A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

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A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

 

It has been a long time since I have posted a review. It’s funny because one would think that under stay-at-home orders I would have so much more time to read and review. It’s quite the opposite as it seems that I have much less time than before. My husband and daughter are both working and doing school from home so I haven’t had nearly as much free time to read! It’s sad! However, after receiving the ARC of this book, I could not put it down! Leslie Rule is indeed Ann Rule’s daughter, and this book proves that they are the queens of true crime.

True Crime has been a huge interest of mine since before I realized it was an interest. “You mean, not everyone enjoys hearing details about murders? What?” I’ve listened to the podcasts, watched all the murder shows and documentaries, but only ever read a couple of true crime books. An investigation into Kurt Cobain’s death was my favorite in high school, but that was about the extent. Ann Rule became an interest after seeing her on various shows or mentioned in specific cases, and I added her books to my “to-read” list. Then this book showed up for a chance to win a copy and I had some points saved up to cash in for a guaranteed copy. I’m so glad I did.

This book was everything I ever wanted in the true crime genre. The writing is stellar. It stays focused and interesting simultaneously and is never boring. The murder is also not a super well-known case, which makes for a perfect book with all of the twists and turns. I won’t give anything away because it was that good, I can’t ruin it for someone else. This seems like a perfect book for a book club because it will leave the reader in awe and ready for a discussion. I was desperate for my husband to read it so I could talk about it, but that just wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t dislike anything about the book until the end, because it was over! I sincerely hope the author writes more true crime books because it was so great I only want more.

You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy

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You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy

Isn’t it funny how you notice right away when you’re not being listened to, but sometimes completely oblivious when you are not listening to someone else? This book brought up an interesting point about how there are degrees in communications and all types of educational resources about communicating, but nothing about listening, specifically. Yet, listening can be a lost skill, or never truly learned at all. There are so many things to learn about someone just by what they tell you, but if you don’t know to listen for it, you’ll miss out.

This book is incredible for even the best listeners out there. I was told for years that I was a good listener, but this book displayed all that I have been missing out on in all relationships, close or distant. This book can give a seemingly endless amount of examples of how to listen better, but not just by saying you should. There are real examples of why listening better will actually help you, and how to implement the practice. There is an example involving comedy and improv, and while I may not go sign up for a class, the example showed how they learned as well as how to apply that yourself.

I truly believe this book will make anyone who reads it a better person. I know I will be referencing back to it many times and it will be one I reread many times, I’m sure. It is beyond well-researched and interesting and intriguing. The author does not just fling data and research at you hoping you care to decipher it. It is definitely not your typical self-help book. At times, it could seem that the author has a high horse attitude or seems full of themselves, but if you read it from an objective point of view, you will understand much more.

This book is a definite 10/10 and should be read by everyone!

The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters

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The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters

Alright, I will begin by admitting that I picked this book because of the cover. Honestly, how could I not? I absolutely love it and want it on my wall. It also gives the eerie vibe of something pretty with a dark twist, which perfectly captures how I feel about the book. At least, for the most part. I can’t give it a perfect rating, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Dead Girls Club is about a group of friends who enjoyed talking about killers, murders, and scary stories. The story of the Red Lady becomes an obsession for Becca that turns deadly one night. Heather was there, and it was Heather that killed Becca. Years later, someone is showing Heather that they know what she did.

What I enjoyed was the unfolding of the story.  We know Heather killed Becca already, how is that not the ultimate spoiler? There is a lot more to this story. It starts with Heather as an adult who has a career as a child psychologist (gasp) and a stable marriage with a comfortable life. All of that is about to be in jeopardy when she receives an envelope with a necklace inside that shakes her to her core as she recognizes it as Becca’s half of their BFF necklace. Everything spirals from there as the story switches to Heather’s perspective when she was younger and in the club with her friends. The story unfolds and we learn the extent of the tragedy.

What I didn’t love was the ending. Everything else was great, but I think I would have preferred a supernatural element versus the actual ending. A bad ending can ruin a book for me, which is why my previous statement is surprising to me. I read a book that was decent until the ending included a huge supernatural element that was not in the rest of the book so it was surprising and felt totally out of place. It definitely ruined the book for me. Back to Dead Girls Club, this ending was just off, not horrible, but not great. I still recommend it for a somewhat light mystery.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

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Lisa Jewell is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I loved Watching You and this one was just as good. The Family Upstairs follows Libby who was adopted after her parents died. When she turned 25, she learned that she was the sole beneficiary of her parent’s house. She learned about the real circumstances of her parents death, that she had siblings who had not been seen since her parents death, and the house was practically a mansion in Chelsea. If that isn’t enough to take in at once, she learns the truth about her family, the family upstairs, and who she is.

This novel starts out a little slow, but it still keeps the reader guessing and wanting more. It is intriguing and full of surprises. It is a little predictable, and it’s not very fast paced, but it is a good read. It has plenty of disturbing moments that aren’t too horrific but the theme is disturbing which is what makes it such a great story. I definitely highly recommend it. It will be released in the U.S. on November 5th!

Cape May by Chip Cheek

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Cape May by Chip Cheek

When you picture a vacation at the beach, do you picture bright, sunny skies and warm weather? Do you even consider going to the beach when it’s not sunny weather? Maybe you do, but many probably don’t. Well, this newlywed couple decided to honeymoon at Cape May, New Jersey in the off-season in 1957. They did not have perfect beach weather nor the usual busy beach destination they hoped for. After spending some almost boring, leisurely time together, these traditional newlyweds, Henry and Effie, decide to call it a honeymoon and go home. Just before they go, they meet one of Effie’s old acquaintances from her younger days staying at the beach house. They attend one of her parties and Clara begs them to stay longer. The drinks and food seem endless and the people are very interesting compared to their life back at home, so they stay. They have some happy adventures and some intense encounters in the following days of their honeymoon.

While Cape May is not my typical choice in genre, it completely grabbed my attention. It had just enough spice and suspense to keep me interested. What I truly loved was that the author told the story from Henry’s point of view, so while this book has a little romance, it’s not gushing and overly romantic. What I also loved was that the setting almost set the tone for the entire story, though I don’t want to give any spoilers. Everything about it seemed so real and relatable that it was refreshing and enjoyable. I highly recommend this one to just about anyone who enjoys general fiction novels.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

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Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

Do you enjoy fairy tales that are a little dark, such as Grimms’ Fairy Tales? If you like creepy tales that keep you guessing but don’t leave you horrified then this book might be a good fit for you. If you recently had twins and are susceptible to paranoid feelings, then maybe this book is not for you! This is a tale about a mother who absolutely loves her twins but is a little unsure how to manage twin babies. After an unsettling experience in the hospital with her newborn babies, she is completely on edge once at home. Her partner is almost no help with making her feel secure at home and seems like he can’t wait to return to work. While she doubts herself and how she is coping, she forces herself to try to find a new normal. She finally leaves the house with the babies and what happens after that is where it all picks up.

My personal opinion of this book is good overall. It’s creepy, twisty, suspenseful, and dark. It started off a little rocky as far as my impression of it goes. A lengthy description of the labor was not exactly keeping my interest. Once things picked up it was delightful to read. I love a good creepy story. I would not say that this is haunting or very scary, but it will stick with you. The writing is great and makes the reader feel a range of emotions throughout. I would definitely be interested in other books from this author.

Only Daughter by Sarah A Denzil

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Only Daughter

If a book says anything about being a psychological thriller, I am all about it. That genre is my favorite and most preferred, so I suppose I have some standards and expectations. If I can guess a twist or what happens in the end, then I feel the plot has been used enough before and it isn’t suspenseful anymore. I definitely like to be kept guessing.

This book was fairly predictable, though it did have its own unpredictable twist. It’s not my favorite, but it wasn’t bad by any means. I think what disconnects me from this particular book is how unrealistic it seems, particularly in the end.

The mother thought she knew her teenage daughter and that everything was peachy. After her daughter’s unfortunate suicide, she questions everything and cannot believe that her wonderful daughter could actually commit suicide and believes she was murdered. The mother has antisocial personality disorder and had a troubled childhood. She often wonders if she is actually capable of love since she, and everyone else, knows that she didn’t marry her husband for love.

This book follows a mother’s quest for answers about her daughter’s death and opens her own past while she’s at it. She finds out who her friends really are and who her daughter really was. Quite literally, everything she thought she knew was not very true at all. She is determined to get to the bottom of it all and find the real truth.

Potential spoilers: This book does describe rape and violence.

If you would like to purchase your own copy, here is a link.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

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Lincoln in the Bardo

 

Today I am reflecting on a book I read quite a while ago that left an interesting impression on me. This was my first George Saunders experience and I had no idea what was going on. There are citations after every paragraph and there is a lot of dialogue. It was so confusing at first with the citations and the format (at least the e-book version) but I stuck with it and was so glad I did.

Abraham Lincoln’s son, Willie, passed away. The story is about Willie being in the Bardo and covers one night. He didn’t really know what was going on and there are all the other characters who try to help and tell their stories also. The citations are from many different sources but some are newspapers from that time. The novel gives the story of how Willie died which makes the grief that President Lincoln feels jump out of the book and seem so tangible and real as he visits Willie’s crypt. I read that Saunders was afraid of writing about Lincoln but I think he portrayed him perfectly.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a different experience of reading a book. It has so many elements that makes it appealing to many readers. Check it out here!

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

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Four Dead Queens

Let’s start by making it clear that I am a total sucker for covers. Books and wine can sometimes share the similar sentiment that if it has a pretty label, it’s probably not good. This book has a beautiful cover, but that’s definitely not all it has going for it. This book has so many elements that it is hard for me to definitively say which genre it belongs in. There’s fantasy, suspense, different perspectives, and a little futuristic goodness. It is labeled as a young adult novel, and I agree with that. It doesn’t have an intense depth that many fantasy novels have, so it’s easier to keep up with. I’m not usually a fan of fantasy, though I do have a few favorites, so I was surprised by this one and how much I loved it!

The title gives away that there are four dead queens. Four queens rule the region of Quadara. Each region in Quadara has a specific role and the queens represent each one. There are major differences between each one. One is very basic and primitive and another is very advanced in science and technology. It is a long tradition that there are always four queens to rule. What happens when the queens are murdered? There are secrets to be revealed and details to emerge that will definitely keep you hooked.

If you would like to purchase a copy, here is an Amazon affiliate link!

Until the Day I Die by Emily Carpenter

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There is a tiny bit of backstory of this book that I think impacted how I ultimately felt about this book. I love looking on NetGalley for new books even though I have a large list of to-reads already. I stumbled across this one and the cover was great and the description must have caught me so I added it to my books. At a later point in time, after I finished a book, I was looking for the next one to read and saw this one, couldn’t remember what it was about and noticed that it was listed under General Fiction and Women’s Fiction. As a woman, I don’t usually enjoy women’s fiction. However, I started reading and I truly enjoyed it. It had enough mystery and intense moments that didn’t rely on typical woman-drama or mushy-romance that I’d consider it to be a mystery or suspense novel instead of women’s fiction. It did have moments that were a little tear-jerking because of family themes, but it was in a great way. I am glad I read this book even though I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it.

Until the Day I Die was tense and full of wondering what could happen next. I liked the characters and the writing. I thought the nostalgia attached to Perry was spot on and just the feelings that were inspired by his character were moving. I enjoyed how different clues were revealed and how things became clear to each character. I thought the characters were written well and organized well. The only thing that I didn’t particularly enjoy was the part where the particulars of the app, Jax, were explained. It just didn’t flow to me. Parts of the beginning were a little slow but it was still interesting to be able to continue without feeling bored. Overall, I really liked it.

Here is an Amazon affiliate link in case you want to pre-order, it comes out March 12th!