The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister- Book Review
Thank you to Net Galley and Putnam Book for giving me the ARC of this book to read and review. Let me start by saying I could not put this book down. At the beginning I was little lost with the two sisters and who was who, but once I figured it out I couldn’t stop reading. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and loved this story. I can’t imagine being in Martha’s shoes and losing a baby, while also having my sister on trial for the murder of my baby. I don’t want to give too much away, but I ended up picking my chin off the floor because of what unfolded in this story. I give this book ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ only because I was little lost during the first few chapters.
Martha and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters–they’re each other’s lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought, bringing the two women closer than ever. But then the unthinkable happens, and Becky is charged with murder. Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence–and so does Martha. Unable to shake the feeling that her sister couldn’t possibly be guilty, Martha sets out to uncover exactly what happened that night, and how things could have gone so wrong. As the trial progresses, fault lines between the sisters begin to show–revealing cracks deep in their relationship and threatening the family each has worked so hard to build. With incredible empathy and resounding emotional heft, The Good Sister is a powerhouse of a novel that will lead readers to question everything they know about motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness.
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter-Book Review
Let me start by say that I love Karin Slaughter books. I love her writing and all the details she puts into her stories. She leaves nothing out (and sometimes that can be graphic) so this book is not for the faint of heart. But if you love thrillers, suspense and lots of twists and turns, then this book is perfect for you. I couldn’t put this book down and ended up reading it in two nights. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to find out what happened in the end and I was not disappointed. I loved both of the sisters in this book. They were completely different and I loved that. They both have secrets but at the end they are both wanting an answer regarding the disappearance of their oldest sister. This story has so many emotional moments that you feel as if it’s a part of you. I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, and can definitely say it is now one of my all time favorite books.
Synopsis:
More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed.
The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.
Harry Potter Podcast
Hey there fellow Harry Potter nerds! This summer I’m joining a podcast on The Rebrew Network as a guest to discuss all 8 Harry Potter movies. I’m excited to be on the show as the resident book expert to compare the movies to the books. The first episode was released on Friday, so take a listen and let me know what you think! Search for “Groans of Castamere” on iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere you find your podcasts.
The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths- Book Review
The Ruth Galloway stories have become one of my favorite series. I have read all 11 (yes, there are 11) books in this series. I just read this newest one which is The Stone Circle, and I’m excited to be giving my review. It’s always so easy for me to jump back into this series with every new book that comes. I love Ruth Galloway’s character and the importance she places on her career. She is an archeologist who teaches class and helps with buried bodies from crime scenes. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but wasn’t my favorite in the series. It left me wanting more, but I did enjoy that it solved a cold case that took place decades before, which was a nice twist. I would give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️, but I will continue reading the series because I do not think one book makes an entire series. I want to continue to see where Ruth Galloway goes with her career as well with her relationship with Nelson.
Synopsis:
DCI Nelson has been receiving threatening letters. They are anonymous, yet reminiscent of ones he has received in the past, from the person who drew him into a case that’s haunted him for years. At the same time, Ruth receives a letter purporting to be from that very same person—her former mentor, and the reason she first started working with Nelson. But the author of those letters is dead. Or is he?…. The past is reaching out for Ruth and Nelson, and its grip is deadly.
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware- Book Review
I love Ruth Ware’s books. I have read many by her and have enjoyed all of them so far, and I had no doubt I would love this one as well. I loved the main character Rowan and really the entire story as a whole. It’s great a suspense story with a little paranormal activity mixed in. I was hooked from the beginning and I loved all the secrets that were involved in making this story so intriguing. I also loved how this book was written. It’s in the form of a letter from the main character, Rowan, to a leading lawyer. The letter is basically her telling him her story, from the beginning, in order to get him to defend her against a charge for a murder she didn’t commit. I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ because I loved the character and all the twists and turn in the story. Thank you to NetGalley, Scout Books, and Gallery books for the ARC. This book will be published August 6th and you will want to add it to your tbr list for sure!
Synopsis:
When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family. What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder. Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant. It was everything. She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.
All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda- Book Review
I have been seeing Megan Miranda books everywhere, so I thought I would read one. I picked up All the Missing Girls at a second-hand book store for $4 (what a steal?), and I dove right in. Through the first few chapters I was a little lost because I didn’t realize the story is told backwards. Once I figured that out, I was able to really get into the book. The middle and ending were fast-paced and kept me on edge until I finished it. There were so many twist and turns and so many secrets. I really enjoyed this book. Since I was a little lost during the first part of the book, I rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The ending made this book and it won’t be the last I read by Megan Miranda.
Synopsis:
Like the spellbinding psychological suspense in The Girl on the Train and Luckiest Girl Alive, Megan Miranda’s novel is a nail-biting, breathtaking story about the disappearances of two young women—a decade apart—told in reverse. It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched. The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.
Are you a Bookmark Reader?
As you already know, I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter and nothing makes me more happy than Harry Potter bookmarks. I found these on Etsy and love all the details. They are the perfect bookmarks especially when reading the Harry Potter series. ❤️⚡️❤️
The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander- Book Review
I have always loved history (it was actually my minor in college!), but The Romanov’s history fascinates me the most. I find it so intriguing, with what happened to the Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra and their five children. This book is perfect if that type of history interests you as well. The author Robert Alexander did his research and put together this amazing book about the final days of Nicholas and Alexandra through the eyes of a kitchen boy named Leonka. The boy claims to be the last living witness to the Romanovs’ brutal murders. I highly recommend this book and give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Synopsis:
Drawing from decades of work, travel, and research in Russia, Robert Alexander re-creates the tragic, perennially fascinating story of the final days of Nicholas and Alexandra Romanov as seen through the eyes of their young kitchen boy, Leonka. Now an ancient Russian immigrant, Leonka claims to be the last living witness to the Romanovs’ brutal murders and sets down the dark secrets of his past with the imperial family. Does he hold the key to the many questions surrounding the family’s murder? Historically vivid and compelling, The Kitchen Boy is also a touching portrait of a loving family that was in many ways similar, yet so different, from any other.
This Girl's Bookshelf 