Book Review: Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

Kiara and her brother, Marcus, are scraping by in an East Oakland apartment complex optimistically called the Regal-Hi. Both have dropped out of high school, their family fractured by death and prison. But while Marcus clings to his dream of rap stardom, Kiara hunts for work to pay their rent--which has more than doubled--and to keep the nine-year-old boy next door, abandoned by his mother, safe and fed.

One night, what begins as a drunken misunderstanding with a stranger turns into the job Kiara never imagined wanting but now desperately needs: night crawling. Her world breaks open even further when her name surfaces in an investigation that exposes her as a key witness in a massive scandal within the Oakland Police Department.

My Thoughts

This was a very emotional book with a hopeful ending. In Nightcrawling we meet 17 year old Kiara, a young woman with the world on her shoulders. She along with her brother Marcus also a young adult, found themselves alone after the death of their father, lock up of their mother and abandonment of their uncle.

Marcus, wanting to become a rapper and strike it big, left the responsibility of paying bills and everything else to Kiara. Kiara, unable to hold a job, decided after a chance encounter, that prostitution could be a way out. Little did she know this type of life would lead her down a hole too difficult to get out of.

This story was really touching on so many levels. I felt that Kiara was left alone to take care of the everything with very few options. It made me think about people who sell their bodies and the difficulties they face or the circumstances that led them to that life.

This was a very good story indeed.

Book Review: All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

A Black sheriff. A serial killer. A small town ready to combust.

Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff in the history of Charon County, Virginia. In recent decades, Charon has had only two murders. After years of working as an FBI agent, Titus knows better than anyone that while his hometown might seem like a land of moonshine, cornbread, and honeysuckle, secrets always fester under the surface.

Then a year to the day after Titus’s election, a school teacher is killed by a former student and the student is fatally shot by Titus’s deputies. Those festering secrets are now out in the open and ready to tear the town apart.

As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in plain sight, haunting the dirt lanes and woodland clearings of Charon. With the killer’s possible connections to a local church and the town’s harrowing history weighing on him, Titus projects confidence about closing the case while concealing a painful secret from his own past. At the same time, he also has to contend with a far-right group that wants to hold a parade in celebration of the town’s Confederate history.

Powerful and unforgettable, All the Sinners Bleed confirms S. A. Cosby as “one of the most muscular, distinctive, grab-you-by-both-ears voices in American crime fiction” (The Washington Post).

My Thoughts

I finally finished this and guess what? I loved every minute of it. Although somehow I took longer than usual  with this one, it was definitely worth the read.

In All The Sinners Bleed, we meet sheriff Titus Crown, the recently installed, first African American sheriff of Charon County, a town with a foundation that is steeped in racism.

Titus wanting to make a difference is challenged when a shooting of a beloved teacher and a student rocks Charon County. This shooting, little did he realize was the start of a series of events that would rock Charon Country to the core. Titus also was fighting not only external demons but internal ones as well.

This was a well written story full of action, mystery and drama. A very exciting novel indeed.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

 

To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

My Thoughts

I went into this book not knowing what it was about and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. Heath Rocha and Katarina Shaw were olympic ice skaters, theirs was a story of tragedy and triumph both on and off the ice.

This pair began skating together as children, Heath an orphan found a kindred spirit in Katarina who upon her parents' death also faced immense challenges living with a drug addicted brother. Kat had a dream to win the gold medal, this dream cost her more than she would have realised.

What was interesting about this book was in spite of everything that Katarina and Heath went through in their lives that bond was never broken. The author really did a good job writing this story because I really became connected to the characters.

This was a decent read. A bit of a long book though but very fast paced.

Book Review : The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

 

By the acclaimed author of Moxie, a funny, bighearted adult debut that is at once an ode to educators, a timely glimpse at today’s pressing school issues, and a tender character study, following a sprawling cast of teachers, administrators, and staff at a Texas high school

With its ensemble of warm and unforgettable characters, The Faculty Lounge shows readers a different side of school life. It all starts when an elderly substitute teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead in the faculty lounge. After a bit of a stir, life quickly returns to normal—it’s not like it’s the worst (or even most interesting) thing that has happened within the building’s walls. But when, a week later, the spontaneous scattering of his ashes on the school grounds catches the attention of some busybody parents, it sets in motion a year that can only be described as wild, bizarre, tragic, mundane, beautiful, and humorous all at once.

