Diana Christmas by F.R. Jameson

Diana Christmas

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: March 21st, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Noir

Where you can find Diana Christmas: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In 1959, Diana Christmas – the beautiful, vivacious redhead – was a major star in Britain. It was her moment. She was on the cusp of making it big in Hollywood. Then, she simply walked away from the limelight. Vanished from an industry that adored her.

Twenty years later, Michael, a young film journalist, arrives at her suburban home and discovers the still vibrant and alluring Diana. Between her sheets, he hears for the first time the reason for her disappearance – a tale of coercion, shame, and blackmail.

To his shock, he learns that those who destroyed her career and ruined her life still have their claws in her.

Totally smitten, he promises to help her. But Michael soon finds that the past doesn’t let go easily…

Diana Christmas – A new thriller of desire and betrayal from F.R. Jameson.

My review:

Thriller Noir is a newer genre for me to read and review. While I have heard of it, I have seen thriller noir films and I was intrigued by a book form of the movies I have seen. I was glad that I accepted to request to review Diana Christmas. This book was an homage to the black and white thriller noir films that I watched as a child/teen.

Diana Christmas was a vivacious redhead who was about to make it big in the late 50’s Hollywood when she walked away from it all. She vanished. 20 years later, in the late ’70s, Michael tracks her down. An aspiring film journalist, he is thrilled at the chance to meet and interview Diana. He did not expect to end up in bed with her. He also did not expect for her to reveal the true reasons why she walked away from it all or that she is still being blackmailed. Michael, believing he is in love, decides to take it upon himself to help Diana get her blackmailers off her back. But Diana Christmas is not what she seems.

Michael was one of the most naïve characters that I have read to date. I liked him but I wanted to shake some sense into him. He put himself into situations that made me mentally shake my head and go “Why would you do that“. Don’t even get me started on his relationship with Diana. That relationship was doomed from the start. He fell in love with her too quickly and she, well, she was not a very nice person to him. Actually, that is an understatement. She cost him everything.

I didn’t like Diana from the minute she was introduced in the book. She saw that Michael was this naïve young man who actually knew who she was and decided to use him. I went from not liking her to hating her in the middle of the book. What she put Michael through was despicable. I was happy when she got what was coming to her at the end of the book. She deserved everything that happened to her.

The ending of Diana Christmas wasn’t a happy one. It was genius of the author to end the book in that way. It was full of regret, self-loathing and a slight undercurrent of bitterness. Which was a perfect ending for this book.

What I liked about Diana Christmas:

A) It was a new genre for me to read

B) Michael

C) The ending. Refreshing to read a book where everything wasn’t ended happily

What I disliked about Diana Christmas:

A) Diana.

B) Michael (yes, I liked and disliked him)

C) Almost too fast-moving for a book

I would give Diana Christmas an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would recommend Diana Christmas to family and friends. I would also reread this book.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Diana Christmas.

All opinions stated in this review of Diana Christmas are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Third Step by William Lobb

The Third Step by [Lobb, William]

4 Stars

Publisher: Gatekeeper Press

Date of publication: November 3rd, 2017

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find The Third Step: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Dark, gritty, and riddled with back alley characters, The Third Step is one man’s journey into the black recesses of his own soul…
Meet Frankie, a young, disaffected amateur boxer, really more of a punching bag, a drunk, and a drug addict. He is a loser at love, except for his relationship with his grandma, who, rumor has it, is a white witch. She, along with a handful of others, serve as his moral compass.

Frankie fights a lifelong struggle to find an understanding of the creator of the universe, not the poisoned caricature painted by the church and the “holy” people who seem to torment him.

His journey takes him from the East Coast down to New Orleans to face confrontations with his demons, both real and imagined. Along the way, the story is littered with tales of drug smuggling, murder, an affair with a woman who may be the devil herself, and an ultimate quest for revenge.

