What I’m Reading Monday

Summary:

Stranger Things meets Get Out in this Sapphic Horror debut from nonbinary, Afro-Latine author Vincent Tirado.

Mysterious disappearances.
An urban legend rumored to be responsible.
And one group of teens determined to save their city at any cost.

For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by sudden disappearances that no one can explain. Sixteen-year-old Raquel does her best to ignore it. After all, the police only look for the white kids. But when her crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention—especially when her own mom comes down with a mysterious illness that seems linked to the disappearances.

Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate, but they soon discover that everything is tied to a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game. The game is rumored to trap people in a sinister world underneath the city, and the rules are based on a particularly dark chapter in New York’s past. And if the friends want to save their home and everyone they love, they will have to play the game and destroy the evil at its heart—or die trying.

Summary:

Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.

Summary:

A soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind.

Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising a beautiful son, Asher—was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in, and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.

Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.

And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can she trust him completely . . .

Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in him, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.

Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.

What I’m Reading Monday

Summary:

Death was everywhere. They all stared at me, bumping into one another and slowly coming forward.

Sixteen-year-old Zharie Young is absolutely certain her mother morphed into a zombie before her untimely death, but she can’t seem to figure out why. Why her mother died, why her aunt doesn’t want her around, why all her dreams seem suddenly, hopelessly out of reach. And why, ever since that day, she’s been seeing zombies everywhere.

Then Bo moves into her apartment building―tall, skateboard in hand, freckles like stars, and an undeniable charm. Z wants nothing to do with him, but when he transforms into a half zombie right before her eyes, something feels different. He contradicts everything she thought she knew about monsters, and she can’t help but wonder if getting to know him might unlock the answers to her mother’s death.

As Zharie sifts through what’s real and what’s magic, she discovers a new truth about the world: Love can literally change you―for good or for dead.

Summary:

Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves this new job. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

As the days pass, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister, and his stick figures steadily evolve into more detailed, complex, and lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to suspect these are glimpses of an unsolved murder from long ago, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force lingering in the forest behind the Maxwell’s house.

With help from a handsome landscaper and an eccentric neighbor, Mallory sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy—while coming to terms with a tragedy in her own past—before it’s too late.

Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffett

Summary:

College life isn’t what Emily expected.

She expected to spend freshman year strolling through the ivy-covered campus with new friends, finally feeling like she belonged. Instead, she walks the campus alone, still not having found her place or her people so far away from home.

But then the Kingdom finds her.

The Kingdom, an exclusive on-campus group, offers everything Emily expected of college and more: acceptance, friends, a potential boyfriend, and a chance to spend the summer in Italy on a mission trip. But the trip is not what she thought it would be. Emily and the others are stripped of their passports and money. They’re cut off from their families back home. The Kingdom’s practices become increasingly manipulative and dangerous.

And someone ends up dead.

My Review:

What happens when you unknowingly join a cult?

Those who Prey was such an eye opening read. It shows you not to trust people you just met. Also that anyone can prey on people who are lonely. The storyline was so good and very tense. The characters you will like as well. The first couple pages draws you in good and you can’t seem to put this book down.

I did like Emily in the book. It’s her first time leaving home and doing college life. She tries to do the right thing with her roommate and it backfires. Emily becomes and outcast at school. Then a chance encounter with Josh change things.

She has a new friends to hang with, a new boy crush and get to go away to Italy for a bit. It all seems like a big dream come true, but once she enters Itlay things take a turn for the worse. Will Emily be able to escape the Kingdom?

This book was very suspenseful in the beginning to the end. So I read it in one sitting. Also look how pretty this cover to book. You can see how lonely Emily looks on it and I like the color pink. This book was something new to me. I never read anything about cults before, but this book blew my mind. It very eye opening as I said before. Just be cautious on new people you meet.

The Safe Place by Anna Downes

Summary:

Emily is a mess.

Emily Proudman just lost her acting agent, her job, and her apartment in one miserable day.

Emily is desperate.

Scott Denny, a successful and charismatic CEO, has a problem that neither his business acumen nor vast wealth can fix. Until he meets Emily.

Emily is perfect.

Scott offers Emily a summer job as a housekeeper on his remote, beautiful French estate. Enchanted by his lovely wife Nina, and his eccentric young daughter, Aurelia, Emily falls headlong into this oasis of wine-soaked days by the pool. But soon Emily realizes that Scott and Nina are hiding dangerous secrets, and if she doesn’t play along, the consequences could be deadly.

Superbly tense and oozing with atmosphere, Anna Downs’s debut is the perfect summer suspense, with the modern gothic feel of Ruth Ware and the morally complex family dynamics of Lisa Jewell.

Welcome to paradise…will you ever be able to leave?

My Review:

Welcome to The Safe Place, a place where you can kick off your shoes and relax by the pool.

For Emily that what she desperately needs am escape from her crappy life. One day everything starts to mysteriously go down hill. Her ceo boss takes an special interest her case and hires her as in live in housekeeper. Everything seems way to prefect the job and the family she working for. Ignoring her intuition that something is amist in this perfect home, she enjoy her time by the pool and caring for their daughter. Something that perfect, could be hiding some dark secrets.

The Safe Place was a nice adult mystery read that I liked. To me the storyline got a bit predictable. It was a little tense toward the end of the book. Don’t blame the main character ignoring the signs something is wrong. Emily just enjoying her time buying things and relax at the pool to question much. If I live in a huge mansion like that I would be enjoying the pool everyday, just forget the crazy stuff happening.

Enjoy your stay at The Safe Place, just beware you may not be able to call for help.

Happy Reading!!!

{Arc Review} Accidentally by Alex Richards

Book Summary:

This timely, emotionally-resonant story about a teen girl dealing with the aftermath of a tragic shooting is a must-read from an exciting new YA talent.

Johanna has had more than enough trauma in her life. She lost her mom in a car accident, and her father went AWOL when Johanna was just a baby. At sixteen, life is steady, boring . . . maybe even stifling, since she’s being raised by her grandparents who never talk about their daughter, her mother Mandy.

Then he comes back: Robert Newsome, Johanna’s father, bringing memories and pictures of Mandy. But that’s not all he shares. A tragic car accident didn’t kill Mandy–it was Johanna, who at two years old, accidentally shot her own mother with an unsecured gun.

Now Johanna has to sort through it all–the return of her absentee father, her grandparents’ lies, her part in her mother’s death. But no one, neither her loyal best friends nor her sweet new boyfriend, can help her forgive them. Most of all, can she ever find a way to forgive herself?

In a searing, ultimately uplifting story, debut author Alex Richards tackles a different side of the important issue that has galvanized teens across our country.

My Review:

What happens that your life seems perfect, but someone from the past takes it away?

Johanna seems to a have a nice life with her grandparents after her mother death. She has awesome friends and slowly develops a crush on the new kid in school. Then her life takes a different direction when she finds a letter from her missing father. Once she tries to make amends with him, her life gets turn upside and family secrets get revealed.

Accidentally book is one of those emotional reads. The storyline is very heart breaking and well written. I felt so bad for the main character and what she going through in the book. This book may be sensitive to some readers. I really enjoyed everything about this read and the emotions this book brings to readers.

This review is a little short, sorry. A lot of Summary sums a lot on what’s happening. The main character Johanna has such awesome support from her friends and the new guy. It hard watching her push people away while she deals with everything alone. Hopefully Johanna find some peace in the end.

Book comes out July 7th, 2020.

{Arc Review} The New Husband by D.J Palmer

Book Summary:

Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you know them.

Nina Garrity learned that the hard way after discovering that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But Glen’s gone–presumably drowned while fishing on his boat–so she can’t confront him about the affair or any of his other misdeeds. A year and a half after the accident, Nina considers herself a widow, even though the police never found a body. Following a chance encounter with Simon Fitch, a teacher from her daughter Maggie’s middle school, Nina finds love again and has hopes of putting her shattered life back together.

Simon, a widower still grieving the suicide of his first wife, has found his dream girl in Nina. His charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina’s teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, but Maggie sees a far darker side to this new man in their lives. Even Nina’s good friends wonder if Simon is supremely devoted–or dangerously possessive.

But Nina is committed, not only to her soon-to-be new husband but also to resuming her former career as a social worker. Before she can move forward, however, Nina must first clear her conscience that she’s not making another terrible choice in a man. In doing so, she will uncover the shocking truth: the greatest danger to her, and her children, are the lies people tell themselves.

My Review:

Love is blind.

Nina life turn upside when her husband went missing at sea. Now she has Simon who came in and saved the day. He charming, cares for the family and support them.

Connor likes Simon as a father figure after his dad goes missing. He thinks his father is dead and has move. Connor supports the big move and his mom choice to be with Simon, think his sister can be a little more open with Simon and be there for him and his mom.

Maggie always butting heads with Simon. They never seem to get along. She also believes her father is alive and holding out hope. She don’t care what misdeeds her dad has done. Maggie just want him back in her life again. She is the first one to notice something off with Simon.

This book was like watching a crazy lifetime movie on tv. Which I do watch a lot of lifetime movies. I did liked the book. It had some nice twists in it. Yes it deals with sensitive topic of emotional abuse. It’s an adult thriller so anything can happen.

I really like Maggie in the book. She tries hard warning her mom about Simon, but her mom and Connor don’t want to hear it. Nina and Connor think Maggie being over dramatic with Simon. Hopefully Maggie can convince her family about Simon before it’s to late.

I understand with Nina she wants to find love again and trust men. After her husband went missing, she find out he cheated on her and lost his job. After being hurts by him, she is so eager to please Simon. She gets afraid Simon leaving her like her husband did so she does everything he says, even if she blind on how much Maggie is hurting.

This book recently came out this week. Looking a new adult mystery/thriller then you might like The New Husband.

{Arc Review} Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson

Book Summary:

There are two kinds of people on the planet. Hunters and prey

I thought I would be safe after my mother died. I thought I could stop searching for new places to hide. But you can’t escape what you are, what you’ve always been.

My name is Savannah Darcy Rose.

And I am still prey.

Though Savannah Rose―Sparrow to her friends and family―is a gifted ballerina, her real talent is keeping secrets. Schooled in silence by her long-dead mother, Sparrow has always believed that her lifelong creed―“I’m not the kind of girl who tells”―will make her just like everyone else: Normal. Happy. Safe. But in the aftermath of a brutal assault by her seemingly perfect boyfriend Tristan, Sparrow must finally find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or lose herself forever…

My Review:

What happens when you think you your dating the prefect guy?

Sparrow is getting her life together after her mother’s death. She loves to dance, and tries to be the prefect daughter. Through inside she still harbors trauma after her mom’s death.

Then a chance encounter, she almost gets hit by Tristan car. The most popular boy in school. Somehow they click and started dating. Instantly you see a change in Sparrow how fearful she becomes of him. Will she be able to speak up before it’s to late?

This book deals with sensitive topic on abuse mentally and physically. The main character deals with a lot from her past and now. She is good keeping secrets about her mother and her new boyfriend. Inside she blames herself for what’s been happening to her. In the end hopefully she learns and grow from all this.

I enjoy Lucas point of view in the book. He is Sparrow best friend and very protective of her. They been having fights a lot since he wants her to open up with the truth with Tristan. He struggles so much trying to help her before things get out of hand.

Sparrow is a very good read. It get very intense sometimes and leaves you wanting more. I was hooked with the book and I finish it in one night.

Sparrow recently came out, you might want to put it on your tbr.

WWW Wednesday

Thanks to my editor Stay Fetters at Acourtofcoffeeandbooks for this new banner.

The three Ws:

What I’m currently reading?

What I finish reading?

What I plan to read next?

Finish Reading:

All Your Twisted Secrets was such a thrill ride. It was like the twisted version of The breakfast club. This mystery book will leave you on the edge of your seat. My review for will be posted closer to release date.

Currently Reading:

I am really liking The Vanishing Deep so far. Hope to be finish by the end of the week.

Reading Next:

Maybe start one of my new reads next or dive another arc reading. I’m such a mood reader.

Miss you Love you Hate you Bye by Abby Sher

Book Summary:

Zoe and Hank (short for Hannah) have been inseparable since they met in elementary school. The leader of the pack, Zoe is effortlessly popular while Hank hides comfortably in her shadow. But when Zoe’s parents unexpectedly divorce, Zoe’s perfect facade starts cracking little by little. Sinking under the weight of her broken family, Zoe develops an eating disorder. Now she must rely on Hank for help.

Hank struggles to help Zoe; after all, she is used to agreeing, not leading. How can she help her best friend get better before it’s too late?

Written partially in letters from Zoe and mostly in narrative from Hank’s perspective, Miss You Love You Hate You Bye is a poignant and eye-opening novel about friendship, mental health, and learning to put yourself first.

My Review:

What happens when your best friend is hiding a dark secret from you?

Zoe and Hank does everything together.  Been best friends forever.

Hank aka Hanna, always following in Zoe footsteps. Has a problem saying no to her, even if she feels uncomfortable doing what Zoe says. She also dealing with the lost of her father and trying to be civil with the new man in her mom’s life. Hank may have the looks of her life together, but on the inside dealing with grief and lost.

Zoe is dealing with a lot of stress in her life. Her family is falling a part, she also don’t feel comfortable with her weight. She tried to have fun in dangerous ways, instead of dealing with the problems at hand. The only control she has is not eating and cutting herself. Zoe will drag Hank with her into dangerous fun to escape her problems.

Will Hank be able to get through to Zoe before it’s to late?

I really did enjoy the book. It deals a lot with sensitive issues like eating disorder and cutting. The way the friends the interact with each other, I did like in the book. They are like  so codependent on each other. Think they be lost without each other.  You watch them grow in the book and learning to be themselves at the same time. You get so drawn into the story good and hard to put until the very end.

This book is a good friendship read,no matter what happens you hope they are still friends in the end.

{Arc Review} Break the Fall by Jennifer lacopelli

Book Summary:

Audrey Lee is going to the Olympics.

A year ago, she could barely do a push up as she recovered from a spine surgery, one that could have paralyzed her. And now? She’s made the United States’ gymnastics team with her best friend, Emma, just like they both dreamed about since they were kids. She’s on top of the world.

The pressure for perfection is higher than ever when horrifying news rips the team apart. Audrey is desperate to advocate for her teammate who has been hurt by the one person they trusted most–but not all the gymnasts are as supportive.

With the team on the verge of collapse, the one bright spot in training is Leo, her new coach’s ridiculously cute son. And while Audrey probably (okay, definitely) shouldn’t date him until after the games, would it really be the end of the world?

Balancing the tenuous relationship between her teammates with unparalleled expectations, Audrey doesn’t need any more distractions. No matter what it takes, she’s not going to let anyone bring them down. But with painful revelations, incredible odds, and the very real possibility of falling at every turn, will Audrey’s determination be enough?

 

 

 

My Review:

What goes on when you complete for the Olympics? Lots of drama, boy crazy and scandals.

Aubrey is doing the best she can. Since this may be the last time she performs at the Olympics. She fighting the pain in her back from spinal surgery, along with team drama. When the team hit with a big scandal, sides will be taken and the gold medal may be out of reach. Will Aubrey be able to get the team focus enough to win.

This book was a fast pace read. I do enjoy the storyline and the characters in it. Aubrey is a fighter until the very end. It may her last time doing the Olympic, but she must rethink what to do afterwards. Hopefully she can ralley her team together and make happy memories in the end. I do like gymnastics stories a lot. It a fun sport to me and this book was prefect read.

Break the Fall recently came out, so you might want to check it out.

Happy Reading!!!