The Body Double by Emily Beyda

Title: The Body Double by Emily Beyda

Publisher: Doubleday Books

Release Date: 3/3/2020

The blurb for this book was intriguing. The actual book fell short.

We have a young woman working a dead end job at a movie theater. She's approached by a wealthy but mysterious stranger. His proposition? With his guidance and training (and she finds out later, plastic surgery and starvation) she will impersonate Rosanna Feld, a starlet who needs a break from the limelight. Her period of employment will last three years and then she is to disappear into obscurity so Rosanna can resume her life. For some odd reason, the young woman jumps at the chance.

The wealthy man, named Max, whisks her to L.A. and puts her up in a shoddy, run down apartment. I don't know about anyone else but this would be a major red flag for me. Max is soon dressing her, instructing her, and even has a doctor come and do surgery on her. This all happens in the apartment. The major setting of this book is the apartment. 

Other than a hairdresser and doctor, for a long period of time Max is the only person the nameless narrator sees. I'm no doctor but you can tell that she has the beginnings of Stockholm syndrome. She's like an infant that depends on Max for everything. Her daily life in the apartment is so boring that it's almost maddening to the reader.

Max decides that she's ready to be seen out in public to put her transformation to the test. This goes well and I started to think, okay, this book is about to start building up to something. Now it will finally get juicy.

It doesn't. Max controls who she sees, what she says, where she goes, what she eats. Then after her outings she goes back to the same crappy apartment. Her transformation is a success. People think she's Rosanna. Mentally, she thinks she is Rosanna.

Have I mentioned that we still haven't seen the actual Rosanna? Any guesses as to where she might be?

The characters are one dimensional. The nameless narrator may be a good idea, but this narrator only has tiny snippets of backstory. If you blink or skim, you will miss them. You don't care about her as a person at all. Ever. Not to mention you never have it explained to you why she would ever make such a drastic, life-altering decision in the first place.

The book trudges on and on and just when you think It will build to something exciting, it falls flat. The ending came and was not only confusing but it was as flat and monotone as the rest of the book.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Title: Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Release Date: 04/21/2020

I'm sure you've read a book where you read a certain scene and you mouth just drops open and you look around and say, "Oh my God, what??" This book had not one, not two, but several moments like that for me. Just when you think you've got the plot figured out, Ms. Brown yanks the carpet out from under your feet. The amazing part is that she does it so very well.

 Pretty Things is told from the perspective of Nina and Vanessa. These two women are as different as night and day. Nina is a con artist raised by a con artist mother while Vanessa is born into a family of wealth and privilege. They meet briefly while Nina is a teen and Vanessa is a college student due to Nina's friendship with Benny, Vanessa's brother. Now, years later they meet again as Nina is desperate for one last con to help her mother and then go legit. She thinks Vanessa will be the perfect mark.

The book intertwines flashbacks as well as the perspectives of the two women. There are a few scenes that are told from each woman's point of view. Strangely enough it works. I am not going to say that I loved either character because they are both deeply flawed. At different points you feel sad for them, you root for them, you care for them, and you even hates them.

Setting details are amazing. I could picture the landscape, picture the mansions, and picture the lake. The descriptions almost make me want to take a trip to Lake Tahoe and take a look around. If a writer has you seeing the story as a movie inside of your head then she's doing an excellent job. This was excellent.

The story shows you that whether you are rich or broke, you all have problems. No one is what they seem in this book and they tell lies upon lies upon lies to each other and themselves. In the end, could the two women bond and put their past aside?

The only thing that I wished for more in this book was that I wanted to see more of Benny. He's very troubled but also funny and he means so much to both women that it was a shame that he wasn't more present in the book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. The pacing is good and the story is compelling. I suggest you pre-order a copy so you don't miss out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book. I sincerely hope that Ms. Brown continues writing and that I'll be able to review her next piece of work. 

They Did Bad Things by Lauren A. Forry

Title: They Did Bad Things by Lauren A. Forry
Publisher: Skyhouse Publishing, Arcade Crimewise
Release Date: 6/2/2020

"When did my life turn into a game of Clue?"

A quote from a character that I sincerely hope makes it into the final cut of this book because Clue is exactly what sprang to mind when I started reading this book. Five friends are lured to a falling down wreck of a home under false pretenses. One is celebrating a promotion, one is there to meet an online lover. The real reason that they are called together? Who killed Callum?

Twenty years ago, while sharing a house together, the sixth member of their group was found dead after a party. The police ruled it accidental but the five friends know the truth. One of them is a murderer and the rest of them played their parts in the discovery and subsequent cover up. Now someone has brought them all together for the purpose of having the truth be brought to light.

The story is told through the alternating perspectives of the five friends and an unknown narrator. You flash back twenty years at times, to where you delve into their histories and discover clues. You learn that the friends were never quite as close as they may seem and that some of them were actually quite nasty. The question remains, which one of them was capable of murder?

The suspect pool dwindles down as the murders start. Secrets are revealed and some are kept almost all the way to the end. The reveal of the identity of the narrator comes as a complete surprise. The last chapter or two do as well.

The book was fast paced and a whodunit that keeps you guessing. The characters are well fleshed out and the plot doesn't get boring. The Clue vibe is present throughout but it just made it that much more enjoyable. The book also asks you to explore in your own mind as to whether you'd be capable to murder another. I'd definitely recommend this for an rainy day, or beach read. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhouse Publishing for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for a review. 

When I Was You by Minka Kent

Title: When I Was You by Minka Kent
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: February 1, 2020

Brienne Dougray has suffered through trauma in her life. She was raised by her grandparents after she was taken away from her neglectful mother. Six months ago she was brutally stabbed and beaten and left for dead in an alley. Her wallet, purse, and watch were stolen as well. She's left with OCD, nightmares, migraines, PTSD, and a traumatic brain injury. She's also left with fear.

Brienne's fear is strong enough that she rarely leaves the house and her friends encourage her to take on a tenant. She does, Niall Emberlin, and quickly becomes co-dependent on him. Her friends start disappearing from her life and all she is left with is Niall.

A mysterious key arrives at her house and when Brienne starts to investigate she discovers someone is living their lives as her. A whole other Brienne Dougray is living the life she used to live before the attack, down to their social media presence. She contacts a private investigator who treats her like she's crazy so she decides to investigate on her own. Niall eventually gets involved and Brienne starts to doubt her own sanity.

There are twists and turns aplenty in this book. Just when you think you have it all figured out you are thrown a curve ball that sends you in another direction. I finished this book in a couple hours because I just could not find a good place to stop. I wanted to know every detail and didn't put it down until I was finished!

I know some readers, like me, will wonder why Brienne didn't go to the police at several times during the course of the book. Please, keep in mind that she was a victim and felt that the police had failed her by not finding her attacker. This mentality, along with the gaslighting and other aspects in the plot, can lead people to irrational decisions. That being said, I'll ask again...Brienne, why the hell didn't you go to the police?!

This book is slow for the first little bit but I appreciate it because Ms. Kent really gets into the details of what happens when someone isolates themselves from the world. Once the action gets going, however, it just doesn't stop. Fast paced page turner for sure!

Pick up this book ASAP. You will not be disappointed. This is the first book I've read by Ms. Kent but I am a fan now and am looking forward to reading more by her.

A million thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review. It was an absolute pleasure.

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

Title: The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian
Publisher: Doubleday Books
Release Date: March 17, 2020

The blurb for this book made me request it from NetGalley. It sounded good. A strong, successful woman is on a vacation in Vietnam with her boyfriend. He ends up going missing and then dying under mysterious circumstances. Smart woman starts to investigate and uncovers that her boyfriend is a liar. I mean, haven't we all been there?

Alexis meets Austin when he comes into the ER where she works for a bullet wound. 6 1/2 months later they are taking a biking tour through Vietnam together. After Austin dies, Alexis becomes fixated on the fact that Austin lied to her about why he's in Vietnam. She obsesses to the point that you want to reach into the book to slap her and tell her to let it go.

The book continues as Alexis hires a private investigator to look into Austin and his death. The author drops dribs and drabs of information as the story progresses. As much as I wanted this book to be a page turner for me, it sadly wasn't. Scientific and medical explanations interspersed with the talk of rats made this book a bit boring and very slow at times. The most action packed parts of the book were the last 3-4 chapters.

It's a good book and well written but there was absolutely no connection to any of the characters for me. Characters were put in danger and I just shrugged and continued the book.

This book might probably appeal more to people into medical or scientific mysteries. It's not a bad book overall, I just simply didn't like it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the chance to read this book.

The Perfect Mother by Caroline Mitchell

Title: The Perfect Mother by Caroline Mitchell
Publisher: Amazon Publishing UK
Release Date: January 14, 2020

Rosalind "Roz" Foley is a 24 year old housekeeper in Ireland. After a drunken night with a partner that was definitely a mistake, she turns up pregnant. The father of the baby is affiliated with her best friend Dympna, and to keep the baby would cause chaos in both their lives. Roz turns to the internet for help.

She registers on a website where she can be matched with prospective families for her child. Her father abandoned her as a child and her mother was an alcoholic so Roz becomes obsessed with finding the perfect mother. She's soon inundated with responses but the one that really catches her eye is a "diamond" couple. This means that the couple is very wealthy. Surely this means that they can provide her baby a perfect life?

After she initiates contact with "Julie", Roz is whisked away to New York City to meet the prospective parents. She soon learns that the people that want her baby are Sheridan Sinclair and Daniel Watson, an "It celebrity couple" looking to expand their family. Sheridan doesn't let any grass grow under her feet and manipulates the desperate and star struck Roz into signing away the rights to her baby immediately.

The glitter soon starts to wear off as Roz is given glimpses into Sheridan's true nature. Sheridan's whole household and staff fears her and now Roz fears her as well. She starts to regret her decisions and also starts bonding with her baby. As her baby grows, Roz starts to grow into her inner strength, which is good because in the beginning I was wondering how she could be so stupid and naive.

The story is complex with very well written characters. The police presence is enough to keep the story moving but at the same time you aren't bogged down with procedural details. The underlying theme is that what you may view from the outside as being perfect may very well not be when you are face to face with it.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the strength of the friendship between Roz and Dympna. Despite the suspicion that her boyfriend is the baby's father and the fact that people think she's silly for worrying about Roz, she swears something is wrong and doesn't stop trying to find her. She never wavers in the love for her friend and it was beautiful to read.

I'm definitely going to seek out more of Ms. Mitchell's work, because if this book is an example I will surely enjoy the others as well.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. It was a genuine pleasure.

Deadly Waters by Dot Hutchison

Title: Deadly Waters by Dot Hutchison

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Release Date: 5/19/2020

I have reviewed a book by Dot Hutchison before so I was eager to jump into the first book of a reported new series. I was not disappointed.

Her writing is solid and her setting descriptions really make you feel the oppressive humidity of Florida. The only two draw backs I found in this novel were the large amount of characters you are hit with in the beginning. They are hard to keep track of at times and I hope they are fleshed out more in the future books. Also, the topic. Young male predators and the women they sexually assault. This is an important topic to be discussed but there were a few moments that it felt like the message overpowered the book and was a bit preachy.

That being said, let's get to the good stuff! Rebecca Sorley is a college student at the UF campus in Florida. One body pops up and then another. The connection between them? They have previously assaulted a female student. It seems that we have a vigilante on our hands. How many more bodies will there be? Is anyone safe?

I was able to guess who the killer was early on in the story and you would think that it would make it less enjoyable. That's not the case. The author intertwines the story of Rebecca with the killer and her room mates, most notably Ellie and Hafsah. Ellie, especially, has a history of violence against men and speaking her thoughts with no filter. She's immediately made the number one suspect in the reader's mind and in Rebecca's. Quiet and strong Hafsah shares the same thoughts. If you thought your best friend was a killer, would you be able to turn her in? Would you agree with her motives?

The story makes you think "well maybe I was wrong and the killer is X" and then there is a little swerve that makes you doubt yourself again.

Without giving too much away, the killer disposes of her victims with the help of a familiar Florida native. The gator. As the story goes on, I was made to question whether or not the killer was really evil. I mean, the guys she was killing were scum. Wasn't she doing the world a favor?

It also makes you take a good look about how secretive many women are about sexual assault and reporting it. If your offender was only going to get a slap on the wrist from the court system, wouldn't having someone erase him from the planet be a better option? If that happened, would you actually feel justice and closure?

This book is intense and gripping and the ending, though for some predictable, will leave you wondering...what is going to happen next? I've asked so many questions here and I must say, the book makes you question a lot of things as well. 

