The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

 The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

336 pages

It all started at a dinner party. . .

A domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently friendly neighbors--a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal, and the secrets between husbands and wives. . .

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family--a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads because it was so good. I have read several books from this author and she is quite amazing. She has a knack for moving you one direction and then slipping the rug out from underneath you. I highly recommend this book if you love thrillers. I won't give out any spoilers, but the way this book ended it couldn't be real life. Except it would be something that you could watch on a true crime documentary.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

304 pages

Finn and Layla: young and in love, their whole lives ahead of them. Driving back from a holiday in France one night, Finn pulls in to a service station, leaving Layla alone in the car. When he returns, minutes later, Layla has vanished, never to be seen again. That’s the story Finn tells the police. It’s the truth – but not the whole truth.

Twelve years later, Finn has built a new life with Ellen, Layla’s sister, when he receives a phone call. Someone has seen Layla. But is it her – or someone pretending to be her? If it is her, what does she want? And what does she know about the night she disappeared?

I recommend reading this book because it has all the twisty turns and jumps that you expect a psychological thriller to have. I didn't see the ending coming, but wouldn't have wanted it to end any other way. This is my first book by this author and I plan on reading more.

Things I should Have Said by Jamie Lynn Spears

Things I Should Have Said by Jamie Lynne Spears

240 pages

You’ve read the headlines, but you don’t know Jamie Lynn Spears. The world first met Jamie Lynn as a child star, when it was her job to perform, both on set and for the press. She spent years escaping into different characters on All That and Zoey 101. But as she grew up, faced a teen pregnancy, raised her daughter on her own, pursued a career, and learned to stand on her own two feet, the real Jamie Lynn started to take center stage– a raw, blemished, and imperfect woman, standing in her own power.

Despite growing up in one of America's most tabloid-famous families, Jamie Lynn has never told her story in her own words. In Things I Should Have Said, she talks frankly about the highs and lows, sharing what it was like traveling the world as a kid, how she moved into acting and performing herself, what life as a child star took from her, and the life-changing reality of becoming a teen mom. She talks about how she finally found love and how the mistakes she has made have taught her more than anything else. She also shares vulnerably about how the ATV accident that nearly took her daughter's life brought her back to her faith and caused her to reevaluate and redirect her life.
 
Frank, courageous, and inspiring, Things I Should Have Said is a portrait of a wife, momma, sister, daughter, actress, and musician doing the best she could to show up for herself and teach her daughters to have the courage to love every part of themselves, too.

I am not one for biographies. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a love for all books, but I mostly stick with mysteries and thrillers. Occasionally I will pick up a true crime, but that is as close as I get to non-fiction. I loved this book and with all the negative reviews it had I am convinced none of them even took the time to read it with the #freebritney movement. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes biography and grew up in the age of Britney and Jamie Spears. The only time I ever heard of Jamie Lynn Spears growing up is when Britney mentioned her through her interviews. It was nice getting to know her through her words even if the two sisters are not on the best terms right now.

Say You're Sorry by Karen Rose

 Say You're Sorry by Karen Rose 

623 pages

There is a serial killer on the loose, preying on vulnerable women. The only identifiable mark the killer leaves are letters—sometimes one, sometimes two—all carved into the torsos of his victims. Together they spell “Sydney.”

When he grabs Daisy Dawson, he believes he has found his next victim. But despite her small stature, she fights back with an expertise that quickly frees her. Before fleeing the scene, Daisy also manages to grab what proves to be crucial evidence: a necklace from around the killer’s neck.

The necklace is more than a trivial item—it is a link to a cold case that Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has been tracking for seventeen years. With Daisy’s help, Gideon finally has the opportunity to get closer to the truth than ever before.

But they might not get the chance, as the serial killer has a new target: Gideon and Daisy.

I would not recommend this book. I thought it was long and drawn out. It had a fantastic beginning and I felt like this book could have been amazing, but they turned a thriller into a love story. Once I got to that part I was invested and finished it even though I wanted to put it down. This is actually 1 of 3 books, but I don't plan on continuing the series. 

Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly

 

Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly - 400 pages

She didn't run from her dark past. She moved in.

For the lucky among us, life is what you make of it; but for Dixie Wheeler, the theme music for her story was chosen by another long ago, on the day her father butchered her mother and brothers and then slashed a knife across his own throat. Only one-year-old Dixie was spared, becoming infamously known as Baby Blue for the song left playing in the aftermath of the slaughter.

Twenty-five years later, Dixie is still desperate for a connection to the family she can't remember. So when her childhood home goes up for sale, Dixie sets aside all reason and moves in. But as the ghosts of her family seemingly begin to take up residence in the house that was once theirs, Dixie starts to question her sanity and wonders if the evil force menacing her is that of her father or a demon of her own making.

In order to make sense of her present, Dixie becomes determined to unravel the truth of her past and seeks out the detective who originally investigated the murders. But the more she learns, the more she opens up the uncomfortable possibility that the sins of her father may belong to another. As bodies begin to pile up around her, Dixie must find a way to expose the lunacy behind her family's massacre to save her few loved ones who are still alive--and whatever scrap of sanity she has left.

This is T. Marie Vandelly's debut book, and I think she really hit it out of the park on this.  I really liked that it kept you guessing on what happed the day her family died.  It had a couple of twists I didn't see coming, one that I did but overall this is a fantastic book.  I hope she continues writing; I'd definitely check out any others she writes.

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

 

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake - 288 pages

Summer 1958—a string of murders plagues the Midwest. The victims are found in their cars and in their homes—even in their beds—their bodies drained, but with no blood anywhere.

September 19- the Carlson family is slaughtered in their Minnesota farmhouse, and the case gets its first lead: 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene. She is covered in blood from head to toe, and at first she’s mistaken for a survivor. But not a drop of the blood is hers.

Michael Jensen, son of the local sheriff, yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town. He never imagined that the biggest story in the country would fall into his lap, or that he would be pulled into the investigation, when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to.

As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies? 

Great book, but not a fan of the ending!

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth

 Poster Girl by Veronica Roth-288 pages

I've read many of Veronica Roth's works, so I was intrigued when I learned this one was being released. I read the plot synopsis and I was all the more intrigued. I liked this book and would recommend it. Sonya Kantor lives in the Aperture, which is a prison for former known Delegation members. The Delegation was the former governmental regime that was toppled ten years ago and replaced by the current government, the Triumvirate. Everything was regulated under the Delegation. Married couples could have only 1 child, unless they were given an exemption by the Delegation. Every move was watched and judged good or bad based on an eye implant called the Insight. The Insight was turned off for those considered friends of the Triumvirate, but to those considered loyal to the Delegation it was left on and monitored. A law is passed by the Triumvirate releasing all prisoners from the Aperture who were under 16 when the Delegation was toppled. Sonya, however, was 17, so she doesn't quite qualify. Also, she posed for a poster in support of the Delegation at 16 and everyone knows her as "Poster Girl," hence the title. This complicates her case, also. She's given an offer by a childhood "friend" who joined the Triumvirate uprising a few months before the Delegation crumbled. She can look for a girl who was an illegal second child named Grace Ward and if she finds her she can have her freedom from the Aperture. Sonya is determined to find the girl (or at least what became of her) and the investigation leads to many twists and turns. It leads Sonya to question everything she thought she knew about the Delegation and her family. She discovers many shocking revelations. It made me think critically about government and privacy. I would rate this 4 out of 5 stars. 

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

 

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy - 320 pages

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair. 

I both loved and hated this book.  It was a hard read for me, not because it was poorly written, but because it was tough to read what this woman went through.  Highly recommend!

In the Ballroom with the Candlestick (Clue Mystery #3) by Diana Peterfreund

 In the Ballroom with the Candlestick (Clue Mystery #3) by Diana Peterfreund-336 pages

 

This is the thrilling conclusion to the Clue Mystery series. I was on the edge of my seat for the ending and I really liked the multiple endings. I really liked the "real" ending the best, but all were good. I liked the multiple endings because there are multiple alternate endings in Clue: The Movie. The intrigue is so fun. I like the characters in this and the character development. Peterfreund did her best to adapt the movie and board game into a modern teen/ya mystery series. I enjoyed this and would rate it 4 stars. 

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

 

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena - 349 pages

In this family, everyone is keeping secrets--especially the dead. Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there. And they don't come much richer than Fred and Sheila Merton. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered the night after an Easter Dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their capricious father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of them is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did one of them snap after that dreadful evening? Or was it someone else that night who crept in with the worst of intentions? It must be. After all, if one of your siblings was a psychopath, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

 

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward - 335 pages

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet they are all lies...

You think you know what's inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you've read this story before. That's where you're wrong.

In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it's not what you think...

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

 

 The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones - 320 pages

Rachel and Noah have been friends since they met at university. While they once thought that they might be something more, now, twenty years later, they are each happily married to other people, Jack and Paige respectively. Jack’s brother Will is getting married, to the dazzling, impulsive Ali, and the group of six travel to Portugal for their destination weekend.

Three couples.
As they arrive at a gorgeous villa perched on a cliff-edge, overlooking towering waves that crash on the famous surfing beaches below at Nazaré, they try to settle into a weekend of fun. While Rachel is looking forward to getting to know her future sister-in-law Ali better, Ali can’t help but rub many of the group up the wrong way: Rachel’s best friend Paige thinks Ali is attention-seeking and childish, and while Jack is trying to support his brother Will’s choice of wife, he is also finding plenty to disagree with Noah about.

One fatal misunderstanding . . .
But when Rachel discovers something about Ali that she can hardly believe, everything changes. As the wedding weekend unfolds, the secrets each of them hold begin to spill, and friendships and marriages threaten to unravel. Soon, jumping to conclusions becomes the difference between life and death.

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

 Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica - 352 pages

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.

Now, 11 years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find....

In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times best-selling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell - 400 pages

2017: 19 year old Tallulah is going out on a date, leaving her baby with her mother, Kim.

Kim watches her daughter leave and, as late evening turns into night, which turns into early morning, she waits for her return. And waits.

The next morning, Kim phones Tallulah's friends who tell her that Tallulah was last seen heading to a party at a house in the nearby woods called Dark Place.

She never returns.

2019: Sophie is walking in the woods near the boarding school where her boyfriend has just started work as a head-teacher when she sees a note fixed to a tree.

'DIG HERE' . . .

A cold case, an abandoned mansion, family trauma and dark secrets lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell's remarkable new novel.

Black Widows by Cate Quinn

 

Black Widows by Cate Quinn - 419 pages

Polygamist Blake Nelson built a homestead on a hidden stretch of land—a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah—where he lived with his three wives:

Rachel, the first wife, obedient and doting to a fault, with a past she'd prefer to keep quiet. Tina, the rebel wife, everything Rachel isn't, straight from rehab and the Vegas strip. And Emily, the young wife, naïve and scared, estranged from her Catholic family.

The only thing that they had in common was Blake. Until all three are accused of his murder.

When Blake is found dead under the desert sun, all three wives become suspect—not only to the police, but to each other. As the investigation draws them closer, each wife must decide who can be trusted. With stories surfacing of a notorious cult tucked away in the hills, whispers flying about a fourth wife, and evidence that can't quite explain what had been keeping Blake busy, the three widows face a reckoning that might shatter all they know to be true.

This book keeps you guessing the whole time, you'll not want to put it down!

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

 

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo - 378 pages

Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she’s even better at getting away with murder.

Every year, she searches for the worst man at Gorman University and plots his well-deserved demise. Thanks to her meticulous planning, she’s avoided drawing attention to herself—but as she’s preparing for her biggest kill yet, the school starts probing into the growing body count on campus. Determined to keep her enemies close, Scarlett insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge, Dr. Mina Pierce. Everything’s going according to her master plan… until she loses control with her latest victim, putting her secret life at risk of exposure.

Meanwhile, Gorman student Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year. Finally free of her emotionally abusive father, all Carly wants is to focus on her studies and fade into the background. Her new roommate has other ideas. Allison Hadley is cool and confident—everything Carly wishes she could be—and the two girls quickly form an intense friendship. So when Allison is sexually assaulted at a party, Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay... and turning her fantasies about revenge into a reality.

Creepy Cat, vol.1 by Cotton Valent

Creepy Cat, v. 1 by Cotton Valent - 128 pages

This is the first volume of a manga series about a girl that moves into an inherited house that comes with an unusual (creepy) cat.  The book is comprised of one-page stories.  Some of the stories combine together in arcs but most of single shots.  I found most of the stories to be amusing to read.  I think it would be popular with those who like gothic comics such as Ruby Gloom.

Death by Frightful Foods & Death by Atrocious Animals by Mignonne Gunasekara

Death by Frightful Food by Mignonne Gunasekara - 32 pages
Death by Atrocious Animals by Mignonne Gunasekara - 32 pages

These are another two entries in the Disastrous Deaths series.  I read the first one (Death by Awful Accident) over the summer and found it hilarious so decided to read more in the series.  I found them just as funny as the first book.  I think kids would love to read these books.  The only issue I have is that most of the deaths in Death by Frightful Food do not really have to do anything with food.

 

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

 

Survive the Night by Riley Sager - 324 pages

Charlie Jordan is being driven across the country by a serial killer. Maybe.

Behind the wheel is Josh Baxter, a stranger Charlie met by the college ride share board, who also has a good reason for leaving university in the middle of term. On the road they share their stories, carefully avoiding the subject dominating the news - the Campus Killer, who's tied up and stabbed three students in the span of a year, has just struck again.

Travelling the lengthy journey between university and their final destination, Charlie begins to notice discrepancies in Josh's story.

As she begins to plan her escape from the man she is becoming certain is the killer, she starts to suspect that Josh knows exactly what she's thinking.

Meaning that she could very well end up as his next victim.

I know that a lot of people are fans of Riley Sager, and I have really tried to be.  I just can't.  I like the idea of this book and I was curious how it would play out.  But the main character, Charlie was just so naive in my opinion.  It was like watching a cheesy horror movie where you're yelling at the screen to "RUN!!" but the characters keep doing silly things to stay in danger.    

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

 

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James - 370 pages

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants -- the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall, and local legend says the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming -- until one of them mysteriously disappears...

Vermont, 2014. Twenty years ago, journalist Fiona Sheridan's elder sister's body was found in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And although her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of the murder, Fiona can't stop revisiting the events, unable to shake the feeling that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during renovations links the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past -- and a voice that won't be silenced...

I have only read a few of Simone St. James' books but this is one of my favorites. This is a book you won't want to put down once you pick it up so block off some reading time!