The Red Ledger Reborn by Meredith Wild

I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of The Red Ledger Reborn by Meredith Wild. I had never heard of this title or author. Upon receiving this book I googled Meredith and found some very interesting things. First, I don't think this is the first novel in what appears to be a series. It does not matter, this book stands on its own. Next, I discovered an interesting story about the author. It seems she usually writes romance and used to self-publish. Apparently finding it difficult to get books into brick-and-mortar stores, she started her own publishing house.

Good for you, Meredith Wild, and good for Waterhouse Press (her publishing brand). I so adore when someone hits a wall and can't find a way around, then blasts through to make their own door, saying "Take that, book world!" Now I'm intrigued. So I start the novel the author classifies as suspense. Thriller, suspense, tomato, toe-maato. Right from the beginning...(I'm smiling here because it has an usual beginning that I desperately want to tell you, but I won't, it's too good not to read for yourself)...right from the beginning I'm hooked.

The story is about a hitman who is about to kill a young woman who is his target, but he realizes that she knows him. Some parts of his memory are unclear so he wonders if her knowledge would help him, but then again he does have this "job" to do. I don't want to say more.  Know that the book moves quickly, stays on topic, is well written and is pleasant and interesting reading. One thing that might annoy readers is that this narrative alternates back and forth, being told from the perspective of each of the two main characters, Isabel and Tristan. Frankly, it didn't bother me in the least and I really found it a helpful way of telling the story. I found myself looking forward to the perspective change so I would know what the other character was thinking. A very enjoyable book, indeed.

I want to thank Meredith Wild, Waterhouse Press and Bookish First for the copy of this great novel. It will be released on August 7, 2018 and is available for PRE-ORDER NOW.  I'm heading to the bookstore myself. I want to read everything else Meredith has written!

Baby Teeth

I have to tell you the funniest story. I was recently sent a advanced reader copy for a new thriller called Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage, which hits bookstores July 17th. By the way, huge thanks to St. Martin's Press, the publisher, for making my week. Anyway, I start reading this unusual book. It is about a young girl, 7 years old, who is very smart. She loves her dad so much but her mom, she'd kind like her out of the picture so she can have her dad all to herself. The little girl is Hanna and the mom is Suzette. So let's just cut to the short of it, this book is devious, dark, intense and quite thrilling. I really liked it.

So, I'm reading along one afternoon, about halfway through the book when my husband comes in with the mail. He stops in our hall and doesn't move. Odd, I ask if anything bad came in the mail. No answer. I ask if he's okay, no answer. Finally, he says "I don't know." We had received a post card, on the front are kids drawings and printed over it is "Maybe if Mommy was uglier, maybe Daddy wouldn't love her as much." Hubby was confused. He didn't know if this was a weird campaign for some unusual group or product, or if some little girl was really a problem child and had sent something very odd to the wrong address. He flipped to postcard over and it says in red ink written like a child, "I hate mommy so much. I promise you'll feel the same way, cross my heart, hope mommy dies." The postcard was from the publisher, reminding me of the book they'd sent. Believe me I needed no reminding.

Now if that does not convince you to buy and read this book, then I wash my hands of you, so would Hanna!

A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo

Well everyone, I bought a new vacuum but now the dishwasher broke. All I want is to live in a home of complete harmony, is that really so much to ask? Needless to say, to escape the Maximum Overdrive 2.0 going on in my house I have resorted to books! As usual!

I have been so fortunate to receive an advance reader copy of A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo. I haven't read anything by Linda before so went into this completely blind. This story is half thriller half mystery. It opens like a rocket, and I mean opens. I was saying "wow" out loud during the prologue....you read that right...THE PROLOGUE. The first chapter was even more shocking. Immediately I'm intrigued.

Without giving the story away, this is set in Ohio within several groups of Amish. There is a murder, and we follow the chief of police, Kate Burkholder. Now Kate, who is ex-Amish herself has her own set of problems and they intertwine with the murder. Interesting huh? The chief is a very likable character that you find yourself totally rooting for. The thing is, after the super-exciting beginning the book settles into Kate going from person to person, interviewing them trying to find out who knew what and why certain things happened. I started to think "uh oh, here we go, this is about to get really dry and boring." The thing is, it didn't! It got more and more compelling of a read the further it went along and hung on until the very end...I mean the very end.

If you are interested in a mystery/thriller in a different setting or are interested in the Amish, this is the book for you. If the Amish setting is a turn off for you please know that it only assists the story, it doesn't detract or bog it down in any way. This book is released July 10th.

I cannot thank St. Martin's Press enough for so generously sending me a proof of this amazing story. Please don't mind it though if I blame you for my sudden urge to learn how to quilt.