Deadly Sanctuary
Shannon Hollinger and FBI Special Agent Cassidy Knox are back in another thrilling, gripping, tense, and hard to put down book!!!!! Grave Waters is the third book in the stunning and wonderfully written Cassidy Know series! I appreciate that this book takes place shortly following the events of the second book in the series, Fatal Betrayal. While this book would work as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading the first two books in the series to become better acquainted with Cassidy and Jake. The first two books were intriguing and thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat. Grave Waters is the 11th book that I have read by Shannon Hollinger. Cassidy Knox just can’t seem to catch a break! Can’t a girl have a little down time? She is busy running the animal sanctuary she inherited, while helping Jake recover from his injuries. The chemistry between Cassidy and Jake is about to boil over until a man’s body has been found inside a crab trap in the everglades. She is called back into action when the man’s identity is known, and Cassidy can’t say no as she has a personal connection to the man. When Cassidy learns of other men killed in the same manner as the dead man in the crab track, she knows she is searching for a serial killer! As Cassidy begins her investigation, she welcomes a rooster to her animal sanctuary and finds herself in harm’s way in more ways than one. Not from the rooster mind you, but from another source close to the rooster! Plus, the search for the serial killer ramps up and his Cassidy looking very close to home for answers. This was another gripping and thrilling book in the series. I enjoyed the mystery and the unfolding of the plot. The tension and sense of danger grew as the book progressed. I also enjoyed the sense of community in this book. Cassidy returned to where she grew up after her grandfather’s death. She knows many of the locals from school, and I enjoyed the few scenes with her exchanging banter with them. I also enjoyed the character development and continuation of the story arc. Plus, I love how the animals steal every scene that they are in! Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, full of tension, unease and danger! Thank you to Shannon Hollinger who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Girls Before
Dark, twisted, secret filled and oozing with unease, The Girls Before was a roller coaster ride of a book. It ebbed and flowed, stalled a little, then cranked things into high gear. While this was not my favorite book by this author, I did enjoy this twist filled ride. There is a girl in the basement. She wasn’t the first and what will happen when that door opens one last time? Will she finally be free or will she suffer a grim fate??? Audrey, a search and rescue expert, has never gotten over the disappearance of her ex-best friend, Janie, who was last seen when they were teenagers. When Audrey comes upon evidence in the forest concerning a runaway, her investigation has her asking more questions while desperately searching for answers. This was an interesting book which kept me guessing and had me a little frustrated. It grabbed my attention, then things slowed down, then things ramped up. Hence my comment about this being a roller coaster of a ride book. I felt that for most of the book, it was slowly chugging uphill until it got to the top and then sped its way to the shocking reveal at the end. I would have enjoyed a more even pacing. I am not a fan of slow burns, but this one was intriguing enough to keep me engaged. I did enjoy the revealing of secrets and the various twists and turns. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the POV’s Stranger and Audrey. I thought the POV’s were a nice touch and added to the unease and eerie vibe of the book. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life. Thank you to Macmillan Audio 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.
In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage
I enjoy books about real people who are thrown into extraordinary circumstances. I often wonder while reading those books what I would do if I were in the shoes of the person and/or persons in that book. In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage, tells the real-life story of three friends whose boat, tied to an unmanned oil rig, sank 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The three men were in the water for 28 hours!!!!! The men had to fight to survive against the waves, the cold, lack of water, and no one to call for help. Keep in mind, they were not the only ones in the water! Not only did they have to contend with jelly fish stings, nibbles from fish, and last but certainly not least, the circling sharks that kept getting closer and closer…… Not only was this book about the three men in the water, but it is also about those on the rescue team and their search for the men. How do you find people in the water when you don’t know where they are? How do you search for those who never told friends, significant others, or family members what marina they left from? Here’s some advice – always, and I mean always tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back!!!!! This was fast paced and gripping book which had me turning the pages and wanting to know how (and if all) the men would be rescued. I had not heard of this incident, so this was all fresh news to me. The author spoke to everyone involved and put their tale down on paper. Readers will get insight into the minds of both the men in the water, those in the men’s lives, and the rescuers who saved them. I could see their tale being made into a movie. This one was a nail biter. I can’t imagine the fear the men must have felt, the desperation, the anxiety, the cold, the exhaustion. Then there is the fear and dread of their loved ones. The rescuers had their own tale to tell. How they managed to search and find the three men with little information to go on. The bravery, the determination, and the harrowing rescue. I thought the author did a tremendous job of bringing this story to life. He did his research and it shows. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the pulse pounding moments which the author brought to life. The friendship of the men and their fight to stay alive was admirable. All involved were brave and put in situations which tested them in more ways than one. The tension in this book hit me like the waves hit the men. As I mentioned, I kept thinking about what I would do if I were in their shoes or shall I say life jackets. A wonderfully written, well researched, gripping, harrowing, and anxiety provoking tale of survival which proved to be a fast and riveting read! Thank you to St. Martin’s 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.
