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Explore honest, spoiler‑free book reviews across genres — from romance and contemporary fiction to memoirs and thrillers. Use the search bar or browse by category to discover books you’ll love.
Thriller/ Horror
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3.5
An island, a murder, a group of seven, and dozens of hidden secrets. It’s a pretty good recipe for a thriller; however, The Fury just wasn’t my favorite. The premise, the craftiness of the narrator, and the (multiple twists) elevate The Fury within the thriller genre. Still, overall, I found it a bit predictable and not nearly as heart-racing as Michealides’ other books.
In The Fury, we meet Elliot, our narrator, who tells the story of a faithful trip to Greece and the events of a disastrous and deadly night that struck his friend Lana’s island. Unlike The Silent Patient, which remains one of my favorite thrillers, the lead-up to the twist(s) was slow and filled with superfluous information that did not play an important role in the plot. The intent (I think?) was to give the characters more depth, but I feel it distracted the reader in the end. Additionally, I struggled to connect with the narrator. if you have read his books, including The Silent Patient and The Maidens you know he is an incredible writer and this brings up my rating. You do truly feel like you’re inside the narrator’s head however, in the end, I just found myself not wanting to pick the book back up. That said I switched to audio when I struggled with hardcover so perhaps that is the way to go.
Michaelides has Easter eggs related to his previous books, and I recommend reading them first. If you love thrillers, you have probably read The Silent Patient (if not then you must). I am struggling not to love this book given Michaelides’s impeccable crafting. Perhaps, my problem is I am comparing it to his books? At the end of the day, this is a solid thriller and I would recommend reading it if you are a Michaelides fan or love a murder mystery. It is hard to discuss this book without giving it away so if you have read I would love to chat!
Romance
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5.0
WOW! Ali Hazelwood the queen of STEM heroines went vampire and it was delightful! If you like well crafted characters that are charming, multidimensional, sexy and ultimately relatable, want your romance filled with slow burn that turns explosive, some well written twisty plot, and have been wondering about paranormal romances. Start here. Read Bride. This is it.
Vampire Misery who has spent the majority of her life living among humans agrees to a marriage with Lowe, the powerful Alpha werewolf of the neighboring pack after the disappearance of her best and only friend. Centuries of discontent between the wolves and vampires have left their alliance fragile at best and both are fearful of how married life will unfold. Unfortunately, peace is short lived as Lowe’s baby sister is threatened and Lowe and Misery must work together to figure out who is after her. Through this single POV we see misery learn about werewolves, herself and ultimately start to fall for Lowe.
This felt like fantasy/ paranormal romance lite. The world building was basic and easy to follow. The unique characteristics of the weres/vamps were clear and best of all we got to take werewolf 101 right along with Misery. If you are unsure if paranormal romance is your thing, I think this is a very safe place to start. However, the paranormal elements of this book are tame compared other books in the genre, a plus for me but heavy paranormal romance readers may be let down. I felt there were a few places where I would love more details but overall it did not deter my overall rating.
I read this book in 26 hours and when I finished I wanted to pick it up again, to see what I missed the first time and jump back into life with the Southwestern pack! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be a series! I need more HEA from this world.
Historical Fiction
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3
Wow, this book had a lot of hype and there were so many good things:
Fantastically crafted characters with overlapping storylines, beautiful descriptive writing and trauma that left you in tears. McBride’s voice is unique and he captures religious, class and race tensions eloquently, leaving you both shocked yet also able to imagine this whole novel being a true story. Yet, I was bored for at least 50% of the book. It felt like there was so much character development that nothing really happened for the plot, then a lot happened VERY quickly. My three stars are based on the outstanding writing and the web of connection and love McBride weaves among (the several) main characters. McBride crafts a sense of community among the Jewish and African American residents of Chicken Hill and the power and interdependence of this relationship is a core theme to the novel. Two distinct communities coming together for a common goal.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery store sits in the heart of Chicken Hill an eclectic neighborhood in Pottstown, PA. The beloved Jewish owner of the store Chona helps to care for the recently orphaned African American Dodo, nephew of the well respected Nate. The story unfolds from there and we meet many other members of Chicken Hill. We follow Chona her husband Moshe, Nate and his wife Addie and Dodo through friendship, heartbreak, discrimination, fear and a plot twist that allowed for a satisfying ending.
While I struggled to get through this book, I think the quality of James McBride’s written leaves me open to his other books and I can see how this book would appeal to many.
As an aside the 1930s Jazz references were a real treat and inspired me to learn more about the life Chick Webb.
Romance
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4
If want a romance novel with main characters in their late 30s/ 40s this fits the bill! Our story begins with 39 year old screenwriter, mom of two, and divorcé Nora Hamilton whose life is interrupted when a film crews descended on her home to film the movie she wrote about the end of her marriage. Enter Leo Vance famous actor and heartthrob. When the filming ends Leo wants to stay in suburbia, so while stealing Nora’s booze he offers to pay her to let him stay. Read the book to find out more…
While I loved the first half of this book, the third act break-up just made no sense to me. l spent the last 25% of the book waiting for someone to grow up and say how they feel. It took away from the enjoyment I had in the earlier part of the book. Overall I enjoyed this quick read and it was a cute fantasy of normal mom meets Hollywood star. Perhaps it reminded me of Bodyguard by Catherine Center.
Non-Fiction
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4.5
As a physician who trained in rural Tennessee and North Carolina I have taken care of hundred of opioid addicts; it is impossible to put into words the devastation opioids have taken in these communities and throughout the globe. Yet, somehow Patrick Radden Keefe manages to bring the root of that suffering to light. In Empire of Pain, we learn the origins of not only the opioid epidemic but also the origins of the Sackler Family their philanthropy, their marketing agencies and their pharmaceutical company Purdue. Keefe gives us the story of three brothers Arthur, Mortimer and Raymond with humble beginnings who go onto to create a pharmacy and philanthropy empire. From the Great Depression and supporting his brothers to the beginning of marketing pharmaceuticals directly to doctors with Valium and Betadine, Arthur Sackler built wealth and power for himself and his brothers. They used this wealth to become huge collectors of art and philanthropic champions, donating to art galleries and medical schools.
The second part of the book dives into the second generation of Sacklers and their efforts to bring OxyC*ntin to market. The third part of the book focuses on the aggressive marketing of opioids, the cover-ups of rising rates of addiction and the millions spent on encouraging excessive prescribing. Since 1998 opioids have killed over 800,000 Americans, yet much of the philanthropic legacy of the Sacklers continued to bear their names as late as 2019.
If you never read a nonfiction, this would be a great place to start with true crime and family drama to get you hooked. Keefe’s writing is fresh, engaging and keeps you enthralled until the end. The audio read by the author himself is well done and enthralling.This book is a must read for medical professional and lay persons alike.
Romance
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4.5
This romance book lover LOVED Book Lovers. Emily Henry has yet again written a fun, tension filled romance that had me unable to put down my book. This has two of my favorite themes: career woman and sister relationships. Book lovers features Nora a high powered literary agent who runs into her work enemy Charlie in a small town bar only to find he is from there! I always find some much depth in Emily Henry’s romance and love the secondary story of Nora’s relationship with her sister Libby. We see Nora’s struggle to not only care for her sister but also her struggle to protect her heart. I just loved the build up of intimacy and the struggle to balance to all the many roles women feel obligated to play! A must read for any romance novel lover