Tag: fiction

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi

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Claire, Darling will startle you! Its story a combination of mystery, romance, childhood abuse but especially surprising secrets! You will fall in love with Claire and sympathize and empathize with her to get her happy ending.

Claire has never really been in love. She spent her childhood being abused by her mother a single parent, and narcissist, as well as being bullied by quite a few girls from school. But even though she had a turbulent childhood Claire has always been a hopeful romantic thinking someday…

So when she meets Noah an investment person and they begin to date she falls madly in love and so does he! The relationship moves quickly and they decide to move in together although in the back of Claire’s mind she continues to hear her mother’s terrible voice always making her feel as if she’s not worthy to be loved.

And then unbelievably Noah proposes to Claire! She never imagined her life could be so happy! She’s finally found the love of her life. Her happy ever after.

Until on their anniversary of meeting when she goes to Noah’s job to surprise him with a lunch and discovers there is no one there with that name. She is shocked and doesn’t quite understand. She’s called him there many, many times. She thinks it’s a mistake but suddenly realizes as she tries to call his cell phone and he doesn’t answer that something has gone terribly wrong. She’s being ghosted.

Then, she finds out the painful horrible truth about the man she loved. He has a girlfriend. A beautiful one and a very rich one. Why on earth did he do this to Claire? Was this a sick terrible joke? To hurt her as she has been hurt in her past.

Claire then begins to go down a terrible rabbit hole which she can’t get out of and starts to make irrational decisions she never thought she could imagine. Now, Claire feels like she must delve deeper into their relationship. She becomes obsessed.

Are there really any winners when lies are told? Claire’s abusive past suddenly merges with Noah’s horrible deeds. What good could ever come from this type of bad relationship. Well, none.

Claire darling is a story of emotions, heartbreak, innocence and revenge! It will have you on the edge of your seat as you learn the outcome and many other hidden secrets. Oh, Claire darling!

Thank you #NetGalley #BantamBooks #CallieKazumi #Claire,Darling for the advanced copy.

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones

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I Would Die for You is a twisted psychological drama told in both the past and present. But what will really draw you in to the story are the secrets. And there are so many! The anticipation in this thriller is palpable from the first page and the ending astonishing!

It’s 2011, Nicole Forbes is living a great life in California trying to not only save the seals but is happily married with a young daughter. Although she is a transplant from London, England, she has lived in the states for many years. Her life is perfect.

Until a woman shows up at her door who seems to know her from her past. A past she has intentionally kept hidden from everybody. Rattled, Nicole still does not want to believe someone knows what happened back in London all those years ago but when her young daughter goes missing and she tells her mother when they discover her, she was taken by her aunt, Nicole’s sister, she becomes fearful because Nicole has no sister.

As her family starts to spiral Nicole must now decide exactly what she should expose to her husband. Her first instinct is to still continue to lie. But things begin to go from bad to worse when he starts to turn on her. As her fear for her daughter grows and as we see her life in flashbacks from her days in London, we begin to have the realization that something very bad happened in her family all those years ago.

It all began in 1986 when we discover Nicole had a sister named Cassie who was 16 and became obsessed with an upcoming rock band called Secret October. Her sister became infatuated with Ben Edwards the lead singer. But unfortunately, Cassie begins to make very bad decisions and heads down a terrible path. This begins the destruction, and dark secrets which pulls them apart. But what was it that happened?

Who is this woman? What does she want with her family and why now. Nicole knows one thing and that is she is here to destroy her life.  She needs to understand what is going on and why before her life as she knows it shatters. Her daughter is her life and heart. She will never let anything happen to her.

I Would Die for You will be the obsessive beach read you will need this summer. The story leaves the reader craving the satisfaction of being in on the secrets. And then when all is revealed well, the ending is to die for.

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotourPress #SandieJones #IWouldDieforYou for the advanced copy.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

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Buckle up for the ride of your life in The Family Game! This book will have brides-to-be looking sideways at their soon to be in-laws. The story is an explosion of anxiety, shock, horror and mystery. The ending an amazingly surprising masterpiece.

When writer Harriet fell in love with financer Edward, who came from one of the wealthiest families in the United States, the Holbeck’s, although she had never met them, she never imagined what people with that kind of wealth would be like. Edward had kept them at a distance while they courted and yes, Harriet was curious as to why but was told there had been a bit of a rift. So, when Harriet and Edward got engaged and she received a call from his sister welcoming her into the fold she found herself agreeing unbeknownst to her (she is British and from England) that the meeting of the family would be on none other than Thanksgiving.

