Book Review: Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis

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Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis is the first installment in the Maya and Sandra Mystery series, a cozy mystery series centered on private investigators. The story follows Sandra Wallage , the wife of a U.S. senator and the newly elected president of Portland High School’s PTA, who becomes the latest target of a vicious gossip website called Dirty Laundry . After a heated PTA meeting, Sandra crosses paths with Maya Kendrick , a private investigator who has uncovered the identity of the person behind the gossip site. When the two women attempt to confront the culprit, they instead discover a dead body. Was it really a suicide, or did someone have a motive for murder? I’m a longtime fan of books by Lee Hollis , which is actually the pen name for sibling writing duo Rick Copp and Holly Simason . They’ve written several cozy mystery series, and what I appreciate most about their books is that they aren’t overly kitschy, unlike some other cozy mysteries I’ve ...
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Book Review: The Island by Natasha Preston

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Book Review: The Island by Natasha Preston

NetGalley ARC Book Review of The Island by Natasha Preston
The Island by Natasha Preston opens with teen influencer Paisley receiving an invite to Jagged Island, a resort and amusement park, for all expense paid weekend along with five other teen influencers in exchange for them posting their experience on their social media platforms.  However, none of them expected there to be a killer among them and no way to get off the island.

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for approving my request for the Advanced Reader's Copy of The Island by Natasha Preston.  I was thrilled to be chosen to receive this book for free in exchange for my honest review.  The cover and synopsis of the book intrigued me right away, and I just knew I had to read it.

Reminiscent of Diane Hoh, Natasha Preston weaves a fascinating tale that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from the get go.  I desperately wanted to take time off from work to finish the book in one sitting, but I had to settle for reading after work.  Yes, this story was that phenomenal.  I had my favorite characters, ones that I didn't like, and a few that I wasn't sure I could trust.
netgalley arc book review the island natasha preston

Not sure who the killer was, I was positive that there were at least two of them working together, and I was correct.  However, I didn't work out who the primary killer was until they were revealed. Additionally, I didn't fathom who the second one was, and I was in complete and utter shock when the identity of that person was divulged.

The one thing that I absolutely loathed was the ending.  Because of how the story concluded, I was a bit disillusioned.  Up until that point, it was a near perfect read for me.  I'd be interested to see how other readers felt about this book.  Four out of five stars is what I give The Island by Natasha Preston.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 9, 2023 at 4:33 PM

    The more I read the book the more confused I was to who the killer was . Everyone was sus 😂 Loved the book . But I didn’t like the ending 😢

    ReplyDelete

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