Tag Archives: reading

Mar10

Lil Red’s Book Club: Anatomy Of A Scandal By Sarah Vaughan Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Anatomy Of A Scandal By Sarah Vaughan Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing Anatomy Of A Scandal by Sarah Vaughan and it was very good. As always, no spoilers will be given away but I will be placing a trigger warning on this book as it deals with rape. Now, let’s get to it:

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Kate is a successful barrister in London and deals primarily with prosecuting for sex crimes. She is married to her job and doesn’t have much to show for her world outside of work in terms of friendships or significant others. But, she’s okay with this because winning a case is the ultimate high for her and immersing herself in work helps her forget her own trauma.

Sophie is a stay at home mom with two lovely children and a handsome, successful husband named James. Her husband works in the government and is close friends with the prime minister. She has a picture perfect world until it is turned upside down when the news of James having an affair with his younger colleague makes headlines.

Playing much the part of the husband who had a moment of weakness and is so sorry, charming James is able to get back in the public’s good graces. His wife? Not so much. And things get even worse in that regard when he is arrested for the rape of the colleague he had an affair with. Can you guess who’s prosecuting?

Kate is overjoyed when she learns that she will be prosecuting James. Not just for the victim who is testifying but for herself, too. Kate is connected to James and his family even though they might not remember her and she is ready to pull out all of the stops for the “guilty” verdict. Will Kate win her case? Will James finally receive his punishment that is, frankly, long overdue? Read Anatomy Of A Scandal to find out!

I must admit that for the first thirtyish pages of this book, I toyed with the idea of not reading it. Anatomy Of A Scandal started out pretty slow and it is a very wordy book, which made the not so exciting parts quite dull. However, we all know that I have never started reading a book that I don’t finish and I’m glad that I stuck it out because it was a great read.

Once the pieces were all put into place, I went from not really wanting to read it to not being able to put it down. I finished it in one week and still find myself thinking about it after its completion. Of course, I enjoyed how this book went back and forth between Sophie, James, and Kate in both past and present day. I also loved Kate as a main character because of her intelligence, tenacity, and desire for justice in the courtroom.

I am going to rate Anatomy Of A Scandal with a seven out of ten stars. The story line, while upsetting, is incredibly important and I like a read revolving around a court case. There were some parts of it that were insanely boring, though, and I was ready for it to be over when I got to the last fifty or so pages. I don’t recommend this book for people who find the subject matter too difficult because it absolutely is. But, I did like it overall and it is worth a read if you’re up for it.

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

Mar1

Lil Red’s Book Club: Then She Was Gone By Lisa Jewell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Then She Was Gone By Lisa Jewell Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! My sister and I have started to read the same books together, which has been a lot of fun and we jokingly have been calling it our own book club of two. Today, we will be discussing our most recent finish called Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell – without giving any spoilers away, as always.

Kristen and I both agreed that this book was great but before we get started, I will be placing a trigger warning on it. This book deals with grief, miscarriages, as well as extremely disturbing content and is not for the faint of heart. Now, let’s get to it:

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Ten years ago, fifteen year old Ellie Mack disappeared without a trace and her mother, Laurel, is still haunted by the tragedy. Divorced, estranged from her other children, and feeling the grief of her lost golden girl, Laurel has been simply existing as the years pass by. The pain of losing her child feels just as fresh as if it happened yesterday, every day for Laurel and she has accepted the fact that she will never be able to move on.

As Laurel goes through the motions of yet another day without her daughter, she has a chance encounter with a man named Floyd in a cafe. They have a pleasant chat over a slice of cake, which ends in an invitation from this handsome stranger to go out to dinner. No one is as shocked by this meeting as much as Laurel and after mulling it over, she accepts, which begins a whirlwind relationship.

As Floyd and Laurel get to know each other better, she eventually meets his two daughters. His adult daughter is named Sara-Jade who has a steely disposition and keeps to herself. Then, there’s his youngest girl, the effervescent Poppy. She is smart as a tack, self confident, and oh yeah – she looks just like Laurel’s missing daughter, Ellie.