I sincerely hope that I am offered the chance to request the next book in the series once it becomes available. I won't be satisfied until I read the whole story.

A million thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to review this book. Especially to NetGalley for introducing me to Dot Hutchison back when she wrote her debut novel. I'm forever grateful as she has a true talent and a joy to read.

The Second Home by Christina Clancy

Title: The Second Home by Christina Clancy
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Six months after her the death of both of her parents, Ann "Ann with a Plan" Gordon wants to sell the summer home that has been in her family for generations. There's no will but she has appointed herself the executor of the estate. She has only one thought, and that is to keep her estranged adopted brother Michael from having a benefit from the sale.

The book is told from the perspective of Ann, Poppy. and Michael and tells the events from the summer of 1999 and back to the present day. Ann is the take charge daughter, Poppy is the flighty free spirit, and Michael is the golden  boy who never quite feels as if he fits in. It is a bit too much about how much they fit into their neat character boxes, but not unbearable.

Something happens to Ann in the summer of 1999 and like a stone thrown in a pond, the ripples extend out and touch everyone and everything. The incident in question made me angry and had it been a physical book instead of a digital copy I would have thrown it. A well known and somewhat overused plot device was employed here. I understand that it was used to further the story and fuel the plot but I didn't like it at all.

Barring those two things, the overall story was good. It was a quick read, dark enough to keep you invested (because trust me, after that one plot point I almost wanted to give it up) but light enough to be a summer read. 

The characters, even though predictable, were well fleshed out. Where this author excels though is the setting descriptions. You can almost smell the salt and sulfur of the Cape. You can almost see the changes of the season in the landscape. You can almost feel the sand between your toes.

The Second Home is about coming home and reliving memories that may have been brighter when seen through the eyes of a child but are dimmed a bit as an adult. The memories are still yours and just as special. The Second Home is about more than just the house and the sale of it. It's about how "home" is really more your family and the connection you have to one another than a building.

I'm glad I stuck with this book until the end. The ending was quick but the plot was tied up nicely. This book will make a good summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to have a copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review.

Mail Surprise

I checked my mail this morning and found a plain white package from a company simply labeled as TSI. I haven't been ordering anything but my birthday is coming up so I thought it was possibly a present. And what a present it proved to be!

I opened it and found this:

Cute, but I'm not, nor have I ever been married. That didn't stop me from opening it. I'm very curious at times. What was inside?

What you are looking at is a "letter" from Simon Fitch to his wife. The back of the small card has a recipe with another quick note from Simon. Inside the little tin? A soy wax candle with a heavenly pine scent.

I don't remember requesting this book but this beautiful package is from the creative geniuses in the St. Martin's Press promotional department. This is to promote a new book by D. J. Palmer called The New Husband which will be on sale 4/14/2020. Simon Fitch is one of the main characters.

I absolutely adore the presentation and the snippets of the book. I cannot wait to have #thenewhusband in my greedy hands to review. I sincerely wish all ARCs were sent to me in such a fun way. This also made St. Martin 's Press one of the dream publishers to work with if I ever publish my own work in the future.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press!

Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald

Title: Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald
Publisher: Gallery Books, Pocket Books

How much would you remember if you survived a lightning strike? If you were Eva Hansen, not very much. Eva wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there or who murdered her mother Kat. She soon learns that she is a suspect in the murder. Even though their relationship had always been awkward, could she really have murdered Kat?

So begins Eva's search for some answers. After finding a letter from Kat that reveals some dark family secrets, Eva begins to doubt everything in her life, including herself. Eva soon journeys to England to seek out the truth and the rest of her mother's secrets. She's soon forced to confront some of her own.

There were a few unbelievable plot points. Who is able to just walk out of the hospital after being struck by lightning? What kind of police detective is just going to let you hop an international flight to another country? How convenient is it for you that your ex-boyfriend just happens to have an apartment in the same country that you're flying off to? Other than those, the story is well done.

While I understand why Eva is the way she is (not going to spoil plot points), in the beginning she is so annoying. She is extremely clingy and she lets her fiance Liam control her life. He just manages the hell out of her and she just lets him. I was pleased to see that as the story progressed she seemed to start recovering some of her inner strength. 

I wish this book had been longer as the journey to the end seemed a bit rushed and as if there was a lot of information crammed into a short period. The author does do an incredible job of dropping bread crumbs to lead you down the path. The conclusion, while parts were obvious, the author still managed to sneak in a few twists to be satisfying.

I would definitely read this again. While not in my top ten favorites, it's a good and solid read and very enjoyable.

Thanks to Gallery Books, Pocket Books, and Netgalley.com for providing me an ARC to read in exchange for a honest review.

Follow Me by Kathleen Barber

Title: Follow Me by Kathleen Barber
Publisher: Gallery, Pocket Books, Gallery Books

I absolutely loved the series "You" on Netflix so when they said fans of the show would love this book I said count me in. That being said I was disappointed. Let me explain.

Audrey Miller is a young influencer on Instagram with tons of followers and a seemingly perfect life. She decides to change cities and coincidentally moves closer to the stalker. Now that she's local, he can amp his cyber stalking up to the next level.

She's not likeable at all. If there was even a tiny shred of her life or personality that people could relate to or empathize with then this book would have been a lot better. At one point I wanted to reach in the book and strangle her myself. At the very least tell her to shut up.

Her glamorous life is a sham. She stages photos just to get the most likes, which I'm sure all of the influencers on Instagram do. She never, ever can just enjoy the moment. She's always looking for the next "perfect shot" and she ends up missing so much. Her stalker, for example. 

She also uses people. Her sorority sister who she starts living with due to her stalker? She doesn't even really like the other woman. She tolerates her and uses her for a place to live and to make connections in a new city.

The ex-boyfriend? She uses him for sex and security when she is scared and delights in torturing him when she starts dating again. Then she wonders why he blows up at her.

The identity of the stalker was pretty clear from about the half way point of the book, the last few chapters were rushed and unsurprising, and the ending tied everything up in a neat bow but was really disappointing.

What I took away from this book is that perfection on Instagram is hardly, if ever, real. Also, people should maybe post less on social media and enjoy the moment more.

Many thanks to Gallery Books, Pocket Books, and Netgalley.com for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

Title: Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books

I was hesitant to read this book because it includes a child abduction and I'm the mom of two. Abduction is one of my biggest fears. I knew I would read it anyway because I liked a previous book from the same author and I am so glad I did.

A few seconds is all it took for Marin Machado's perfect life to fall apart. She's Christmas shopping in a place packed with people with her son Sebastian and is looking to buy that last perfect gift. He's tired and cranky and he wants a treat, she's tired and cranky and she just wants some caffeine. She lets go of his hand for a minute to answer a text and in an instant he's gone. Surveillance video shows that he left with Santa Claus.

Let that one sink in for a minute. Kids all over the world love Santa and think he's safe. Some wouldn't give leaving with him a second thought.

Move forward a year and a half later and the case is cold. The FBI has no new information. As frustrating as that is, it's the reality for many across the country. Marin and Derek are more like roommates than husband and wife. Derek seems to have given up on Sebastian as well as giving up on Marin. She is determined to find out what happened to her son, good news or bad. She hires a P.I. who comes to the same conclusion as the FBI, they simply have no leads to go on.The P.I. has discovered Derek's little secret however. He's having an affair with a younger woman named Kenzie.

This energizes Marin and gets her moving out of the rut she's been living in. The anger of betrayal fuels her. Her son may be gone and her life may be in shambles but no one is going to take her husband. This is one thing she CAN fix.

This book goes through a series of twists and turns from there. Marin goes about taking care of this younger woman in an unexpected way and once she sets the ball rolling the pace of this book kicks into high gear. All sorts of secrets are uncovered, from Derek to Marin to her best friend Sal to Kenzie. 

You simply cannot skim this book. There are a million little "secret" details hidden along the way that will make sense as the ending gets pulled together. This book was a well written puzzle that I read in one sitting because I just HAD to keep going. Mystery and thriller fans, this one is for you!

Many thanks to Netgalley.com, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for giving me and advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

New Year, New Goals

Hey everyone!

I've got three reviews that will be posted sporadically through the day today.

That being said, I'd like to point you to another reviewer. I don't read a lot of fantasy or sci-fi but Bob does and he reviews and writes beautifully. You should check him out! He's over at Beauty in Ruins. 

You can find him here: https://femledfantasy.home.blog/

If you ever need to find him but can't find this post, I have also linked him over to the right.

Enjoy!