Tag Archives: thriller

Jan10

Lil Red’s Book Club: Wild Dark Shore By Charlotte McConaghy Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Wild Dark Shore By Charlotte McConaghy 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 Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. This book had it all – suspense, romance, and a riveting whodoneit. It was, at times, painfully sad but I enjoyed every moment of this three hundred page powerhouse. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on Wild Dark Shore for natural disasters, animal cruelty, general violence, and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:

Dominic Salt lives and works on remote Shearwater Island with his three children, Orly, Fen, and Raff. Dom is the caretaker to this island that is home to wondrous animals like seals, albatrosses, and penguins as well as a seed bank should the world ever fall into a time when plants would need to be restored. Once a bustling place with scientists and researchers is now left to the Salt family. Everyone else has fled the island or vanished and it is up to them to maintain the seed bank until they are scheduled for extraction. They have their tasks and routines down to a science until it goes haywire when a woman washes up on shore.

Despite her hatred of the water, Rowan must get to Shearwater Island for someone she wants back desperately. She hires a boat and a captain and sets sail into rough waters. Then, catastrophe strikes when a major storm hits, destroying the boat and sending Rowan into the sea. By some miracle, she is rescued by Fen who mans the beach at Shearwater. She is barely conscious, badly injured, and is nursed back to health by the Salt family with a lot of help from the youngest, Orly, who refuses to leave her side.

After Rowan returns to the land of the living, she can’t help but shake the feeling that the Salt family is lying to her. They tell her that all sources of communication have been destroyed, they are the only people on the island, and Rowan must stay until their extraction date. As the days continue and Rowan recovers, she finds that she cannot stay still with idle hands for weeks. While she investigates her cause, she begins to grow a fondness for the family through their shared labor, living quarters, and experiences. She might even be growing fond of the patriarch, Dom.

Of course, feelings are always subject to change and as her love for the Salt family blooms, she begins to uncover their lies. There is no way off the island. No way to reach anyone and Rowan is stranded and in probable danger. Were these lies meant to cover something sinister? Or were they to protect Rowan from a hard truth? Read Wild Dark Shore to find out!

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I began reading Wild Dark Shore. This is the first book by Charlotte McConaghy that I have read and I suspect it won’t be my last because this book was excellent. Wild Dark Shore flip flopped between Dom, Rowan, Orly, Fen, and Raff with chapters that were short and sweet. It was no secret that the Salts were hiding a secret and each point of view came together to paint a clear picture. It kept me turning the pages SO quickly and I also liked that I didn’t figure out the grand reveal completely. While this was a family based plot with a delicious “Will they, won’t they?”, this was still a novel of suspense through and through. It was a welcome change of pace from my usual thrillers and I have to say that the make you blush sex scene was a nice touch too! 😀

The cast of characters in Wild Dark Shore has zero complaints from me because I honestly loved them all. I adored Orly and his passion for nature. I related to Fen as she healed from trauma. I rooted for Raff as he battled his anger. And although I didn’t know the lie keeping Dom and Rowan at arm’s length, I was pulling for their relationship every step of the way. These characters were expertly crafted and the book was beautifully written. From McConaghy’s vivid descriptions, it felt like I was right there on Shearwater too. I marveled at its splendor as Rowan took it all in with fresh eyes. I mourned for the losses the island experienced. I kept my hopes up that this broken woman and family would find peace in any way they could salvage. And I closed this book feeling sad but immensely satisfied by this profound read.

Overall I am going to award Wild Dark Shore with the coveted ten out of ten stars. I can’t put into words how fantastic this book was. You are just going to have to trust me and read it for yourself!

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

Dec29

Lil Red’s Book Club: Never Flinch By Stephen King Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Never Flinch By Stephen King 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 the horror king and literal king, Stephen King’s, newest book called Never Flinch. This book revisited a few beloved characters who were in Stephen King books that I unfortunately never read. However, this did not deter from my enjoyment of Never Flinch a bit and I devoured it in three sittings. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on Never Flinch for graphic violence and child abuse. Now, let’s get to it:

An innocent man was wrongfully convicted, went to jail, and was murdered by an inmate. But who is the guiltiest of all? Do they even feel guilt? Trig wants to know and is going to seek revenge. For every guilty party who took place in the trial, an innocent person will be killed in their name. His murders are random, fast paced, and there is officially a serial killer on the loose. Trig knows he will die during his mission but wants a grand finale anyways. And what better way to end his spree than with two celebrities?