Laurel chalks Poppy resembling her daughter so fiercely as a mere coincidence and continues her relationship with Floyd. However, with new information about Ellie after ten years and a strange connection between her daughter and Floyd’s ex-partner, Laurel begins seeing her daughter’s case with fresh eyes. What happened to Ellie? And does Laurel’s new boyfriend have anything to do with it? Read Then She Was Gone to find out!

I absolutely loved Then She Was Gone and finished it in just three sittings. It was unputdownable and I think that I could have read it all in one day if I didn’t have to work! Within the first one hundred or fifty so pages, I had the major twist completely figured out but that didn’t take away from the shocking nature of this read at all.

As I mentioned in the trigger warning for Then She Was Gone, there were some parts of this book that were extremely disturbing. Of course, I can’t delve into it without giving a lot of spoilers away but if you can look past it and are looking for a good thriller, I can’t recommend it enough. This was an incredibly fast paced book and I felt more and more invested at every turn of the page.

A majority of Then She Was Gone might feel like something you have read before. I also can’t tell you what books those are without spoiling it! However, the characters in this book are what made it so special. Laurel was a powerful main character and her grief was something you could literally feel as you read her story. Poppy was also an absolute delight with her dramatic personality and quirky fashion sense, which I could definitely relate to!

I am going to award Then She Was Gone with the coveted ten out of ten star rating. This was, easily, one of the best books that I have read recently and I would happily read more by Lisa Jewell again. From start to finish, this book was gripping, chilling, and one hundred percent excellent. If you’re up to it, I highly recommend it.

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

 

Feb27

What Have I Been Up To?

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What Have I Been Up To?

Hi! It has been a while since I’ve filled you all in on the comings and goings of my day to day life and, honestly there’s not been too much! The weather in good ol’ Akron, Ohio has been total crap with heavy snow and rain making outdoor activities few and far between. We actually had a close to sixty degree day earlier this week and then the temperature plummeted again, which was such a cruel tease of spring weather!

With both mine and Johnny’s busy work schedules, we spend a majority of the time during the week at home. However, we do try to have an outing every weekend, which is a nice change of pace from a year ago when we legit weren’t doing anything because of the pandemic. We’ll usually go have a drink at a bar or lunch at a restaurant but our best outing was definitely our evening in Cleveland seeing Jesus Christ Superstar. Other than getting married, this was seriously one of the most exciting things that we have done since the start of the pandemic lol.

The time at home is just fine, though, because Johnny and I have a lot of work to do! As I’ve mentioned before, we are trying to move into a three bedroom apartment soon and need to get our place in tip top shape for a walk through. I am so looking forward to the additional space and it will be great when we are watching our little niece. I can’t wait to have her over for sleepovers filled with our favorite Disney movies and dancing while Johnny plays guitar!

When we’re not cleaning and organizing our space, I have spent a lot of time both cooking and reading. Thanks to Pinterest, I have been able to shake up my dinner menu and it has been a lot of fun! I forgot how much I enjoyed cooking until I began trying new recipes instead of the same old favorites time and again. I have also been trying to finish a book per week and am currently working on Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. Keep it posted for a Lil Red’s Book Club review soon. 😀

Obviously, we don’t lead the most thrilling lives at the moment but I love our happy little bubble no matter what. When the weather changes to more moderate temperatures, our activities will pick up once more. Including going ice skating at least twice a month for me. This January, I stopped attending my lessons because the Omnicron variant was skyrocketing in Ohio. I can’t wait to go back once my evenings aren’t filled with cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning.

That’s about it in Lil Red’s world right now and, as always, keep it posted for all of the latest and greatest! ❤

What have you been up to? Have you done anything exciting recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Lil Red’s Book Club: Reckless Girls By Rachel Hawkins Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Reckless Girls By Rachel Hawkins Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Without giving any spoilers away, as always, we will be discussing a thriller called Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins. If the author’s name sounds familiar, it should! I reviewed her book, The Wife Upstairs, a few weeks ago and I am very impressed with her work. Before we get started, I will be placing a trigger warning on Reckless Girls for general violence and trauma. Now, let’s get to it:

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After a series of unfortunate events in Lux’s life, she finds herself at a crossroads and moves to Maui with her boyfriend, Nico, on a whim. They have grand plans of adventures on the open seas in Nico’s boat, just the two of them traveling the world and making incredible memories. Money, however, is tight and their dream seems farther away than what they originally thought.

