Category: Adult Fiction

Bloodstream Book Review

Goodreads Summary: With her acclaimed novels Harvest and Life Support, Tess Gerritsen has injected a powerful dose of adrenaline into the medical thriller. Now, in a new blockbuster, Gerritsen melds page-turning suspense with chilling realism as a small-town doctor races to unravel the roots of a violent outbreak — before it destroys everything she loves.


Lapped by he gentle waters of Locust Lake, the small resort town of Tranquility, Maine, seems like the perfect spot for Dr. Claire Elliot to shelter her adolescent son, Noah, from the distractions of the big city and the lingering memory of his father’s death. But with the first snap of winter comes shocking news that puts her practise on the line: a teenage boy under her care has committed an appalling act of violence. And as Claire and all of Tranquility soon discover, it is just the start of a chain of lethal outbursts among the town’s teenagers.

As the rash of disturbing behavior grows, Claire uncovers a horrifying secret: this is not the first time it has happened. Twice a century,the children of Tranquility lash out with deadly violence. Claire suspects that there is a biological cause for the epidemic, and she fears that the placid Locust Lake may conceal an insidious danger. As she races to save Tranquility — and her son — from harm, Claire discovers an even greater threat: a shocking conspiracy to manipulate nature, and turn innocents to slaughter

Thoughts: I asked my sister for a audiobook recommendation and she said to try one from Tess Gerritson if I was a fan of medical things. I decided why not give it a try and I’m so happy I did.

This is one of those books that keeps you on your toes and if I was reading it in physical form I’d have to hide it in the closet. Unfortunately the thriller part of the book only kept me entertained for the first portion of the book.

There came a point as I was listening to this book that I no longer cared to solve the mystery. Even when the solution was revealed I didnt really care for it. It all made sense but it just was a bit boring for my taste. I didnt care for the repetitiveness of some things that occurred. While I am glad to have read this book it just didn’t really meet my expectations.

I recommend this to those of you who enjoy market paperbacks and thrillers. You can get this at a Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.

Long Bright River Book Review

Summary: In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don’t speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling.

Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey’s district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit–and her sister–before it’s too late.

Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters’ childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.

Thoughts: I won this book in a giveaway by Riverhasd books and was a bit concerned I wouldn’t like it. The description on the back didn’t catch my attention but bookstagram was raving about it so I had to read it. I’m very glad that I did, there’s something about the writing style that I find beautiful.

I love how this story goes back and forth between then and now. It’s nice to watch as Kacey grows up and to see how she became the person she is now. Its interesting to see how people and events from her past impact her current life and I love seeing the mystery of Simon.

I like how the style of writing lends itself to the shorter chapters. The story flows well and the shorter chapters make you feel like the story is going quickly. While this is a longer book th re shoft chapters and the back and forth between then and now make it feel a lot shorter.

I really enjoyed getting to know each character throughout the novel even if it’s all through Kacey’s perspective. I think so much of the characters get vilanized through Kacey that its fascinating to watch as they each get introduced into the story.

The twists that occur throughout the book were unexpected and kept me interested. I loved the anticipation of what was going to happen next and trying to solve the mystery.

You can get this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library very soon. This book publishes on January 7th.

The Luminous Dead Book Review

Summary: (Borrowed from Barnes and Noble) When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck—enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother—meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane.

Instead, she got Em.

Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too . . .

As Gyre descends, little inconsistencies—missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations—drive her out of her depths. Lost and disoriented, Gyre finds her sense of control giving way to paranoia and anger. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive—she must confront the ghosts in her own head.

But how come she can’t shake the feeling she’s being followed?

Thoughts: This book took me a long time to get through and not because I didnt enjoy it. I just had to read other things in between. According to my photos I’ve been working on this book since July of this year and I finally was able to get through it though and I’m glad.

I like how there’s only two main characters and you get to know them really way. I like how the relationship that they have is always changing and is very tumultuous. I like how you you don’t really know what Em is thinking, only what Gyre thinks she’s thinking because the whole story is told in third person through Gyres perspective.

Something else I enjoyed was how descriptive each scene is. I read part in physical book and ebook and then listened to the rest. These descriptions made the book more interesting and I felt like I was in that cave with Gyre. The audiobook made things very eerie and I listened to it on my way to work and on my way home which made it even more creepier. I loved how scared this book made me not just because of the story but also for Gyre.

I’ve never read a book with so few characters. I was worried that I would hate it when it was just Gyre on her own because how can a story continue in someone’s head. How can it continue with no other characters or even creatures? But the story did go on and it was great.

There is some F/F representation near the ending but also implied throughout which was another reason as to why I picked this book up.

I recommend this to those of you who enjoy thrillers or adventure books or those of you who are looking for a book with F/F representation.

You can get this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.

Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family

Thank You to GoodReads and Harper Collins for the advanced copy of the book I won in a giveaway.

