Tag Archives: pretty good

Oct30

Lil Red’s Book Club: One By One By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: One By One By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a super short and sweet thriller by Freida McFadden called One By One. This book was just under two hundred and sixty pages and I finished it in one day! It was definitely hard to put down as One By One was a full fledged whodoneit and I loves me a twisty murder mystery. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on One By One for child abuse, suicide, and graphic violence. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Claire and Noah have been married since they graduated college and were once the textbook definition of a happy couple. They each have jobs they love, two beautiful children, and a wonderful home. Then, somewhere along the way, their relationship began to falter and Claire is convinced that both of them hate each other. Between their growing animosity and Noah’s constant hurtful comments, it made it very easy for Claire to begin an affair with Noah’s best friend, Jack. In fact, it was a welcome reprieve and Claire plans to tell Noah all about it… After their friend group vacation, that is.

For one full week, Claire and Noah, Jack and his wife Michelle, and Claire’s best friend Lindsay and her new boyfriend will be enjoying a stay at a cozy inn in the woods. There will be hiking, hunting, fishing, and lots of relaxing in the hot tub and Claire can’t wait. She needs a getaway, wants some steamy alone time with her fling, and is eager to end things with Noah. It’s only a four hour drive to the inn and the group piles into Claire’s mini van to hit the road. After a few stops and a crazy awkward car ride, they are close to their destination when the battery to Claire’s car dies.

According to the map, they are close to the inn and have no signal to call for help with the car. So, the friends decide to ditch the van and hoof it to the inn. Lindsay’s boyfriend handles reading the map, Jack navigates with his compass, and soon they are all happily chatting about hitting the Jacuzzi as soon as they arrive. Although the walk in the woods is strenuous, the group has been at it for hours and know that they should have made it to the inn in a shorter period of time. And it’s also starting to get dark.

Rather than wander around in the pitch black, everyone agrees to set up camp for the night and start fresh in the morning. Sleep doesn’t come easy and Claire cannot shake the feeling of being hunted by something or someone. She can hear wolves or coyotes howling and has seen multiple deep gashes from claws on trees. If they don’t make it to civilization soon, she fears that some of them won’t make it home alive. There is danger close by but who or what is it? And will the vacationers survive to tell the tale? Read One By One to find out!

One By One was a lighting fast read and was quite enjoyable! It wasn’t the best Freida McFadden I have read but I liked the plot well enough and appreciated a few of the twists that I didn’t see coming. This was your classic “lost in the woods” trope and McFadden was able to put her own twist on it to make it feel somewhat fresh but overall very exciting. When the setting is in the woods, there is danger lurking at every turn. It could be from the elements, animals, or the very people you are with and McFadden locked into that paranoia to leave the reader questioning every little thing that went bump in the night.

While some members in our cast of characters left a lot to be desired *Cough* Warner (Lindsay’s boyfriend) sucks *Cough*, I did like Claire as the leading lady. Despite her transgressions, no one can say that she didn’t try to make it work with her husband and even the characters in the book couldn’t fault her for cheating. Her moments of weakness were made up for by terrific feats of strength that she didn’t even know she possessed and it was hard not to root for her. As their days in the woods continued, her primary thoughts were always on her children and I just had to finish it to see if her ending would be a happy one!

Overall, I am going to rate One By One with a six out of ten stars. If you are looking for a pretty good read that you can easily finish in one sitting, then go for it! If you aren’t interested in a stuck in the woods scenario, then don’t go for it lol!

What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? Do you like murder mysteries? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Coworker By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Coworker By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! We will return to Italy tomorrow. 🙂 In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a pretty good thriller by Freida McFadden called The Coworker. Was this the best McFadden book I read? Not by a long shot. However, The Coworker certainly kept me turning the pages and I finished it in one day! Unputdownable? Yes. Perfectly average? Also yes! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Coworker for bullying, self harm, and suicide. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Natalie is thirty years old and has everything going for her. She’s young, drop dead gorgeous, and is the top salesperson at her job as a sales rep for a supplement company. She’s the kind of woman that other girls want to be and who guys want to be with. That’s not to say that she doesn’t have her flaws, of course. Behind her sweet smile lurks a mean streak that has been present since she was a child. Now, Natalie just knows how to cover it up better but will always find joy in targeting the weak link.

Dawn is new to the company and works as an accountant in the cubicle beside Natalie. Dawn falls somewhere on the spectrum, is homely in appearance, and finds conversation difficult if the topic isn’t turtles. She’s desperate for friends as she only has one and she lives across the country. Dawn thinks Natalie would be the perfect person to have the occasional lunch or coffee with and does her best to get her glamorous coworker to like her. All of her efforts make her the butt of the joke but Dawn has something that will definitely get Natalie’s attention.

Dawn has a matter that she must discuss with Natalie and their boss urgently but fails to show up to work the following day. Natalie finds this strange as you can tell time based on Dawn’s schedule: She arrives early, uses the bathroom at a certain time, eats lunch at the same time every day, and so on, and so forth. Natalie might not like her coworker but she is worried and decides to stop by Dawn’s home to check in on her. There is no answer at the door so Natalie lets herself in and is greeted by a pool of blood on the carpet.

Natalie’s coworker is nowhere to be found but the blood points to murder or at the very least foul play. And who is at the center of the investigation? Natalie. Her concern over her coworker could be a cover up and the cops aren’t buying her good girl persona. Natalie knows she did nothing to Dawn but all of the evidence points otherwise and jail seems inevitable. Little does Natalie know, there is something tying her and Dawn together but the question is what? And will Natalie figure it out before she lands herself in jail for life? Read The Coworker to find out!

I can’t say too much in my personal thoughts as I don’t want to ruin the grand reveal. What I will say, is that I figured it out quickly and I think you will too if you read it. And, when you do, I’m sure your thoughts will be something along the lines of “good for her” lol. The Coworker was a classic case of a chronic mean girl getting a taste of her own medicine and it was delicious but all very sad. Dawn had her quirks, as we all do, but Natalie and the other coworkers alike made her into a laughing stock and it was hard to read the particularly cruel parts of their torment. This could be very triggering for anyone who has experienced a similar situation so read with caution.

What I did like about this book is that it left you questioning who the real villain was and gave a lot of thought to chew on. Natalie was forthright about being a generally awful person but for other characters, it wasn’t as transparent. This made the reveals still shocking even if they were somewhat predictable. One of Freida McFadden’s gifts as a writer is to lure her readers into a false sense of security by thinking they know it all already. Then, she expertly turns everything you thought you knew on its head. If you don’t enjoy playing amateur detective, I think you will be shook. If you figured out the twist, you will still enjoy the read but find it slightly above average like I did!

Overall, I am going to rate The Coworker with a six out of ten stars. This was a classic McFadden thriller through and through and, although predictable, it was still a fun and fast read!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct17

Lil Red’s Book Club: Want To Know A Secret? By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Want To Know A Secret? By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing yet another Freida McFadden thriller called Want To Know A Secret? In case you haven’t noticed, I have been on a big McFadden kick lately. Her books are just so easy to read and finish quickly and they are pretty fun more often than not. Want To Know A Secret? was perfectly average but I enjoyed it well enough and finished it in three sittings. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning for general violence and disturbing content in a nursing home setting. You ready? Let’s do it:

April lives an exceptionally charmed life. Her husband is a lawyer, they live in a gorgeous home with their little boy, and April even has a successful YouTube channel called Sweet Secrets. In her show, April shares her baking secrets with the world and each episode is packed with tips on how to make the best brownies or ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies. The rest of April’s secrets? She won’t be advertising them on YouTube, that’s for sure. 

On the outside, April is a perfect neighbor and charms everyone with her sweet smile and baked goods. She has even made a new friend, her name is Maria and her family just purchased the house next door. The two ladies and their sons strike up a fast friendship and everything is of the status quo… Until the text messages begin. 