Frankie comes to terms with his addictions, but his search for a deeper understanding of this God entity and his need to connect with his soul could be his ultimate addiction, one that may follow him beyond the grave…

My Review:

The Third Step is a raw, gritty book that follows a young man as he deals with addiction, failed relationships, and a struggle with religion. Frankie does questionable things with his life. Things that include drug smuggling, murder, being involved with a girl who is disturbed and revenge. As Frankie starts spiraling out of control, he heads to New Orleans. It is there that he finds the strength to deal with his demons head-on.

Frankie was not a likable character and I am not going to pretend to like him. He did some despicable things in the book. Awful things. But, there were moments where you could see what type of person he could have been. That is what made this book so compelling and what kept me reading it.

Like I mentioned above, this is a raw, gritty book. If you are looking for a book that has a happily ever after, this book is not it. If you are looking for a book where the main character realizes that he needs to turn his life around to better himself, again not the book. This is the book to read if you are looking for a book that is based in reality. This is also a book that doesn’t shy away from anything.

I didn’t like The Third Step. But it was a compelling read and I had to finish it. I had to find out what happened to Frankie. It drew me in.

Now, why did I give The Third Step a 4-star rating if I didn’t like the book? Like I mentioned, the book was a compelling read. It was also very well written. Frankie’s angst over everything came across very clearly.

The end of the book bothered me. It wasn’t what I expected.

I am not going to do a like/dislike section because I was so conflicted.

I would give The Third Step an Adult rating. There is sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Third Step. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Third Step.

All opinions stated in this review of The Third Step are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Believe Me by J.P. Delaney

Believe Me: The twisty and addictive follow-up to the bestselling The Girl Before by [Delaney, JP]

4.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine

Date of publication: July 24th, 2018

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Trigger Warning: Mental Illness

Where you can find Believe Me: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In this twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.

A struggling actor, a Brit in America without a green card, Claire needs work and money to survive. Then she gets both. But nothing like she expected.

Claire agrees to become a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers. Hired to entrap straying husbands, she must catch them on tape with their seductive propositions. The rules? Never hit on the mark directly. Make it clear you’re available, but he has to proposition you, not the other way around. The firm is after evidence, not coercion. The innocent have nothing to hide.

Then the game changes.

When the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered, the cops are sure the husband is to blame. Desperate to catch him before he kills again, they enlist Claire to lure him into a confession.

Claire can do this. She’s brilliant at assuming a voice and an identity. For a woman who’s mastered the art of manipulation, how difficult could it be to tempt a killer into a trap? But who is the decoy . . . and who is the prey?

My review:

This book messed with my head, big time. See, I liked psychological thrillers. I like reading a book where I don’t know what will happen from one chapter to the next. I like damaged main characters. I didn’t think I would get that with Believe Me. I thought this book was going to be your typical who done it with the female main solving the crime. Instead, I got a book that kept me guessing from chapter to chapter. A book that I had a hard time forgetting about once I was done with it. A book that got under my skin. I should have known better than to assume the book would be typical.

Believe Me’s plot started off simple and progressed into the complex. Claire was a British ex-pat actress living in New York City without a green card. Desperate for work, she starts doing decoy work for divorce lawyers. That job puts her in the path of Professor Patrick Folger. His wife is found dead the day after the setup. Claire is brought in for questioning since she was the last person to see her alive. She is recruited by a shady psychologist to get to know Patrick and to get a confession out of him. Little does Claire know that her life will be turned upside down and inside out.

Claire was such a complex character to write about. As a reader, I love it when characters have different layers. Claire definitely had them. At one point in the book, I questioned her memories of growing up in foster care. She was such a great actress that she made me, the reader, question what I was reading. I am sure that was the author’s intention. I loved it!!

I didn’t know how I felt about Claire. My feelings for her went from one extreme to another. I could love her in one chapter and then hate her in another. I have never had another book do that for me. Even at the end of the book, when we saw the “real” Claire, I was still on edge about her. Was that the real Claire we were seeing, or was it another one of her personalities?

I’ve gotta say that Patrick had me fooled the entire book. I went from thinking one thing about him to thinking another to rethinking my opinion. So, needless to say, I was surprised by what he revealed to Claire. I shouldn’t have been, but I was. Actually, let me rephrase that. I was more shocked by what he revealed.

I was also surprised that the poem referenced in the book “Les Fleurs du Mal” is an actual book written by Charles Baudelaire. To be honest, I did think that it was made up. Until I did a google search, and there was a ton of information about it. I’m not going to go too much into him, but I will say those poems are freaky. Google them and him. You’ll see what I mean.

The end of the book was insane. It is where the plotline went from simple to complex. I will not get into much of the ending, except I wasn’t expecting what happened. Also, as I mentioned above, I wasn’t too sure about Claire. Even with everything revealed, I still had my doubts about her.

There were a few reasons why I didn’t give Believe Me a 5-star rating. The main reason was that the book got off to a slow start. I know that the author was laying the groundwork for Claire’s story. It crept. I almost DNF’d (but I am glad I didn’t).

I also felt that the plot faltered towards the middle of the book when Claire was in the mental hospital. I felt that her hospital experiences were irrelevant to the storyline. It was interesting but not relevant.

My last reason was the book’s last few chapters and how Claire’s secret came out. While it was shocking, I definitely didn’t see it coming. It came out of the left field. When the book finally ended, I felt it was anticlimactic.

What I liked about Believe Me:

A) Got under my skin

B) Complex characters

C) The end of the book

What I disliked about Believe Me:

A) Book got off to a slow start

B) Plot faltered towards the middle of the book

C) The ending felt almost anticlimactic

I would give Believe Me an Adult rating. There is sex. There is violence. There is language. I would suggest that no one under 21 read this book.

There is a trigger warning for Believe Me. They are mental illness. If you are triggered by that, I suggest not to read the book.

I would reread Believe Me. I would recommend this book to family and friends. But I would include a warning about the triggers.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Believe Me

All opinions stated in this review of Believe Me are mine

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

3 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: July 17th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Where you can find Baby Teeth: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Sweetness can be deceptive.

Meet Hanna.

She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good.

Meet Suzette.

She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained homeschooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette’s husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.

My review:

I enjoy reading thrillers. I love it when a book gets under my skin and I can’t stop thinking about it. When the publisher offered me the book through the widget and I read the synopsis, I thought “Sure, why not“. I figured that the book would be like John Saul’s books. Creepy kids who end up doing horrible things because they were possessed. For the first half of the book, it was that. Then it got creepy and got under my skin (not in a good way).

Baby Teeth’s plot is pretty straightforward. Hanna wants her Daddy to herself in the worse way. But to have that, her Mommy needs to go away. So Hanna starts a campaign to drive Suzette out of the house. When she realizes that isn’t working, Hanna decides that Mommy needs to go.

Suzette is stressed to the max. Taking care of a special needs child is a full-time job. She needs a break. But Hanna will not let that happen.

Alex is oblivious to what Hanna is doing and writes off Suzette’s complaints as petty. That is until something happens. What happened?? Read the book.

Hanna was so evil. The things she did to Suzette was awful. Like taking pictures of a naked, sleeping Suzette and putting that picture next to a dead woman. Or impersonating a long-dead witch. Or messing with Suzette’s Crohn’s medication. I was disturbed that a child could hate her mother that much and at such a young age.

Suzette did bother me for most of the book. I couldn’t understand why she didn’t record Hanna talking or even set up a nanny. It baffled me. Instead, she ranted and raved about how Hanna was doing this and doing that with no evidence. No wonder Alex was oblivious to what was going on. It wasn’t until the tack incident that he finally figured it out. Also, her attitude toward Hanna bothered me. She treated her like she was a burden for most of the book.

I mentioned in the first paragraph that I thought that this book was going to be like John Saul’s books. I did think that Hanna was possessed by the ghost of the witch. There was nothing that suggested otherwise. Until midway through the book. Then my mind was changed.