Luckily, a big opportunity comes Nico’s way to sail two college friends, Amma and Brittany, to the deserted Meroe Island for a huge pay day. They insist on Lux coming too and, despite initial feelings of hesitance, she agrees and they set sail. Meroe Island has a troubling history of people stranded there and resorting to cannibalism to save themselves. But that was so long ago and it will be an experience of a lifetime, right?

Upon arriving at the island after a long sail, the group is surprised to find another boat already there. Jake and Eliza, the owners, become fast friends and the first few days on their own private paradise is filled with bonfires, drinks, and good food. Lux finds herself feeling happy for the first time in ages but there’s just something about Brittany’s friend, Amma, that seems a little off.

Lux is able to push past the awkward tension with Amma and is settling into island life just fine until a newcomer, Robbie, harbors at the island. Instantly disliked, Robbie is a definite outsider and flees into the dense island jungle after Lux finds him snooping around Jake and Eliza’s boat. Then, things take a turn for the worst.

After being shamed by the new little family, Robbie decides to seek his revenge and destroys the radios on each boat – making it impossible to leave the island until a back up one arrives on a passing ship over a week later. Stranded until they can set sail again, the island starts to work its strange magic and begins turning the tight knit group against each other.

As people turn up missing and bodies are found, Lux realizes she’s not in paradise at all but a prison. The people who she felt so close to end up feeling like strangers and the only thing she has on her mind now is survival. However, some people on the island aren’t strangers to each other after all and one devastating plan puts everyone in jeopardy. Will anyone live to tell their tale of Meroe Island? Read Reckless Girls to find out!

Although I liked Rachel Hawkins’ The Wife Upstairs just a little bit more than Reckless Girls, I still thought that this was a great read. Maybe because I figured out the main and several minor plot twists prior to its end and didn’t see the final plot twist in The Wife Upstairs coming at all. Reckless Girls was a lot of fun, though, and I finished the fast paced read in just three sittings. I felt disappointed every time I had to close it, making it a definite unputdownable book.

While Reckless Girls, at its core, is a classic whodoneit, it felt unique because of the creepy island setting. When things began to take a downward turn, you could literally feel Meroe Island closing in, creating a claustrophobic, paranoid vibe. Thanks to the insight provided by stories of each character’s past, it felt like danger was lurking around every corner, which made this read even more gripping.

I also really enjoyed Lux as a main character. She was strong and determined which was a nice change of pace from the main character in The Wife Upstairs who was very meek and plain. Lux was so easy to root for because of such a relatable past. I am partial to alternating narrators in a book but, for once, I didn’t mind hearing everything from Lux’s perspective so that’s really saying something!

I am going to award Reckless Girls with an eight out of ten star rating. My main qualm was the predictability of this book and I would have enjoyed to have a jaw dropping moment that I didn’t see coming from a mile away. It is still worth a read, though, and I recommend giving it a try.

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

 

Feb19

Lil Red’s Book Club: When You Are Mine By Michael Robotham Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: When You Are Mine By Michael Robotham Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing a thriller by Michael Robotham called When You Are Mine. And, tomorrow, be sure to tune in for bloopers from my Night At The Theater OOTD. With no spoilers given away, as always, let’s dive into it. But, I want to place a trigger warning on this book beforehand for domestic violence, general violence, and mental illness. Let’s go:

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Constable Philomena McCarthy works for the police in London, which has been her dream since experiencing a bombing on a bus in her youth. Phil had no easy task of achieving this, though, as she is the daughter of the head honcho of the infamous McCarthy crime family. Phil has been estranged from her father for close to a decade and, despite her family ties, she proves herself as a strong addition to her team.

Soon to be married to her fiance, Henry, Phil is living the life that she has always wanted. But things take a sharp turn south when she answers to a domestic call in an apartment building because a resident heard screaming. At the scene, Phil finds Tempe looking worse for the wear at the hands of her lover, Darren Goodall. In his rage, he ends up taking a swing at Phil and she places him under arrest. Not knowing at the time, of course, that he is a Detective Sargent with friends in high and low places alike.

