A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell

Well, it's not cool here yet, but there is something in the air. Oh yes, that is panic. Holiday panic. I feel the pressure already!  I'll get flack for this but allow me to be very sexist for just a second. I know, I can hear you saying, "have you seen the political news lately, April? Do you think it is wise to even whisper the word sexist right now?" This is a light-hearted book blog, just for fun and so I can stop annoying hubby with endless book chat, nothing more. Anyway, back to my comment. Women seem to have more holiday stress than men. I don't know if it is because more of the holiday prep falls on women or because women are driven to make those absolutely perfect memories. In my case, I can tell you exactly what it is. We put up too many decorations and bake way too many cookies for way too many people. In my defense how do you say no to giving out cookies at the holidays? As for decorations, we have an old house, it is even on the National Register of Historic Places. It begs for holiday decorations and lots of them. We do six trees. Yes, six. Don't judge! Just seeing the endless stream of boxes come out of the attic is enough to give the calmest person an enormous panic attack. Worry not, I'll cope. The dishwasher was a battle but is finally fixed, so I count that as big old check off my list.

Now I usually turn to reading as a distraction. Fortunately, I am bogged down in my reading. So many wonderful and oh so generous publishers have sent me copies of books to review. In addition, some of my favorite authors have had or are about to have new releases. Naturally, as if on que, these new released books must each be 500 pages! I feel like Demi Moore, rolling around money, in Indecent Proposal, only in my case it's books. Yikes, those corners are just not nearly as comfortable as cold hard cash! So, I might have to post a couple of extra reviews, I still promise not to bog you down. In any case, too much good reading? Nope. I'm very grateful to all sources and cannot wait to read and talk about each of your books.

On to todays actual topic, A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell. Actually, I'd never heard of this book but saw a trailer for the upcoming movie. Thinking it looks like a thriller, which are often books first, bingo, Amazon to the rescue...and here it is.  I'm pausing here, typing slowing....not sure what to say. The book is good, it is interesting and a fairly fast read. There are things that bug me. Part of the story is told by blog. Great. But when you live it and I read about it, then write about it in the blog, then later write about it telling the truth of what actually happened...I've now read about the same event 3 times, 1 of which is completely unnecessary. I know I harp on this over and over, but I really dislike when authors do this. I don't want to read the same thing twice. I know Darcey Bell hasn't read about my endless cookies, 6 trees and huge "to be read" list but she should, as repeating unnecessarily wastes my time and yours. I know you're tired of hearing it but why isn't this caught in editing. It HAS to bother more people than just me. The other thing that irritated me a little, is that it seems like this book tried to throw in every twist available. I'm still undecided about that comment, even as I type it. Who loves thrillers and doesn't love a good twist? Not me. I adore a good twist-a-thon. I guess there is no pleasing me, not enough twists I'm unhappy, now it seems I'm unhappy with too many. Maybe these weren't involved enough, not entrenched in the story enough.

I think this is a good book, I would read it again. Is it one of my favorites, no. Could it be your favorite, sure!

ps. now I have the song Let's Twist Again going through my head. If it doesn't stop soon I'll have to resort to singing the theme from Gilligan's Island!

Beautiful Bad Keeps You Guessing

Please don't hate me for telling you about a book that does not launch until March 19,2019. I cannot help myself. I know...I know, the wait is long for this one, but totally worth it. If you are a thriller lover, get right on over to your bookseller's page and preorder.

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward is one of those thrillers that actually thrill readers by twisting them this way then that. The book opens with a residential attack. We don't know who lives in the house and if any have died or survived. The story slowly introduces you into the small cast of characters, revealing their past. The story shows how these people are linked together for good and sometimes for not so good. Obviously, these people are linked to the beginning of the novel. The reader spends the book trying to figure out who the evil person is. First you lean towards one then the other, back and forth as the story is masterfully woven. It races to a conclusion that isn't a conclusion at all, there is yet one final twist, then again, an encore twist just for good measure. This book holds you tightly until the very last word! 

This review was written for BookishFirst. Many thanks to BookishFirst and Park Row Books for the Advanced Copy of Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward.