In the midst of the ensuing hysteria and threats of disciplinary action, the novel peeks into the lives of the implicated adults who, it turns out, actually have first names and continue to exist when the school day is done. We a former punk band front man, now a middle-aged principal who must battle it out with the schoolboard to keep his job; a no-nonsense school nurse willing to break the rules, despite the close watch on their campus, when a student arrives at her office with a dilemma; and a disgruntled English instructor who finds himself embroiled in even more controversy when he misfires a snarky email. Oh, and there’s also a teacher make-out session in a supply closet during a lockdown.

As these people continue to manage the messiness of this school year, there is the looming threat of what will become of their beloved Baldwin High. Ultimately, at the heart of this unconventional workplace novel is a story of the power of human connection and of the joy of finding purpose in what it is we do every day.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this book a lot perhaps because I could relate to it in many ways.

Bob Lehrer was an eighty something year old retired high school English teacher from Baldwin High School  who upon returning as a substitute teacher, was found dead in the Faculty lounge. Bob had a request though, that his ashes be spread on the school compound. The events surrounding this strange request and the death pf a teacher became the main idea of this book.

Each chapter spoke about key members of staff from the principal and assistant principal, the new teacher to the custodian and school nurse. Each story was well written and spoke to these members of staff as human beings with highs, lows and fears. I love how this book gave a voice to a persons who work in education and the fact that many lives go unseen by even our coworkers

Because I could relate to many things in this story it was an easy read for me. I recommend this novel especially for those in the field of education. This was another great find on Libby.

Book Review : Scarlet Birthright What They Left Behind by Scarlet Ibis James

Joromi Enoch has spent his life trying to become the man his father would be proud of—responsible, dependable, a provider. But one summer fling on the vibrant island of Trinidad changes everything when his lover becomes pregnant. As Joromi builds a new life in America with a different woman who becomes his wife, he leaves behind not just Trinidad but also a daughter named Trisha, born into a legacy of absence and longing.

Across the waters that separate them, young Trisha grows up in the shadow of her father's departure. Her heart carries the weight of abandonment as she constructs fantasies of the man who gave her life but not his presence. Her journey from childhood to womanhood becomes a quest for something every child deserves—a father's love and acknowledgment. Meanwhile, Joromi builds the respectable life he always thought he wanted, but the ghost of his decisions haunts the margins of his achievements.

"Scarlet Birthright" is a powerful exploration of family bonds that transcend borders and conventional definitions. As father and daughter navigate their complicated connection, both must confront uncomfortable truths: Can Joromi honor his father's legacy while acknowledging the child he left behind? Can Trisha find wholeness without the validation she seeks? This emotional narrative challenges readers to examine the true meaning of responsibility, the price of respectability, and whether it's ever too late to reclaim what was abandoned.

My Thoughts

This novella was very well written. It told a story that was both sad and hopeful at the same time. In this book we meet 19 year old Joromi, a DJ from Trinidad was just carefree with life. Much different to what his parents envisioned for him. He met a young woman at  a fete one night that matched his energy and though brief, their love was strong. Joromi though felt as if he had to end the relationship for someone more stable, like Margaret who had big dreams of marriage and America.

When his first love turned up pregnant. Joromi still chose the easier route and left for America, hoping he could help everyone. But what he left behind was an unborn Trisha, who came into this world eventually longing for a connection with her father who now lived in the US. Joromi. not wanting to leave his life was left to choose between his daughter in Trinidad and his life in the States. I was cheering for Trisha all the wat to the end.

A short book that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster with a peaceful ending. I liked it. 

Book Review: The Housemaid Is Watching (The Housemaid #3) by Freida Mc Fadden

 

“You must be our new neighbors!” Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter’s hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a promise. We finally have a family home. My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way…

I used to clean other people’s houses—now, I can’t believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve.

Even though I’m wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes. But her cold stare gives me chills…

The Lowells’ maid isn’t the only strange thing on our street. I’m sure I see a shadowy figure watching us. My husband leaves the house late at night. And when I meet a woman who lives across the way, her words chill me to the bone: Be careful of your neighbors.

Did I make a terrible mistake moving my family here?

I thought I’d left my darkest secrets behind. But could this quiet suburban street be the most dangerous place of all?

