John Banville, called “the Irish Master” by The New Yorker, has apparently written over a dozen novels, none of which I had read (or could remember reading), so when Hanover Square/Harlequin and NetGalley provided a copy of Snow (in exchange for my honest review), I confess it sat in my TBR pile for awhile. With …
The premise of Rumaan Alam’s Leave The World Behind was intriguing: Amanda and Clay take their teenage children on a week-long getaway from their home in NewYork City to a luxury vacation rental (think top-of-the-line AirBnB) and find their peace and quiet abruptly ended by the arrival of a frantic older African-American couple (Ruth and …
As a sucker for true crime and someone who has read a TON of books in this genre, M. William Phelps is one of the authors whose books are always on my TBR list, and one whose books generally are well written. Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley, I received a copy of his latest, …
Ever since I read The Dry, I’ve been a big fan of Jane Harper. Haven’t been able to decide which of her novels has been my favorite, but with The Survivors, there is definitely another contender for that title! The narrator of The Survivors is a young man named Kieran Elliott. He and his girlfriend …
This book sat on my TBR shelf for awhile because I am a celebrity book club snob. For some reason, I had it in my head that Reese Witherspoon’s book club would have a list of titles that were all fluffy stories. Finally, I ran out of things to read and started this one. TBH, …
NOTE: Some of the content of this review appeared in my review of Unacceptable by Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz, published and reviewed July 2020. Both books cover the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal. Prior to reading these books, my knowledge on the subject was pretty much limited to what I had seen in People …
Not long ago, I read Dave Cullen’s fabulous Parkland and it reinforced not only my horror about school shootings but my complete lack of understanding about the shooters. And although on one level I know they are not all the same, in my brain they all seem to coalesce into a group of people wo …
I’ve read some of Mr. Meltzer’s fiction (although I couldn’t name you a single title) and I am sort of a sucker for conspiracy theories, so I was happy to receive a copy of The Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time from Workman Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Some of the …
I’m generally a big Michael Connelly fan, with the newer series featuring Renee Ballard (sometimes partnered with Harry Bosch) probably being my favorite, but I’m also a Lincoln Lawyer fan (which I read with an image of Matthew McConaghey etched in my brain). So I was especially happy to get an ARC of The Law …
In 2010, Grisham’s book A Time To Kill introduced attorney Jake Brigance, later made into a pretty good movie with Matthew McConaughey perfectly cast as Jake. Then in 2013, Jake returned in Sycamore Row, where Jake once again worked his magic in the courtroom. Now, we have the third installment in the JB series, and …
I see a lot of one-star reviews — clearly from cult members who are angry at the author for tarnishing the reputation of the First Lady. Also lots of multi-star reviews, seemingly from people who appreciate a fairly well-written and very detailed story of how SWW was thrown under the bus (or the train, as …
I am of the generation raised when being patriotic was the default: we dutifully recited the Pledge every school day, stood at parades when the flag went by, etc.etc. We were taught that the U.S. was unquestioningly on the “right side” in every conflict, and that we were against tyranny, and definitely always pro-freedom and …
My niece lives in Australia and I periodically make an effort to learn something — anything! — about her new homeland. I confess I am woefully ignorant about Australia’s history (as well as the present situation there, other than the big backstory about it being a destination to which prisoners were sent and a few …
I love Michael Robotham! In 2015, I read The Night Ferry, then in 2016 I was KNOCKED OUT by Close Your Eyes! 2017’s The Secrets She Keeps was not quite as terrific (for me) as the other two, so maybe that is how I missed 2019’s Good Girl, Bad Girl. It was the first in …
True confession: I requested this book because I misread the author’s name and thought it was a different author whose work I had enjoyed. So, I was totally clueless about this author going in, and if I had read the blurb carefully it is unlikely I would have requested it. TBH, creepy old houses, particularly …
Apparently, Jeff Abbott is somewhat prolific: a quick look on Amazon shows LOTS of titles, many with “A Thriller” prominently displayed on the cover, just in case the reader/shopped isn’t aware of the genre. I certainly wasn’t, when I received a copy of Never Ask Me from Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for …
Almost exactly two years ago, I read and reviewed Tana French’s standalone novel The Witch Elm, noting that I would have enjoyed seeing more of the Dublin Murder Squad characters (Antoinette Conway, Stephen Moran, and others), but that I had enjoyed geting to know a “whole new cast of characters.” Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley …
I really wanted to like this book? I like Ms. Hall, and it sounded like it would appeal to my appreciation for the plucky-heroine genre (Stephanie Plum, Kinsey Millhone). The protagonist, Grayson Sykes, is a PI who is looking for a woman named Isabel Lincoln. Isabel MAY have left town with her boyfriend’s dog. As the …
I have a history with Val McDermid, and her wonderful protagonist Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie of Police Scotland. Back in 2016, I read and reviewed Out of Bounds by Val McDermid, #4 in the series with this feisty female protagonist. At that time, I said, “I’m not sure why I haven’t read Val McDermid …
I’ve had a lifetime interest in health, nutrition and tend to be attracted to the shiny objects that come out frequently claiming to be the solution to weight loss, health, etc. so I was looking forward to reading The Intermittent Fasting Cookbook by Nicole Poirier, and when I received a copy from Quarto Publishing/Fair Winds …