Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin review

Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Defense attorney Brynn Holloran is right at home among cops, criminals, and tough-as-nails prosecutors. With her sharp wit and pointed words, she has a tendency to intimidate, and she likes it that way. She’s a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom, but in her personal life, she’s a mess.

When a vicious murderer she once helped prosecute resurfaces and starts a killing spree to wipeout those who put him behind bars, one thing becomes clear: Brynn needs to run for her life.

When the police come up empty-handed, Brynn turns to a private security firm for protection. But when she defies advice and gets involved in the investigation, even the former Secret Service agent assigned to protect her may not be able to keep her safe. With every new clue she discovers, Brynn is pulled back into the vortex of a disturbing case from her past.

As the clock ticks down on a manhunt, Brynn’s desperate search for the truth unearths long-buried secrets and reignites a killer’s fury.

My thoughts: This was really hard to put down. I pretty much read it all in 1 day. Brynn is a tough woman and you do find out why. She gives the private security people a hard time but does end up working well with them. As time runs out on finding a murderer and people getting hurt and you wonder if something will happen to Brynne. But something else on this manhunt comes to light and I was right on what and who it was.

I received this from NetGalley and Gallery Books for a review.


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The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware review

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.

Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the centre of it.

As this story unravels you find that Hal does not know her father was. She was told she was conceived in a one night stand. What she thought who her mother was is also a mystery. As Hal gets to know her new "family" she is also threatened. I enjoyed the telling of this story and saw some of what was happening.


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Finding Family by Judith Keim review

Finding Family by Judith Keim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sheena Sullivan Morelli and her sisters, Darcy and Regan, work to complete their Uncle
Gavin’s challenge of turning his rundown hotel into a profitable operation within one year. Winning means earning a share in their uncle’s sizable estate. More than that, it determines how they’ll spend the rest of their lives. Sheena wants to stay on at the hotel, overseeing the hotel operation. But Darcy and Regan want to move on with their lives—Darcy writing a novel and Regan going into the interior decorating business with Mo. But life has other plans for them. And in the end, all three realize that the only thing that really matters is finding—and keeping—family.

This was a very good read. I liked all the characters nd getting to know them. This is the 4th book in a series but it felt like a standalone and you learned enough about their backstory as this book went on. Family relationships are tested but in the end they are there for each other.

I received the for an honest review from NetGalley.


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The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena book review

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family--a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

So we know at the beginning that the detectives have the parents as the suspects. Then they aren;t sure. Neighbors see something and then another neighbor really sees something but doesn't come forward. You read what is in the minds of the parents so you also believe that they had no part of the kidnapping. But then things start coming into question and 3/4 of the way through I was right about what was going on and why.This kept me on the edge of my seat.


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The Peppermint Mocha Murder by Colette London book review

The Peppermint Mocha Murder by Colette London
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s beginning to look like a merry Christmas for Hayden Mundy Moore. On vacation from providing her sought-after expertise in all things chocolate, Hayden heads to snowy New England with her friend and financial advisor, Travis, for the opening of his pal’s highly-touted holiday musical. But when the show’s producer is murdered, Hayden trades sampling Chocolate Santas for finding the killer—especially since this time, Travis is the one asking for her help . . .

Soon Hayden discovers there’s more to Travis’s chic hometown than mulled wine and cocoa cookies. But that’s just the beginning. Almost no one, including Travis, is quite what they seem. Did the show’s lead have more savage motives than stardom? Could the dead producer’s husband have felt a murderous envy for his successful wife? Getting behind the mistletoe and jingle bells will take all of Hayden’s savvy—along with some super caffeinated Peppermint Mochas—if she hopes to catch a killer with a heart more bitter than the darkest truffle

I liked the storyline and getting to know the characters. I had not read the first 4 books of the series but I don't feel like I was missing anything, This authors writing had me yelling at her. So Hayden calls Travis her financial consultant and her keeper, constantly, all in one paragraph, So one sentence would have it so Travis said something to her and the next sentence it would have it say her financial consultant said it to her or her keeper. Why we had to keep getting it drilled in our her throughout the whole book that he was her friend, financial consultant and her keeper was beyond me. Also Danny was her friend but also bodyguard and so the author also did the same thing in the same paragraphs. It only had to be told to us once at the beginning. I don't think i will read anymore of this series.
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.


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New Year's Eve Murder by Leslie Meier book review

New Year's Eve Murder by Leslie Meier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After the annual parade of Christmas presents in Tinker's Cove has ended, Lucy Stone and her daughter Elizabeth are ready to ring in the new year in style. Elizabeth has won mother/daughter winter makeovers in Manhattan from Jolie magazine! But the all-expenses-paid trip is bound to have some hidden costs-and one of them is murder....

