Tag: thrillers

Mini Book Reviews

May 21st, 2021
Hello, readers! Happy Friday! Today I’ve got a handful of mini book reviews, mostly mysteries and thrillers with some YA horror and romance.

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

An alcoholic flight attendant wakes up in a hotel room in Dubai next to a dead man who’s obviously been murdered. That’s how this compelling psychological thriller begins. It’s definitely a slower build, and that didn’t bother me at all.

Recommend if you like the trope of the somewhat unlikable character (or at least one who makes poor decisions consistently) finding themself in an unlikely, dangerous situation that they must navigate.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

I blame the fact that I picked this up on Litsy. It’s a delightful, funny take on a rom com that I enjoyed. Pro baseball player Gavin and his wife Thea have just separated, and Thea wants a divorce. The straw that broke the camel’s back for her was Gavin’s reaction to finding out that Thea has been faking it in bed their entire marriage. Enter the secret romance book club his friend runs. They convince him to read a Regency and use what he learns to save his marriage. What ensues is an emotional, steamy, humorous romance about a couple putting in the work to save their marriage.

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

What a well done thriller, a perfect summer read. I read it in one day. It’s my first book by Megan Miranda, but it won’t be my last.

The twists were impressive, as was how Miranda handled the issue of trauma’s potential reverberations throughout one’s life. I can see this making a good thriller movie or TV series.

TW/CW for child abuse, stalking, and gaslighting.

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

I loved this. It pretty much has everything I like in YA: a horrific monster, young women claiming their power, the setting as a character, sisterhood, female friendship, weird nature things happening, feminism, and queer rep. So of course I quickly gobbled it up. That being said, it’s not a perfect novel; sometimes the teen characters communicate with each other in ways that didn’t seem believable for Gen Zers, but I easily overlooked that.

If you like YA horror with a powerful sense of place and atmosphere, I definitely recommend picking this up.

TW/CW for child abuse, harm to children, animal death, threat of rape, racism, and sexism/misogyny.

Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker

Hello? 911? I’d like to report a murder. Yes, the final twist in this book murdered my ego, which likes to think it can guess all the twists of a mystery/thriller. Not so with this one.

TW/CW for child abuse, death of a child, complex grief, and gaslighting.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think?
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Mini Book Reviews

April 23rd, 2020

Good afternoon, friends! I hope you’re doing ok and are staying safe wherever you are.

Today, I have spoiler-free book reviews of a few thrillers I’ve read recently.

The Banker’s Wife by Cristina Alger

After Annabel Werner’s husband, a banker for an offshore bank, boards a private plan to Geneva that disappears, he is presumed dead, and Annabel begins searching for answers. She comes to the conclusion that his death wasn’t an accident and that she may be in danger, too. At the same time, society journalist Marina Tourneau has finally made her dream come true now that she’s engaged to Grant Ellis, the son of a powerful billionaire. After the sudden death of her mentor, Marina decides to do one more story, and she uncovers information that points to some of the most powerful men in the world of finance.

Holy crap! I devoured this book. Talk about a page-turner. Intrigue and plot twists abound, and the momentum never lets up.

The subject matter was very timely. It involved events I can believe are happening right now in the world, unfortunately.

I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

Alger definitely knows how to write a stylish thriller. I look forward to reading her other books.

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

I ended up starting this book late the other night after flying through The Banker’s Wife. I wanted another fast-paced read, and this shaped up to be very tense and a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

Vivian Miller is a CIA analyst in counterintelligence trying to discover the identities of leaders of Russian sleeper cells in the U.S. Whilst accessing the computer of a probable Russian agent, she stumbles upon a secret that changes everything for her.

It was a fun, quick read. Not really what I expected, but I don’t read a lot of spy thrillers. (Perhaps it’s time to change that.) I figured out most of the major twists, not an uncommon occurrence for me.

I have mixed feelings (read: frustration) about the main character’s actions and behavior. But I don’t go into a thriller expecting great characterization.

I appreciated that one of the book’s themes is the problematic idea of the question “Can women have it all?”

I gave the book 3 stars on Goodreads.

TW for manipulation/gas lighting.

Have you read these books? What did you think?

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Manic Monday: Currently Reading

April 20th, 2020
Hello, friends! I hope today’s treating you well and you’re staying safe.

It’s Monday again, so I’m back with a rundown of what I’m currently reading.

What I’m Reading

Info: Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

January 23rd 2018 from Ballantine Books

Summary: What do you do when everything you trust might be a lie?

Vivian Miller is a dedicated CIA counterintelligence analyst assigned to uncover the leaders of Russian sleeper cells in the United States. On track for a much-needed promotion, she’s developed a system for identifying Russian agents, seemingly normal people living in plain sight.

After accessing the computer of a potential Russian operative, Vivian stumbles on a secret dossier of deep-cover agents within America’s borders. A few clicks later, everything that matters to her—her job, her husband, even her four children—are threatened.

Vivian has vowed to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But now she’s facing impossible choices. Torn between loyalty and betrayal, allegiance and treason, love and suspicion, who can she trust?

I picked this ebook up on a whim on Overdrive late last night. I had just finished devouring a different thriller, The Banker’s Wife by Cristina Alger (review to come soon) and was looking for something with similar pacing and deft writing. I proceeded to fly through the first 20% of Need to Know before succumbing to the need for sleep on my couch.

I’ve found mystery/suspense/thrillers provide great distractions and escape during these bizarre and depressing times of whiplash-fast change. And my local library has been a great source of backlist titles that I never got around to reading when they first came out.

Books I DNF’d Last Week

Not surprisingly, the list is somewhat long!

Info: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

This travel/adventure memoir returned to the library in Libby before I could renew it, and I don’t feel the need to continue reading it at the moment. With that said, I will probably eventually return to it, as it’s well-written and fascinating.

Info: A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian

The fact that I dnf’d this book last week doesn’t mean it’s not a good book, or even that I didn’t like it. As a mood reader, I don’t make myself finish reading a book that I’m not interested in. Life’s too short. Reading historical romance in ebook or paper format isn’t my cup of tea right now.

Info: How Not to Fall by Emily Foster

Info: Headliners (London Celebrities #5) by Lucy Parker

How Not to Fall as well as Headliners are both on my “DNF or finish later” Goodreads shelf now because I plan to finish reading them at some point in the future.

What are you currently reading? What kind of books have you been reading? Do you DNF books?

Until next time, friends. Happy reading!
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Goodreads Monday #1: An Upcoming Release

January 13th, 2020
Hello and happy Monday, fellow book lovers! I’m trying a new book feature starting today. 🙂

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. For this meme, you choose a random book from your Goodreads TBR to share and talk about.

This Week’s Book

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Publication Date: February 18, 2020

The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn’t right at the Sun Down, and before long she’s determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

Three Reasons It’s on My TBR
1. The book is shelved as mystery/thriller on Goodreads and described as suspense in its summary, and I don’t read many thrillers or suspense novels. They’re genres I want to read more of this year–to push my reading outside my comfort zone–especially thrillers and suspense by female authors.
2. I’ve heard good things about Simone St. James’s previous books.
3. The cover captured my eye.
Is The Sun Down Motel on your TBR? Have you ever read anything by Simone St. James? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments!