The Forest of Missing Girls
Creepy, creepy, creepy! The Forest of Missing Girls instantly drew me in. I was intrigued by Lia Gregg and her fear of the woods surrounding her home. She did not live in the forest where, like the Robert Frost poem where “the woods are lovely, dark and deep.” No, she lived in the woods which were full of darkness, secrets, and whispers. Girls have gone missing in those dark woods. She’s not a child anymore and when she returns home after a breakup, a teenage girl goes missing…… This book was equal parts, atmospheric and chilling. As I mentioned, I was instantly drawn into this book and them whamo this book took a shocking and unexpected turn! I did not see THAT coming at all. The book veered off from being creepy and chilling to being horrific, shocking, and heck, I don’t even know what to call it. It felt as if it came out of the left field. Its horror meets Science fiction meets what-in-the-world-did-I-just-read?????? Seriously, hello left field!!!! I have the feeling that readers are either going to love this one for its uniqueness, originality, and sci-fi turn, or you’ll be sitting there thinking well, that was something……. The author gets big points for creating a chilling and eerie atmospheric setting. I can almost feel the chill in the air and feel the twigs snap under the characters’ feet as they walked through the woods. This book is very unique and has a very interesting premise. If you are looking for something a little different, a little off the beaten path, and you are willing to suspend some disbelief, this book might be right up your alley. From the premise I thought I had a fair grasp on what this book was going to be about. I was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Dark, horrific, atmospheric, chilling, and unique! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Last Rites
“I have a genuine love affair with my audience When I’m on stage they’re not privileged to see me. It’s a privilege for me to see them.” – Ozzy Osbourne He loved music, he loved performing, he loved his family, he loved his friends, and he loved his wife. I can’t think of Ozzy without hearing him in my mind yelling “Sharon.” He was also complicated, he was an addict, he was a heavy metal icon, he was a father, he was a grandfather, he was a husband, and he rocked the world! He had many friends in the music industry and shared some of his experiences and tales about them as well. “I’m about caring. I’m about people, and I’m about entertaining people. I’m a family man. A Husband. A father. I’ve been a lot of other things over the years, which we don’t really want to talk about.” – Ozzy Osbourne In Last Rites, Ozzy Osbourne shares health struggles and declining health. He also shares about his humble and poor beginnings to being in Black Sabbath, being fired, and like the phoenix, rising from the flames to go on to be a HUGE solo artist. Along the way he stumbled, he fell; he got back up, and he never gave up. In Last Rites he shares about his antics, his love of music, his love of performing, his use of drugs and alcohol, those he admired, those he lost, and those who mattered most to him. “Has he lost his mind? Can he see, or is he blind? Can he walk at all? Or if he moves, will he fall?” – Iron Man, Black Sabbath Last Rites is Ozzy being honest, humorous, reflective, and unpolemically himself. He wasn’t the most handsome man, he wasn’t the most graceful on stage, but he had charisma, that recognizable voice, and his ability to be both a rock god and an ordinary human being. He provided many with an outlet and someone to relate to. He up grew poor, he understood what it meant to struggle and go without, and he appreciated what he gained. He didn’t give a fuck and yet he did. He was complicated and yet fans felt as if they knew him. Whether it be through his music or his reality TV show, Osbourne lets fans into his life – the good, the bad, and the ugly. “Crazy, but that’s how it goes Millions of people living as foes Maybe it’s not too late To learn how to love And forget how to hate” – Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne Fans of heavy metal, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, or just music in general, may enjoy this book. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was fantastic. Man, his death, hurt. But his music, will go on. “Times have changed and times are strange Here I come, but I ain’t the same Mama, I’m coming home Times go by, it seems to be You could have been a better friend to me Mama, I’m coming home You took me in and you drove me out, yeah You had me hypnotised, yeah Lost and found and turned around By the fire in your eyes” – Mama, I’m Coming Home – Ozzy Osbourne Highly Recommend. Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Innocence Road
Gripping, chilling, thrilling, shocking, and hard to put down! Innocence Road is an engaging and riveting mystery thriller which had me doing my best to determine whodunit along with Detective Leanne Everhart! I had a hard time putting this one down and enjoyed every single page! Leanne Everhart has been called back to her hometown of Marfa, Texas by her brother following her father’s death. What awaits her besides the beautiful landscape is a fresh crime scene involving a murdered young woman. Marfa, Texas has a long memory, and they cannot forget the wrongful murder conviction involving the murder of a popular young woman years ago. When Leanne decides to investigate the current murder case, she finds several cold cases involving dead young women. I was instantly invested in Innocence Road. I enjoyed Detective Leanne Everhart’s character. She is not willing to give up, walk away, or turn her check when things get ugly. She also has big shoes to fill as her father was in local law enforcement. She is up against the local boy’s law enforcement club. As secrets of the past are revealed, tension, suspense, and danger begin to mount. I found this to be a well thought out mystery/crime investigation. I enjoyed the characters, the town itself with its long memory, the cold cases, Leanne as a strong and intelligent female lead, and how the plot unfolded. Nothing felt rushed nor drawn out. Plus, the pacing was fantastic!! Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Queen Esther
Welp! Man, this one hurts to write. John Irving has written some amazing, thought provoking, and emotion evoking books over the years. It has always been a joy to read one of his books. I had such high hopes for Queen Esther. I went into this book thinking I would love it as much as I have his other books. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark entirely for me. The book begins with Esther Nacht who has had a hard time in life. Her father died on the ship taking them from Europe to Portland, Maine. Her mother was murdered by anti-Semites, and she becomes a ward of an orphanage. When she is fourteen, she is taken in by a non-Jewish family who despise anti-Semitism. From there her story begins. I believe I would have enjoyed this book more if the book was entirely about Esther. But the book then takes a turn and becomes about Jimmy Winslow. This book does touch on important themes such as anti-Semitism, identity, family, loss, survival, history, motherhood, and love to name a few. I found this book to be slow moving and frankly, I became bored. Perhaps some editing would have saved some of the book for me. I cannot recommend this book, but I can recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany,The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Play Nice
Who Says you can never go home again????? Home should be a safe place. But what if it’s not? What is home is where your demons lay in wait? Home is a haunted place, a place that haunts your mind, your body and your soul????? Rachel Harrison has done it once again! She has delivered a chilling, thrilling, horrific, creepy, and hard to put down book that will get under your skin. I had a hard time putting down Play Nice and loved every single page of it. Clio Louise Barnes, a stylist and influencer, must face the demons of her past when she returns to her childhood home which is haunted, or is it possessed???? She moved there are a child with her mother, and sisters, Leda, and Daphne. Her mother, Alexandra, claimed that the home was possessed by a demon. Was it? Was their mother mentally ill, as the courts determined when they removed her daughters from her care? Clio is determined to makeover the house as her viewers watch. She gets the creepy crawlies being back in the house where she suffered so much trauma and lived a dysfunctional life. When she finds a book left behind by her mother, Clio’s memories begin to come back. Rachel Harrison excels at creating a creepy and eerie vibe. She had me wondering what was real and if the house was in fact haunted/possessed. She also excels at creating doubt, tension, and unease. Did her mother really have mental health issues or was she on to something? Is Clio experiencing what her mother experienced or is she being influenced by her mother’s writing and being back in the house where she was traumatized as a child.? What role does memory and trauma play in our lives and how we experience things? This book was awesome. I loved the writing, the well thought out plot, the characters, and the eerie vibe of the book. I love that this book is horrific but not gory. Plus, there is a little romance thrown into the mix to keep things on the lighter side as well. As I mentioned it gets under your skin and will have the hairs sticking up on the back of your neck. I loved the dread, the unease, and the emphasis on family. Families can be messy, they can be dysfunctional, they can be contentious, and they can be wonderful. Families can haunt us just as houses can. Dark, eerie, chilling, dripping with dread and dysfunction. Highly Recommend. I listened to the audiobook and loved every second of it.
Final Descent
Final Descent is a fast-paced mystery thriller that takes place on land and at 30,000 feet in the air! I listened to the audiobook and felt the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life. It’s entertaining, gripping, and riveting; however, it is also a bit far-fetched! Claire Winslow is trying to rebuild her life after a not so cordial divorce. She is ready to dip her feet into the dating pool once again but her first date is well, not so pleasant. Plus, her bad date seems to be popping up here, there, and everywhere! What is pleasant is the time spent with her five-year-old daughter and her friends. Flying is what she does, but things take a turn for worse on her most recent flight…… As I mentioned Final Descent is an entertaining fast paced read. The audiobook and novella can easily be enjoyed in one sitting. I did enjoy that even thought this was short, the author did manage to throw in some twists and turns along with the turbulence! That kept my fully invested and enjoying the book. As I mentioned, this is a bit far-fetched but if you can overlook some things, you may find this to be an enjoyable book which won’t take up too much of your time! Thank you to Spotify Audiobook Selects and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Forest of Missing Girls
Creepy, creepy, creepy! The Forest of Missing Girls instantly drew me in. I was intrigued by Lia Gregg and her fear of the woods surrounding her home. She did not live in the forest where, like the Robert Frost poem where “the woods are lovely, dark and deep.” No, she lived in the woods which were full of darkness, secrets, and whispers. Girls have gone missing in those dark woods. She’s not a child anymore and when she returns home after a breakup, a teenage girl goes missing…… This book was equal parts, atmospheric and chilling. As I mentioned, I was instantly drawn into this book and them whamo this book took a shocking and unexpected turn! I did not see THAT coming at all. The book veered off from being creepy and chilling to being horrific, shocking, and heck, I don’t even know what to call it. It felt as if it came out of the left field. Its horror meets Science fiction meets what-in-the-world-did-I-just-read?????? Seriously, hello left field!!!! I have the feeling that readers are either going to love this one for its uniqueness, originality, and sci-fi turn, or you’ll be sitting there thinking well, that was something……. The author gets big points for creating a chilling and eerie atmospheric setting. I can almost feel the chill in the air and feel the twigs snap under the characters’ feet as they walked through the woods. This book is very unique and has a very interesting premise. If you are looking for something a little different, a little off the beaten path, and you are willing to suspend some disbelief, this book might be right up your alley. From the premise I thought I had a fair grasp on what this book was going to be about. I was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Dark, horrific, atmospheric, chilling, and unique! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Last Rites
“I have a genuine love affair with my audience When I’m on stage they’re not privileged to see me. It’s a privilege for me to see them.” – Ozzy Osbourne He loved music, he loved performing, he loved his family, he loved his friends, and he loved his wife. I can’t think of Ozzy without hearing him in my mind yelling “Sharon.” He was also complicated, he was an addict, he was a heavy metal icon, he was a father, he was a grandfather, he was a husband, and he rocked the world! He had many friends in the music industry and shared some of his experiences and tales about them as well. “I’m about caring. I’m about people, and I’m about entertaining people. I’m a family man. A Husband. A father. I’ve been a lot of other things over the years, which we don’t really want to talk about.” – Ozzy Osbourne In Last Rites, Ozzy Osbourne shares health struggles and declining health. He also shares about his humble and poor beginnings to being in Black Sabbath, being fired, and like the phoenix, rising from the flames to go on to be a HUGE solo artist. Along the way he stumbled, he fell; he got back up, and he never gave up. In Last Rites he shares about his antics, his love of music, his love of performing, his use of drugs and alcohol, those he admired, those he lost, and those who mattered most to him. “Has he lost his mind? Can he see, or is he blind? Can he walk at all? Or if he moves, will he fall?” – Iron Man, Black Sabbath Last Rites is Ozzy being honest, humorous, reflective, and unpolemically himself. He wasn’t the most handsome man, he wasn’t the most graceful on stage, but he had charisma, that recognizable voice, and his ability to be both a rock god and an ordinary human being. He provided many with an outlet and someone to relate to. He up grew poor, he understood what it meant to struggle and go without, and he appreciated what he gained. He didn’t give a fuck and yet he did. He was complicated and yet fans felt as if they knew him. Whether it be through his music or his reality TV show, Osbourne lets fans into his life – the good, the bad, and the ugly. “Crazy, but that’s how it goes Millions of people living as foes Maybe it’s not too late To learn how to love And forget how to hate” – Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne Fans of heavy metal, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, or just music in general, may enjoy this book. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was fantastic. Man, his death, hurt. But his music, will go on. “Times have changed and times are strange Here I come, but I ain’t the same Mama, I’m coming home Times go by, it seems to be You could have been a better friend to me Mama, I’m coming home You took me in and you drove me out, yeah You had me hypnotised, yeah Lost and found and turned around By the fire in your eyes” – Mama, I’m Coming Home – Ozzy Osbourne Highly Recommend. Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Innocence Road
Gripping, chilling, thrilling, shocking, and hard to put down! Innocence Road is an engaging and riveting mystery thriller which had me doing my best to determine whodunit along with Detective Leanne Everhart! I had a hard time putting this one down and enjoyed every single page! Leanne Everhart has been called back to her hometown of Marfa, Texas by her brother following her father’s death. What awaits her besides the beautiful landscape is a fresh crime scene involving a murdered young woman. Marfa, Texas has a long memory, and they cannot forget the wrongful murder conviction involving the murder of a popular young woman years ago. When Leanne decides to investigate the current murder case, she finds several cold cases involving dead young women. I was instantly invested in Innocence Road. I enjoyed Detective Leanne Everhart’s character. She is not willing to give up, walk away, or turn her check when things get ugly. She also has big shoes to fill as her father was in local law enforcement. She is up against the local boy’s law enforcement club. As secrets of the past are revealed, tension, suspense, and danger begin to mount. I found this to be a well thought out mystery/crime investigation. I enjoyed the characters, the town itself with its long memory, the cold cases, Leanne as a strong and intelligent female lead, and how the plot unfolded. Nothing felt rushed nor drawn out. Plus, the pacing was fantastic!! Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Queen Esther
Welp! Man, this one hurts to write. John Irving has written some amazing, thought provoking, and emotion evoking books over the years. It has always been a joy to read one of his books. I had such high hopes for Queen Esther. I went into this book thinking I would love it as much as I have his other books. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark entirely for me. The book begins with Esther Nacht who has had a hard time in life. Her father died on the ship taking them from Europe to Portland, Maine. Her mother was murdered by anti-Semites, and she becomes a ward of an orphanage. When she is fourteen, she is taken in by a non-Jewish family who despise anti-Semitism. From there her story begins. I believe I would have enjoyed this book more if the book was entirely about Esther. But the book then takes a turn and becomes about Jimmy Winslow. This book does touch on important themes such as anti-Semitism, identity, family, loss, survival, history, motherhood, and love to name a few. I found this book to be slow moving and frankly, I became bored. Perhaps some editing would have saved some of the book for me. I cannot recommend this book, but I can recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany,The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Play Nice
Who Says you can never go home again????? Home should be a safe place. But what if it’s not? What is home is where your demons lay in wait? Home is a haunted place, a place that haunts your mind, your body and your soul????? Rachel Harrison has done it once again! She has delivered a chilling, thrilling, horrific, creepy, and hard to put down book that will get under your skin. I had a hard time putting down Play Nice and loved every single page of it. Clio Louise Barnes, a stylist and influencer, must face the demons of her past when she returns to her childhood home which is haunted, or is it possessed???? She moved there are a child with her mother, and sisters, Leda, and Daphne. Her mother, Alexandra, claimed that the home was possessed by a demon. Was it? Was their mother mentally ill, as the courts determined when they removed her daughters from her care? Clio is determined to makeover the house as her viewers watch. She gets the creepy crawlies being back in the house where she suffered so much trauma and lived a dysfunctional life. When she finds a book left behind by her mother, Clio’s memories begin to come back. Rachel Harrison excels at creating a creepy and eerie vibe. She had me wondering what was real and if the house was in fact haunted/possessed. She also excels at creating doubt, tension, and unease. Did her mother really have mental health issues or was she on to something? Is Clio experiencing what her mother experienced or is she being influenced by her mother’s writing and being back in the house where she was traumatized as a child.? What role does memory and trauma play in our lives and how we experience things? This book was awesome. I loved the writing, the well thought out plot, the characters, and the eerie vibe of the book. I love that this book is horrific but not gory. Plus, there is a little romance thrown into the mix to keep things on the lighter side as well. As I mentioned it gets under your skin and will have the hairs sticking up on the back of your neck. I loved the dread, the unease, and the emphasis on family. Families can be messy, they can be dysfunctional, they can be contentious, and they can be wonderful. Families can haunt us just as houses can. Dark, eerie, chilling, dripping with dread and dysfunction. Highly Recommend. I listened to the audiobook and loved every second of it.
Final Descent
Final Descent is a fast-paced mystery thriller that takes place on land and at 30,000 feet in the air! I listened to the audiobook and felt the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life. It’s entertaining, gripping, and riveting; however, it is also a bit far-fetched! Claire Winslow is trying to rebuild her life after a not so cordial divorce. She is ready to dip her feet into the dating pool once again but her first date is well, not so pleasant. Plus, her bad date seems to be popping up here, there, and everywhere! What is pleasant is the time spent with her five-year-old daughter and her friends. Flying is what she does, but things take a turn for worse on her most recent flight…… As I mentioned Final Descent is an entertaining fast paced read. The audiobook and novella can easily be enjoyed in one sitting. I did enjoy that even thought this was short, the author did manage to throw in some twists and turns along with the turbulence! That kept my fully invested and enjoying the book. As I mentioned, this is a bit far-fetched but if you can overlook some things, you may find this to be an enjoyable book which won’t take up too much of your time! Thank you to Spotify Audiobook Selects and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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