As excited as Elizabeth is to hit the Big Apple, Lucy's less thrilled to be heading straight into post-holiday shopping crowds in the middle of a flu epidemic. Then again, she has to admit-if only to herself-that her work-from-home personal style could use a bit of an update. And she is looking forward to visiting an old college friend and culture-vulturing it all over town, from museums to budget art-house flicks. Besides, how often do opportunities for sophisticated mother/daughter bonding on someone else's dime come along, anyway?

After finally arriving at the offices of Jolie, meeting their fellow makeover candidates, and being treated to a fashion show, Elizabeth is enamored of the extreme outfits and stick-thin models-while Lucy's having some misgivings. The pampering is nice (never underestimate the transformative powers of a $500 haircut) and the glitz and glamour of haute couture is bizarrely fascinating, but bitterness and aggression lurk behind the Jolie's hipper-than-thou facade. And things turn downright ugly when self-absorbed fashion editor Nadine Nelson falls mysteriously ill and then dies.

Lucy saw first-hand some of the backstabbing going on at Jolie. And the red-hot rumor mill soon reveals that the cliquish connection among the magazine's cabal of high-style executives-fierce tempered fashionistas Camilla Keith, Elise Frazier, and Nadine herself-has stirred up plenty of bad blood over the years. Numerous staffers, from workaholic assistant Phyllis Finch to oft-maligned photo editor Pablo Prinz, have found themselves at the other end of the trio's sharp claws. To say suspects abound would be an understatement.

But this Manhattan murder mystery hits too close to home when Elizabeth gets rushed to the hospital with symptoms that are disturbingly similar to Nadine's. Now, it's up to Lucy to dress down a killer before the ball drops in Times Square...

I have always liked this series and now starting to read the rest. Again Lucy goes into detective mode to find out who killed Nadine. I had an idea who it was and had a small suspicion f the other person but not the why. I have always enjoyed Lucy Stone and her family and glad to have read this.


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Seaborn by Lena North Review

Seaborn by Lena North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Charlie runs for her life, bruised and bleeding after yet another visit from her former boyfriend. The only one she can turn to is a colleague, and Carrie sends Charlie to her parents on the Islands, a safe haven where she can rest and heal. Prepared to leave, things take an unexpected turn when Charlie finds out about the legacy some of the families on the Islands share, and how she has links to it.

Joao is about to propose to his girlfriend when his uncle calls to ask for help, and he arrives at his uncle Nico and aunt Pauline’s house to find an abused girl. As the chief of police and protector of the Islands, he’s used to handling situations like this, but then the girl opens her eyes and his world shifts. The turquoise gaze is a clear indication that the girl comes from the Islands, but it also cuts straight to his soul.

This is a paranormal, romance, thriller. I was hooked from the beginning of the book and could not put it down. Charlie had a rough life growing up and shunned as a child so when she meets the people on this Island she sees how strong of a bond family is and she finds out secrets that tie her to the Island. There is supposedly another book coming out for this series and I can not wait to read it. I loved the characters in the book and I laughed out loud quite a few times while reading.

I received this free from NetGalley for an honest review,


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The Reader by Traci Chee review

The Reader by Traci Chee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sefia lives her life on the run. After her father is viciously murdered, she flees to the forest with her aunt Nin, the only person left she can trust. They survive in the wilderness together, hunting and stealing what they need, forever looking over their shoulders for new threats. But when Nin is kidnapped, Sefia is suddenly on her own, with no way to know who’s taken Nin or where she is. Her only clue is a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her father left behind, something she comes to realize is a book.
Reading is unheard of in Sefia's world. She learns how to read the book and it's meaning and she needs to keep it safe. It also may help her find Nin, who like an Aunt to her. She also needs to find out what happened the day her dad was killed and what happened to her mom. She runs into pirates and more questions are asked. Then she finds everything she want and knows the truth and it isn't always as it seemed.
I liked getting to know Sefia and Archer. The book was fast paced and seemed to have 2 stories entwining into 1.
I received the from edelweiss for review.


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Santa's On His Way by Lisa Jackson and others review

Santa's on His Way by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are 4 stores by 4 different authors in this cute Christmas book. I connected with all the main characters in each story. They were each a fast read and entertaining. Even though in the first chapter you know they will end up by the end of the story it was still fun to see the relationships grow.

A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS * Lisa Jackson
The uneventful Christmas Annie McFarlane expected is suddenly anything but. First, there’s the adorable baby left on the snowy doorstep of her Oregon cabin. Second, there’s the extremely attractive, yet extremely angry man claiming to be the father. Liam O’Shaughnessy may be intimidating, but this is one precious gift Annie isn’t giving up so easily . . .