As the police and detectives work the Surrogate Juror Murders case, private investigator Holly Gibney is busy tracking down someone too. Holly was recently offered a new gig – to serve as bodyguard to controversial women’s rights activist Kate McKay. After a series of attacks during her lecture tour, Holly has been recruited to protect both McKay and her personal assistant. Their stalker has trailed them unseen throughout the tour and the attacks are becoming increasingly violent. Holly has decided she hates this job, but will see it through. Until the tour touches ground in her hometown at least, where the Surrogate Juror Murders are taking place.

Despite a serial killer running rampant, business as usual must continue. In Wherever, Ohio there are three big shows coming up. Sista Bessie, a gospel and soul singer, has come out of retirement to tour again. Kate McKay is lecturing and there is also the much anticipated Guns And Hoses charity softball game between the police and fire departments. Trig wants a grand finale to his spree and his stage has been set perfectly. Will he succeed in avenging the death of an innocent man? Or will real justice prevail? Read Never Flinch to find out!

I absolutely LOVE a cat and mouse plot and Never Flinch was excellent. It was actually quite an interesting change of pace because this book read more as a thriller than a true horror novel which we all know Stephen King specializes in. It had its moments of terror, sure, but this was a novel of suspense through and through and is a testament to the fact that King can write anything he pleases and it will still be great. Never Flinch was fast paced with a double cat and mouse plot and you all know I live for a multiple narrator setup. The book was told from the perspective of Trig, Holly, and Detective Jaynes, as well as two other characters. The flip flopping narrators kept me turning the pages until the very last.

Never Flinch was expertly written and provided good guy characters that were so easy to root for. Every page was one step closer to both the stalker and the killer being caught and I wanted to see it happen. Holly and Detective Jaynes were so plucky and resourceful and any scenes of danger involving them had my heart in my throat. I also deeply appreciated the local to my neck of the woods references like the Cleveland Cavs, the Guards, and the go to grocery store Giant Eagle. Stephen King put Ohio on the map, baby, and that was SO fun for my forever in Ohio self to read!

Overall I am going to rate Never Flinch with an eight out of ten stars. This was a delicious dive into a thriller Stephen King’s way and 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

Dec17

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

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Inmate 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 are going to be discussing another Frieda McFadden thriller called The Inmate. This is the second McFadden book I have read in a row and like its predecessor and all those that came before it, The Inmate was very average. However, it was a quick read and Freida McFadden is the author I turn to when I want a twisty tale that can be read in a sitting or two. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Inmate for general violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Brooke has returned to her hometown called Raker with her son, Josh, to live in her recently deceased parents’ home. After horrible bullying at his old school, Brooke thinks Josh needs a fresh start although a new beginning for him means going back into her past. Brooke is the survivor of a terrible string of murders and Josh’s father is none other than the perpetrator. Her parents all but disowned her after deciding to keep the baby and they barely communicated since. Before this all took place, however, the small town she grew up in was a happy place and she hopes the same for Josh.

Prior to the move, Brooke applied as a nurse practitioner to every medical facility in the area and received no calls back… Except from Raker Penitentiary. This was her last resort option and now her only option. She accepts the job and crosses her fingers that her former boyfriend and Josh’s father, Shane, will never end up as one of her patients. Of course, it was bound to happen and Shane ends up in the exam room for stitches on her very first day. She does her job, tries not to notice how good he still looks, heeds the warning from her colleagues that Shane is a “manipulative” person, and sends him on his way.

Shane is not the only ghost from her past that she encounters upon her return to Raker. There is Tim, her next door neighbor, first best friend, and was an attendant at the party in their teens that turned deadly. He is the assistant principal at Josh’s school, has turned into quite the looker, and is still as madly in love with Brooke now as he was back in the day. After a few dates, Tim becomes a staple in their household and Josh adores spending time with him. Life is teetering on being actually good and Brooke could get used to this, if she could just keep her racing thoughts out of her head.

Brooke feels like she is missing something from the night of the murders. A critical piece of information that might make Shane innocent after all. There is something suspicious about Tim and as Brooke removes Shane’s stitches at work, he claims that it was not him but her new boyfriend who committed the crimes. Did Brooke really put an innocent man in prison with her testimony? If she did, she needs to make it right but whodoneit? Her first love and the father of her son or her new flame? Read The Inmate to find out!

I like to fancy myself an amateur detective and every twist that occurred in The Inmate was seen from a thousand miles away. Do I like when this happens? Not necessarily although I like to pat myself on the back lol. I prefer to be surprised and there were no real surprises to The Inmate… until the final twist. And, the final twist is always where my problem lies with Freida McFadden books. The shockers leading up to the grand reveal are so transparent and when the reveal happens it’s so out of left field that it barely makes sense. That was very much the case with The Inmate. BAM here’s what happened and now the story is over. In a way, this feels like a cop out on McFadden’s part. To write an entire book, throw some random ending in, and then just be done. It explains why I always feel unsatisfied after finishing her thrillers!

My other qualm with The Inmate and Freida McFadden books in general are the characters. They are all so simple with nothing special about them and it makes it hard to feel anything for them. The characters in The Inmate felt wildly underdeveloped and it almost read like a first draft rather than completed product. In a crazy thriller scenario, the characters were dull and the sense of urgency of a potentially innocent man in prison was nonexistent. The Inmate was an alright story but it felt so incomplete and, therefore, I was unimpressed.

Overall, I am going to rate The Inmate with a four out of ten stars. This was not McFadden’s best and I would not recommend this one!

What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? 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

Dec8

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

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Intruder 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 are going to be discussing the most recent thriller by Freida McFadden called The Intruder. I have a love/hate relationship with Freida McFadden books. I love how quick and easy they are to read. I hate how perfectly average they always are and The Intruder very much held those sentiments. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Intruder for graphic violence, disturbing content, and child abuse. Now, let’s get to it:

Casey lives in a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere, New Hampshire. Since her beloved father’s passing, life has been on a downward spiral. Casey promptly lost her teaching job and decided to go off the grid to a ramshackle cabin she could barely afford. The cabin’s roof is falling apart, a huge tree in the yard is on the verge of falling, and oh yeah – there is a dangerous storm on the way. With no help from her landlord, Casey must face the storm on her own and pray that the cabin remains in one piece for the night.

As Casey prepares for the upcoming downpour, she notices movement outside of her cabin and even thinks she sees a face in the window. She chalks it up to paranoia until she sees light coming from the decrepit tool shed. Casey investigates herself thinking that someone might be injured or lost and finds a painfully skinny girl who is soaked in blood and clutching a knife. She promises the girl that she will not let anyone know that she is there as long as she stays in the cabin for the night where it is relatively safe.

After attempts at conversation that feel like pulling teeth, Casey learns that the girl is named Eleanor. The whole situation seems insane and Casey is fearful of her new guest. However, after she sees bruises and burn marks on Eleanor’s arm she knows that she can’t send her back to wherever she came from. Casey and her visitor share a meal and while Eleanor is in the bathroom, she takes it upon herself to snoop. In Eleanor’s blood soaked backpack is a notebook filled with horrific drawings. Scenes of torture upon a woman who looks like Casey as well as a hand drawn map leading to her home. Is Casey the intended target of Eleanor? Or is she just a pawn in a much bigger plan? Read The Intruder to find out!

I breezed through The Intruder in two sittings and after I was done, I simply said “oh”. It was the definition of a good but not great book. The funny thing about Freida McFadden’s books is that I like the plots of them. I think I just don’t care for McFadden’s writing style which I often feel verges on amateurish. The Intruder featured one of her most twisty plots out of her recent work and I actually didn’t see the biggest reveal of all coming. I love when that happens because I’m usually very good at working it out for myself. Regardless, The Intruder fell short for me.

One of my main qualms about The Intruder was the length of the book as it barely reached two hundred and seventy pages. Don’t get me wrong, I like a short and sweet book as much as the next. However, it just felt incomplete. I understand the fast pacing as Eleanor’s visit occurred during the span of one night. But the book flip flopped between past and present and I was hungry for more information on the past. These flashbacks were when The Intruder really shined with the grit of an excellent suspense novel. I just wish The Intruder maintained that momentum in the present day.

Overall, I am going to rate The Intruder with a five out of ten stars. If you like Freida McFadden, I’m sure you’ll read it. If not, you’re not missing out on anything!

What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? Do you have plans to see The Housemaid in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul31

Lil Red’s Book Club: Don’t Let Him In By Lisa Jewell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Don’t Let Him In By Lisa Jewell 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 the latest thriller by Lisa Jewell called Don’t Let Him In. This was a particularly fun read because I had the pleasure of attending a special Zoom conference with Jewell through the library system to talk about this book prior to its release last month. It was really cool to read this book with knowledge straight from the author herself and I read ravenously. I finished it in two sittings! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Don’t Let Him In for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Ash is in her mid twenties and had her life upturned once before due to an intense struggle with mental health. One year later, just as she is getting her bearings in her parents’ home, life throws another curveball. Her beloved father, Paddy, was pushed onto train tracks by a man suffering from schizophrenia. In the midst of the family’s despair, it is up to Paddy’s widow, Nina, to maintain his business as an owner and chef to a popular chain of restaurants. As time passes, Ash continues to struggle with the loss of her dad. Nina, on the other hand, is getting back into the swing of things. She has been messaging with a man named Nick, an old colleague of Paddy, who sent a letter offering his condolences. Of course, Ash finds this to be moving too quickly, but Nina is ready to take back her life and that means dating too.

Ash begrudgingly meets her mom’s new suitor and is instantly put off. Nick is tall, handsome, successful, and perfect. So why hasn’t he been married or have any children of his own? All Ash has right now is her own feelings that something isn’t right but she is keeping them to herself. Her mom is happy – glowing even and she might chalk up Ash’s concerns to her mental illness. These feelings, however, cannot be pushed aside and she fears that Nick doesn’t really have her mother’s best interests at heart. Is he truly as perfect and in love as he presents himself to be or is he after something else entirely? Money, perhaps from the Paddy’s empire?

Rather than live with her suspicion, Ash begins to dig. She snoops in Nick’s pockets and finds nothing but questions. A doggy bag to collect waste although Nick has no dogs. A pacifier clip but Nick has no kids. He offers reasonable explanations to each item but it’s just not good enough. So, Ash digs deeper. She enlists the help of Paddy’s ex-girlfriend, Jane, under the guise of wanting to learn more about her dad and his old coworker Nick. Jane, who was certifiably obsessed with Paddy claims to have no knowledge of an acquaintance named Nick and every red flag in Ash’s being goes up. This is proof right here and now that Nick is not who he claims to be. So, the newly found team digs deeper. What they find? A web of lies that have been spinning long before Nick and Nina ever began speaking. How many other people have fell victim to Nick? And who is he really? Read Don’t Let Him In to find out!

I realize that this synopsis is incredibly vague. BUT, Lil Red’s Book Club is a spoiler free setting and sharing anymore is going to ruin Don’t Let Him In. I would so hate to do that because it really was a gripping read. It was fast paced and filled with absolutely delicious twists and turns. As you all know, I fancy myself an amateur sleuth when I read. Normally, I despise when I can call every shot in a book before it happens and that was very much the case for Don’t Let Him In. Surprisingly enough, I still enjoyed the hell out of it. I’m not sure if it’s because I attended the talk about this book with Lisa Jewell or if it was truly that good. Maybe a little bit of both?

I wouldn’t say that I was particularly attached to any of the characters in this book. For all of Ash’s determination to find the truth, I found her to be quite boring. Having said that, every character in this book was in a dangerous situation. A situation that could go from bad to worse based on mood alone and, as a reader, all you could do was sit back and watch it happen. This made each victim SO easy to root for because we saw clearly who the “bad man” was and they were none the wiser. Lisa Jewell is brilliant at bringing urgency to every single page and it certainly kept me turning them!

Overall, I am going to rate Don’t Let Him In with a six and a half out of ten stars. Upon further reflection, I do think attending the talk with Jewell impacted my opinion of this book. That doesn’t take away from the fact that it was a great story, though, and I would still highly recommend giving it a shot!

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

Jul23

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Doorman By Chris Pavone Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Doorman By Chris Pavone 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 novel of suspense called The Doorman by Chris Pavone. I read Pavone’s most well known book, Two Nights In Lisbon, about three years ago and it received a lackluster review and star rating. Unfortunately, The Doorman did nothing for me either and will be following suit. This will definitely be the last book I read by this author but let’s chat about it anyways! Before we begin, I will be putting a trigger warning on The Doorman for general violence and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:

The Bohemia apartments in New York City are home to the richest of the rich. People so rich that money means nothing to them. It is home to award winners, celebrities, CEOs, and anyone that falls under the category of the “one percent”. Of course, even people with an endless supply of cash have problems and secrets too. They just have the means to cover it up.

In the most expensive suite of the Bohemia, we have Emily and Whit Longworth and their two small children. Whit made his fortune in military equipment and provides supplies for both the good and the bad. Emily has a passion for art, but put a lot of her own self aside to become the definition of “stay at home mom”. Now, she handles PTA meetings, board meetings for places she donates to, and managing the staff that keeps her luxury penthouse pristine. Oh yeah, she also hates her husband’s guts.

A far more modest apartment in the Bohemia is Julian, his wife Jennifer, and their two teenage children. Jules is co founder of an art gallery and has even provided pieces for the Longworth’s suite. He is a freshly turned fifty year old man who lives life as simply as possible and with as little strain as possible too. Julian has a heart valve condition that could kill him instantaneously should he push himself too much. The thing is, he can’t afford the live saving surgery and he might not be able to save his marriage either. Julian and Jennifer’s relationship has come to a standstill and with his own mortality on the line, Jules decides to live dangerously. An affair can’t cause his heart to get any worse, can it?

Finally, we have Chicky. Chicky isn’t a resident at the Bohemia but a doorman to the residents. He sees all, he hears all, and spends his days manning the gates with a huge smile plastered on his face. For as happy as Chicky’s demeanor is, he has his own problems. Chicky is in debt. We’re talking debt debt from hospital bills for his late wife, back rent, and his children’s education. He is on the verge of eviction and the loan shark who he turned to is not waiting patiently for his money back. Chicky’s life is on the line every day and nothing can be done unless he gets a small fortune and fast. An amount that a resident at the Bohemia wouldn’t even miss.

As the stories of our three key players interweave, big changes are in store for all of them and our final character: New York City, itself. Black men are being murdered by the police and the long overdue revolution has finally taken to the streets. On the night of the biggest protest yet, militia style counter protesters arrive. What started out as a safe and peaceful protest has turned to violence as the counter protestors spew their hatred and wield weapons. In their own way, Emily, Jules, and Chicky are all in the thick of the protest and everything will change tonight. For the better? Read The Doorman to find out! Or don’t!!!!!!!

From start to finish, I was ready for The Doorman to be over lol but I powered through. Similarly to my review of Two Nights In Lisbon, I quite liked the story line of The Doorman. Once again, however, my main issue came from Chris Pavone’s writing. The Doorman read like a book that was specifically made for people who live in New York City. It was constantly bogged down with sprawling litanies of different locations both well known and obscure, restaurants, and an endless array of street names. It turned what could have been a relatively straight forward read into something convoluted and generally uninteresting if you are like me and had NO idea about anything or any place Pavone was writing about.

Not only did Pavone name drop every single location that ever existed in NYC, he was just name dropping willy nilly. There were SO many characters that just popped in with no introduction or explanation and if he did finally get around to it, the minor characters in question had already been forgotten. These unimportant additions took away from the key players themselves who all felt close to a cohesive whole but not there yet. At the blessed end of the book, I didn’t feel any type of way about anyone except Whit and not in the good way because he actively sucked. I refuse to not finish anything that I start reading and it was such a happy moment when I could shut The Doorman for good!

Overall, I am going to rate The Doorman with a three out of ten stars. Two lower than Two Nights In Lisbon. I absolutely would NOT recommend this book so skip on it for sure and use your summer reading time to dive into something you really enjoy!

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

Jul16

Lil Red’s Book Club: Knock Knock By Anders Roslund Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Knock Knock By Anders Roslund 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 Swedish mystery thriller called Knock Knock by Anders Roslund. Unbeknownst to me, this book is actually the newest edition of a series following a curmudgeon of a Detective Superintendent named Ewert Grens. Although a few nods to past books were scattered throughout Knock Knock, it didn’t alter the overall story line and was still a great read. In fact, I think I’ll go back and read the rest of the series! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Knock Knock for graphic violence and highly disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Ewert Grens has worked in the Homicide Unit for a long time and is getting close to his retirement. There is one case, however, that has still haunted him for close to two decades: An entire family murdered, minus one little girl safely hidden away. He rescued her from the crime scene three days later, took care of her, and was able to get her a new identity and placement with a new family. The case went cold quickly but he often wonders about that little girl. Where is she? How is she? What is she like now? Then, as if out of nowhere, her case resurfaces again. A break in occurs at the home where the crime took place and potential suspects from seventeen years prior end up murdered in the exact same fashion as the girl’s deceased family.

Piet Hoffmann, too, works with the police but in a completely different fashion. He isn’t a cop or a detective, he is an infiltrator specializing in organized crime. Piet has been an invaluable resource to the Swedish police and has ended countless smuggling rings of drugs, weapons, and people. Now, he has retired from his old life and is the definition of a family man to his wife and three small children. Sometimes, Piet muses about going back to his old life for a quick job or two but never acts on it. Until now.

On a lovely afternoon, Piet discovers that his young son is playing with a new toy that he found in the mailbox. It looked like a toy, played like a toy but was merely a hand grenade designed as one. In the package addressed for his sons, he finds a note with five damning typewritten words: “We know who you are.” Someone out there knows that code name Paula is Piet and plans on using that to their advantage. Through phone calls from an altered voice, Piet is given a new mission. Retrieve a cache of the most powerful machine guns known to man or your family dies.

Long ago, Detective Grens formed a fondness for Piet’s family and is one of the few men that Piet somewhat trusts. He knows he needs the resources of the police to turn the mission he has been given on its head. His family will survive, the guns will not fall in the wrong hands, and the organization will be taken down. As the former enemies (according to Knock Knock’s reference of past books) delve deeper into the cases, realization dawns that they are connected and time is running out. Will the old detective finally be able to resolve the case that evaded him all these years? Will Piet’s family make it out alive? Read Knock Knock to find out!

Outside of the very first chapter, Knock Knock started at an excruciatingly slow pace. It wasn’t that I was entering into a series that already had four previous books. There was just So. Much. Information. to set the scene and things didn’t really start picking up until around page one hundred fifty. I trudged through and am glad I did because when the book shifted, it turned into nonstop action, jaw dropping revelations, and twists and turns that continued until the very last page. Knock Knock was four hundred and forty pages long and once that turning point hit, I devoured the rest in two sittings.

Although I had just been newly introduced to Grens and Hoffmann, it felt like I had known them for forever. They were both so likeable in their own ways. Grens was cranky, set in his ways, and kept the soft spot he had for his dear ones well hidden. Hoffmann was like an action movie star – smooth, contained, and a master of every weapon imaginable while still maintaining his role as a father the best he could. It was the classic scenario of an old cop having a begrudging relationship with someone who can’t be told a damn thing and it worked so well.

It was so easy to grow fond for a majority of the characters in Knock Knock and it made for such a palpable sense of urgency as it twisted to the nitty gritty. Time was a major factor in this book and the countdown had me panicking. There was so much up in the air, so much room for error, and devastating consequences should the slightest thing go wrong. As I read, there were countless times when I found myself holding my breath and it was an absolutely gripping read once the pace picked up.

Overall, I am going to rate Knock Knock with a six and a half out of ten stars. Would I have liked it more had I read the other Ewert Grens novels? Who’s to say? I would have rated it higher had it not started out so freaking slow!

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

Jun16

A Discussion With Lisa Jewell

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A Discussion With Lisa Jewell

Hello! Libraries are such an amazing, beautiful, wonderful thing and the ones in my neck of the woods astound me. Every day, there is always some kind of event going on. Whether it’s story time for the kiddos that my nieces love to attend, cooking classes, crafts, concerts, and anything in between they are completely free and open to the public. My family and I frequent library events and have a jam packed schedule this summer to go to as many as we can. In fact, I just attended one this past week.

My sister recently sent me a link to a talk with Lisa Jewell through the Library Speakers Consortium. In this series, authors are interviewed and will do a question and answer session with the questions that viewers submitted. We simply couldn’t believe that Lisa Jewell was on the docket because we are such avid fans of her books! We have read countless thrillers by Jewell and have, for the most part, loved everything we have read. And, as luck would have it, her talk was scheduled exactly during my break time on Tuesday so I could join in.

During the discussion, Lisa filled us in on her new book, Don’t Let Him In, which will be released this month on the twenty-fourth. She guided as through the plot sans spoilers and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into it because it sounds like a doozy! Lisa also answered at least ten audience questions and it was so fun and interesting to hear her on the spot responses. I was especially fascinated by her writing process. She does zero research for her books, she limits herself to writing one thousand words per day, and the most mundane encounters sometimes inspire a whole novel. It truly felt that she writes for the pure joy of writing and that really resonated. There is nothing better to me than taking my talons to the keyboard and seeing what happens!

It sounds silly, but it was just so cool to hear Lisa speak. Her accent and infectious laugh were simply charming and I was on pins and needles to hear what she was going to say next. Like her books, the way she speaks and the words she chooses are handled with such care. She delighted in the questions she was asked and I loved to hear how much she enjoys interacting with her fans on social media. Throughout the discussion, Lisa seemed like the woman you would love to grab a coffee with and chat away. She was so truly herself, didn’t put on any kind of airs, and it was evident that she enjoyed this talk just as much as the audience did. It was wonderful!

I am so happy that I got to attend this virtual discussion with Lisa Jewell! After way more years than I care to admit of reading her books, this was an awesome experience from start to finish. I wonder which author will be next in the series!

What is your local library like? Does your library host fun events too? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun12

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Missing Half By Ashley Flowers Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Missing Half By Ashley Flowers 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 new thriller by Ashley Flowers (Which sounds like a made up name) called The Missing Half. This book was an insanely fast read and I finished it in a matter of a few sittings. The jury is still out on if I liked it or not, though. It wasn’t bad, just very average. It was, however, way better than my last Book Club read by Freida McFadden so that’s a plus! Before we get started, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Missing Half for disturbing content, violence, sexual assault, and addiction. Now, let’s get to it:

Nic’s beloved older sister, Kasey, went missing seven years ago and it still feels like just yesterday. Nic lives in a perpetual state of miserable limbo – She is a struggling alcoholic with a fresh DUI charge, she works a crappy job that she is able to hold down because the boss is a family friend who feels bad for her, and she is estranged from all family and friends. Her days are spent avoiding thinking about her sister at all costs, until she is forced to by a stranger who came to her work. She says her name is Jenna, her sister Jules went missing shortly before Kasey, and she thinks they can solve the cases together. Who knows their sisters better than their own sisters?

At first, this is the last thing that Nic would ever do let alone think of. But, the possibility of finding answers for herself, Jenna, and their sisters proves to be too intoxicating. And, even if the subject matter is difficult, she is beginning to find a friend in Jenna – something she lacks desperately. The girls begin meeting up and going through each of their sister’s lives with a fine toothed comb and they are looking for anything that can connect the two of them. Who did they hang out with? Were there any boyfriends? Were they acting strangely before they went missing?

As Nic and Jenna dive deeper, they find that there is a huge connection that the police missed. Jules and Kasey worked next door to each other. Jules in a restaurant and Kasey in the record store beside it. While their paths may not have crossed, the manager of the restaurant was well aware of both girls and any other pretty young thing that walks by. With their first true suspect, Nic and Jenna put on their best detective hats but discover more than what they ever could have imagined.

Both Nic and Jenna prided themselves on being best friends with their sisters. They believed that there were no secrets between them as they could deal with anything together. Both Kasey and Jules were hiding something major from their sisters and Nic and Jenna know they are getting close to cracking this cold case once and for all. Someone doesn’t like what they are doing one bit and is doing everything in their power to get them to stop their investigation. Will they solve the case of their missing sisters? Or will it forever remain a mystery? Read The Missing Half to find out!

I quite liked the plot of The Missing Half and it almost felt like reading a true crime documentary on Netflix: Two sisters solving the cold case of their missing sisters. Ashley Flowers was able to invoke a great sense of urgency in her writing and it kept me turning the pages. Despite reading ravenously, I was left feeling wishy-washy about this book. The ticking time clock of the task at hand was so prominent that it didn’t leave a lot of room for character development. I felt no connection to Nic or Jenna. Of course, I was rooting for them to succeed but there wasn’t anything special about them. The picture painted of their sisters was crystal clear and this made Nic and Jenna seem more like secondary characters rather than the two leads. So, when the book was done, all I could say was “huh”.

Regardless of if the book is lackluster or not, I love being a detective while I read and, for the most part, I am very good at predicting the end result well before it happens. In the case of The Missing Half, however, I was so completely wrong when it came to the grand reveal and it really threw me for a loop. It also made me so frustrated because it was a notion I actually toyed with, but thought it to be too implausible and didn’t give it a second thought. The only thing I will say is that this book is Red Herring central so be sure to read it with a discerning eye!

Overall, I am going to rate The Missing Half with a four and a half out of five stars. I wouldn’t call it good or bad, just very okay. It is a quick read if you choose to give it a go and I’ll be curious to see what you think!

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

May24

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

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Tenant 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 are going to be discussing Freida McFadden’s newest book called The Tenant. I have a love/hate relationship with McFadden’s books. I absolutely loved The Housemaid series, however, the other books I have read by her definitely did not meet my expectations. Unfortunately, The Tenant was another instance of that and fell under my usual critique of McFadden – “good but not great”. Before we begin our Book Club meeting, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Tenant for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Blake and Krista are newly engaged and happy as can be. They live in a charming brownstown in New York City and Blake has just accepted a hotshot new position as VP of Marketing at the company he works for. Everything is going picture perfect, until Blake’s world comes crashing down. Shortly after settling into his fancy new office, Blake is fired for selling the company’s marketing campaigns. This is an offense that Blake isn’t even aware he made and has no idea what his boss is talking about. He feels confident that this was all some kind of misunderstanding and will have his job back before the week is out.

That week turns into months of unemployment and Blake and Krista are barely scraping by as Krista’s wages at a laundromat pale in comparison to their mortgage. If they don’t get their money problem solved ASAP, they will be on the streets and Blake finally agrees to Krista’s big idea: Have a tenant move in to help with bills. As they go about the interviewing process, every candidate is borderline crazy and they are ready to give up. Blessedly, Whitney shows up for her interview and is… normal. She’s pretty, has great references, and had her first and last month’s rent ready to go. They were sold.

The first week or so with Whitney goes swimmingly and Blake even has a new temp gig. Embarrassing, yes, but every little bit from the paycheck helps. Then, little things start to happen at the brownstone that never occurred before Whitney moved in. There are loud noises all throughout the night, the kitchen is filled with fruit flies, and Blake breaks into an inexplicable and painful rash. With no other plausible explanation, Blake blames Whitney wholeheartedly and is convinced that she is not who she says she is.

As more and more offenses against Whitney tally up and become even more disturbing, Blake quickly descends into a paranoid state. He can’t trust anyone and barely trusts himself as he repeats the claims in his head. All he knows is that he and Krista don’t know Whitney at all and she could be dangerous. In fact, she could be the reason Blake lost his cushy new job in the first place. But, is she? Or does Blake have his sights set on the wrong person entirely? Read The Tenant to find out!!

Let me start off by saying that I really liked the general story line of The Tenant. Happy couple, hard times, a stranger moves in, and the shit hits the fan. It really is a perfect combination and fits Johnny’s description of “LifeTime movie books” to the T lol. I just wish I liked the book more!! The tension that was building in the brownstone was delicious, a little slow moving at times, but my interest was piqued. Then, the twist happened, which I saw coming from a mile away but it just felt… random. It felt like a lot of build up for a twist that didn’t necessarily need to happen but simply was put there for shock value. This is actually a complaint that I have had with past McFadden books as well, like the plot changed fully on a dime and it wasn’t thought through completely.

On top of feeling wishy washy about The Tenant as a whole, none of the characters were particularly likeable. This book was told from Blake’s point of view and it was interesting to read a LifeTime movie book from the male perspective. BUT, Blake was a major a-hole and it was hard to feel sympathetic for him in the entirety of the read. Once my sympathy ran out, I was ready for The Tenant to be done because it was the only saving grace that the main character had. I can’t say that I felt strongly in favor of any of the characters and that’s not a good thing as I want to feel that connection when I read. The Tenant definitely missed the mark big time.

Overall, I am going to rate The Tenant with a three out of ten stars. If you are a diehard Freida McFadden fan, I am sure you will give it a read anyways. You are not missing out on anything if you don’t, though!

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