A chilling and haunting story that offers insight into the misconduct and neglect of poor souls who are institutionalized in the 1960s. The main character, Sage, goes looking for her twin sister Rosemary and instead ends up being locked up and trapped. Largely overpopulated and sorely understaffed, the “hospital” has patients starving to death, sitting in their own soil and filth for days, and no treatment other than sedation. Worth the read!

Not on my top five list, but a delightful read nonetheless. Prohibition, politics and family secrets keep you hooked during this narrative that traces back from modern time characters to their relatives or traces of acquaintances that date back to prohibition times. How far will individuals with a scandal go to cover their tracks?

The world of cormorán strike and robin ellacottt is immersive, indulging and addictive, so thank goodness it‘s a series! Written in prose that makes you a better person, yet enticing enough it hooks you from the start, I am always in edge for the mystery and potential romance in this series. Wonderfully and intelligently written, how does social media and groups being themselves into a bigger picture

“Why can‘t healing happen as quickly as wounding?” What a phenomenal book about the trajectory of time, memories and the steadfast heart of human nature. READ THIS IF YOU HAVE THE CHANCE!! top of my favorites now

“Were the accomplishments of a genius worthwhile if it meant going a little crazy? What if the insanity is only temporary?” This is such a raw and intense look in those few young athletes who give up everything they have for greatness. Is success measured by accomplishments and Olympic medals or by normalcy and happiness? Sera‘s gymnastic plight and discovery will stay with me for quite some time. Enthralling and best read I‘ve had in a while!

Similar to her other books, Brown creates a world filled with suspense, conflict, tumultos situations and a little bit of lust. Bad boy Shaw kinnard is an undercover FBI agent who “kidnaps” Jordie Bennet in one of his cases. Jordie is connected to her brother who helped mobster Billy Panella embezzle millions from innocent people. Hickman and Wiley are local cops who are the backbone of the case and characters. Justice vs sibling relationship

A haunting and tragic tale of how we seek to help each other heal brokenness. Poor Lewis watches his mom drown at only 9 years old and endures an emotionally unavailable father who remarried within the same year and sends him off to boarding school. Sweet kit has always loved Lewis but has her own travesty with an abusive father. characters who feel incomplete continuously seek out broken souls to help fill their void. So sad, but beautiful prose.

A bit long-winded & felt like going round & round on the same merrygo round by end, but probably to be expected for a story of reincarnated souls finding themselves in different lives. Twists & turns keep you hooked when learning about a small town girl who lives in Tennessee mountains and rumored to be possessed by a demon bc she has visions of her former lives. Interesting characters and left wanting to know more about the Ousberoune Society

A long-winded build up to a swift and far-fetched ending. Bizarre storyline that has turns that keep the reader interested and guessing. A tight knit neighborhood community is wary of outsiders after a recent murder happened in House 12. Reminiscent of big little lies, this has suspense and intrigue. Leo hurts Alice by the secrets he keeps, and Alice becomes suspicious of her surroundings. Can your mundane neighbor be capable of murder?

An eerie story of a young woman who has never felt truly part of something or fully happy with her life. She joins a cult-like school to learn academia, but begins to decipher friendship, rebelliousness and belonging. The bizarre yet intriguing plasm concentration studies lurks everywhere though and it‘s up to Ines, the protagonist, to decide if she will overcome plasm or if it will overcome her. Betrayed by Theo, saved by Yaya, Ines makes her way

While this will never surf one of my top favorites lists, I am glad I took time to experience this book. I don‘t say read because it really does feel like an experience with the imagery throughout, bizarre and long-winded writing style, and emotionally evoking perspectives from different family members. A young boy loses his dad in 9/11 and his journey to seek comfort and his dad after death makes us realize how fragile and beautiful life is.

An emotional , thought-provoking novel that still has a “beach read” feel to it. Viví is the cornerstone of her family so when she dies from a hit and run accident it turns the Howe family upside down. Her “viewing window” allows her three nudges to use to help set her family back on track. Her kids, Carson is larger than life and so is her pain, Leo is confused and scared and Willa remains resilient as the oldest sibling.