My Thoughts

I finally finished the Housemaid Series. It was nice reading about Millie and Enzo again. In this book, Millie is now married to Enzo and has two kids Ada and Nico. While she is now settled with a great family and a brand new dream home, trouble seems to follow Millie wherever she goes. The new neighbours the Lowells and Janice seem to harbour secrets among other things. When Mr. Lowell is found dead by Millie with his throat slit, it sets off a series of events that are mind-blowing with the turn of very page.

With shocking twists as usual, The Housemaid is Watching is a great end to a well told thriller series.

Book Review: Sherell Bernard

 

WHERE CORBEAUX FLY is a collection of ten short stories that are comical as they are tragic. Set on the Caribbean island of Trinidad during the 1960s, the overall theme of death weaves its ominous presence through each story. Though, characters such as Son-Son, Trevor, Boyzie, Anim and Teeths, bring a humourous touch and a bit of laughter amidst the darkness that hovers.

Each story introduces characters that will feel familiar— reminiscent of a longtime neighbour, tanty or friend; each place, a reminder of the ole time days. The feeling of nostalgia can be felt throughout, as readers will journey to Matura, San Rafael, and Ranch Quemado—to name a few, visiting villages, people, and a way of life, that still live on in memory.

My Thoughts 

When I saw that this book was free on Amazon I immediately jumped at it because let's face it when do you ever get a free Caribbean Novella on kindle. This book was a novella of short stories set in Trinidad. These stories however, were primarily about death and dying but let me tell you it was told in such an entertaining way that I was laughing a lot at some parts.

I really liked how the author weaved in the cultural elements by mentioning some of the local customs and superstitions surrounding death and dying. Every time I read a Trinidadian book I always look forward to authenticity and Where Corbeux Fly had it. My favourite stories were The Day Son Son Dies, The Funeral Director and Supermarket Heist.

I highly recommend this one and will be looking for other books by the author. Well Done!!1

Book Review: The Perfect Ruin By Shanora Williams

 

A thrilling new novel of lies, deception, and revenge from the bestselling author, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Joshilyn Jackson! The glamour of Miami has a dark side in this twisting story where nothing is what it seems, as one wronged woman seeks to destroy the seemingly perfect life of one of the city’s most revered socialites.

Book Riot Best Summer 2021 Thrillers
Biblio Lifestyle Most Anticipated Summer 2021 Thrillers, Mysteries, And Suspense Novels
Publishers Marketplace BUZZ BOOKS Selection
BookBub Best Thrillers and Mysteries Coming Out This Summer

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shanora Williams comes a tale of revenge served ice cold—and a warning to be careful what you scheme for . . .

A brutal tragedy ended Ivy Hill’s happy family and childhood. Now in her twenties and severely troubled, she barely has a life—or much to live for. Until the day she discovers the name of the woman who destroyed her world: Lola Maxwell—the mega-wealthy socialite with a heart, Miami’s beloved “first lady” of charity. Accomplished, gorgeous, and oh-so-caring, Lola has the best of everything—and doesn’t deserve any of it. So it’s only right that Ivy take it all away . . .

Little by little, Ivy infiltrates Lola’s elite circle, becomes her new best friend—and plays Lola’s envious acquaintances and hangers-on against her. But seducing Lola’s handsome, devoted surgeon husband turns into a passionate dream Ivy suddenly can’t control. And soon, an insidious someone will twist Ivy’s revenge into a nightmare of deception, secrets, and betrayal that Ivy may not wake up from . . .

My Thoughts 

Wow this book ruined me!!! In a good way of course. This was straight up good writing t by Shanora Williams.

In this book we meet Ivy Hill, talking to her therapist Marriott who, reveals in their session something that Ivy had wanted for years, a name....Lola Maxwell (the woman who destroyed her life). With Ivy's  obsessive behaviour, this revelation set off a series of events.

Lola Maxwell has everything, a wonderful husband Corey, a beautiful home and money to burn. In seeking revenge, Ivy infiltrates Lola's life and quickly befriends her . But is Ivy the enemy or the victim?? You really need to get to the end... You will be shook.

Full of twists and epic turns, this book had me on edge. I highly recommend this.

Book Review: Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah

 

About:

ON AN ORDINARY WORKING DAY…

Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. He’s at his son’s nursery to pick up Max. But he isn’t there.

YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE…

Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot.

Racing to the carpark, she grasps the horror of what she has done. Max has been locked in her car for three hours on the hottest day of the year.

IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE…

But she’s too late.

What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial, that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses it becomes clear there’s more to this incident than meets the eye…

A gripping, brave and tense courtroom drama, Next of Kin will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, heart-stopping page.