Since Maria has moved in, April has been receiving texts asking if she’d like to know a secret. Each text reveals major issues that she has been long determined to keep buried. If they were to go public, her show and husband’s career would be gone in an instant. But who would want to hurt April like that? Could it be her newfound friend and neighbor? Read Want To Know A Secret? to find out!

I have read A LOT of Freida McFadden books. So much so that Want To Know A Secret? honestly felt like I had read it before. You know the same old thing – stalker vibe texts, a new love interest or neighbor, and life as our primary character knows it going swiftly downhill. I must admit that I liked the premise of April having a YouTube show because I always enjoy a social media twist. The rest of Want To Know A Secret? was just a case of been there, read that. 

This is not to say that this book wasn’t entertaining because it was. It wasn’t a leave my jaw on the floor level thriller, though, and that is what I have come to expect from Freida McFadden books. When she misses the mark, she really misses it and this one didn’t do it for me. If you are a fan of McFadden books, this is one that you aren’t missing out on by skipping. 

Overall, I am going to rate Want To Know A Secret? with a four out of ten stars. Read it or don’t but if you do I’m sure you will find it to be average at best!

Who is your favorite author? Have you read anything by Freida McFadden recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct8

Groovy Movies: Heart of the Beast Edition

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Groovy Movies: Heart of the Beast Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing the new Brad Pitt flick called Heart of the Beast. I could honestly give a hoot less about Brad Pitt but my friend wanted to see Heart of the Beast and I am never one to turn down an outing to the movie theater. Going to movies is my absolute favorite regardless of what I am seeing because I just love the experience of it! I went into Heart of the Beast not expecting anything from it and left pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was very good! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning for scenes of combat and animal attacks. You ready? Let’s go:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

James is a retired Special Forces Command Sergeant Major and is flying his plane to camp in the remote Alaskan wilderness with his combat dog, Odin (AKA Odie). James and Odie have been through a lot together and find what joy they can in nature. But, really, the only thing that brings James joy is his dog. They spend their day fishing and playing fetch before making camp for the night to get some rest for their departure the following day as the weather is going to turn. They awake to an overcast morning, pack up the plane, and begin their trip home as the rain starts to fall.

As James pilots the aircraft, he begins massaging his shoulder and eventually collapses on the wheel from a heart attack. The plane crashes and James lands in water but Odie is nowhere to be found. After emerging from the wreckage, James finds Odie lying on the ground in the woods, breathing but injured. James starts a fire, gets Odie comfortable, and consults his map to learn that they are fifty-eight miles away from the nearest road. They have no form of communication, no one is even aware of James being gone, and they are going to have to travel on foot to get back to civilization.

The following morning, James wakes up and Odie is upright, alert, and watching over him. Their journey home through the Alaskan wilderness is about to begin. The terrain is tough and there are dangerous animals like wolves and bears roaming. All James and Odie can do is put one foot in front of the other, keep up their strength, and avoid the animals stalking them at all costs. The trek is perilous and one wrong step could be their last. Will Odie and James be able to make it back safe and sound? Watch Heart of the Beast to find out!

Now, I’m sure all of you are wondering if Odie made it through the movie and I’m pleased to report that the answer is YES or else I wouldn’t have seen it. I also don’t consider this to be a spoiler because the movie opens revealing that Odie is okay. If you were on the fence about seeing this movie because of that, then you are free and clear to proceed! I am so glad that the movie started that way because I don’t think I would have liked it nearly as much if I was worried about Odie the whole time. Because of that, Heart of the Beast went from a probable tearjerker to an intense tale of survival and it had me on the edge of my seat.

Make no mistake, Brad Pitt was the star of the movie but Odie was the star and their relationship was so beautiful. I could literally feel the love in every scene and it made every slip, trip, and injury that much more harrowing because all I wanted was for them to make it through as a team. Odie was, indeed, fabulous and Brad Pitt was quite good and really showed his range as a physical actor. Not only were our two key players impossible to look away from, but the cinematography in Heart of the Beast was glorious. The scenery was gorgeous but it was fickle as danger lurked at every turn. Heart of the Beast was a fast paced thrill and, although I can’t say for certain if I would watch it again, I am definitely glad that I saw it in theaters!