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

Well, since my last review on the 10th of September the world has fallen apart for many people in the state of NC, and others. I am in coastal NC and somehow, by some miracle, our town threaded the needle between bands of the hurricane. We had less than an inch of rain and light wind by hurricane standards. Frankly, I've been through way more storms than I ever should have, they make me crazy. Terrified crazy. Hey, forget Sharknado, when it starts raining TREES for real, you'd be terrified too! Somehow, we were spared. Now we are experiencing a few of the aftermaths, roads are closed in every direction but north, mail just started again two days ago, and our grocery story has not a stitch of produce, meat, or dairy. A very small price to pay compared to those who lost everything. I was convinced we were about to lose everything, so the grief I feel for those around this area is profound. I will be eternally grateful to have been spared and feel guilty at the same time. In any case, I've seen so many wonderful statements of support, just thought I would say thank you and send healing wishes for everyone concerned.

On to happier topics, BOOKS! To take my mind of the storm, I read Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter. Now, before you get your knickers in a twist, yes, I realize I am the absolutely last person on the planet to read a Karin Slaughter book. I blame you, book addicts, for not shoving her novels in my face. How could you let me miss out?!?!? Especially knowing my fondness for thrillers! Ahhh, now that I've passed the blame for my reading shortcomings I feel much better. I felt great after reading this book!

Pieces of Her really resonated with me in so many ways. How could someone with a design background from the prestigious SCAD, Savannah College of Art and Design, end up living in a tiny apartment in NYC taking 911 calls? Of course, the 911 job is very noble and heaven knows, stressful, but not as the main character Andy intended her life to be. What happens when she finds out her parents are not anything like what she thought. They are horrible, terrible people, yet amazing in ways she never knew. What if lives were not what they seem. Andy shares that deep mother daughter bond with her mom, Laura, but then is troubled at that bond existing while her actually knowing nothing about her mother. All of these literally life changing questions are wrapped in a fast paced thriller in this story. It is gripping and shocking, the explanations are complex yet so simple. This novel is amazing. I cannot wait to rocket through another of Karin Slaughter books!

You know, a few years ago I scanned all my parents slides into the computer. There were a couple with some weird mechanical diagrams. My dad did work for a defense contractor. Hmmmmm…...now I'm wondering and I blame it all on Karin Slaughter!

Lies by T. M. Logan

Now, I realize I just posted yesterday and you're likely already at your April limit, (who isn't) but I forgot to tell you about a great book, and it releases on September 11th! While I find it annoying to be bombarded with posts, I also don't want you to miss a great book and if you are a thriller lover, this is a great one!

This book starts with a man Joe, in his car with his son, Ben, who sees his mom's car with mommy driving down the road. Since it is not at a time or place Joe would expect to see his wife out and about, he follows her. What unfolds is a wild ride. Joe discovers a vat of simmering doubt and disappointment. 

The cover asks the question about what if your life was based on lies. Now, frankly, I'm certain many of our lives are based on little lies. Nobody wants to look boring to their Facebook friends from high school. Everyone absolutely MUST outdo each other with the frequency of lavish vacations. That's not what the book is talking about. How would you feel if everything you based your life on fell apart. If you suddenly discover piece after piece of information showing you were one giant Jenga tower about to fall because that solid base you stand on was never really there at all. Those are the questions this book asks. It is terrifying. It could happen to any of us. I guess we all rest our faith on the integrity of those around us, but some people are really good liars. 

Lies was so good. A fast paced, keep you up all night page turner with an excellent twist at the end. If this story doesn't have you awake reading, it will have you examining everyone in your life...just to make sure.

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

Are you ever just so tired that you feel like a slug? Probably no. You are likely one of those annoying, eternally perky people. I detest you. I really do. Okay, maybe I'm jealous. So what? I'm just in a mood, noticing all those signs of aging and resenting the young. My friend said she pulled a muscle the other day just putting on her bra. Hell, I pulled my back just sneezing "the wrong way".  People told me the day I hit 40 it would start, the very day...like on my birthday. Sadly, those wack-a-doodles were completely right. Now this is where I'll write nothing else, since I just mentioned turning 40 and act like I just had that milestone. In actuality, I've lied about my age so much recently when the doctor asked me how old I was, I had to get out my fingers to count. (Get them out, like they were "put away".) I'd say I got out an abacus, but you are all probably too young to even know what that is, which will really tick me off, which will make me sigh and feel even more tired. You see this aging thing is a vicious circle.