But right from the start she felt something was off. The family seemed very competitive and well, strangely odd. But she chalked it up to her own jitters until Edward’s father calls her into his office. Alone. And hands her a tape. Then explains to her she needs to listen to it and understand it and that he knows everyone makes mistakes and is well aware of her own hidden secret. Is this some sort of warning? How on earth could he know? What is on this tape? He also threatened if she told anyone including Edward about this revelation, he would expose her.

As she is on deadline, she puts the tape away and when she finally begins the process of listening to it, well, it’s time for another family gathering. This time it is called “Krampus” which has to do with a monster near Christmas time. Harriet and Edward attend without Harriet knowing the “rules of the game” and when she is picked to play, well it does not go well and turns out to be the most horrible experience of her life.

The tape which she reads in pieces is extremely disturbing and she can’t quite understand what is actually going on in the Holbeck family. She decides to do a bit of research and what she discovers is to say the least very, very disturbing and expanding over many years.

But Harriet and Edward must get through one last holiday, Christmas and Christmas Eve with the family. When she arrives at the estate in upstate New York, well once again she learns there will be a game on Christmas Eve and she must play, only this time Harriet knows she will be playing for her life. She somehow must try and outwit who she feels are a bunch of unhinged rich people. But what we shockingly discover is that there is much, much more to this family and the games they insist on playing.

The Family Game will have you on the edge of your seat with all the twists and turns. As for Harriet well, she must protect her own secret no matter what the cost. Who if anyone will survive the final family game? You MUST read this book to discover, and you will be happy you did.

Published by Ballentine Books

All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

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All The Other Mothers Hate Me is a humorous look at how sometimes school bullying doesn’t just happen to the children, but to the mothers as well. It’s a full-blown mystery when a child disappears during a field trip, but it’s also about how a woman who was living her best life, accidentally got pregnant, married and then got divorced and is now trying to cope with a 10-year-old son who likes to play with the elderly man across the street rather than children his own age. It’s also about how deep depression can impair said mother, but when a crisis happens involving her child, well them is fighting words!

The story is about a woman who finally picks herself up, decides to grow up and be as best a mother as she can, although completely flawed. It’s about a mother’s love for her son she never imagined she had. But trust me when I say it is so comical, and you will fall in love with her, warts and all!

Florence Grimes is a mess. A single mother of ten-year-old Dylan she can barely get out of bed to get him to school. When she got pregnant all those years ago the life she had in the music industry forever changed because of a one-night stand. Now Dylan who is in a private school in England (thanks to her ex) and Florence who is from the United States who because of a “situation” at said school last year was ostracized by the other mothers. Yes, Dylan is quirky and may not have many friends (except his turtle at home which Florence forgets to feed), but she tries, well, sort of…

So when she sends him off to school to go on a field trip and the child they paired him with Alfie Risby, a bully who dislikes Dylan and whose parents are so rich they just about own London what could go wrong? Well, Alfie disappears during the trip, well of course, they all think Dylan did something. Of course, Florence doesn’t believe this but when she gets home, she discovers the backpack Dylan took home was Alfie’s. Oh Lord…what should she do? He couldn’t do anything to another child could he? No… but…

So, Florence decides to attempt to investigate this mystery and decides to become “friends” with a new mother Jenny who doesn’t know her ahem, history and who is an attorney. Perfect in case Dylan needs one, right?

But Florence has so much going on, getting her nails done, picking a dress for a promising meeting, she sort of blows Jenny off and lets her take the lead. But, when Florence is unable to make this important career making meeting because well, she’s a mother, her depression really kicks in. And that’s when Jenny bails.

So now Florence is on her own and need to figure out what happened to Alfie before they discover it may have been Dylan. But of course, in the process makes very, very bad choices. And what she discovers and what she does will have a domino effect no one could ever imagine. If only she could find this bratty kid.

All The Other Mothers Hate Me is so witty and such a terrific mystery you will hope Florence gets into more trouble in the future. But that’s wishful thinking. Florence will learn many valuable lessons through this journey of lies and come out of it a better, stronger person but perhaps with a few less teeth!

Thank you #NetGalley #G.P.Putnam’sSons #SarahHarman #AllTheOtherMothersHateMe for the advanced copy.

Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours

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Needy Little Things is a wonderfully suspenseful, mysterious story which will keep you reading and on the edge of your seat the whole time! Although a young adult novel, this adult was engrossed from the first page. It’s imaginative, poignant and heartfelt. But also filled with peculiar characters and relatable family issues.

Sariyah Lee Bryant is a “hearer”. What does that mean? Well, she is able to hear what some people need by somehow listening to their thoughts. For example, as she walks by a school mate she may hear pencil, candy, tissue. She actually carries a bag she calls the Santa Claus bag in which is packed with things she feels she will need to distribute.

She can read most people, except for her family and best friend Malcolm. She does not understand this. But feels it’s perhaps for the best. Her family life is difficult. Her younger brother is ill, and her single mother is always depressed. Sariyah tries desperately to keep the family together. That is her main goal. She worries about everyone but herself. But suddenly her mother has lost her job and won’t come out of her room which now Sariyah feels she must once again become the mother and provider.

Worst of all her friend Deja disappears at an outdoor concert which Sariyah was supposed to be watching her friend knowing she had asked her for pepper spray. This hits too close to home for her and Malcom as his sister Tess disappeared years ago never to be seen again. She was Sariyah’s best friend whom she still dreams about.

Now Sariyah feels she must figure out what happened to Deja as the police are not very interested, as well as make some extra money as her mother has taken to her bed. She begins to sell her services in a bad part of a bad city.

As she begins to put the pieces together as to what could possibly have happened to her friend, what she discovers makes no sense. This information will put her life in jeopardy. But she will not allow what happened to Tess to happen to Deja.

The ending is shocking but will make Sariyah realize what is important in life as well as reevaluate herself and her future plans.

Needy Little Things is an inventive, creative story with a wonderful mystery, which addresses many present-day issues but also takes a somber look at life and family issues but gives a spark of hope, togetherness and friendship.

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #ChannelleDesamours #NeedyLittleThings for the advanced copy.

To Sicily with Love by Jennifer Probst

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To Sicily with Love is a beautiful love story between a mother and daughter, a woman and a country and a woman who finds not only a family, but also a soulmate. The message of the story is so important…sometimes a woman’s greatest loss can become her greatest strength in life.

Aurora York is a superstar! She can do it all! She has a popular podcast, is a life coach, and is writing a book. She has a wonderful boyfriend Jason who is just as busy as she is, and they both treat their bodies like temples. An only child and with her father’s tragic passing, it is her responsibility to take care of her mother who continually tries to malign her lifestyle. She doesn’t care for her boyfriend and feels Aurora starves herself. She reluctantly makes the trek to her house alone as little as possible, not realizing this visit where she tries to convince her to stay for dinner would be the last time she sees or speaks to her.

She is devastated at the loss of her mother. Now she is truly alone with no family or relatives, only Jason who himself is constantly busy. At first, she feels she is holding it all together, but as her emotions and feelings get the best of her, she begins to have breakdowns one in particular which is on air.

She decides to put her book on hold and seek help. One of the suggestions is to do a DNA test to see if she can find any relatives, she was unaware of. What she discovers will change the trajectory of her life forever!

Unbeknownst to her, her mother was born in Sicily and left her family behind to come to America. But the family she left including her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all still live in a small seaside town in Sicily. Against the wishes of her boyfriend but encouragement of her therapist she decides to go meet them and stay for ten days.

She is of course overwhelmed by these people who pull her in and love her unconditionally even though they did not know she existed. Her grandparents, especially her grandfather does not have much to say to her still angry that his daughter abandoned the family all those years ago. But they refuse to tell her why.

Aurora’s light begins to shine as she spends time and many, many meals (and carbs) with her relatives, laughing, going to church and learning the language. The more time she is there, the more it feels like a home. And of course, there is a very handsome man who continually gives her sage advice.

As her time in Sicily draws to an end, she begins to feel a loss she never imagined. She still does not have the answers to all her questions, or even what the life she knew is even worth her time anymore, and there is the mystery as to why her mother left and never mentioned having a family to her at all.

To Sicily with Love is full of love and hope as well as guilt, but most importantly, it’s about finding out who you really are in so many ways, slowing down and looking around for the beauty which can be seen through yours and other people’s eyes as well, including the main character of this wonderful story, Sicily.

Thank you #NetGalley #Berkley #JenniferProbst #ToSicilywithLove for the advanced copy.

What In The World? by Leanne Morgan

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We were fortunate to be invited to watch former SNL comedian and musician Fred Armisen try out some new stand-up comedy material and music at an event last year. After his sets he did a Q&A with the audience and one of the questions asked was who he thought was a new upcoming comedian. His answer was Leanne Morgan. My ears perked up. What in the world? I had somewhat heard of her, but new and upcoming was a surprise as she is in her fifties. Then, lo and behold she had her own Netflix comedy special about a month later. I watched it and fell absolutely in love. Then I found out she had a book coming out so, my love affair with her continued. And it honestly has not stopped!

Leanne Morgan although older has been in comedy since she came out of the womb. But especailly starting in her twenties. Born in rural Tennessee, her parents owned a meat plant, the only one for miles and they serviced just about everybody. Leanne writes that when she was little people knew she was behind them because of her smell. Read the book!

She knew at a young age she was headed to Hollywood, never knowing how she was going to get there, but just that she would. She was always told she was beautiful and used it to her advantage! Again, read the book. Both her parents but especially her mother always encouraged her to go after her dreams, always made she and her sister feel loved and special, so Leanne decided to go after everything! She made many good choices, but unfortunately the bad ones were bad.

In her charming storytelling style (watch the Netflix special) she goes into great laugh out loud details about how she only wanted to finish college and go to Hollywood. Well, her first pass at college led to her dropping out. But her parents never gave up hope for her and once Leanne grew up a bit with their financial help she graduated.

She kissed a few frogs (read the book) and then met the love of her life Chuck Morgan (whom she calls Chuck Morgan) watch the Netflix special, and they began an unconventional life together. Chuck Morgan was a hard worker and saver who advanced in each company he worked. But that meant Leanne moved many, many times ending up on the Appalachian Trails living in a trailer with no steps. Oh, and she had babies too.

So Leanne decided if Chuck Morgan was going to be cheap, she would just get a job to try to buy herself and her children extras. She ended up selling jewelry at housewife parties which she not only became sought after by all the wives because she was so funny, but she also made a great deal of money. Then companies started calling her to do her comedy at their fundraisers.

She tells many hysterical stories about her three children as babies and toddlers, and you can honestly feel the love she has for each seep out in the stories. And how proud she and Chuck Morgan are now to have grandbabies!

She knew what direction she wanted her life to go in but was unprepared that meeting Hollywood would take as long as it did. But for sure she is an inspiration to anyone of a certain age.

Her stories of birthing her babies are laugh out loud funny. As are her stories of Chuck Morgan’s frugality. But don’t think this is just book full of comedy bits. She relays many sad and heartbreaking stories as well, in particular the loss of her best friend when her children were young. No, she didn’t die, she just ghosted her. Forever. To this day she still doesn’t know what happened and feels the loss this caused.

She has a great deal of faith and believes she has someone always looking out for her from above. There is one story when her mother was in the hospital, and they thought she was going to die in which she insists something beyond this world happened.

What In The World? is a funny, delightful feel-good book. You will truly laugh from the minute you begin it and feel so bad for yourself when it’s over. My only suggestion to enjoy this even more is to rather than buy the book which I did, treat yourself to the audio book which Morgan reads, and I heard bits of. I promise you won’t be sorry!

Published by Random House

The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

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The Wedding Witch was the long awaited third book in Sterling’s adorably funny Graves Glen series. It continues the story of the Penhallow men and their witchy loves. This story I believe is the best in the series yet. It has mystery, romance, a creative plot and of course lots of magic! It’s charming!

Bowen Penhallow, the last of the Penhallow brothers still single owns a bar and likes his privacy. He is indeed very grumpy, does not like to talk, let alone socialize with anyone. So, when his best friend, who is sort of a ghost, comes and begs him to attend the wedding of his girlfriend when he was alive, well he certainly can’t say no seeing as Bowen believes he caused his friend to become the ghost he is now.

Although when he gets there, he is shocked to find Tamsyn Bligh, a human who he secretly has a bit of a crush on and uses to find missing items he wishes to recover. Tamsyn is a free spirit who has Raiders of the Lost Ark vibes. She’s not afraid of anyone or anything, except when she thinks about her client Bowen, (and she does that a great deal)!

Tamsyn has decided to do a search for another client for a mysterious artifact and not tell Bowen who she is supposed to be working for exclusively. So Bowen is a bit angry to find her here.

But that anger turns to confusion as they are somehow transported back in time to Bowen’s grandparents’ wedding and to add to the chaos, his grandparents have had a fight and have called off the wedding! Which means if Bowen doesn’t fix this he will never be born and never have met Tasmyn!

They somehow must figure out how to fix whatever the problem is between his relatives and then assess how on earth they get out of this place and back to the future all while hoping they haven’t changed history.

As they begin to search for clues as to what has happened and how to get home. their relationship begins to change. They might actually like each other…a lot! Even more reason to try and get home. To add to their anxiety, they have been told they only have a certain amount of time to fix the problem, or they will no longer exist, like ever!

The Wedding Witch is a fun read with visits of course from our favorite characters from the previous two stories with a wonderful mysterious lovable ending which will hopefully continue this delightful series.

Thank you #NetGalley #AvonPress #ErinSterling #TheWeddingWitch for the advanced copy.

The Sequel by Joan Hanff Korelitz

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The Sequel is literally the sequel to the best-selling thriller The Plot. Not only does it answer all those unanswered questions, but we get a glimpse into what an actual psychopath’s mind looks like. And honestly, her mind is pretty messed up! While picking up where The Plot left off, we now delve into the devious secret past of the late Jacob Finch Bonner’s widow, and quite frankly her life as a mastermind. The story is smart and undeniably shocking!

Anna Williams-Bonner, the widow of best-selling author and perhaps plagiarist Jacob Finch Bonner whose own life included many demons, has decided she will now write her own book. Afterall, how hard could it be? Although living she is living off her late husband’s royalites, she is quite bored.

And Anna does write a book called The Afterward and lucks out because her publisher is the same as her late husband’s. They were, of course excited to have her.

As she begins her first book tour, some strange things begin to happen. A person comes to one of her book signings and is a bit off to say the least. He seems to know a bit too much about her. Coincidence? Maybe. But when she begins to receive excerpts from a story written long ago in which she thought she had purged every copy of and taken care of the person who wrote it, she realizes there is still a copy out there and she needs to find it and make it and whoever has it go away.

You see, if someone exposes her secret backstory her beloved lifestyle will cease to exist. And she can’t have that! So, she goes on a hunt to find who this person is and make sure she destroys both them and the copy. She believes she has solved the problem, but when another excerpt is sent to her late husband’s parents, well… all bets are off!

Now she knows time is running out and after failing once, she decides she must revisit her sick disgusting past because clearly that’s where the threat is coming from. She is not afraid of killing to keep her secrets …never has been!

As the reader goes on the ride of a lifetime with a true psychopath who feels nothing and cares about no one but herself, we learn her jaw dropping backstory as she tries desperately to justify her life. Who has the last copy and why now are they trying to hurt her?

The Sequel is an entertaining, imaginative, off-putting psychological thriller with shocking turns of events in the life of one very flawed yet happy widow.

Thank you #NetGalley #CaladonBooks #JeanHanffKorelitz #TheSequel for the advanced copy.

Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand

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Winter Solstice is the long awaited (a bit longer for me as it has been on my TBR shelf for a while) finale of Hilderbrand’s Winter in Nantucket/Quinn family series. The story is beautiful, funny, but also heartbreaking yet heartwarming. It’s time to say goodbye to the
Quinn family and discover what they have been up to and where they end up as they prepare for the chaos of another Quinn Christmas at their Inn. Our final one.

Bart Quinn is home from being held captive in Afghanistan but can’t quite seem to get settled back into “normal” life as his life and mind are still back in the war. He’s tried a few jobs, but nothing can even compare with where he was and what he went through. He is certainly depressed and as he thinks about his life lying in bed all day long, Mitzi, his mother decides to throw Bart a birthday party on his Halloween birthday, much to his dismay.

Kevin and Isabelle have a very popular Nantucket restaurant. They also have two babies now and their lives are full of work, family and love. That is until Isabelle witnesses something and her feelings for one of them changes.

Patrick is finally out of prison and once again living on Beacon Hill with his wife Jennifer and their young children. Jennifer is trying to be the breadwinner by working as an elite interior decorator while Patrick begins all over again to form a company. But something happens to Jennifer, and she loses a client and can’t tell Patrick. Perhaps the secrets begin again…

Ava has moved to New York to teach music and be closer to Potter, whom she now believes is “the one”. Of course, we’ve been here before so…

Margaret (Patrick, Kevin and Ava’s mom) who has married is now having an identity crisis. The long-time famous TV anchor feels like it might be time to retire. But to what?

Mitzi is trying to stay strong as health issues have arisen. She just wants one final Thanksgiving and Christmas with the whole family together.

And in an incredibly delightful twist, Hilderbrand has included Eddie and Grace Prancik, characters from a previous book, The Rumor, to join into the festivities as well since the funny Eddie has just come out of prison himself!

In Winter Solstice you will laugh and yes, you will cry at the Quinn family’s attempt to have their last holiday season together, but they all come from strong loving parents and no matter what, will always, always remain family. So, just sit back, enjoy and treasure all these characters we have grown to love and their memories!

Published by Back Bay Books