Overall, I am going to rate Heart of the Beast with a seven out of ten stars. It wasn’t my favorite but I did like it a lot and I also think this is the first Brad Pitt movie I have ever seen lol.

Who is your favorite actor? What did you think about Heart of the Beast? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep15

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Anniversary By Alex Finlay Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Anniversary By Alex Finlay Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a thriller by Alex Finlay called The Anniversary. Although I wouldn’t call this book great, it was pretty good and the twisty cat and mouse plot was intriguing. My main qualm wasn’t so much with the contents of the book itself, rather with the at times, disjointed writing style of Alex Finlay. We’ll get to that more after the synopsis, though! Before we begin our chat about The Anniversary, I will be placing a trigger warning for graphic violence, disturbing content, sexual and physical assault, and combat in war. You ready? Let’s go:

High schoolers Jules and Quinn have seemingly nothing in common. Jules is beautiful, popular, and the star of the school. Quinn, on the other hand, is solitary, introverted, and prefers the company of books to people. However, these polar opposites formed a bond by semi-flirting their way through study hall before returning back to their normal crowds or lack thereof. While their interests are far from the same, the night of May first 1992 will forge their paths together for years to come to solve the mystery of what happened that fateful night and all of the tragedies to follow.

On May first, Quinn was sent to a juvenile detention center for almost killing a kid in a fight. On May first, Jules was kidnapped by the May Day Killer but he let her live. Life was never the same since. While Quinn was incarcerated, his mother was murdered and his brother’s health began to fail. With nowhere else to go upon his release, Quinn joined the army. As Quinn serves his country, Jules is serving looks and has a blossoming career as a young model. Her life might look glamorous on the outside but on the inside, Jules is almost always in the haze of a drug or alcohol induced stupor to shield herself from the memories of her narrow escape.

The May Day Killer was never found after Jules’ abduction and he continues to strike every year like clockwork. Some girls are spared, some are never seen from again. The FBI is desperate to close this case and Jules and two other May Day survivors begin to assist by trying to remember every detail from their encounter with the serial killer. Meanwhile, Quinn is working a case of his own. Before her murder, his mom uncovered something hinky going on at the factory she worked at. The day she was going to spill was the day of her death. His mom’s findings are meaningless to Quinn and leave him with more questions than answers. Little does he know, his mom’s murder and the May Day Killer are more connected than anyone thought possible. Will Jules and Quinn crack the cases to their own trauma? Or will a serial killer continue to walk free? Read The Anniversary to find out!

I am very much a fan of a good wild goose chase between a killer and the victims and The Anniversary really scratched that itch. The plot for The Anniversary was juicy to say the least and it kept me turning the pages. In fact, I finished it in three sittings. To a point, I enjoyed the story and the characters both major and minor. The biggest turn off of this book all came down to the way it was written. The Anniversary was marked through the passage of time with chunks of the book taking place one year or up to ten years later. This pieced together approach was somewhat confusing because so much could happen within that time frame! Once the next year took place, you basically had to remeet the characters with where they were at instead of where they have been which only left me wanting more. More information, more cohesion. More something to make this book feel like a completed work rather than a second or third draft.

Although I truly didn’t care for the way this book was set up, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it was still a slightly above average thriller. The grand reveals were shocking, it was fun to play detective along with the FBI, and it was almost like reading an episode of Law & Order: SVU. I will say that I felt like Jules’ character was a bit one dimensional but that was made up for in spades with Quinn. I don’t think it’s possible for him to not tug at your heart strings! The Anniversary had all of the fixings for a semi high Lil Red’s Book Club star rating. It really did fall short on the choppy writing, though, as it completely took away from a fully positive reader experience.