Turn Off the Light
Jacquie Walters has delivered yet again. In Turn Off the Light she utilizes two timelines to tell the story of one house and the inhabitants living in it during different times in history. Usually when there is more than one timeline in a book, I tend to enjoy one timeline more than the other. That was not the case with Turn Off the Light. I found both timelines to be riveting, gripping, chilling, dark, and enticing. The characters in both timelines are fully fleshed out and dealing with their own demons while living in a home that may in fact be haunted! One home, two women who are separated by four hundred years find themselves bound to the home and feel that the end is near… In the past…Edith is a healer. She knows how to use things found in nature to help those who are ill. She has a natural gift, but those in her community find nothing natural about it. They watch her; they whisper, and Edith fears that something, perhaps the devil, has gotten into her home. In the present…Claire and her young daughter have returned to her childhood home to care for her dying father. She doesn’t sleep much and begins to wonder if what she is sensing and what her daughter is seeing is real and if so, is her childhood home haunted? I had a hard time putting this book down. I was drawn in by both women’s timelines. I felt for Edith and how she was judged for having the gift of healing. She was watched and judged while those in her community turned their harsh eyes upon her. It was a time when people feared witches and those who were different were looked at with skeptical eyes. It was a dangerous time to be a woman. Plus, strange things are happening in her home. I also felt for Claire, a single mother, who has come home again as her father is dying. She is not only faced with the impending loss of her father, but she can’t shake the horrible disappearance of her sister, Gabby, who vanished when she was a teenager. As her father mumbles, he speaks of evil and dark things. This book was fantastic. I loved the blending of various genres. This is part historical fiction, part horror, part mystery. Although this is labeled as a horror book, this is not your typical horror book. It is more horrific than blood and guts type horror book. I found this book to be atmospheric and brimming with unease and tension. The horror in this book simmers and ebbs and flows throughout. As I mentioned, it is more horrific than horror. This one won’t keep you up at night or checking behind the shower curtain or under your bed, and yet it has eerie and creepy moments. Thank you to Little, Brown and Company | Mulholland Books 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.
Want to Know a Secret
Want to know a secret??????? Freida McFadden has written another gripping, shocking, tense, twisted, and addictive book! Freida did not save the drama for her mama; she poured it all into this book brimming with secrets, baked goods, toxic people, and hidden agendas! This was a fun one and I enjoyed every single page! April Masterson is a YouTube baking sensation who has quite a few secrets up her sleeve when it comes to baking sweet treats! When she is not showcasing her baking prowess on YouTube, she is a married mom who has more than baking secrets up her sleeve. Her world is thrown off kilter when her son goes missing from the backyard, and she begins receiving messages about her secrets! This book had me turning the pages and salivating over the sweet treats mentioned in the book. I loved the drama, the tension, the cattiness of the characters, the secrets, and the toxic relationships! This book was a lot of fun to read, and I enjoyed it from cover to cover! Hang onto your hat’s folks, because there are a few twists and turns along the way!!!! 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 One Out
It pains me to write this, but Last One Out was too much of a slow burn for me. If you have followed my reviews, you know that I struggle with slow burns. I should have read more reviews prior to requesting this book, but I love Jane Harper’s writing and previous books and thought I would love this one as well. This book is about loss. Loss of a son, loss of a town, loss of homes, loss of home, and loss of a way of life. This book is also about grief. Ro and other members of the Crowley family have returned to Carralon Ridge, the place where her sone Sam went missing. Carralon Ridge used to be a vibrant and lively town, but the local mining company has bought most of the homes and businesses and only a few remain. The town is dying. Ro’s son Sam loved the town and was working on preserving its memory when he disappeared five years ago. The Crowley family returned on the anniversary of Sam’s disappearance. What worked for me in this book was how the author captured the setting. The town is bleak and dusty. I could feel the heavy air and feeling of despair ebbing and flowing throughout the book. Jane Harper’s vivid descriptions did a perfect job setting the stage. I also thought she showed loss and grief paired with the quest for answers very well. The slowness just didn’t work for me. I listened to the audiobook and although the narrator did a wonderful job narrating the book, I just struggled with this slow burn. I stuck it out to learn what happened to Sam. Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews to get their impressions of the book as well. I believe those who enjoy slow burns will enjoy this one. Jane Harper is a master storyteller and writer. I just don’t do well with slow burns. This is the case of it’s me and not the book. Thank you to Macmillan Audio 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.
Deadly Sanctuary
Shannon Hollinger and FBI Special Agent Cassidy Knox are back in another thrilling, gripping, tense, and hard to put down book!!!!! Grave Waters is the third book in the stunning and wonderfully written Cassidy Know series! I appreciate that this book takes place shortly following the events of the second book in the series, Fatal Betrayal. While this book would work as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading the first two books in the series to become better acquainted with Cassidy and Jake. The first two books were intriguing and thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat. Grave Waters is the 11th book that I have read by Shannon Hollinger. Cassidy Knox just can’t seem to catch a break! Can’t a girl have a little down time? She is busy running the animal sanctuary she inherited, while helping Jake recover from his injuries. The chemistry between Cassidy and Jake is about to boil over until a man’s body has been found inside a crab trap in the everglades. She is called back into action when the man’s identity is known, and Cassidy can’t say no as she has a personal connection to the man. When Cassidy learns of other men killed in the same manner as the dead man in the crab track, she knows she is searching for a serial killer! As Cassidy begins her investigation, she welcomes a rooster to her animal sanctuary and finds herself in harm’s way in more ways than one. Not from the rooster mind you, but from another source close to the rooster! Plus, the search for the serial killer ramps up and his Cassidy looking very close to home for answers. This was another gripping and thrilling book in the series. I enjoyed the mystery and the unfolding of the plot. The tension and sense of danger grew as the book progressed. I also enjoyed the sense of community in this book. Cassidy returned to where she grew up after her grandfather’s death. She knows many of the locals from school, and I enjoyed the few scenes with her exchanging banter with them. I also enjoyed the character development and continuation of the story arc. Plus, I love how the animals steal every scene that they are in! Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, full of tension, unease and danger! Thank you to Shannon Hollinger who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Girls Before
Dark, twisted, secret filled and oozing with unease, The Girls Before was a roller coaster ride of a book. It ebbed and flowed, stalled a little, then cranked things into high gear. While this was not my favorite book by this author, I did enjoy this twist filled ride. There is a girl in the basement. She wasn’t the first and what will happen when that door opens one last time? Will she finally be free or will she suffer a grim fate??? Audrey, a search and rescue expert, has never gotten over the disappearance of her ex-best friend, Janie, who was last seen when they were teenagers. When Audrey comes upon evidence in the forest concerning a runaway, her investigation has her asking more questions while desperately searching for answers. This was an interesting book which kept me guessing and had me a little frustrated. It grabbed my attention, then things slowed down, then things ramped up. Hence my comment about this being a roller coaster of a ride book. I felt that for most of the book, it was slowly chugging uphill until it got to the top and then sped its way to the shocking reveal at the end. I would have enjoyed a more even pacing. I am not a fan of slow burns, but this one was intriguing enough to keep me engaged. I did enjoy the revealing of secrets and the various twists and turns. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the POV’s Stranger and Audrey. I thought the POV’s were a nice touch and added to the unease and eerie vibe of the book. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this book to life. Thank you to Macmillan Audio 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.
In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage
I enjoy books about real people who are thrown into extraordinary circumstances. I often wonder while reading those books what I would do if I were in the shoes of the person and/or persons in that book. In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival, and Courage, tells the real-life story of three friends whose boat, tied to an unmanned oil rig, sank 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The three men were in the water for 28 hours!!!!! The men had to fight to survive against the waves, the cold, lack of water, and no one to call for help. Keep in mind, they were not the only ones in the water! Not only did they have to contend with jelly fish stings, nibbles from fish, and last but certainly not least, the circling sharks that kept getting closer and closer…… Not only was this book about the three men in the water, but it is also about those on the rescue team and their search for the men. How do you find people in the water when you don’t know where they are? How do you search for those who never told friends, significant others, or family members what marina they left from? Here’s some advice – always, and I mean always tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back!!!!! This was fast paced and gripping book which had me turning the pages and wanting to know how (and if all) the men would be rescued. I had not heard of this incident, so this was all fresh news to me. The author spoke to everyone involved and put their tale down on paper. Readers will get insight into the minds of both the men in the water, those in the men’s lives, and the rescuers who saved them. I could see their tale being made into a movie. This one was a nail biter. I can’t imagine the fear the men must have felt, the desperation, the anxiety, the cold, the exhaustion. Then there is the fear and dread of their loved ones. The rescuers had their own tale to tell. How they managed to search and find the three men with little information to go on. The bravery, the determination, and the harrowing rescue. I thought the author did a tremendous job of bringing this story to life. He did his research and it shows. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the pulse pounding moments which the author brought to life. The friendship of the men and their fight to stay alive was admirable. All involved were brave and put in situations which tested them in more ways than one. The tension in this book hit me like the waves hit the men. As I mentioned, I kept thinking about what I would do if I were in their shoes or shall I say life jackets. A wonderfully written, well researched, gripping, harrowing, and anxiety provoking tale of survival which proved to be a fast and riveting read! Thank you to St. Martin’s 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.
Turn Off the Light
Jacquie Walters has delivered yet again. In Turn Off the Light she utilizes two timelines to tell the story of one house and the inhabitants living in it during different times in history. Usually when there is more than one timeline in a book, I tend to enjoy one timeline more than the other. That was not the case with Turn Off the Light. I found both timelines to be riveting, gripping, chilling, dark, and enticing. The characters in both timelines are fully fleshed out and dealing with their own demons while living in a home that may in fact be haunted! One home, two women who are separated by four hundred years find themselves bound to the home and feel that the end is near… In the past…Edith is a healer. She knows how to use things found in nature to help those who are ill. She has a natural gift, but those in her community find nothing natural about it. They watch her; they whisper, and Edith fears that something, perhaps the devil, has gotten into her home. In the present…Claire and her young daughter have returned to her childhood home to care for her dying father. She doesn’t sleep much and begins to wonder if what she is sensing and what her daughter is seeing is real and if so, is her childhood home haunted? I had a hard time putting this book down. I was drawn in by both women’s timelines. I felt for Edith and how she was judged for having the gift of healing. She was watched and judged while those in her community turned their harsh eyes upon her. It was a time when people feared witches and those who were different were looked at with skeptical eyes. It was a dangerous time to be a woman. Plus, strange things are happening in her home. I also felt for Claire, a single mother, who has come home again as her father is dying. She is not only faced with the impending loss of her father, but she can’t shake the horrible disappearance of her sister, Gabby, who vanished when she was a teenager. As her father mumbles, he speaks of evil and dark things. This book was fantastic. I loved the blending of various genres. This is part historical fiction, part horror, part mystery. Although this is labeled as a horror book, this is not your typical horror book. It is more horrific than blood and guts type horror book. I found this book to be atmospheric and brimming with unease and tension. The horror in this book simmers and ebbs and flows throughout. As I mentioned, it is more horrific than horror. This one won’t keep you up at night or checking behind the shower curtain or under your bed, and yet it has eerie and creepy moments. Thank you to Little, Brown and Company | Mulholland Books 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.
Want to Know a Secret
Want to know a secret??????? Freida McFadden has written another gripping, shocking, tense, twisted, and addictive book! Freida did not save the drama for her mama; she poured it all into this book brimming with secrets, baked goods, toxic people, and hidden agendas! This was a fun one and I enjoyed every single page! April Masterson is a YouTube baking sensation who has quite a few secrets up her sleeve when it comes to baking sweet treats! When she is not showcasing her baking prowess on YouTube, she is a married mom who has more than baking secrets up her sleeve. Her world is thrown off kilter when her son goes missing from the backyard, and she begins receiving messages about her secrets! This book had me turning the pages and salivating over the sweet treats mentioned in the book. I loved the drama, the tension, the cattiness of the characters, the secrets, and the toxic relationships! This book was a lot of fun to read, and I enjoyed it from cover to cover! Hang onto your hat’s folks, because there are a few twists and turns along the way!!!! 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 One Out
It pains me to write this, but Last One Out was too much of a slow burn for me. If you have followed my reviews, you know that I struggle with slow burns. I should have read more reviews prior to requesting this book, but I love Jane Harper’s writing and previous books and thought I would love this one as well. This book is about loss. Loss of a son, loss of a town, loss of homes, loss of home, and loss of a way of life. This book is also about grief. Ro and other members of the Crowley family have returned to Carralon Ridge, the place where her sone Sam went missing. Carralon Ridge used to be a vibrant and lively town, but the local mining company has bought most of the homes and businesses and only a few remain. The town is dying. Ro’s son Sam loved the town and was working on preserving its memory when he disappeared five years ago. The Crowley family returned on the anniversary of Sam’s disappearance. What worked for me in this book was how the author captured the setting. The town is bleak and dusty. I could feel the heavy air and feeling of despair ebbing and flowing throughout the book. Jane Harper’s vivid descriptions did a perfect job setting the stage. I also thought she showed loss and grief paired with the quest for answers very well. The slowness just didn’t work for me. I listened to the audiobook and although the narrator did a wonderful job narrating the book, I just struggled with this slow burn. I stuck it out to learn what happened to Sam. Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews to get their impressions of the book as well. I believe those who enjoy slow burns will enjoy this one. Jane Harper is a master storyteller and writer. I just don’t do well with slow burns. This is the case of it’s me and not the book. Thank you to Macmillan Audio 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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