My Thoughts

Amazing legal drama....

In Next of Kin we meet Leila Syed, a successful businesswoman who seemed to have it all. Except children. She and her husband Will had been trying unsuccessfully for years ad that put a strain on her marriage, Meanwhile, her younger sister had a beautiful three year old named Max who Leila loved as her own.

One morning after being asked to drop off Max to nursery, a quick stop at the office turned Leila's world upside down as she forgot Max in her car. He died, and now Leila is facing serious prison time. Was it an accident? Or murder? This book takes us on a wild ride, where the secrets when revealed would make your jaw drop.

I am so glad this came available on Libby for me to be able to finish it. I plan to look for more books by this author.

Book Review: The Chain By Adrian McKinty

 

About

It's something parents do every morning: Rachel Klein drops her daughter at the bus stop and heads into her day. But a cell phone call from an unknown number changes everything: it's a woman on the line, informing her that she has Kylie bound and gagged in her back seat, and the only way Rachel will see her again is to follow her instructions exactly: pay a ransom, and find another child to abduct. This is no ordinary kidnapping: the caller is a mother herself, whose son has been taken, and if Rachel doesn't do as she's told, the boy will die.

"You are not the first. And you will certainly not be the last." Rachel is now part of The Chain, an unending and ingenious scheme that turns victims into criminals—and is making someone else very rich in the process. The rules are simple, the moral challenges impossible; find the money fast, find your victim, and then commit a horrible act you'd have thought yourself incapable of just twenty-four hours ago.

But what the masterminds behind The Chain know is that parents will do anything for their children. It turns out that kidnapping is only the beginning.

My Thoughts

This book was action packed from beginning to end. This is my first time reading this author and it definitely would not be the last.

In 'The Chain' we meet teenager Kylie, daughter of cancer survivor Rachel, who has been kidnapped by an unknown couple. For Kylie to be returned safely Rachel has to first pay the ransom and continue The Chain by kidnapping another child. Left with no choice Rachel, sets down a dangerous path which ended up consuming her.

Haunted by THE CHAIN Rachel did not rest until she figured out who was behind this sinister crime organisation. The results are even more shocking. The background is even more jaw dropping.

I figured out who was behind the chain a little before it was revealed but it didn't make the revelation less impactful I think. This was a very well written book.

Book Review: Death in the Dry River By Lisa Allen-Agostini

About

When Police Constable Johnson "Sonny" Stone stumbles upon a murdered man's corpse in the filthy Dry River on the edge of Port of Spain, Trinidad, he unwittingly opens a case involving calypso, conspiracy and corruption.

It is 1932. African chattel slavery and Indian indentureship are over, but neither has been left behind. British Colonial Port of Spain is a roiling pot of disparate races, classes and the rich take what they want, the gangsters take what they need, and the poor take whatever's left.

Depressed by his wife's leaving him, and suspended from the Constabulary for insubordination, Sonny Stone is drawn into an investigation that searches every corner of the city. His Solve the case no matter where it ends, or who it destroys.

My Thoughts

A short book but very entertaining and well written. In this book we follow Constable Johnson Sonny Stone, a police officer in early 20th century Trinidad, who stumbles upon a dead body in the Dry River which is near his home. There is one thing though Sonny has been suspended for insubordination, however that does not deter his thirst for solving puzzles as he becomes invested to solve this murder mystery.

This novella was very fast paced and I recommend it. What I liked is the history that was interwoven into the story. I wished this could be a series I liked this book a lot.

 

Book Review: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

 

About

Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet.

Lydia is the favourite child of Marilyn and James Lee; a girl who inherited her mother's bright blue eyes and her father's jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue - in Marilyn's case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James's case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the centre of every party. But Lydia is under pressures that have nothing to do with growing up in 1970s small town Ohio. Her father is an American born of first-generation Chinese immigrants, and his ethnicity, and hers, make them conspicuous in any setting.

When Lydia's body is found in the local lake, James is consumed by guilt and sets out on a reckless path that may destroy his marriage. Marilyn, devastated and vengeful, is determined to make someone accountable, no matter what the cost. Lydia's older brother, Nathan, is convinced that local bad boy Jack is somehow involved. But it's the youngest in the family - Hannah - who observes far more than anyone realises and who may be the only one who knows what really happened.

Everything I Never Told You is a gripping page-turner, about secrets, love, longing, lies and race.