Overall, I am going to rate The Anniversary with a five out of ten stars. This was a perfectly average thriller that deserves a perfectly average rating. You’re not missing out on anything if you don’t read it, but you’re not going to hate it if you do give it a go!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug14

Surgery Story

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Surgery Story

Howdy! This past Tuesday I had a LEEP procedure done to remove precancerous cells from my cervix and I got a tubal as well and it went swimmingly. Johnny, my knight in shining armor, got me to the hospital for my seven o’clock check in and then it was all systems go. Between visits from registration, nurses, my gyno and surgeon, and the anesthesiologists (I can’t believe I spelled that right on the first go!) time moved at a rapid pace and before I knew it, it was nine o’clock and I was off to the OR! My two surgeries lasted about an hour and a half, I woke up in the recovery room two hours later, and we were basically on our way home as soon as I was awake. It felt SO good to go home and lay down some more!

My day after surgery consisted of laying in bed, drinking Gatorade, watching TV, and playing Pokopia and my Johnny waited on me hand and foot. He has been the absolute sweetest! The night after my surgery was the worst, though, because I was pretty much up all night trying to get comfortable. I am a belly sleeper and having to sleep on my back because of my stitches was just not happening. Therefore, the following day consisted of laying in bed, drinking Gatorade, watching TV, and playing Pokopia lol. Johnny even took that day off of work too to care for me since I was still fairly out of it. ❤

I am writing this two days out of surgery in case you can’t tell and am feeling okay. I actually ended up sleeping thirteen hours last night to make up for that first night of no sleep. It felt heavenly!! However, I am still really tired, somewhat sore, and TMI but constipated as all get out lol. And here I was thinking that I would go back to work the day after my operation SMH!! I definitely needed this recovery time though and am glad that I took it because despite the pain, it has been nice to have a few days off. 😀

This entire ordeal has been a bit crazy but I am so thankful to Johnny, my amazing gyno, and the hospital staff for taking the best care of me. The time at the hospital was a whirlwind but even in my froggy state on the way home, I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky I was. My precancer was caught early and removed, I finally was able to have my tubes removed which is what I have always wanted, and I had a full team behind me ensuring expert care. Any kind of surgery is scary and there were several butterflies in my basket on the way to the hospital but all of those nerves were eased as the process got started. Or maybe it was the Xanax they gave me? Lol the jury is still out on that! But, in conclusion, I am feeling good enough to type this monologue today and that is a strong start!

I apologize for the rambling but even post op, your girl refuses to break her daily content streak and I wanted to update all of you. As relaxing as these days off were, I am ready to get back to the grind!

How has your week been? Do you have any exciting updates? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May11

Lil Red’s Book Club: A Perfectly Nice Family By Nicole Trope Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: A Perfectly Nice Family By Nicole Trope Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a thriller by Nicole Trope called A Perfectly Nice Family. This is the second book of Trope’s that I have read and it was pretty good! It didn’t blow my mind but it was still a solid, twisty suspense novel. After breezing through this book in three sittings, I am excited to start the second book in the Stillhouse Lake series next! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on A Perfectly Nice Family for disturbing content, general violence, and sexual violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Stephanie is a divorced mother of two to sixteen year old Luke and twelve year old Avery and she is barely getting by. She works part time while trying to obtain a degree, care for her children, and budget like crazy to make ends meet. It doesn’t help that child support from her ex-husband, Doctor Christopher Gordan, is so sporadic and she is sick and tired of begging him to do better. However, a change in luck might put Stephanie’s financial troubles at bay. Thanks to a suggestion from her best friend, Gail, she has decided to rent the granny flat behind her home to a struggling family called the Kemps. They recently lost their home in a fire and need somewhere to stay until they gather their bearings.

In a mere few days, the Kemps have moved in. Husband and wife, Cecilia and Jason, as well as their fifteen year old daughter, Polly. Although she knows that this family has been through a lot, Stephanie can’t help but feel that she has made a big mistake. Jason might be kind and friendly but Cecelia and Polly are a different story. They are rude, mean spirited, and all around off putting. Each respective member of the family seems to be constantly at Stephanie’s door with a request or a complaint. They have signed a six month lease and it promises to be the longest six months of Stephanie and her kids’ lives.