Goodall gets out of his arrest scot free and returns to his wife and children while Phil lands herself a charge for police misconduct. This doesn’t stop her from trying to help Tempe, though, and she finds her a new place to live. The women become fast friends and soon, every free moment is spent together having drinks, shopping, and planning the wedding.

While Phil is enjoying her new friendship, there is definitely something off about Tempe. Everyone around her appears to think so too but Phil brushes it off. Between the wedding, her charges, and attempting to get Goodall’s wife out of an abusive situation, she has her hands full. She also has her estranged crime boss father to think about because a journalist has turned up dead and his crew might be the cause.

With twists in family affairs, friendships, and job Phil soon finds herself at the epicenter of what appears to be a massive police cover up. Despite being told to drop it by all of her higher ups, Phil can’t and soon finds herself targeted as the one to take the blame. Will Darren Goodall finally receive the punishment of the law that he deserves? Will Phil be charged with murder? Read When You Are Mine to find out!

As I began reading When You Are Mine, I wasn’t one hundred percent sold on it and I still feel that way after finishing it. I did enjoy it and, although I figured out the main plot twist, there was still a lot that I didn’t see coming. However, this fast paced read packed a lot of information into three hundred and fifty pages and it made it difficult to keep all of the different plots straight.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a complicated story line but there were several mini plot twists that didn’t have to be included for the book to be effective. The drawn out nature of When You Are Mine made the ending seem abrupt and anticlimactic, which is a bit disappointing. I wouldn’t have minded if it went on for fifty more pages to add some more clarity all around and drama to the final scenes.

I really liked Philomena as a main character as well as her family on her father’s side, although they only played minor parts. The supporting roles of Tempe and Henry left a lot to be desired, though, and felt like a story that I have heard way too many times before. You know, the ultra clingy new friend and the fiance and friends who don’t like her. This is a somewhat tired approach in the modern day psychological thriller.

Overall, I am going to rate When You Are Mine with a six out of ten stars. The general plot was good but it got overwhelmed quickly with unnecessary twists and turns. Normally, I don’t want a book that I like to end but I felt ready for this one to be over. This is one that you aren’t missing out on if you pass on it.

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

 

 

Feb5

Lil Red’s Book Club: All I Want By Darcey Bell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: All I Want By Darcey Bell Edition

Hello! We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming from my TJMaxx Winter Haul to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club. Today, we are going to be discussing All I Want by Darcey Bell, which was a book that I really enjoyed – until the end, that is. Of course, no spoilers will be given away but I will be placing a trigger warning on this book for disturbing content and psychological abuse. Now, let’s get to it:

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Emma and Ben are a cool couple from New York City who share a flare for the creative. Ben is a successful Broadway producer and Emma was an art teacher before she got pregnant. With a baby on the way, and a long walk up to their apartment, Ben has developed a taste for the simpler things. He begins house hunting and finds an amazing property in the country formerly called Hideaway Home.

Hideaway Home doubled as a rehab or “dry out clinic” back in the fifties as well as a house for unwed mothers. Former Broadway stars would go there to get sober and the house even has a theater in it where they would sometimes perform for each other. The house fell into disrepair when the niece and nephews of the doctors who ran the facility inherited it and, essentially, spent their lives as hermits.

Needless to say, Hideaway Home is a “fixer upper” and while Ben is completely sold, Emma has second thoughts until she falls in love with the kitchen. With an extensive construction project to restore the property underway, Emma finds herself alone in the new house for a majority of the time as Ben has just began working on a new play back in the city.

As the days drag into each other with no one to talk to except the handsome leader of the renovation project, Emma finds herself wandering up to the attic. While not the safest space in the home, the attic is filled with remnants from its past, including a journal from an unwed mother who has a tale eerily similar to Emma’s own. She even calls her baby “Little Person” just like Emma.

Hallucinations, a fading memory, and isolation while her husband is away does Emma no favors, turning her tense and suspicious. She begins to think that Ben is having an affair with a plot to steal the baby after he or she is born. Unable to distinguish potential lies from the truth, Emma and those around her fear she might be spiraling into madness. Are Emma and her baby safe? And just who did she marry in the first place? Read All I Want to find out!