Anyway, after reading the amazing 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I needed a break. I picked a thriller called The Other Woman by Sandie Jones. Honestly, I chose it because it is recent and shorter, just under 300 pages. This book was a great break for my character-laden brain. It follows a girl, Emily, who falls in love with Adam. Unfortunately Adam has a wicked Mother, who doesn't like Emily.  Seemed like a plot that has been done quite a bit. Just turn on the TV any Saturday afternoon, bypass the 9,000th showing of Shawshank Redemption (still love ya Stephen King) and Dirty Dancing, to see Jane Fonda in action in Monster-in-Law. The common plot didn't bother me, obviously, since I bought the book and it called to me from my stack to read. I'm glad it did. Sandie Jones is the kind of writer I like. She skips the BS. Not that background story is BS, but...how do I explain it? If she says something is going to happen on Wednesday, the story immediately skips to that event on Wednesday. I love it. No waiting while the characters do their laundry on Tuesday night, making me wonder why I'm spending so much time reading this book instead of doing my own laundry. Nope, Sandie Jones skips to the good stuff. THANK YOU! This made the book so much faster paced and so much more pleasant to read. The story moves quickly to a conclusion which I am certain I had figured out, but alas was happily wrong again.

A very pleasant read, would make a great plane or beach read.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a complex, lengthy, weird, and an odd book. It's also: mesmerizing, brilliant, character rich, has a perfect setting in a creepy old mansion alone in the woods. The atmosphere is moody and rich, making the pages come to life. This book is filled with twists and turns. It is amazing and despite being over 400 pages I would still read more!
No spoilers, but the story follows a character that must solve a murder and moves within the bodies of the different characters to see things from their perspective. Now while I'm not a fan of fantasy, I still loved this book. I really am at a loss to describe this story. It is like Groundhog Day, meets Sherlock Holmes, meets The Death of Mrs. Westaway. The story is so involved with many characters and people moving within those bodies, it seems a bit confusing in the beginning. The reader soon learns about each character, loving some, disliking others. In addition, it has a satisfying ending (which I always appreciate). I am amazed at the work that went into this book, I think it might have been easier to solve a real murder than write this novel. If you are a mystery lover, what are you waiting for...get it now! 

This review was originally written for BookishFirst, a very fun web site. Many thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher Source Books for an advanced reader copy of this book. In addition, huge thanks to the author, Stuart Turton, for writing such a great story. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle will be released September 18th and is available for preorder.

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall

Hello out there. It's Labor Day, hope you've been enjoying your holiday. Many thanks to all those manning the stores to offer great sales and keep the economy spinning. An extra wink and nod to those working at book stores, of course. We were grilling the traditional burgers and dogs when hubby decided to try his hand at salmon. Now salmon is one of my favorites, so the thought of it grilled over charcoal sounded delicious. He has a new grill this year with heavy duty cast iron grates so is experimenting and gaining confidence quickly. To wrap this up, it was unbelievably good. To hell with hamburgers and hot dogs, bring on the fish (said very few people ever but I did today). Okay, enough household tasks chat, let's get down to business.

Ever read Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall? It was offered on Book of the Month several months ago and I passed. People said it was very dirty with lots of bondage-ish type parts. To be honest, I'm 50 Shades of Greyed out! Then I kept hearing it was quite the thriller. So then, naturally, I had to buy it for more money because I just have absolutely no shopping strength .... honestly my tbr (to be read) pile tops 90 books...no self-control.  Now that I have MORE money invested in this book than I had to, I am determined to read it immediately.

As usual, I am not restating the jacket but I love how this book starts one way then plants seeds of doubt.  First you think the main character, Mike, is a bit nutty, thinking his married ex-girlfriend got married to someone else as part of their "game". Now who would think someone would go that far? It's silly. Nobody would.  Did you read this book? Did you think V, short for Verity, was still playing? Nah. To be my normal practical housewifey self, it's too darn expensive...weddings, divorces, not to mention all that work. Who has the time or energy? I'm shaking my head at the computer screen, nope, no way. V was out. She was fed up with Mike. I am completely convinced from everyday experience and the book. Then the author introduces mean old Mr. Doubt. Loved it. I'm confused. Could I be wrong? Could V actually be bonkers and have gotten married while still playing? I don't know.

Ever see the 1960's Star Trek episode with Harcourt Fenton Mudd, where Spock tells the robot chicks everything he says is a lie. They then wonder if everything you say is a lie how can you be telling the truth, they get caught in a loop then their heads practically blow off. That is this book as doubt slowly creeps it's way in. You think you have a firm grip on what is what but then......maybe...well.....??? There really isn't much dirty about this book, but there is an interesting read here. It is well written, fast paced, stays on point and moves you quickly to the end. Speaking of the end, it is fantastic, I still think about it and I read this book about a month ago.  Mmmmm…..I want to add more about the ending but I'm going to try that self control thing for YOUR reading enjoyment. You're welcome. You'll thank me at the end!