The Killer’s Family by Miranda Smith

The Killer’s Family by Miranda Smith

Published: 2022

Pages: 310

Rating: 5 stars

Type: ebook 

Source: Free ARC from Netgalley

Three sisters are devastated by the sudden death of their father only 6 months after they buried their beloved mother. But that was just the beginning of their ordeal.

After the funeral, they discover some evidence that their father was no other but the local legend serial killer who has never been caught, Gemini. They choose to keep it a secret but it eats them up from the inside and drives them apart.

A year later, each is dealing with what they uncovered in her own way, some in denial, some in research, and some in self-destruction.

Then the killing starts with the same old Gemini method which makes the sisters rethink what they believed for the past year. Was their father really Gemini, was he framed, or was he covering for someone?!

It was a wonderful fast-paced ride that I totally enjoyed and didn't want it to end, even though I wanted to know what happens and who the killer is. It had some twists and turns that I didn't see coming and some surprises. 

The ending was good and fulfilling, but there was an open-end question that I wished to know the answer to.

I really wish this book would turn into a TV series, I'm sure it will be a blast!

In the end, I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Redemption (Filthy Rich Americans, #4) by Nikki Sloane

The Redemption (Filthy Rich Americans, #4) by Nikki Sloane

Published: 2020

Pages: 288

Rating: 5 stars

Type: ebook

Source: Amazon

Oh My God!!!

This is the Climax after the previous books.

I've hated Macalister in the first three books and just couldn't sympathize with him at all. I was happy when he fell out of grace and was locked up in jail.

This book starts mainly after he was released 2 years after the third book.

He gets to meet Sophia Alby, and although she wasn't a very main character in the previous books she is the star of this book. She changed Macalister in a way I never thought possible. He became an amazing guy because of her!

I've read the 4 books back to back and can't get enough of the Hale's. Now I already bought the next book to see what happens next with Macalister and Sophia plus the story of Vance.

I can't recommend this series enough!! It's AMAZING!!!!!

زبانية للكاتب علي اسماعيل

 

زبانية  للكاتب علي اسماعيل

Published: 2019

Pages: 203

Rating: 2 stars

Type: paperback/softcopy

Source: Dar Khatwa

تقديري المبدئي للكتاب كان نجمة بسبب التطويل والحشو لتطويل القصة وملئ الصفحات فما هو الداعي لتكرار اسم كل شخص الثنائي (الاسم الأول واللقب) تقريبا في كل ذكر للشخص حتى أصبح شيئا مستفزا. وما الداعي من ذكر رقم رحلة الطائرة وشركة الطيران ووقتها وتاريخها بالدقيقة في كل مرة.

اما الأخطاء الإملائية فحدث ولا حرج بالرغم من انها الطبعة الثانية للكتاب والمفروض تكون منقحة.

اما النجمة الثانية فكانت بسبب النهاية غير المتوقعة وقد تكاد تكون الشئ الوحيد الذي أعجبني في الرواية.

ملخص القصة ماتت امرأة مسنة مقعدة في الشارقة واتهم بقتلها عدة أشخاص وتدور الأحداث بعلاقتهم ببعض وبالمرأة ومن ياترى القاتل من بينهم. قصة دارت بين الإمارات والمملكة العربية السعودية وسوريا.

اول مرة اقرأ للكاتب وقررت الا أعيد التجربة.

The Bastard Prince by Alix Nichols (It's Raining Royals #2)

 

The Bastard Prince by Alix Nichols (It's Raining Royals #2)

Year Published: 2021

Pages: 196

Rating: 5 stars

Type: ebook

Source: Booksprout

This is the second book of the Evorian Royals and although I did not read the first book I didn't feel that I missed anything, so it's quite a stand-alone book. But now I do plan on reading the first one so I would know what happened with the first brother.

Arnaud is a plastic surgeon who just got out of a relationship, but who has a reputation of being a playboy. He is approached by unknown to him people claiming to be his close family and that he is an Evorian Prince, and asking for his help to save their country.

Sasha is a reporter who is looking for a big story, so when she goes to the Film Festival and meets Arnaud she tries to dig deeper to know more about him and the Evorians.

A partnership between them evolves and they go around on a treasure hunt around France for keys to save a secret kingdom hidden in the hills between France and Italy.

It was exciting and charming at the same time. I totally enjoyed the interaction between Arnaud and Sasha, they are an adorable couple and the chemistry between them is amazing.

I was caught up in the story from the first page; the characters, the storyline, the setting, it was just amazing.

It's the first time for me to read by this author and it won't be the last.

I thank Booksprout for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

High Risk by T.S. Maynard & W.J. McNally

High Risk by T.S. Maynard & W.J. McNslly

Published: 2021

Pages: 103

Rating: 5 stars

Type: ebook

"Jim Sloane, a successful business executive, finds himself locked in his 50th-floor office over the Christmas holiday." 

This is totally my worst nightmare to be locked through the holidays at work with no way out.

From the beginning, I was caught and just had to know what happens to Jim. Although he is not really the perfect person to his family, colleagues, or friends I got attached and wanted him to find a way out. With every clue he assumes a person in his life is responsible I think yes that should be him, then another clue comes up and it could be a totally different person. Just kept me guessing till the end.

"The higher the climb, the further the fall…"

I loved this book and would recommend it as a fast read with a few twists.

New to me authors, will look for more books!

MIA

I have been MIA for quite a few years but I'm planning on getting back on the wagon again. I was thinking of making a new blog for the new challenges I'm planning on joining for 2022 but since I'm out of tune for a long time and a lot of things changed in the blogging world since, I decided to continue here in my old blog and just chill, relax and not waste time with new designs and stuff.

So for 2022 I'll be joining in a few challenges that I would like to keep track of and be accountable for.

Phoenix Stone by Roxanne Leblanc

Phoenix Stone by Roxanne Leblanc

1st in the Stone Brothers series

Published: 2021

Pages:

Ratings 4 stars

The book started great with the tension between Juniper and Pheonix. It was incredible from the first time they lay eyes on each other and the attraction was instant but each of them was fighting it for their own reasons.

Juniper is a single mother to 2-year-old Cross and she is very careful of who enters his life so she has been single since conceiving him.

Pheonix is the eldest of the Stone brothers, he is fond of his single life and does not was to love or commit like EVER!

I liked most of the characters, especially Pheonix's brothers. There were moments when I was smiling from the funny dialogue.

A lot of twists and turns in this novel which I enjoyed mostly except that the love scenes kept repeating and it seems they turned into bunnies. It was just too much and with nothing new.

The unnecessary angst Pheonix was dealing with was annoying and the ending was rushed with a cliffhanger.

I might continue with the series since the other brothers are interesting.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge

Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge

1st in Helen Grace series

Published: 2014

Pages: 421

Rating: 5 stars

Type: Hardcopy

The idea of this serial killer is to trap two people with no food or water but with a gun. Then gives them the choice to both starve to death or kill the other to live. Really twisted.

Then comes Detective Inspector Helen Grace who was put on the case to find this abductor/killer. The serial killer kept getting closer and closer to Helen, and she can't understand why or who it could be.

With so many twists and turns I totally enjoyed this book and it was really hard to put down.

This was a new to me author but I will look for more of his books.

Dreaming of You by Jennifer McNare

Dreaming of You by Jennifer McNare

Year Published: 2013
422 pages

My Rating: 5 stars

Review coming soon!

Taming Teddy by Lucy Lennox

Taming Teddy by Lucy Lennox
(Made Marian #2)

Year Published: 2016
238 pages
My Rating: 5 stars

Review coming soon!

Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox

Borrowing Blue by Lucy Lennox
(Made Marian #1)

Year Published: 2016
282 pages
My Rating: 4 stars

Blue is feeling blue after his ex dumped him 6 months ago and he is drowning his sorrows at the bar of the resort his sister is doing her wedding at in a week. He knows that his ex is invited to the wedding and he is a bit worried to see him.
Then a handsome stranger sits next to him at the bar and somehow Blue spills his guts only to see his ex coming into the bar with a new beau. It was completely devastating and humiliating that he has no one as a plus one for the wedding to at least show that he has moved along. When he confesses that to the stranger (Tristan) this stranger does a very bold and hot move that makes Blue's knees go weak.
They then decide to play a charade and try to convince everyone that they are a couple. But will things start to get real for them?!

Those two are just adorable together, the humor, the flirting and the hot stuff is just amazing! This was a debut novel for the author and since I loved the characters and the Marian clan I decided to buy the next book immediately. I also loved that the chapters were alternating between Blue and Tristan so I get to know what each was thinking! So refreshing!!

This is an M/M read and has very explicit hot scenes, not for the faint at heart ;)

Absolution by Sloane Kennedy

Absolution by Sloane Kennedy
(The Protectors #1)

Year Published: 2016
356 pages
My Rating: 4 stars

First of all, I know this book isn't for everyone, it is an M/M/M.
Jonas appears to be a sweet-natured and caring artist that came back to open his dream studio. Unknown to him, Ex-cop Mace knows horrible things about Jonas no one knows. So he is determined to kill him, but something is stopping him. He has been watching him closely for weeks and still can't pull the trigger, something is nagging at him.
Then when Navy SEAL Cole comes to visit Jonas to ask about his long lost sister that he just discovered is lost for good, things start to heat up.
Secrets from the past get unveiled and charge up the air between the three guys. Will the truth be revealed in time or will it be too late for them.

A sweet read with suspense and shooters involved. I liked the flow of the story and the romance was hot! This was a new author for me but I will check more books soon! I might pick up the next in the series ;)

The Beach House by Elizabeth Lister

The Beach House by Elizabeth Lister
A short story from the "Don't Read in the Closet" event

Year Published: 2011
20 pages
My Rating: 4 stars

Three boys go to a beach house to have some fun and discover feelings that they didn't know existed.
Cute really short read. First-time author for me.

One By One by Chris Carter

One By One by Chris Carter

Year Published: 2014

500 pages
My Rating: 5 stars

OMG this book was intense.
Amazing writing that had me turning pages and not feel whatever is around me. I was so consumed in this captivating thriller till the last page. Twists and turns all the way.
This is the first book I read by this author. I discovered its the fifth book in the series so I will go ahead and get the previous four books!! I need more of his writing!!

Detective Robert Hunter gets a phone call to open an Internet website only to witness a gruesome torture/murder. He even makes viewers choose between 2 types of torture, and the viewers choose!!! It's horrifying!!

Trying to catch the killer is extremely hard because he is always a step ahead and knows exactly what their moves will be. He is so clever that they can't even track him.
Every time the tortures are worse, creatively wicked. But why is this psycho doing this? Is he choosing the victims randomly or does he have an agenda?

This is not for the faint at heart. The details of the tortures and horrifying murders will haunt you for all time. I know it will haunt me!!

Booking Through Thursday: Springing

Spring is coming unusually fast this year (at least here in the Northeast). Do your reading habits change as we get into the warmer months?

My reading habits don't seem to change lately. I haven't been reading too much and going real slow. Life is pulling me back from reading with all things going on in my life but I do try my best to read whenever I can.
So I don't think the weather or the season have anything to do with it. Usually I read when commuting to and from work if I don't get distracted by my phone or Ipad.

Furious by T.R. Ragan

Furious by T.R. Ragan

Rating: 4 stars

318 pages

Expected Publication: 22 March 2016

I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book in the Faith McMann series and a new to me author.

Faith McMann came home with her kids to find her husband tied and gagged. Some men ransacked her house looking for 'it'. When they didn't find what they were looking for, they killed her husband in front of her, slashed her -but she miraculously survived- and took her daughter and son who were 11 and 9.
Trying to put her trauma and grief for her husband on hold until she finds her kids she embarked on a dangerous journey.
The police were looking but not fast enough for her. When she was forced to attend an anger management group, she met the wonderful Rage and Beast who with the help of her close family helped her solve the mystery of her missing kids. Since there was no ransom asked the only obvious reason for there abduction was child trafficking. That was a hard conclusion for her to reach but the most logical. So she did all she can and then some to try to reunite with her kids, despite the dangers of interfering with ruthless trafficking mobs.

The idea of the book is very interesting and new to me. I can't say it was easy reading about children abducted, abused and raped, but it felt so real. It made me wonder what really is happening to kids thrown into this kind of dangerous ring. It was so sad and heartbreaking, as a mom with young children it was so hard to read and imagine what these children went through. It broke my heart and made me cry.

The flow of the story was so good with the shifting between the chapters although some lines seemed a bit cliché.
The ending was not what I expected but I enjoyed it none the less, I do want to know what happens next so I will wait for book 2 in the series.
I gave it 4 stars although I was debating between 4 and 5. I really liked the story and will check other books by the author but the cliché lines bothered me a bit. That is my personal opinion. There was also the idea that the traffickers didn't just go ahead and kill Faith or even try was quite weird. Just calling her at the end to warn her to back off is not too believable for me.

In the end, I would highly recommend it to anyone who would be interested in reading realistic life tragedies.

Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter

Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter

My Rating: 5 stars

Date Published: 2001

393 pages

This is the first book in the series and the debut novel for this author although it is my second read for her.

Dr. Sara Linton is a pediatrician and coroner in Grant County. One day she goes to the local diner to have lunch with her sister only to find Sybil Adams dying in the bathroom stall. Thinking it a one time thing or a hate crime that is until another girl is crucified and left for dead near the hospital that Sara was in at the moment.
Things get complicated and the killer/rapist seems unreachable.

It's a fast paced thriller that gripped me from chapter 1 and the tension between Sara and her ex husband Chief of Police Jeffrey Tolliver is just refreshing.
The action builds up till the killer is revealed although I had an idea who it was before it was known.

I enjoyed this book tremendously and would highly recommend it to thriller/suspense readers.

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

My Rating: 3 stars

Year Published: 2009

305 pages

This book is done in three parts.

The first part is The Strings where Quentin and Margo go on a car ride to seek revenge on some of her friends. This part was action packed and fun to read. It's like all the years they were apart just melted and they were besties again. I loved it.

The second part was The Grass which was so hard to read since it was so boring. Margo disappeared and left some clues for Quentin to find and he was determined to find her no matter what the cost.
I felt his crush on her was just too much and she was just so self centered and annoying that I really did not care if she was dead or alive. Harsh but true. His search went on and on and he kept reading this boring poem over and over, I was considering leaving the book unread but since i had only 100 pages to read and I already read most of it I tried to push. I considered skimming the pages it was that boring and repeated but I went through with it.

The third part was The Vessel which was the road trip that Quentin and his friends made to go look for the infamous Margo. The trip was fun since most of it was Quentin and his friends goofing around. They were a cool bunch.

I gave this book 3 stars because of parts one and three, it lost the 2 stars because of part two. If I had not pushed myself to finish the book I would have given it 1 star.

One of the things I did like was the concept of "Paper Towns" and that they are town names added to some maps for copyright infringement. It makes me wonder how many paper towns there are worldwide.

This was my first to read for this author, I picked it up because I saw the movie The Fault in our Stars and thought it was great, but I would say I was disappointed in this book in general and would not recommend it to anyone.

When We Were Friends by Tina Seskis

When We Were Friends by Tina Seskis

5 stars

Year Published: 2013

389 pages



They were 6 best friends when they were in University and they kept in touch having reunions to try to keep that friendship but life changes and each has her own problems.
One day after twenty five years, they chose to have a reunion picnic in Hyde Park. It started alright then by the end while in drunken fury words were thrown and accusations made which will change their lives forever.
By the end of the night only five went home.
It was sad what happened with them and to them beacuse after that drunken picnic nothing will ever be the same.

This is the first time for me author and I totally enjoyed it.
The chapters were short and although the story kept going from one off the ladies to the other and from the past to the present it was a light and enjoyable read. I felt it understandable that they grew apart from what they faced and the secrets that were kept, he betrayal and heartaches.
I do have to mention that I LOVED the cover!! It was just so beautiful.

I will keep a lookout for other books by this author.

Forsaken by J.D. Barker

Forsaken by J.D. Barker

5 stars

Year Published: 2014

388 pages

Genre: Horror (Witches, Supernatural, Paranormal)

I loved this book. From the very first chapter I was hooked.
The writing style is so engaging and flows like a river.

Rachel's husband Thad has become a famous best seller author, writing his ideas and stories in a journal given to him as a gift 10 years prior. Then things start happening that make Rachel regret a deal she made when she got him the gift.
Full of secrets, betrayals and witchcraft the author weaved a very interesting and hard to put down book.
Can't wait to read the second book to see what happens next.

This is the first time for me to read by this author, and I would like to thank both the publicist and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Quotes I liked:

“Sometimes the most frightening of thoughts can be found hiding among the shadows of our own minds.” 

“At one point, all authors are unknown until the day they are not.”