Summary: Chika was only 3 days old during the devastating earthquake of Haiti 2010. Her mother passed away giving birth and she was brought to an orphanage run by Mitch. At age 5 Chika is diagnosed with a disease that no one in Haiti could help her with so Mitch and Janine bring her to their home in Detroit hoping for some answers. Mitch and Janine hope that she’ll receive medical care and be able to return back to Haiti but that isn’t what happens. She stays with them as they search everywhere for a cure to her prognosis. This is the story of the lessons Mitch learned through that journey and everything Chika meant to him.

Thoughts: I love all of the books I’ve read by Mitch Albom and this one was no different. Mitch really captured how much of a beautiful child Chika was and I love how her personality shines through each word.

I loved the way this book was structured where he had segments where it was him and Chika speaking, then just him about his insights and then parts of the past and what she taught him. I loved hearing each lesson he learned through her and how fond he is of those lessons.

You get so attached to Chika and even if you know she’s going to pass away that moment still hits you hard. I cried as Mitch and his wife said their goodbye and felt honored to be allowed into such a private moment between the three of them.

I recommend this to those of you who enjoy any of Mitch Albom’s other books or who like to read heartfelt stories that’ll make you cry.

You can find this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.

Saint X Book Review

Leave a comment

Thank you to @celadonbooks for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Summary: Alison and Claire are on their yearly family vacation when Alison suddenly disappears. Unfortunately, her body is found several days later and this case becomes one that makes national news. Claire was only a child when it happens and didnt really know who her sister was or who people claim she was. It isn’t until Claire finds Clive, a man who was a suspect in Alison’s case, in New York City that she begins to want more information on her sister and her death. This starts our story of Claire answering the question of what really happened to Alison but also getting to know Alison after her death. What will Alison find out about her sister? Was the story that she was told at 7 years old about the death of her sister the truth? What does Clive have to do with anything?

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book and when I saw others comparing it to The Girls I was worried I wouldnt enjoy it seeing as I wasnt a fan of that book. There was so many aspects of this book that I enjoyed though and part of it was the narrator.

I usually hate when I’m confused by the narrator and who is telling the story. This book shifts between telling the story in the 1st person point of view, through Claire’s perspective, and the 3rd person point of view coming from all other characters who play a part in this story. It gets a bit confusing and you start to wonder if maybe the third person is Claire’s view too but her trying to see things how these people would.

Something else I enjoyed was how descriptive each scene was, I could picture myself on vacation with this family and then again with Claire as she stalks Clive. I thought it made the book so much harder to put down because I didnt want to leave this other world I was immersed and invested in now.

Honestly this book is part of why I love adult fiction especially thrillers. They confuse me so much and I have to process them with others to know what happened. I love that everyone reads a different book and so much is left to the readers imagination.

I highly recommend this to those of you who like thrillers and mysteries. Maybe a good book to read while on vacation and give yourself some themed nightmares.

You can expect to see this book on shelves Febuary 2020.

Red At The Bone Book Review

2 Comments

Thank You Riverhead Books for the advanced copy of this book.

Summary: This story starts off at the eve of Melody’s coming of age ceremony and goes back in time to tell the story of how that day came to be. This story is told through five different perspectives who all play a role in Melody’s life. The story of Melody’s parents and grandparents unfolds to show how they got to where they are now and the trials and tribulations faced along the way.

Thoughts: I cant even begin to start talking about my feelings toward this book. I saw that it mentions poetry in the description and when I started reading I thought how is this poetry. I had never seen prose written in this format but as I kept reading I fell in love with the structure of this book. Every section was powerful and moving, this style told the story in a way that felt authentic.

You get to grow emotionally attached to all of these characters even in the short time you know them. Each of their stories is emotionally charged and unforgettable. This book covers so many difficult topics and issues in such a great way. I really love how they address the many decisions young adults make before they know who they are and how they look back at those choices.

Something else that I enjoyed in this book was how the words chosen and the structure of each chapter had a big impact on you as a reader. I loved how moved I felt after reading one of the character’s POV and then switching into another head space as I read about another. I loved seeing the contrast of social class not just in the eyes on each individual character but how those characters thought others saw it as well.

I recommend this to those of you who enjoy books that are a reflection on life or who want something new to read.

You can get this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.

The Whisper Man Book Review

2 Comments

Summary: Tom Kennedy thinks that he and his son need and deserve a fresh start after his wife’s passing so he moves them to Featherbank. Unfortunately Tom doesn’t know about the dark past that this town has, 20 years ago a serial killer abducted and murdered five children. Just as Tom and Jake are settling into their new house and neighborhood, another child vanishes. Amanda Beck and Pete WIllis are instantly put onto this case since it resembles the crimes of 20 years ago. Tom is far from this case until Jake starts hearing whispers at his window. Will Jake fall into the same fate as all those other abducted children?

Thoughts: I don’t read adult fiction much because I never can follow the storyline but I gave this a try since thrillers are right up my alley. I was very pleased with this book and the way that events slowly unfold through the whole story.

Something that I liked was seeing this story told in different perspectives. I liked the fact that this story switched between first person and third person depending on which character you were seeing the story from. I thought that this was a great addition because I grew attached to so many of the characters this way. You get to see all of their personalities through their perspectives and I loved that Jake’s view was also included in all of this.

Something else that I enjoyed were all the twists and turns that the story took you through. I actually saw none of those things coming and I didn’t know who was behind anything until the characters in the book found out. I loved learning alongside them and actually felt bad when things happened to the characters. I was scared along with Jake, worried with Tom, and felt for Pete each time he failed.

I recommend this to those of you who enjoy thrillers and who are looking for a good spooky story to read this fall.

You can get this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.

Best State Ever Book Review

Leave a comment

Summary: Dave Barry discusses all things Florida and defends his state against people who talk poorly about it. He includes different attractions in Florida and why they add to the beauty of that state.

Thoughts: This was the library club’s pick for this month and to be honest I was worried that I just wouldn’t get the humor. The whole book is satirical, ironic, and sarcastic which usually goes right over my head. You know that just isn’t my type of humor but I loved this book. There were parts that I found hilarious and others while I didn’t find them laugh out loud funny I still found them interesting.

There is one picture included in this book that I found hilarious, it was of an alligator and he put an image of a tiny UPS truck next to it for comparison. Now I understand the real comparison but I just thought that this was so funny for some reason. I think you just have to see it to understand.

You know sometimes you just get through a book quickly and don’t remember anything about it. Well this is not one of those, there are things in here that i’ll remember for a long time. There’s also things that I definitely want to ask my Florida friends about to confirm that these strange things do occur or maybe I’ll go check them out for myself.

If you are a fan of satirical books then this is the book for you, even if you currently know nothing about Florida.

You can purchase this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.

The Warehouse Book Review

Leave a comment

Summary: Paxton and Zinnia are forced to work for Cloud since it is the largest tech company taking over the economy. Paxton comes to this job because his company has been bankrupt due to Cloud, and Zinnia comes in as an undercover agent who has been hired to figure out Cloud’s secrets. Will Zinnia uncover these untold secrets? Will she get caught? How does Paxton play into this whole thing?

Thoughts: I was a bit skeptical about this one as I am with all adult fiction and got even more worried when I was 100 pages in and still having a hard time. This was a book that when I got into it I couldn’t put down but other than that I just couldn’t pick it up. I winded up finishing the majority of it in one day because I couldn’t put it down though so I was pleasantly surprised by it all.

I really enjoyed the two characters and hearing not just their perspective but also hearing the owner of the company. I felt that hearing from everyone made me feel for their characters a lot more. The twist at the ending had much more impact because I already loved all of the characters.

Something else that I really enjoyed about this book was much the story built on itself before anything really happened. The mystery just kept building and I could not figure out who had hired Zinnia to be undercover. I had no theories the whole time and I love when a book keeps me on my toes.

If you like reading about futuristic worlds I think you will really enjoy this book.

You can purchase this book at barnes and noble or look for it at your local library.

The Birthday Girl Book Review

Leave a comment

3 out of 5 stars

Thank You Dutton Books for the free copy of this book in exchange for my review. Publication date: August 6, 2019

Summary: (Borrowed from Goodreads)

At forty, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; two adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career as a well-known fashion designer of casual women’s wear; and a glamorous circle of friends.

Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. This isn’t the first of her birthday parties that hasn’t gone as planned. Something happened on the night of her sweet sixteenth. Something she’s tried hard to forget.

But hiding the skeletons of her past comes at a cost, and all of Ellie’s secrets come to light on the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new, friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of her life crumbles in one eventful night.

Thoughts: I had read someone’s review of this book before reading it and they weren’t a fan of it, because of this I was a little worried about reading it. I was pleasantly surprised though because I really liked this book.

The way this book was written and the way that the story went reminded me a lot of What Alice Forgot? Something that I really enjoyed in this book was how easy it was to get through and how both the past and present just kind of blended into each other.

This story went back and forth between 24 years ago and the present time and I loved how I understood both time years. It was like going back and forth with my present day and me as a teenager. The time years that were used and the difference between social classes that Ellie and young Ellie were a part of was something that I really enjoyed.

While there were aspects that I liked about this book there were several things that I found annoying. The main thing that I couldn’t get over was how annoying Ellie was, 16 year old Ellie was such a likable character so I was mad that her adult version just was so terrible. She was such a superficial character and she was so materialistic that I found her adult version unrelatable.

Something else that I couldn’t get over was that the description and summary of the book just wasn’t accurate to what actually happened. It didn’t really read as a thriller but just more so a little bit of mystery. While I did like that things were discovered in the present with stories from the past it wa still frustrating for the story and summary not to match.

Then you get to the ending and for me it just didn’t add up. I didn’t like the twist that was included, not because it was predictable but because I didn’t understand the book at that point.

You can purchase this book at Barnes and Noble or look for it at your local library.