My Thoughts

Lydia is dead!!

Lydia a mixed race teen is found dead and her family is left dealing with a very big loss.

I found this book was well written. It dealt with a lot of different themes such as tragedy, grief, family relationships and regret. James was a Chinese American professor who for all his life has tried to fit into an America that did not see him as an equal. He finds love in the beautiful Marilyn, a young ambitious student, who is determined to not be like her homely mother, She wanted to become a doctor and see the world. As their forbidden romance blossomed, marriage comes and then children, Marilyn soon accepts her fate is to be a wife and mother of her three kids Nath, Lydia and Hannah.

Somehow in Lydia both James and Marilyn sees a fresh start. In Lydia, they see opportunities that they didn't have. This put immense pressure on Lydia to excel at friendships and academics. Meanwhile the other two children Nath and Hannah the youngest, were almost invisible to their parents. When Lydia died in a suspected suicide the family members all dealt with the grief in different ways....the question is did they survive??

I think this is an important book.... Very good with a lot of lessons and jaw dropping moments.

Bool Review: The Housemaid's Secret by Freida Mc Fadden

 

ABOUT

As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can't risk losing this job – not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe . . .

It's hard to find an employer who doesn't ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want. It's almost perfect. But I still haven't met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I'm sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I'm doing laundry. And one day I can't help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything...

That's when I make a promise. After all, I've done this before. I can protect Mrs. Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe. Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It's simply a question of how far I'm willing to go...

My Thoughts

FMF does it again in the sequel to the very popular Housemaid.

Millie is at a place in her life where she is settle. She has a stable boyfriend Brock and is studying. When she lands a job with the very rich Douglas Garrick, there is no way she will turn it down. As usual trouble seems to follow Millie, as she realises there is something terribly wrong in the Garrick household especially with Mrs. Wendy Garrick who is locked up daily in her room.

Millie intent, to find out what's wrong gets herself once again in a situation that could cost her everything as it could lead her to prison. Her estranged ex Enzo is back and together they embark on yet another dangerous adventure.

This was very entertaining and of course what I like best are the unexpected twists that come at the very end.

Book Review: Through the Storm (Le Veq Family #1) by Beverly Jenkins

 

ABOUT:

Married For Money

Raimond Le Veq needed to marry to gain his inheritance and restore the fortunes of the House of Le Veq, the proud Black New Orleans family whose wealth had been ravaged by the War Between the States. Still wounded by the double-cross of the only woman he ever came close to loving, he gave the choice of bride to his mother. But he never be expected that she would pick Sable Fontaine--the beautiful former slave he could not allow himself to trust again.

Freed By Passion

Betrayed and sold to a cruel neighbor, Sable did whatever it took escape. With the spirits of her royal African ancestors guiding her, she made a bold bid for freedom, and won. But along the way she had to hurt the charming Union Major Le Veq, who had romanced her and championed her. Now fate has brought them back together in a marriage of convenience. Can she convince Raimond she was never a Rebel spy, and that this time, she'd choose him above all else?

My Thoughts

This is the first book of the Le Veq series. and it follows Raimond and Sable

Sable is a character that I met in Rebel and Forbidden. It was nice reading about her story, from being a slave to the wife of Raimond Le Veq. As usual the book gave a very indepth account of the period of the end of slavery in America and the Civil War. I love how BJ in her books create hope and love among her characters in spite of the hardships of the times.

Great book as usual. Every book I have read from this author I loved them all.

Book Review: The Tenant by Freida Mc Fadden

 

There’s no place like home…

Blake Porter is riding high, until he's not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone that he shares with his fiancee, he's desperate to make ends meet.

Enter Whitney. Beautiful, charming, down-to-earth, and looking for a room to rent. She's exactly what Blake's looking for. Or is she?

Because something isn't quite right. The neighbors start treating Blake differently. The smell of decay permeates his home, no matter how hard he scrubs. Strange noises jar him awake in the middle of the night. And soon Blake fears someone knows his darkest secrets...

Danger lives right at home, and by the time Blake realizes it, it'll be far too late. The trap is already set.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden knocks at your door with a gripping story of revenge, privilege, and secrets turned sour…

My Thoughts

I have been looking forward to reading The Tenant since it came out and I can say that yet again I was not disappointed. What I appreciate about FMF books are the fact that they are fast paced and they keep you reading until the very end.

When Blake gets fired from his dream job as VP in a big company, he and his fiancé Krista decide to take in a tenant to assist with finances. After many failed interviews in walks Whitney, a young woman who they assumed would be the perfect tenant.

When Whitney moves in, things start to get strange in the apartment. Blake immediately becomes suspicious but what he discovers would leave him shook.

This book kept me on my toes to the very end and again I was not disappointed.

Book Review: A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl by Nanda Reddy

 

About

A girl takes on a series of identities to survive, shrouding herself in layers of secrets, until years later she is forced to reckon with her past.

On an ordinary day in an upscale Atlanta suburb, Maya is making breakfast for her two sons, when her husband drops a red-and-blue striped envelope on the counter and asks a devastating Who is Sunny?

Maya is sent reeling back to her childhood in Guyana—a time when Sunny was her only name. Unbeknownst to her husband, Maya is not who she claims to be. The letter, from her long-lost sister Roshi, now threatens to expose her true identity and shatter the seemingly perfect existence Maya worked so hard to build.

As she frantically weighs the impact of the truth on her future, Maya relives the harrowing details of her past—her journey to America on the “backtrack,” the shock of being delivered into the hands of an abusive family while being severed from her own, and her many evolutions of self as she struggles to find a path forward against all odds.

This striking debut transports the reader from the sugar cane fields of Guyana to the world of immigrant laborers in Miami to the affluent suburbs of Atlanta. Nanda Reddy takes us on a wrenching journey of assimilation, survival, and reinvention that explores the very construct of identity and the resilience of the human spirit.

My Thoughts

What an emotional rollercoaster!!!! Wow, where do I begin with this review? This book painted a vivid picture of immigration to the US and the lengths people.would go for the American Dream.

In the novel we meet 12 year old Sunny,.a.bubbly girl from Guyana who dreamed of life in the USA. That dream came through but at a cost...a very painful cost. Her family, being poor and in search of a better life grabbed an "opportunity" to get ahead and this involved Sunny going to the US under an alias.

Upon reaching America, Sunny became Neena eventually Maya. Her life in the US came with abuse, drugs, homelessness and despair. In spite of the odds against her and the people who were enemies, Sunny became a strong woman.

This book deals with a number of emotional issues but that is what made me want to get to the end. I enjoyed it.

Book Review: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

 

About:

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

My Thoughts

This book was a very good book.

I have been seeing Abby Jimenez everywhere but I didn't think too much of it because I do not gravitate towards romance novels, I am more of a mystery/thriller reader. But Emma and Justin had me invested. I loved everything about the story, and As I usually say I am drawn to romances only if there is a story line.

Although it was part of a series this story read as a standalone so even though I had not read the first two books (which you can bet I am going to devour now) I enjoyed it. Jimenez did not only focus on the love story of Emma and Justin, I loved how she included themes of family trauma, mental illness and friendship as well.

Go get this book, this exceeded my expectations. I am now a fan.

Book Review: Can't Get Enough Skylands 3 by Kennedy Ryan

 

About

“Kennedy Ryan pours her whole soul into everything she writes, and it makes for books that are heart-searing, sensual, and life affirming.”―EMILY HENRY, #1 New York Times bestselling author Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry's rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it.

She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions—always striving upward. And in the midst of everything, she's facing her toughest challenge caring for an aging parent.

Who has time for romance? From her experience, there's a low ROI on relationships. She hasn't met the man who can keep up with her anyway. Until...him.

Tech mogul Maverick Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and knee-melting charm. From their first charged glance at the summer's hottest party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match. Only he can’t be. Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired and appreciated, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself.

But when Maverick gives chase—pursuing her, spoiling her, understanding her—is it time to let herself have something more?

A deeply moving and personal novel about sacrifice, self-reliance, and finding true happiness from “one of the finest romance writers of our age.” –Entertainment Weekly

My Thoughts

This was one of my anticipated reads for 2025, and it did not disappoint one bit. I felt every emotion under the sun with this third installment of the Skyland series. Hendrix was fierce, independent and kind. In the previous books she was the friend and rich auntie. I was very excited for her story.

As I always say, romance is never my go to genre simply because most of them never really have a storyline beyond the couple. While the relationship between Maverick and Hendrix was exceptionally written, I also loved again, how Ryan, included other themes and issues, the main one being dealing with Alzheimer's (which Hendrix's mom had) and the challenges that caregivers and family members go through dealing with that.

It was nice to read about Yasmen and Soledad again also. I really enjoyed this entire series.