Shortly after the Kemps move in, things in Stephanie’s home begin to fall apart. A broken dishwasher, rotted window frames, and busted pipes occur within weeks. All repairs that Stephanie simply can’t afford to make. She has been suspicious of the Kemps since their arrival. There are no traces of them on the internet and their strange demeanor can’t go unnoticed. But, surely, they are A Perfectly Nice Family, right? Unfortunately, they are far from it and the damage that the Kemps are causing is just beginning. What is their end game? Read this book to find out!

A Perfectly Nice Family fell under my “good but not great” category. I did enjoy the quick read, though! This book went back and forth between Stephanie, Cecilia, and Avery and I loves me a back and forth narrator. It’s always interesting to read the different perspectives and watch as the pieces begin to come together! As far as the plot went, it was a classic Lifetime Movie novel (As Johnny calls my books!) through and through… Strangers are introduced, strange things start happening, and you know the rest. It wasn’t the most inspired story I have ever read but it definitely kept me turning the pages. Even though I easily figured out the grand reveal! Detective Lil Red on the case!

My primary issue with A Perfectly Nice Family were the characters. While I was, of course, rooting for Stephanie and her family, I failed to feel any kind of connection with them. They just seemed to be there to move the plot along and, of course, I sympathized with them deeply but I didn’t have a fondness for them. The Kemps were terrible, to be sure, but every character felt surface level at best with little to no development. If I could have hooked onto just one person in this book, I think I would have liked it better. It just didn’t work out that way.

Overall, I am going to rate A Perfectly Nice Family with a six out of ten stars. This is a thriller you can take or leave. It was fine for what it was but it’s also fine if you skip on it!

Have you read any of Nicole Trope’s books before? What did you think of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr7

Lil Red’s Book Club: Gone Before Goodbye By Reese Witherspoon And Harlan Coben Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Gone Before Goodbye By Reese Witherspoon And Harlan Coben Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a thriller called Gone Before Goodbye cowritten by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. This book revolved around a top secret mission that was a definite change of pace from my normal Lifetime Movie books and it was actually pretty good! I wouldn’t say it’s the best book I ever read but it held my attention from start to finish because it was just so different from what I usually read. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Gone Before Goodbye for combat missions, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Former Doctor Maggie McCabe is down on her luck big time. Her beloved husband, Marc, was killed during a humanitarian medical mission and life has been spiraling rapidly since. A pill addiction caused her to lose her license and she is currently living with her sister while they each face crippling debt. Then, an opportunity falls into her lap that is too good to say no to. Evan Barlow, her old mentor requested that he pay her a visit at his ultra luxe cosmetic surgery office so he could offer her a job. One that is a little unorthodox but it would completely eliminate her family’s debt and relieve her of her medical malpractice suit. All she has to do is go to Russia and perform surgeries on a rich and powerful man and his girlfriend, ensure their stability after surgery, and go back to America.

With no time to think about any repercussions, Maggie immediately hops a private plane to Russia to meet her new employers. Upon landing, she is taken to a remote wooded area with a sprawling palace right in the middle. The home of Oleg Ragoravich, a reclusive oligarch, and his young girlfriend, Nadia. The palace boasts priceless art, an Olympic sized pool, a garage full of dream cars, and a surgical wing straight out of Johns Hopkins. She will be performing a breast augmentation on Nadia and several facial surgeries for Oleg. While this seems questionable, Maggie is the perfect candidate. She is the best that money can buy but unlicensed and therefore her discretion for the matter at hand will be without a doubt.

The surgeries are each performed to the highest standard and then, everything goes to hell in a hand basket. As Nadia recovers, Maggie notices a mark that ties her directly to her deceased husband. And, in that moment, Oleg flees the makeshift medical facility. Security guards swarm the palace while Maggie’s head swims. Is this powerful family more connected to Maggie than she knows? Was Marc simply a casualty of war or was his death the result of something far more sinister? Read Gone Before Goodbye to find out!