Before we delve deeper into my opinions on this thriller, let me first start out by saying how much I liked almost everything about it. The creepy house with a twisted backstory, Emma as a somewhat unstable narrator, and the nods to classic horror films like Gaslight, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Shining. This was all excellent and I deemed the book as “unputdownable”, finishing it in just three sittings.

I had Such. High. Hopes. for All I Want to be a ten star book but the final chapter ruined it for me. After reading other reviews for All I Want, a common theme was that many people pretended like the final chapter didn’t exist. I would love to be able to do this, but I just can’t. I will be the first to admit that the plot took some highly unlikely turns but it still worked and would have been totally fine, rather preferred, to the actual ending.

I am unsure as to why some authors feel the need to rock the boat with a finale that they probably know will disappoint many of the readers. Darcey Bell definitely falls into this category and I was left feeling like I kind of wasted my time. However, I will say that while I did figure some plot twists out, I would never have guessed the main one so I guess that’s good.

I am going to rate All I Want with a five out of ten stars. It received an average rating because I am so conflicted about it. I won’t say that it’s not worth reading because I still liked it well enough but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read it if there are other books on your list. Whomp whomp.

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

Feb3

Establishing An Effective Bedtime Routine For Kids

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Establishing An Effective Bedtime Routine For Kids

Kids can be enormous bundles of energy. But like all people, they still need to recharge their batteries. The appropriate hours of sleep for a child depends on their age, with younger children needing more sleep to help their bodies grow. For example, kids between the age of 3 to 6 years old need between 10 to even 12 hours of sleep. Not all this sleep is done at night, with parents heavily encouraged to put them down for afternoon nap times.

However, for the main event at night, it can be difficult to get your kids to settle down, especially if they are excited. One of the best ways to get your kids to sleep better and quickly is through an efficient bedtime routine. If you are struggling to get your kids enough hours of sleep, try these tips for an effective bedtime routine:

Limit the Sugar:

Unless you want to start rooting around your medicine cabinet for expired melatonin, you do not want to feed your children anything overly sugary after dinner. Not only can they become hyperactive from too many sweets, but the resulting sugar crash can also make their night’s sleep uncomfortable. This means you need to regulate the kind of dinner you give your children.

First, avoid sodas and sugary drinks and instead serve fruit juices or even just plain water if possible. If your kids still want to eat dessert, you may opt to give them only a small amount of something. Or you can choose to give them fresh fruit.

Bath time:

After they’ve eaten, it is now time for them to have a bath. Research has shown that taking a bath about 90 minutes before going to bed can be helpful in cooling down the body and getting you into a more restful state.

Remember to use bathing products that are appropriate for their age. For example, some facial foam brands are formulated to clean skin that experiences heavy exposure. Although this is great for adults who routinely spend time outdoors, it can be strong for children. Make sure to temper their bathwater as well, making it warmer if it’s chilly or a little cooler if the summer air is too hot.

Some Screens:

Your kids may want to use the internet or some form of digital device to watch their favorite cartoons or play some games. After dinner, it may help them wind down to have about a half hour to an hour of screen time. This can mean playing with a smartphone or some time in front of the television screen. Just make sure to supervise the content that they are viewing.

Read to Them:

Reading to children at bedtime has been a custom with children for centuries and it is a great way to bond with them. You can also expect them to develop vivid imaginations and enjoy reading, a useful hobby to instill early on. Let your kids select their own reading material from a selection of books and be sure to ask them frequently if they have any questions.

Kids take time to comprehend what’s happening and you may need to read something slowly or repeatedly. Picture books will be a sure hit with kids since they allow children to visualize what they’re reading with you.

Careful with the Light:

A final consideration that many parents have to face is whether to use a nightlight. These devices are used to comfort children with illumination when they are still afraid of the dark. However, some parents may feel that a nightlight only keeps kids awake due to the illumination. You can avoid this by buying a nightlight with adjustable brightness and placing them close to the floor rather than high up, where the glare can wake your kids. Finally, you may wish to employ some strategies to slowly wean your kids away from using them.

A successful bedtime routine can help your kids settle down at night and get the rest they need. Fine tune these tips to accommodate your their needs and you can look forward to restful evenings and healthy children.

Jan21

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Wife Upstairs By Rachel Hawkins Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Wife Upstairs By Rachel Hawkins Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing a thriller by Rachel Hawkins called The Wife Upstairs – without giving any spoilers away, of course. Before we begin, I will be putting a trigger warning on this book for general violence. Now, let’s get to it:

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Jane is on the run from her old life after a not so desirable experience in the foster care system and one major incident. Desperate to start fresh, she winds up in the apartment of a skeezy friend in the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama. After a stint slinging coffees in a local cafe, she lands a gig as a dog walker in the posh Thornfield Estates, a gated community crawling with Stepford Wives, huge properties, and lots and lots of money.

Plain Jane has an eye for pretty things and is a chronic kleptomaniac. She feels right at home in the mansions she works in, although constantly feeling like she doesn’t belong from her lack of funds. This is all about to change drastically, though, after a chance encounter with a widower named Eddie.

Eddie is charming, handsome, filthy rich, and has been grieving the loss of his wife, Bea, and her best friend in a tragic boating accident. A whirlwind relationship between him and Jane begins and it is like a dream come true for her. In the blink of an eye, Jane has access to more money than she can imagine and can’t believe her good luck. What she doesn’t know is that Eddie is hiding a terrible secret in his own home.

While Jane is enjoying her newfound duties of live in girlfriend and fitting in with the neighborhood wives, a police investigation begins. The body of Bea’s best friend, Blanche, has been found and it appears that her death was no accident. This puts Eddie and Blanche’s husband at the forefront of the investigation and Jane begins to wonder if she ever knew Eddie at all. Will the body of Eddie’s wife be found? And is Jane next? Read The Wife Upstairs to find out!

When I first started reading this book, I admit that I wasn’t immediately sold on it. The first forty or so pages, I feared that The Wife Upstairs was a bit too cutesy for my liking but then the pace picked up drastically. I devoured this thriller in three days and my only regret is that it wasn’t longer. It. Was. SO. Good!

The Wife Upstairs is a far cry from the usual murder mysteries that I read and I think that’s why I liked it so much. With multiple narrators, there were twists and turns at every page and, for once, I didn’t see the final grand reveal coming at all. Believe you me, I’m just as surprised by that as all of you are.

This book is a true testament to the age old adage of “money can’t buy happiness” but, despite each character’s flaws, there were things that I liked about all of them. This made it difficult to determine whodoneit because my loyalty shifted each time there was a plot twist. I can’t give away some of these game changers without spoiling things right off the bat, but just know that this book is definitely worth the read.

I am going to award The Wife Upstairs with the coveted ten out of ten stars. I was so pleasantly surprised by it and loved being blindsided with every page. If, like me, you like to try and figure out the grand reveal of a book beforehand, I advise not making split decisions and viewing each character with a more discerning eye. I highly, highly recommend this book – especially if you are looking for a “lighter” thriller.

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

Jan10

Lil Red’s Book Club: An Unwanted Guest By Shari Lapena Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: An Unwanted Guest By Shari Lapena Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing a suspense novel by Shari Lapena called An Unwanted Guest – without giving any spoilers away, of course. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on An Unwanted Guest for general violence. I devoured this book in less than a week and really enjoyed it so let’s get to it:

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Mitchell’s Inn is a quaint mountain lodge that boasts beautiful scenery, lush furnishings, and the piece de resistance of no WiFi. It is the place to be for a romantic getaway or to unwind with friends for a long weekend. With attentive staff, gourmet meals, and an abundance of activities the guests arriving don’t think that anything could possibly go wrong. But, we all know in a thriller that that is never the case!

An Unwanted Guest features a wide array of players all at Mitchell’s for the weekend. However, thanks to a massive snow storm, the inn is fairly empty and devoid of staff other than the owner and his son who live on site. We have Lauren and Ian, Dana and Matthew, best friends Gwen and Riley, Beverly and Henry, Candice, and David. Despite the snow, all of the guests are trying to make the most of their visit. But, things take a dark turn both literally and metaphorically when the power goes out, plunging them into bitter cold and darkness.

The guests wake the following morning disappointed that the power is still out but their troubles are just beginning as Dana’s body is discovered at the foot of the stairs with a nasty head wound. The suspicions point to her fiance, Matthew, as the culprit but the murderer could be any one of them. And, as more bodies are discovered throughout the weekend, it turns into the ultimate whodoneit. 

Tensions are high and dark secrets come to light as each guest tries to plead their case of not guilty. But is it one of them or is someone lurking about Mitchell’s Inn who most definitely isn’t on the guest list? Who is the murderer and who will be left standing? Read An Unwanted Guest to find out!

Upon starting this book, I wasn’t so sure about it. But I am genuinely unsure why because I was hooked about thirty pages in. An Unwanted Guest is a fast paced murder mystery and goes back and forth between each guest every page or so. What would be a somewhat tired plot felt brand new with the addition of the power outage. It added such a spooky vibe to this read because the killer could be right behind any of the guests at any time and they would be none the wiser.

I was very impressed with An Unwanted Guest because, given the amount of people that were narrating, there was bound to be a dud in there somewhere. However, all of the characters added their own unique touches and stories to the mix and I was excited to read each of their takes on the events. The grand reveal was also nothing to sneeze at, either. Although I did figure it out prior to, my jaw still dropped as to the reason why and I think yours will too.

I am going to award An Unwanted Guest with a nine out of ten stars. This is a book that I highly recommend and I plan on reading more from Shari Lapena in the future. If you are a fan of a good old fashioned whodoneit, then this is the book for you.

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

 

 

Dec28

Lil Red’s Book Club: Confessions On The 7:45 By Lisa Unger Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Confessions On The 7:45 By Lisa Unger Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Last book club meeting, we discussed Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger and today we will be talking about another one of her books called Confessions On The 7:45 – without giving any spoilers away, of course! Before we begin, I’ll be placing a trigger warning on this book for general violence. Let’s get to it:

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Selena Murphy is a hard working mother and wife with two beloved sons and a husband trying to get back on his feet after he was laid off. Between her husband, Graham’s, job hunt and her long hours, Selena decides to hire a nanny to help tend to the boys while they’re away. On the outside, the Murphys appear to be the picture perfect family. But, we all know that that’s never the case in a thriller!

After an unfortunate discovery at work of her husband’s infidelity with the nanny, Geneva, (such a cliche!) Selena finds herself stuck on the train home deciding what to do next. While maintenance to the train is happening, a beautiful stranger notices Selena’s less than sunny disposition and offers her a mini bottle of vodka.

Over drinks, Selena and her new friend, Martha, share their dark secrets. Martha’s being that she is having an affair with her married boss and Selena confessing of her husband’s infidelity. The conversation takes a dark turn when Martha asks Selena if she wishes that all of her problems could go away – stating that bad things happen all of the time. Then, the train begins to move and their chat ends.

Selena thinks that she will never see Martha again after their meeting but she ends up getting a lot more than she bargained for with strange texts from her. And, oh yeah, the nanny is now missing. In the ultimate game of cat and mouse, it is up to Selena to pick up the pieces because her and Graham are at the forefront of the missing person investigation. Will Geneva be found dead or alive? And what did Martha have to do with it? Read Confessions On The 7:45 to find out!

Although I didn’t enjoy Confessions On The 7:45 as much as Last Girl Ghosted, it was still pretty good. Maybe it’s because I figured out the grand reveal way before it was going to happen! However, I definitely consider it a book worth reading if you are a fan of suspense novels, like me.

As always, I love a book with multiple narrators which this one had in spades. Confessions On The 7:45 went between Selena, past and present day Martha, Geneva, a private investigator, one of Selena’s sons, and her mother. This interwoven tale kept me reading “one more chapter” for hours on end and it all blended together seamlessly.

I will admit that I didn’t think that the story line was the most original but it made for a good read all the same. How often have we read plots of a less than honest husband, a mysterious stranger, and a police investigation added to the mix? There were some fresh spins in the book, though, that held my interest and Selena was a powerful main character who I was rooting for.

I am going to rate Confessions On The 7:45 with a six out of ten stars. Was it something that we have all heard before? Yes. But, there was enough unique plot points that kept me turning the page and is worth a read. Or not. That’s your call!

Who is one of your favorite authors? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah