and children. What should be a routine cross country flight turns into a fight to outsmart the terrorists and survive. 

There’s lots of hype about this book and it’s on all the best books of the summer lists. And it lives up to the hype. Author T.J. Newman is a former flight attendant and her experience and knowledge lends authenticity to the story. This isn’t a character driven novel-it’s all about the action. But the characters are well drawn and believable. The pacing is breakneck- just when you catch your breath, Newman ratchets up the tension even more. Steven Weber lends his considerable talent to narrating the audiobook. He does a fantastic job! 

If you’re in the mood for a high octane, nonstop thrill ride, this is it. Fasten your seatbelt and hang on for a wild ride! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Saturday! What are you up to this weekend? Rainy day here so I’m hoping for lots of reading time. 

#falling #tjnewman #stevenweber #simonaudio #thriller #flightattendants #pilots #aiplane #crosscountryflight #audiobookreview #audiobook #audiobookstagram #bibliophile #bookrecs #greatreads 

Currently Reading

 

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆!

What’s everyone reading this weekend?

I’m #currentlyreading The Thursday Murder Club by @misterosman It’s an absolute delight! Trying to finish it by Sunday afternoon for our #betweenfriendsbookclub chat hosted by @andrea.c.lowry.reads 

My irl book club is meeting on Sunday evening. This month’s book is The Pull of the Stars. We should have a good discussion and I’ll post my review soon. 

This guy popped up out a ditch next to the road this morning and flew right in front of my car. It was amazing! 

Now bring on the weekend! 

#currentlyreading #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #thethursdaymurderclub #betweenfriendsbookclub #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #booksta #readerlife #eagle #fridayvibes #cozymystery #mysteryfiction #whodoneit 

Currently Reading

 

🎧𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠🎧

My library hold for Malibu Rising finally become available. Yippee! Diving into it day as I attempt to clean my house. I volunteered to host my irl book club on Sunday. If the weather is nice we’ll be outside on the deck. But I better clean just in case. 😀 

What snacks do you like while read? I need some suggestions on what to serve on Sunday! 

Hope y’all have a great day! 

#currentlyreading #audiobook #maliburising #taylorjenkinsreid #randomhouseaudio #libbyapp #librarybook  #lovemylibrary #readandclean #ineedahousekeeper😂 #idratherbereading 

Razorblade Tears

 

Author: S A. Cosby

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Year: 2021 

Just give this book all the stars. 

I loved Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland when I read it last year. It’s a high octane heist thriller with a great main character. Razorblade Tears features two unforgettable main characters- Ike and Buddy Lee. One Black and one white, they are grieving fathers who set out to avenge the deaths of their sons who were a gay married couple. 

Ike and Buddy Lee are flawed men, but they know that. Both ex-cons, they are hard men who were terrible fathers to their sons. It’s only after their sons are killed that both men start to come to terms with their intolerance and their mistakes. Ike and Buddy Lee are full of guilt, rage, regret, grief, and love. Cosby’s sharp writing is a masterclass of  character development.  

This is one of the best books I have ever read. With its rural southern setting, nonstop action, dashes of humor, and brilliant writing, Razorblade Tears is an exhilarating and compelling story. Cosby has delivered a masterpiece of a modern day action thriller. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#razorbladetears #sacosby #flatironbooks #ruralvirginia #revenge #thrillerbooks #friendship #fathersandsons #bookreview #greatread #bookrec #bibliophile #kindlepaperwhite #readerlife #instantclassic #lgbtq🌈 #kindlebooks #brilliantwriting #booksworthreading #dropeveryandreadthisbook 

Station Eleven

 

Author: Emily St. John Mandel 

Narrator: Kirsten Potter

Publisher: Random House Audio 

Year: 2014

When we went into lockdown in March 2020, I read Chuck Wendig‘s novel Wanderers because why not read a terrifying book about a global pandemic while experiencing a global pandemic, right? I really liked Wanderers and thought Wendig captured what we were currently experiencing-especially the distrust in science and the political climate. As lockdown ended and everything was opening back up this spring, I read Emily St. John Mandel‘s novel Station Eleven- also about a global pandemic. I had seen rave reviews for Station Eleven so it peaked my curiosity. Many of the reviews said it was just so intense. In Station Eleven, a strange flu hits and spreads immediately around the world. It overloads the hospitals and people start dying. There’s no cure and there is no hope. I thought Mandel‘s account of the collapse of civilization was interesting, but not as terrifying as I thought it was going to be. The story bounces across different timelines with different main characters and they’re all interconnected. I also liked how the book imagines humanity rebuilding society. There are small towns and  communities where people have rebuilt their lives. There’s also a traveling group of actors and musicians who go from small town to small town putting on Shakespeare plays and performing music. It’s a reminder that survival isn’t just about surviving and that the arts still matter. I liked that message a lot. I just didn’t find Station Eleven as terrifying and intense as most of the reviews said it was. Narrator Kirsten Potter did a fantastic job with the audiobook. The story has interesting characters and an all too relatable plot. But for me, this book was more pandemic light than the very dense Wanderers which I found a lot more terrifying.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hope everyone had a great weekend. We sure did here at my house! Lots of family time which was wonderful. What’s everyone reading this week? I’m trying to finish up two fabulous thrillers that I know will be in my top 10 books of the year, if not two of my favorite books of all time.

#pandemic #horrorfiction #audiobook #librarybook #audiobookreview #libbyapp #bibliophile 

Currently Reading

 

Happy Sunday! 

I’m #currentlyreading T.J. Newman’s debut novel Falling. Let me tell you- the hype about this book is real! Thank you @simon.audio for my #gifted copy. I’m over halfway done listening to it and it’s been intense since page one. I haven’t had much time to listen this weekend and I can’t wait to find out what happens! 

Do you like action packed intense thrillers? Drop a recommendation in the comments! 

#falling #tjnewman #simonaudio #thriller #suspense #airplane #currentlyreading #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #notreallycoffeetho #pilot #flightattendant #bookrecs #greatread #bibliophile #readerlife #keepreading #audiobook #audiobookstagram #bibliophilelife #bookworm #instareading 

Blackout

 

Authors: Dhonelle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Year: 2021

Happy Saturday! 

How’s your weekend looking? We’re waiting for our son and his gf to arrive for a visit today. Our house will be full with both son and daughter home and 5 dogs. I’ll be vacuuming up dog hair long after they go home! 😀 

So before all the dog barking and running around begins, I just want to give a quick recommendation for the book Blackout. Six bestselling YA authors wrote this book of interconnected short love stories. The stories all take place one night during a blackout in NYC. These authors know how to write authentic teen characters. The characters are kids being kids, discovering love and truths about themselves. The stories are sweet, sassy, romantic, and tender- like young love itself. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hope y’all have an enjoyable weekend! 

#blackout #quilltreebooks #harpercollins #dhonielleclayton #tiffanydjackson #nicstone #angiethomas #ashleywoodfolk #nicolayoon #nyc  #newyorkcity #romancefiction #lovestories #shortstorycollection #shortstories #yaromance #lgbtq🌈 #lgbtqfiction #teenfiction #yashortstories #ireadya #bibliophile #bookrecs #bookrecommendation #booksworthreading #teenreads #yabookstagram 

Find You First

 

Author: Linwood Barclay

Publisher: William Morrow Books

Year: 2021

Happy Friday y’all! 

Miles, a successful tech entrepreneur just diagnosed with a progressive and fatal disease, decides to leave his millions to his biological children. One problem- he doesn’t know how many children he has. As a young man desperate for money, Miles donated to a fertility clinic. Miles soon learns he has nine heirs scattered across the country. As he begins to reach out to them, he discovers some of the nine are disappearing or dying under mysterious circumstances. Miles teams up with Chloe, one of the nine, to figure out what’s going on and to stop whoever is responsible. 

Linwood Barclay’s latest thriller is a fast paced and engrossing story. It was a pretty quick read and I really enjoyed it. Beyond the thriller parts, Barclay looks at the ramifications of commercial DNA testing and what makes a family. Do genetics solely make family members or is it the people who have your back? 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CW: a Jeffrey Epstein like character, sexual abuse, kidnapping. 

The weekend is upon us! What are you doing this weekend? Reading anything interesting? We have a graduation party to go to on Sunday. Until then, I’ll be trying to catch up on some reading. 

#findyoufirst #linwoodbarclay #williammorrowbooks #thrillerbooks #suspensebooks #dnatesting #dna #family #huntingtonsdisease #librarybook #librarylover #bookworm #bibliophile #iread #bookrecommendations #bookrec #readinglife 

Free Little Library Love

 

My daughter and I visited my parents on Wednesday. We had very nice visits. This was the first time my daughter got to see her grandparents  in person since before shut down last year. 

There are three Little Free Libraries right by my dad’s skilled nursing facility. I dropped off some books in all three. Sharing is caring! 

I’m reading Blackout today. Ironically, we had a big thunderstorm storm roll through last night and lost power. Still off today. Fingers crossed it comes back on soon! 🤞🏻

What’s your best your best tip for surviving without electricity? 💡

#littlefreelibrary #sharingiscaring #bookstagram #spreadthelove #nopower #poweroutage #clearingmyshelves #readerlife #readingcommunity #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #booksbooksbooks #booknerd #bookworm 

Unfinished Business

 

Author: J.A. Jance

Narrator: Karen Ziemba

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio 

Year: 2021

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧

Thank you @simon.audio for gifting me with this book! 

I’ve seen J.A. Jance’s books on bookstore and library shelves for what seems like forever. She is a massively successful and prolific author, but I have never picked up one of her books until now. That’s a mistake on my part. Unfinished Business is the latest book in Jance’s Ali Reynolds series. It’s a polished and intricate novel involving a man convicted for a crime he didn’t commit and a serial killer who strikes too close to home. 

Jance is a veteran writer and it shows. She knows how to keep the story moving, making this a quick and entertaining read. Even though this is book 16 in the series, I never felt lost. Jance keeps the focus on the present and I appreciated that. When the story did refer to a previous book, there was enough information about the backstory for me to get the gist without getting bogged down in the past. I think this might be one of those rare series you can read out of order and still  enjoy it. Karen Ziemba’s narration really compliments the story and is very enjoyable. 

This story of determination, second chances, hope and redemption is the perfect read for the beach or the pool. Unfinished Business is available now. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#unfinishedbusiness #jajance #simonaudio #mystery #suspencethriller #socialjustice #murderfiction #serialkiller #computerscience #parole #arizona #washingtonstate #bookstagram #audiobooks #audiobookstagram #audiobooks #audiobookreview #glose #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #readerlife 

Happy Pub Day!

 

Happy Pub Day to the book I’ve been waiting for! 📖

I just downloaded Razorblade Tears and I am so freaking excited to read it! I loved last year’s Blacktop Wasteland. It’s one of my all time favorites. Razorblade Tears is getting rave reviews and I can’t wait to dive it. Can you guess how I’m spending the rest of my day? Hint: it’s not housework. 😀 

Are you excited about any of today’s new releases? 

#razorbladetears #sacosby #flatironbooks #pubday #publicationday #kindle #readerlife #goawayimreading #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #alwaysreading #bookstagram #ereader 

Borrowed Time

 

Author: Tracy Clark

Publisher: Kensington Books

Year: 2019

Happy Monday! 

Chicago PI Cass Raines agrees to do a favor for a friend and look into the death of the estranged son of one of the city’s most prominent families. The police ruled Tim’s death an accident and quickly closed the case. Tim was living his life to the fullest after a catastrophic cancer diagnosis, and his friend Jung insists his death was neither accident or suicide. As Cass digs into Tim’s life and death, she discovers certain facts just don’t add up. Who would want kill a dying man anyway? 

This is the second book in the series by Tracy Clark. It could be read as a

stand alone, but I recommend reading the books in order. Cass, a former police officer turned PI, is a tenacious investigator and she’s surrounded by a cast of likable and interesting secondary characters including her former partner in the PD and her childhood best friends. The plot is intricate and moves along at a quick pace. Cass encounters twists, turns, and danger during the investigation. She’s sharp witted and occasionally sharp tongued and definitely the person you want in your corner when you’re in a pinch. 

The fourth book in this series just published and is getting great reviews, so I’m trying to catch up with the series before reading the new installment. This series is perfect police procedural and PI fans. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Have you recovered from all the fireworks and festivities? The fireworks we could hear luckily didn’t bother our dogs. But the dogs could have been too tired to care after a day spent swimming and running around with their pals. 

#borrowedtime #tracyclark #kensingtonbooks #chicago #policeprocedural #privateinvestigator #murdermystery #thriller #boat #manoverboard #backlist #backlistbooks #libbyapp #librarybook #librarylove #ebook #kindle #ebookreview #bibliophilelife #bibliophile #keepreading #bookworm #bookrec #bookrecommendation 

Happy Independence Day!

 

Celebrating my freedom to read on this Independence Day and every day! 

Hope you are having a joyful and safe weekend! 

#independenceday #july4th #4thofjuly #readreadread #freedomtoread #bookstagram #books #readerslife #reader #redwhiteandblue #partyintheusa #bestofamerica #freedom #letfreedomring #readfree #bibliophile 

Last Current Next

 

Happy weekend! 

Here’s my #lastcurrentnext t 

Last: Borrowed Time 

Who would want to kill a dying man? PI Cass Raines is hired to find out. 

Current: Find You Next 

A tech millionaire who’s running out of time wants to find his possible heirs. But they keep disappearing or dying. Really enjoying Linwood Barkley’s latest thriller! 

Next: Blackout

A collection of love stories that take place when a blackout hits NYC during a summer heatwave. Can’t want to start this book! Thanks to @topperthesheltie’s mom for letting me borrow this one! 

What are reading this weekend? Trying to get some reading in before heading to a family cookout later this afternoon. Hope y’all have a great weekend! 🎆 

#lastcurrentnext #lastcurrentnextreads #weekendreads #blackout #borrowedtime #findyoufirst #kindle #librarybook #kindlebook #bookworm #bookstagram #currentlyreading #bookbookbook #bibliophile #bibliophiles #readerlife #alwaysreading #lovestories #thrillerbooks #ireadya #shortstories #shortstorycollection 

One Great Lie

 

Author: Ded Caletti 

Narrator: Imani Jade Powers

Publishers: Simon Audio

Year: 2021

Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the #gifedbook! Charlotte’s big dream is to be an author. She wins a scholarship for a summer intensive writing workshop in Venice, Italy run by critically acclaimed and best selling author Luca Bruni. Besides working on her craft under the tutelage of the charismatic Bruni, Charlotte hopes to discover more about a centuries old family member, poet Isabella Di Angelo. According to family lore it was Isabella who was the real author of a very famous poem and not the man it is attributed to. As the summer progresses, Charlotte meets a very cute Venetian college student who helps uncover Isabelle’s long lost history. But becoming the focus of Bruni’s uncomfortable attention shatters her spirit and sends Charlotte running back home. Can Charlotte find her voice to tell Isabella’s story and her own? 

There are so many layers to Deb Caletti’s latest YA contemporary novel. Imani Jade Powers’ narration is nuanced and gripping. This isn’t just a breezy summer romance story. Charlotte’s feelings towards Bruni are complicated. She’s overwhelmed and star struck because she loves his words and his books. She wants him to notice her they way he pays attention so some of the other students in the workshop. When Bruni starts to flirt with Charlotte, she is both flattered by his attention and then increasingly uncomfortable with it. Coletti weaves together the past and the present into a compelling story of two girls standing up to powerful men. TW: grooming, sexual assault, slut shaming. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Friday? Any plans for the holiday weekend? We’re going to a BBQ a family tomorrow. Hope y’all have a wonderful weekend!

#onegreatlie #debcaletti #simonaudio #imanijadepowers #giftedbook #audiobook #audiobookreview #venice #italy #ireadya #teenreads #yalove #audiobooksofinstagram #bibliophile #audiobookstagram #veniceitaly #yacontemporary #yarealisticfiction 

Local Woman Missing

 

Author: Mary Kubica

Publisher: Park Row Books

Year: 2021

Happy July! 

Shelby goes out for a run one night and never returns. Soon after, Meredith and her six year old daughter Delilah go missing. Meredith and Shelby knew each other. Are their disappearances connected? Eleven years later, Delilah returns. Her return shocks the community and leads to more questions. 

This is a fast paced thriller told from multiple POV, which I liked. It’s filled with red herrings and twists and turns. Just went I thought I had it all figured out, I’d turn a page and realize that I didn’t have a clue. I thought the ending was bonkers, but a little too abruptly. But all in all, this intense thriller kept me guessing right to the very end. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this for the #betweenfriendsbookclub  group read. It was fun to hear what everyone else thought about this book. 

A rainy day here to start the month. I think that means lots of reading time today. What are you reading to kick off July? 

#localwomanmissing #marykubica #parkrowbooks #thrillerthursday #thrillerbooks #mysterybooks #buddyreads #groupgread #multiplepovbooks #kindlebook #amazonkindle #bibliophile #bookworm #reader #alwaysreading