Gone Before Goodbye was completely far fetched. Lol, there. I said it. Was it a lot of fun to read, though? Absolutely! This twisty novel read like a spy thriller and, although it took me a fair bit of time to get into it, I eventually was so in for the ride. Gone Before Goodbye had it all. Shocking grand reveals, a revolving door joining past and present, and secrets that would shake Maggie to her core. Maggie’s new gig put her in an impossible situation as soon as she agreed to it and when things went sideways, it was up to her to save herself.

Maggie McCabe was a formidable leading woman who had the smarts, guts, and level head of the most seasoned spy. Through the brilliant mind of a world renowned surgeon, she was able to begin putting together the puzzle she found herself in. Maggie went from seeking redemption from these surgeries to demanding answers about her husband’s death. And, she was redeemed. She went from a woman with grief permeating off of her to a bonafide badass. It didn’t matter to Maggie if this job killed her so she had nothing to lose. As the reader, all I could do was hang on tight to see what happened next!

Overall, I am going to rate Gone Before Goodbye with a six out of ten stars. I’m glad I read it in the name of trying something different but it wasn’t my favorite. This is a book you could take or leave!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar2

Lil Red’s Book Club: Ward D By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Ward D By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a thriller by Freida McFadden called Ward D. Freida McFadden’s books have always fell under my “just okay” category. They are quick reads and twisty but are they mind blowing? No. Are they far fetched? Always! However, Ward D was probably one of the best books that I have read by her and landed under my “pretty good” ranking. Honestly, it’s quite a boost! Before we begin our discussion, I will be placing a trigger warning on Ward D for mental health, child abuse, disturbing content, and graphic violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Amy is a medical student and tonight she is scheduled to work and learn in Ward D, the mental health unit of the local hospital. It’s not that she’s nervous or anything. More like terrified. It will be the night shift in a locked ward with people who are potentially dangerous. Her biggest fear, though? Being mistaken for a patient as Amy has had her own share of mental health issues too. It’s safe to say that Amy has no interest in studying psychiatry further, but it’s just for one night. All she needs to do is make it through.

After being buzzed into the locked ward, Amy gets the lay of the land from Dr. Beck and nurse Ramona. It would be a relatively quiet night in Ward D but there is a glaring issue. A dangerous patient is in one of the seclusion rooms and will be transferred to a more secure setting in the morning. All of the other patients are fearful of him and have made this perfectly clear to Amy with claims that he is going to kill all of them this very night. Dr. Beck’s advice? Stay far away.

The atmosphere in Ward D is tense with patients acting out and it only gets worse. There is a ghost of Amy’s past who is also a patient tonight. Her name is Jade and she was Amy’s best friend in the world until the girls turned sixteen. Jade went from a good girl to an absolute wild child in a matter of years and put Amy into a lot of problematic situations. Some would result in a grounding or possibly a suspension from school. Others would put both girls behind bars. Since then, Amy has turned her life around and is fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor. Jade, on the other hand, has been in and out of mental health wards for the past eight years.

Between the stress of the patients and the fear that Jade might reveal Amy’s darkest secret, her own mental health begins to deteriorate swiftly. Amy begins seeing shadows, hearing animal like noises from the seclusion room, and even seeing blood on the floor. Is she hallucinating or is something far more sinister happening on Ward D? As the night continues, coworkers and patients alike seem to have simply disappeared. Amy no longer has to get through the night but survive it. Will she evade the man in the seclusion room? Or is this just all in her head? Read Ward D to find out!

One of my biggest qualms with Freida McFadden books are their lack of originality. They all read like plots of thriller books that I have read before with sloppy twists that feel like an afterthought. This, combined with the far fetched nature of her plots has always made her books lackluster for me. Ward D, however, actually read like something new and made for an unputdownable experience. I finished the book in a day! Although I figured out all of the twists and turns in Ward D, is was still a refreshing read with a plot that I was actually interested in that took place in a unique setting.

Ward D was definitely a page turner and I really liked that it all transpired in the course of one night shift. It made the situation at hand feel so much more dire because you just knew that something major was going to happen as the hours counted down. This book also flip flopped to eight years prior which gave a chance to learn more about Amy and Jade’s friendship as well as the hallucinations that Amy suffered from. These flashbacks made Amy shift into an unreliable narrator to the point that it was hard to tell what was real at all. I would never call myself a huge McFadden fan but she was onto something with Ward D!

Overall, I am going to rate Ward D with a six out of ten stars. This is the highest I have ranked any of McFadden’s work since reading The Housemaid series and I have no problems with recommending this book!

What is your favorite Frieda McFadden book? What is your favorite thriller novel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Long Walk By Stephen King (As Richard Bachman) Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Long Walk By Stephen King (As Richard Bachman) Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing The Long Walk by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman). As a huge horror movie gal, I am most interested in seeing the movie based on this book that recently came out. Of course, I had to read the book first! After reading through the sweet and cute as can be Chocolat series, I was very excited to delve back into my usual horror and suspense novels. I can’t think of a better place to start than with Stephen King – especially since spooky season is upon us! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on this book for graphic violence, child abuse, sexual assault references, harm to animals, and disturbing content all involving children. If you’re up to it, let’s get to it:

The Long Walk is the nation’s favorite yearly pastime. It is a contest in which one hundred teenage boys simply walk under the watchful gaze of soldiers and the mysterious Major. The catch? You must maintain a pace of four or more miles per hour. Should you hit below four, you will receive a warning. There is no additional warning after the third one – you will be dead before you blink. One by one, the boys will be eliminated until there is one lone Walker to claim the prize: Fame and money beyond your wildest dreams and wishes granted. This is a contest that is not for the faint of heart and for boys who have nothing in their lives to lose.

Ray Garraty is our primary contestant and has a strong backing from his state of Maine. Did he enter The Long Walk for the glory, for repentance, or because he has a death wish? Who’s to say? But he is here and he is going to give it his best shot. Some boys compete in The Walk with a plan like to lone wolf it or frustrate other people into making mistakes. In Garraty’s case as with many others, they linked up in groups. Regardless of how you go about The Walk, there can only be one winner. There are no runner ups, no honorable mentions, and death is imminent for ninety-nine other competitors.

Despite these horrible circumstances, the boys trudge on. Armed with nothing but the clothes on their backs, a canteen of water, and food concentrates they must withstand whatever The Walk brings: Stormy weather, the delirium of no sleep, intense mental duress, and the pain that shoots through every inch of their bodies. Yet, they walk on. They walk until their death is the only option they desire. Only the strongest will survive. Will it be Garraty? Read The Long Walk to find out!

I have really mixed feelings about The Long Walk because it was written in a way that told us so much but also told us nothing. The Walk was, obviously, the focal point of this book and was the main character. It surpassed Garraty as the lead meaning that we knew next to nothing about the boys competing and everything about The Walk itself. This left little time to learn full back stories of the key handful of competitors and I wish that that was explored more. In a way, it was a mercy on King’s part. There were several teens that you wanted to see succeed and knowing more would have made their probable failure even more harrowing. The thing is, is that I’m nosey and still would have liked a bit of background information. On the other hand, it gives you the opportunity to draw your own conclusions.

Although I have some qualms with where the plot lacked, that is not to take away from the fact that is was expertly written, as always, by Mr. King/Bachman. He has a style that is undeniably his own and it continues to radiate. The way he describes horror is almost in a casual sense, then he surrounds the situation with joy wherever it can be found. A funny joke told by one of the boys, a competitor helping a fellow Walker to their feet, a rally by someone you thought was done for. In these moments of beauty, whatever painful situation that comes next hits even harder. There were sections in this book where it literally felt like I was being punched in the gut. Love or hate his books, there is no arguing in that they are a masterclass in pure horror.

Overall, I am going to rate The Long Walk with a six and a half out of ten stars. It wasn’t my favorite King/Bachman novel but it was still pretty good. I am looking forward to seeing the movie!

Have you read The Long Walk or seen the movie? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah