2021 Book Reviews

Alice Feeney has long been a favorite author of mine. I’ve loved every book she has written but I have to say she has outdone herself with Rock Paper Scissors. An amazing plot and great characters equals one very awesome book!

Adam and Amelia win themselves a weekend away in a remote part of Scotland. They arrive to find they’ll be staying in a very old church. The place is downright creepy especially when they find the bedroom that has been made up for them looks exactly like theirs at home. Add to that Amelia is certain someone is watching them. Still the weather has come in and they’ve got to spend the night. Since both know that the purpose of this weekend is to try and save their marriage they try to make the most of things. It’s really hard to do that though when you feel you may be in danger of something but what that something is … you have absolutely no clue.

Oh my Alice Feeney once again pulled the wool over my eyes. I was sure I had things figured out and then I literally stopped listening and had to backtrack all the while thinking to myself – what just happened??? Then of course it hit me and became clear and the twist at the end was most interesting as well. Well done Alice Feeney! I can’t wait to see what you come up with for your next novel. I had listened to this on audio and it was fantastic with narration by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine who are superb at portraying the characters in this story. If you’re looking for a page-turner to lose yourself in look no further. Rock Paper Scissors was a 5 star listen for me!

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I read The House Guests as a buddy read with one of my book club friends and it was an enjoyable listen for me. I’ve only read one other of Emilie Richards books but I’ll definitely read more. They feel like comfort reads to me and we can all use one of those once in a while.

Cassie is a stepmom to Savannah. Both are struggling with the recent death of husband and father and it isn’t made any easier by the rocky relationship the two seem to be in. Adding to that is Savannah blaming Cassie for her dad’s death. Needless to say an unhappy teenager sometimes gets into trouble and Savannah does something that leaves single mom Amber and her teenage son Will homeless. Cassie not knowing how else to fix things invites the two to move in with her and Savannah. Lucky for all they seem to get on together and begin to form real relationships. As time goes on Cassie is not only troubled by issues that are coming up with her husband’s death and their finances but also with whatever secrets Amber is hiding. And oh yes, Amber has secrets; a lifetime of them and sooner or later she fears they may catch up to her.

This was a good story. I loved the references to Greek culture and food and the huge sense of family and responsibility. I liked the characters as well despite their flaws. It was an easy story to listen to and escape into. The audiobook is narrated by Vanessa Johansson who I’ve listened to many times. She has a nice voice to listen to and she was the perfect choice for a story about these two women. For those that like women’s fiction The House Guests is a good one to add to your reading list!

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My original plan had been to post this for Halloween but I forgot so here it is a few days late. I’m sure there are a lot of people who have seen the movie of Rosemary’s Baby if they are horror fans like me. I’ve seen it several times yet I’ve never picked up the book. There have been many times that the movie adaptations haven’t worked for me because they don’t follow completely with the book but this one does. Still you get that little extra with a book and for me listening to this one was very enjoyable.

Some say this book is really scary but for me I find it more creepy than scary. Rosemary and her husband move into a new apartment in a building that’s hard to get into and apparently a haunted one. The neighbours are very friendly and when Rosemary becomes pregnant some seem to really hone in on her. That’s also when things go awry for Rosemary and she begins to fear for herself and her baby. Everyone around her begins acting very odd and Rosemary doesn’t know who to trust.

I listened to the audiobook and what a treat! It’s performed by Mia Farrow and she is amazing! Along with some sound effects she made this story come alive and feel even more sinister to me. A great old horror classic that I love!

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This was such a good book! Who doesn’t love one of those books that you start and just can’t put down. I love them! I’ve never read anything by Scott Carson before and I see this is his second novel, with The Chill being the first. I am looking forward to listening to that one very soon.

This book really had me thinking. Mindfulness apps are all the rage these days yet I doubt any of us think mindfulness app with mind control in the same sentence. It’s a scary thought and after listening to this book I may never think of them the same again! Lol. The story centres on Nick, a war correspondent, who was recently laid off from his job. When an offer to profile a new mindfulness app called Clarity comes his way he decides to take the job plus it’s back in his home town so he can spend some time with his mother. While the app seems much like any of the others out there Nick soon learns that it is not. He has horrible, scary nightmares and when they begin to control his waking hours as well Nick knows he is in more danger than he could have imagined.

What an awesome story and audio! It’s narrated by Robert Petkoff who does a great job with any book he narrates but I found him perfect for this one. He truly brought this chilling tale to life for this listener! Highly recommend!

Review copy provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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The Last Thing He Told Me is a domestic thriller and I enjoyed it. I’ve never read anything by this author but I see she has quite a few books. I will at some point have to try another of hers.

Hannah thought she had the perfect marriage. Really the only thing that troubled her was that it seemed as though her stepdaughter Bailey would never accept her. Then her husband Owen up and disappears without a trace. The only thing he leaves behind is a note saying Protect Her, meaning his daughter Bailey. Then the FBI and a US Marshall enter the picture and Owen’s boss is arrested. Hannah is so confused. What had Owen gotten himself into? As Hannah and Bailey come together to try and figure out what happened to Owen what becomes clear is that Hannah never really knew her husband at all.

The audiobook is narrated by Rebecca Lowman who does a great job and suited this story well. I’ve listened to many books narrated by her and I like the tone of her voice so it’s always enjoyable to listen to her. The Last Thing He Told Me was a good listen for me and I would say it’s suited to the reader who likes a slower paced type of thriller.

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When I first looked at this book I thought I was going to get a fluffy romance which I’m not all that fond of. As I started to read it I realized it was going be so much more. It does have some romance but more than that it is an emotional story that had me both laughing and crying.

Marin has always been the careful one unlike her sister Sadie and once their mother died she was even worse. Sadie’s plan is to change that. She wants Marin to feel joy and experience life before it’s too late. So when Sadie returns from an assignment and looks tired and worn, Marin agrees to a spa vacation on a tropical island. Marin’s trip doesn’t start out the best with Sadie missing the flight and her luggage being mixed up with someone else’s. About the only thing that was positive was being thrown into the lap of Lucas during some turbulence. Arriving on the island Marin finds she has to venture out. She explores the island with Lucas and tries new things. She’s finally living ‘life’.

That’s all I can say on the plot. To say more would ruin the story for anyone who will read it. Suffice it to say things happened that I wasn’t expecting and the novel truly tugged at my heart. The audio was wonderful as well. It’s narrated by Josephine Huang and Kristen Sieh and they brought every joyful and tearful moment to life for me. This seemingly romance novel turned into a very meaningful and emotional one for this reader. Very much worth a read or listen!

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