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Showing posts from January, 2024

Book Review: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

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First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston is about a woman named Evie Porter that has everything a woman could want. But the catch is ... Evie Porter doesn't exist. Her identity and location comes first ... Evie Porter. The mark comes second ... Ryan Sumner. Lastly, the job. Evie only knows her boss by Mr. Smith, but after she failed miserably with her last job, Evie can't screw up the Ryan Sumner job if she wants to go leave this live behind and reclaim her true identity. WOW . . . Ashley Elston weaved a fantastic story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading First Lie Wins . It's so engaging that I couldn't wait to find out how it all was going to end. There were twists and turns galore that had me guessing the whole time. The author did wrap up the story line but ended in a way that there could be a sequel. I truly hope there's a sequel because I want more of this tale!! One of the things I enjoyed the most about First Lie Wins is that

Book Review: Murder Uncorked (Cece Barton Mystery, #1) by Maddie Day

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Murder Uncorked (Cece Barton Mystery, #1) by Maddie Day is the first book in a new cozy mystery series.  Cece Barton is a widowed mom with a daughter in college.  After moving to wine country to live nearby her sister, Cece becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a man.  Wanting to clear her name, Cece starts investigating the murder.  Will she clear her name? Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Murder Uncorked (Cece Barton Mystery, #1) by Maddie Day.  I received a digital copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review. I knew a little about this cozy mystery because the author wrote a prequel that was published in a collection of novellas, and I wasn't disappointed.  This story was a fun, easy read and perfect to read while on vacation.  I liked that it took place near vineyards and that the reader gets a little insight of how they might promote their products. Most of the characters were likable, and I felt like I could be friends with s

Book Review: Murder By The Seashore (California Bookshop Mystery, #1) by Samara Yew

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Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop Mystery, #1) by Samara Yew takes place in Oceanside, California.  It opens with Scarlett Gardner having a hard day at work because everything has gone wrong.  She partly blames Connor, her ex-boyfriend, because he dumped her and took off to greener pastures for a start up company when they were supposed to be running the bookstore she opened together.  Taking a walk on the nearby beach, Scarlett stumbles over a dead body, which turns out to be that of Lorelei Knight . . . the last customer who frequented her store the night before.  Now, Scarlett is the prime suspect and needs to clear her name. First and foremost, I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop Mystery, #1) by Samara Yew.  When I read the synopsis of this book, it sounded like it was right up my alley.  I received a copy of this cozy mystery for free in exchange for my honest review. The beginning of the st

Book Review: The Night House by Jo Nesbo

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The Night House by Jo Nesbo was published October 3, 2023 and is an adult horror novel published by Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor.  The novel is about a kid named Richard Elauved who has been sent to live with foster parents in Ballantyne after his biological parents were killed.  Richard is an outcast and bully at his new school and becomes a suspect when a classmate named Tom goes missing.  He tries to explain that Tom was sucked through a phone booth on the edge of the woods, but no one believes him.  When another classmate goes missing, Richard is in serious trouble with the law. Not having read any books by Jo Nesbo, I was intrigued by the synopsis and cover art of The Night House .  I requested to receive an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley.  I was absolutely ecstatic that I was approved.  I received a digital copy for free in exchange for my honest review.  Please note that my review does contain spoilers. Part one of The Night House seemed a litt

Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich

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Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich is the latest installment in the Stephanie Plum book series and opens with Joe Morelli asking Stephanie to dog sit his dog Bob while he is out of town testifying at a trial.  The typical chaos ensues when Stephanie has to bring Bob along to apprehend all of her FTAs and has her asking herself if she wants to be married. Each book in this series typically follows the same formula and is wrapped up in a neat, tidy bow at the end.  It's because of this that I enjoy the series . . . I always know that Stephanie is going to get herself into some sort of trouble and need Ranger or Morelli to help her, and the bad guy is always caught.  Sometimes, I just need something familiar and predictable to read.  And, I don't mean that in a bad way either because it allows me to escape reality and gives me a few chuckles along the way.  It's like the comfort food of books for me. The last few books I felt like someone had ghost written

Book Review: Secret Spells (Diary of an Accidental Witch, #4) by Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill

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Secret Spells (Diary of an Accidental Witch, #4) written by Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill, Illustrated by Katie Saunders is told from the perspective of eleven year old Bea via her diary entries and is about the main character and her classmates preparing for the Winter Solstice Grand Tournament, and they will be competing against a non-magical school, so no magic will be allowed! Which school will win? A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Secret Spells (Diary of an Accidental Witch, #4) by Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill and Illustrated by Katie Saunders for free in exchange for my honest review. I was intrigued by the book title and cover art and was thrilled to be approved to read this book. This book is somewhat similar to The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy. The main character goes to a school for witches where there are some mishaps while casting some spells. Those are really the only similarities between the two books. I