You‘ll be dizzy with all the twists and turns, although it does become predictable at a certain point. While there are many characters that are emotionally hurt in this book, my heart reached out to Leo. The little brother who is overshadowed by his sisters disappearance, a mom whose supposed suicide left him motherless at a age too young for him to remember her, and a father too grief stricken to be there for him. You‘ll breeze through this read!

As always, picoult does a masterful job of connecting the characters hearts to its readers. Young love, escaping from domestic violence, a manslaughter trial, and family relationships make up this book. We are all looking not only to find love, but be loved and accepted ourselves. An enjoying and emotional read.

Too many violent and dark themes throughout the book for my personal liking. A heart racing mystery lures you in to keep on reading. Twisted, but that‘s to be expected with Karin slaughter. A great read if you enjoy this genre

“The loss that comes with realizing that parents are profoundly human and helpless, pitiful even.” This is a must read that invites the reader to contemplate family, love, racism, poverty and relationships. Linda sipping coffee while navigating love, Beth‘s heartbreaking trauma while trying to raise a family, and Paula‘s steeliness make for great characters you can‘t help but fall in love with and care for. This will make you think after finished.

A historical fiction novel that takes readers into the brothers and brutality of ancient Pompeii. There‘s love, hope and characters who showcase humanity even though they derive from location and time frame far from now, some things such as family, friendships, and loyalty that are timeless. Loved this one!

Heart wrenching. Showcases multiple characters points of view. What happens when a dedicated girlfriend, a mother, and best friend all lose the man they love - how are they supposed to survive and should their circles intertwine? Emotional and this book has made me even think about music differently because of the main characters hatred of music. You won‘t regret this read.

Laurel Plummer and thatcher Hutton are the protagonists who meet after a series of unfortunate events, but their ending is worth all of the heartache and tribulations along the way. Moonshine, prohibition, spies and murders make this a heart pumping read . You‘ll smile, laugh and cry during this book.

“They had finally won, but the cost had been dear indeed.” This book is phenomenal in all ways. A different perspective than most of the typical books with a wwII setting, it highlights the stories of brave women across different countries and how their sacrifices had life changing impacts on strangers. Humanity at its bravest and most vulnerable state when in a state of oppression. Food and materials may be rationed, but not spirit or courage

“Hope was tricky like water. Somehow it always found a way in.” A beautiful ending to the trilogy, it‘s worth it to read it this far to see how Alina, Mal, the darkling, Nikolai and the other grisha fare during the turbulent times. Love, loss, hope, and new beginnings make this a poignant story about love, power and warfare. Great series overall!

This story felt like A mix of Game of Thrones and Twilight, Hannah Whitten did a great job of immersing readers into a fantasy world. Centuries of historical sacrifice to keep monsters at bay, the loving bond between twin sisters shakes things up. How far would you go for the person you love most?

I was excited to continue this series, but the book was long winded. An additional hundred pages that were repetitive and unnecessary for the story. An interesting tale of monsters that rule the underworld and a glimpse of how taxing power can be.

Not a bad book, just not my personal preference on a setting or storyline. Midwesterner cowboys have to solve a murder of a judge‘s wife. The judge suspects a former miscreant he sentenced was aiming the bullet at him, not his wife. The local doctor may not be who he seems and has a mysterious reason for being the cause of chaos and destruction around him. Glad I stuck through the book, but probably won‘t read more of CJ Box.

A perfect beach or light hearted read to devour quickly. A look into the elite ladies of Buckhead‘s wealthiest women and all of the drama and scandal that entails. Fun characters, short chapters and a juicy plot that involves revenge made this delightful. Guilty pleasure TV in the form of a book!

“But Littleport has always been a place that favors the bold.” A small coastal town filled with big twists and turns. Avery, the local townie and orphan, uncovers the dark secrets of the wealthy Logan family. Death, dirty cops, real estate megalomaniacs, and “the plus one party” make this a fun and quick read you won‘t want to put down!

A quick, playful read that unveils the threads of family composition. Mickey, the father who is too successful and broken to be a steady husband and dad, leaves his family to grapple life on their own. A devoted mom who self medicated to get through impacts her oldest Nina in a way that makes her have to grow up too quickly. She is the heart and soul of the family, but every sibling plays a powerful part in love. Great read overall!

Fantastic coming of age novel about a woman chemist in the 50s/60s. An intellectual single mother raising her daughter in a world where that‘s against the grain. The main character pushes boundaries and is quite thoughtful and funny throughout the novel. Powerful yet light hearted, definitely don‘t want to miss this one!

Gripping from the get go. A reserved mother with an autistic child has what seems to be a dream husband - thoughtful, rich and powerful - giving her a secure life and what seems to be a happy relationship. However, he exerts his power on unsuspecting women and chaos unveils itself throughout the book.

I love most of Sandra browns books because I know what I‘m going to get - a mystery with plot twists, steamy romance between an unlikely pair, and a fast paced story that‘s direct &interesting. However, this book was a bust because the storyline is just bizarre. On a search to find out what happened in her mothers death, The protagonist ends up falling in love with her mother‘s lover and a relationship develops from there. Not missing out w this

Lighthearted and fun mystery/“whodunnit” novel. Very reminiscent of Death on the Nile. A sleuthing couple set out to find out who is behind the killing of nightly and theatrical deaths while on a boat. A hearth throb, mysterious carnival director seems suspect but very intriguing throughout the book. Interesting characters, great time setting, and twists to keep you guessing until the end.

I always enjoy books from Hoffman, but this one wasn‘t on the top of my list. Interesting narrative that weaves between character development, lessons of magic and the actual storyline. The book does a great job of giving the reader glimpses of history, love, family, and the inner wickedness we all must navigate. Using your powers to help or hurt in order to achieve what you want, very intriguing overall!

This book started off wildly captivating and I couldn‘t put it down. The plot begins to drag and loose ends get tied up just a little too nicely and neatly for me to stay as hooked as I was in the beginning. Politics, money, love and loss - this book shows you parallels between all these things in life. Easy and fun read overall.

As a devoted Jodi picoult fan, it pains me to rate this one as “meh.” Her authors note says she wrote this book at land-speed, and it shows. It‘s fragmented and felt rushed, but also long winded at certain times. There are highlights-the lessons we‘ve learned through the pandemic, how to appreciate who and what you love in the now. The research about NDEs and coma dreams of parallel universes was striking, though. Not bad, but not her best work.

Sandra Browns books are always a tried and true for me because I know I can expect a love story, exciting plot, developed characters and usually a (relatively) happy “case closed” ending. this was one of the most enjoyable Sandra brown books I have read to date! Having a deaf character made me think about communication and perspectives in a new lighting, so I especially appreciated this detail throughout the story.

I devoured this book in a day. Pushed me outside of my normal comfort zone with a twisted storyline and an even more shocking ending. This book haunted me for days after I was done with it.

This book was hard for me to put down! A storyline that spans over decades/ several characters, it evokes those integral human emotions that are highlighted during strife/warfare - love, acceptance, yearning for something better and making connections with those you love. Ian‘s storyline of losing his brother, Nina‘s fierceness & bold approach to life, Tony‘s suaveness that has a deeper layer, and Jordan, who inspired me to find my inner j bryde!

A gripping tale of modern day piracy that digs into the depths of humanity. Shares how human emotion connects us across countries and culture and how past traumas shape our present day reality. The joys and heartache that come with family and loving relationships. It took me a while to get into this book, but once I caught the flow I was completely hooked!

“He understood why his customers wanted to play something that looked fixed but left room for randomness and hope.”

Finished this book, filled with the relentless human spirit navigating the sufferings of a hard life, yet always having a heart filled with hope that‘s tied to loving family above all else. Tough to read at times, but completely worth it!

A provocative and nail biting story that will keep you hooked until the very last page. A look into lifestyles from royalty, gladiators and servants, this book does an amazing job with character development. I found myself loathing lady Lepida and rooting for The Barbarian and Thea. Surprises, romance and historical references make for a superb read!

A thriller with lots of unexpected twists along the way. Some chapters are an actual podcast, which is an interesting way to weave the storylines and characters. With such a focus on various timelines and characters, it lacked character development so I never could form a deep connection to main characters.

Thought provoking, sometimes infuriating but always interesting. Three generations worth of stories that show the common thread of humanity and heartache. Outside my comfort zone of my usual reads, but worth the read!