WHAT THE COWBOY WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS * Maisey Yates
When Meg O’Neill’s longtime boyfriend lets her down, again, on Christmas no less, she braves an Oregon blizzard to get to her best friend Noah’s comforting arms. But this time Noah’s not telling her what she wants to hear—he’s telling her the truth, from his heart. And his words just might be the gift Meg’s been wishing for all along.

SNOWED IN * Stacy Finz
Rachel Johnson has found the perfect spot for her second Tart Me Up bakery in Glory Junction, California. Except she’s in fierce competition with hunky bar owner Boden Farmer. Worse, while the icy rivals await the city’s decision, they end up catering the same Christmas Eve mountaintop wedding—and getting snowed in. But sometimes a loss of electricity generates a different kind of heat . . .

A COWBOY WEDDING FOR CHRISTMAS * Nicole Helm
Big city art teacher Lindsay Tyler isn’t just back home in Colorado for her brother’s wedding at the Barton Christmas Tree Farm and Ranch. She’s back for good. She just hasn’t told anyone yet—including Cal Barton, the ex-boyfriend she left behind. Will it take a Christmas miracle for him to welcome her back with open arms? .

I received this from NetGalley for an honest review


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The Other Woman by Sandie Jones review

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emily thinks Adam’s perfect; the man she thought she’d never meet. But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

This book was sooo good. I could not put it down. I don't know how Emily put up with Adam's mom. I would have left a long time ago. Then his brother keeps wanting to meet with her. She also finds out about Adam's last girlfriend and does some snooping. What Adam's mother does to destroy Emily and their relationship was so mean. But the ending! I did not see that coming.

I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.


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The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith review

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

Strike's secretary was hired as a temp but she proves to be invaluable through the whole investigation. As they get closer to finding out the different people involved in what they believe was murder, you start wondering who is the murderer if it was murder and not suicide. I had it pinned down to 2 people and was wrong. I liked the characters of Strike and his secretary, Robin.


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Shattered At Sea by Cheryl Hollon review

Shattered at Sea by Cheryl Hollon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Mediterranean cruise gives glass shop owner Savannah Webb a chance to demonstrate her expertise--and fire up her skills when it comes to foul play . . .

When Savannah signs on to perform glassblowing on a ship, part of the appeal is that she'll get a chance to reconnect with her boyfriend Edward's family. An added bonus is that Edward's cousin, Ian, will be joining them on board. But when Ian disappears at the beginning of the cruise, the ship's authorities initially consider it suicide.

This is a cozy mystery and is #5 in the series. Even though I didn't read the rest of the series I still was able to enjoy the story and get to know Savannah and Edward. Savannah and Edward will not give up trying to find Ian. After many attempts calling him and leaving messages they have no choice but to also call Ian's parents.



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Just Dreaming by Kerstin Gier review

Just Dreaming by Kerstin Gier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A dream traveler faces the greatest challenge she's yet encountered in this gripping third and final book of the Silver trilogy.

The course of dream travel never did run smooth—at least, not in Liv Silver's experience. Able to visit other people's dreams (whether they want her to or not), Liv has solved mysteries, unearthed difficult truths, fought madmen, and escaped life-threatening peril, all from the comfort of her own bed. But Liv's troubles are just beginning.

A rocky romance, a malicious blogger with a hidden identity, a wedding, and a classmate (or two) dead-set on revenge all await Liv in this action-packed conclusion to the Silver trilogy

Mia and Liv try to find the author of Secrecy blog. Henry and Liv's relationship gets a little rocky but then better and so many things to keep me intrigued in this 3rd book. Was a little slower going than the other 2 books.


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Dream On by Kerstin Gier review

I gave this 4 stars and book can be found here

Things seem to be going well for Liv Silver: she’s adjusting to her new home in London; she has a burgeoning romance with Henry Harper, one of the cutest boys in school; and the girl who’s been turning her dreams into nightmares, Anabel, is now locked up. But serenity doesn’t last for long.

Liv's sister Mia sleepwalks. But is she being controlled? Henry keeps secrets from her. So much goes wrong and Liv feels she needs to fix it all.

Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier review

I gave this 4 stars and book can be found here 

Mysterious doors with lizard-head knobs. Talking stone statues. A crazy girl with a hatchet. Yes, Liv's dreams have been pretty weird lately. Especially the one where she's in a graveyard at night, watching four boys conduct dark magic rituals.
Liv recognizes the boys from her dreams as classmates from school. But then she finds out more about the dreams that just can't be true can they. I loved Liv and a couple of the boys. The Boker though needs to be taught more lessons. In my opinion.