Like I said in the first paragraph, this book got under my skin. By the end of the book, I was disturbed by it. I have read reviews where people thought this book was fantastic. As a mother, I was disturbed by the lengths that a 7-year-old went through to try to kill her mother. I kept comparing this book to “Rosemary’s Baby” and other horror books that are similar. What made this book stand out from them was that it was raw and gritty and different from any other book in the thriller category.

There was not a happy ending to Baby Teeth. The implication in the last chapter was chilling and kept me up thinking about it the rest of the night.

I am not going to do a Pros/Cons of this book. I can’t do that without giving spoilers.

I would give Baby Teeth an Adult rating. There is sex, language, and violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are triggers in this book. They are abuse (of a parent by a child), PTSD like symptoms, and Crohn’s disease.

I am on the fence about recommending Baby Teeth to family and friends. I would have to make sure that they like thrillers and can deal with what this book is about. I would also include a warning about the triggers. I am on the fence about rereading this book too.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Baby Teeth.

All opinions stated in this review of Baby Teeth are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Inconclusive Evidence (McAllister Justice: Book 3) by Reily Garrett

Inconclusive Evidence (McAllister Justice Series Book 3) by [Garrett, Reily]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: March 26th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Where you can find Inconclusive Evidence: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Series: McAllister Justice

Tender Echoes – Book 0.5

Digital Velocity – Book 1

Bound By Shadows – Book 2

Inconclusive Evidence – Book 3

Book Synopsis (from Goodreads):

“A playful, well-researched thriller that remains romantically genuine throughout.” – Kirkus Review

Braiding nanotechnology and advanced surgical techniques equals magic to the psychopathic mind.
Megan Chauner finally achieves her dream of starting a veterinary practice when a mysterious package and dire warning from her college roommate turned investigative reporter changes the course of her life. Determined to unravel the plot involving microchips and a deadly solution, she sets out to discover who murdered her best friend.
From chick magnet to a wounded cop is not a fall anyone predicted for Lucas McAllister, who now faces the biggest upheaval in his life. Coming home to start a forced retirement, he finds a sassy enigma with as much brain as beauty in his sanctuary.
Stalkers and assassins draft reality checks that test Luc’s survival skills and endurance in keeping Megan and her furball alive while uniting the McAllister brothers to thwart a bi-coastal conspiracy.

My Review:

When I started reading Inconclusive Evidence, I thought that it was going to be one of those humdrum romantic suspense/ thrillers that focuses more on the romance than the thriller/suspense. But my mind changed after the first chapter. It changed, even more, the deeper into the book.

What I liked about Inconclusive Evidence was that the author was able to keep the thriller and the romance apart. There were no mushy love sentiments in the middle of a crucial scene with the bad guys. There also wasn’t any thriller like antics when Megan and Luc were getting their freak on. It was that separation that made this book enjoyable to read. What also made the book enjoyable was that you can read it separately from the series. I also liked the characters. I also liked the storyline that involved the nanotechnology. I found it fascinating to read. I had no problem picturing what was happening in the book happening in real life.

Of course, there were things I didn’t like about the book either. I didn’t like the bad guys (duh…lol). They were evil. I also didn’t like what was done to the wolf. While I understood why the bad guys did what they did, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I also didn’t like that Megan and Luc didn’t take care of that one bad guy when they had the chance. Sorry, if I was being stalked and forced to hide off the grid, then I would be taking people out left and right. Well, if I knew they were the ones after me.

I loved Luc and Megan together. Yes, they got off to a bad start. He was ready to throw her out. Then bad things started to happen and Luc decided that he needed to help her. Didn’t give Megan a say in it either. Took her off-grid to protect her. He was always with her. Be it in her ear while she worked as a cleaner at the business where the nanotechnology was being produced or protecting her from a wolf (among other things). Megan, who was a veterinarian, used her medical training to patch up Luc, his brothers, a wolf, and the dogs. I wasn’t surprised when the sexual tension bubbled over. I was expecting it earlier. I loved that even though they were having sex. the tension was still there. There are so many times that I have read a book where it goes away after they do it.

I loved the relationship that Luc had with his brothers. They had his back no matter what. They didn’t hesitate to help him when he explained what was going on. My heart broke when his brother was infected with the nanites. Luc’s feelings of rage and helplessness came off the pages. Which is why I didn’t understand why he didn’t do that scientist in when he had the chance.

The storyline with the nanotechnology was scary. I had chills going up my spine because of how realistic it was. Not to sound like a nutter (because I am not) but I could see something like this popping up in the news. I could see nanotechnology being developed and abused like it was in the book.

The end of the book was great. The author did a great job of wrapping almost everything up. She did leave some storylines unfinished so I am hoping that means that there will be a book 4!!

What I liked about Inconclusive Evidence:

A) A line drawn between romance and thriller. No overlapping when not needed.

B) The characters

C) The nanotechnology storyline

What I disliked about Inconclusive Evidence:

A) The bad guys

B) What was done to the wolf

C) Not taking care of that scientist when Megan and Luc had the chance

I would give Inconclusive Evidence an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would suggest the no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings in Inconclusive Evidence.

I would reread Inconclusive Evidence. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Inconclusive Evidence.

All opinions stated in this review of Inconclusive Evidence are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

To Kill an Assassin: The Priors, Part 2 by Weston Kincaide

To Kill an Assassin: The Priors, Part 2

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: February 1st, 2015

Genre: Paranormal, mystery, thriller

Series: The Priors

To Kill a Priest – Book 1 (review here)

To Kill an Assassin – Book 2

Trigger Warning: None

Where you can find To Kill an Assassin: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Episodes 10-18

Mutations abound in far-reaching worlds and some planes are being devastated by war. The PASTOR agency has an agenda to do so much more… including ruling them all.

It is up to Madelin and her evolved friends to not only stop the black-op agency but free the other victims—including those attempting to kill her. She must discover her own abilities and learn to harness them… or else entire worlds will be overrun.

Even then… it may be too late.

My review:

I couldn’t wait to read To Kill an Assassin. I had read To Kill a Priest and enjoyed it. I assumed that To Kill an Assassin would be the same. And I was not wrong. This book was Ah-Maz-Ing. I could not put it down.

To Kill an Assassin’s plot takes place shortly after the final events of To Kill a Priest. Madelin and her group had found a sanctuary of a sort in a bunker. But that sanctuary is short-lived. Leodenin and his group of vampires tracked them there. After a fight that injured Madelin, the some of the group finds a sanctuary in a snow-covered world. There is a surprise ally in this snow-covered world. But Jedd and Daniel find themselves in a different world. A world where Daniel finds out that his path is different from everyone else’s. They do find their way back to Madelin and carry out a plan to rescue all the children at the PASTOR facility. Can they rescue the children with minimal damage? More importantly, can they defeat Leodenin?

What I enjoyed the most about this book is that the author took already flushed out characters and added extra depth to them. Madelin, Roger, Jedd, Daniel, Juno, and even Leodenin’s characters got more depth to them. I loved it!!! It made for a better read for me.

The suspense angle of the book was fantastic. I was kept on the edge of my seat reading To Kill an Assassin. The author did a great job of keeping up the pace from the earlier books. It was almost like I couldn’t catch my breath. That is what a suspense book is supposed to do to you and I loved it!!!

The paranormal angle of this book was fantastic also. I loved how Roger discovered what he could do with his new vampire skills. I was pretty impressed with how he put them to use. I also like what happened to Daniel. I wasn’t expecting it and I can’t wait to see how it plays out in Part 3. Of course, Madelin and the PASTOR children were fascinating. Again, I can’t wait to see what else Madelin has up her sleeve. I also can’t wait to see what secrets and abilities the children have.

I did like the romance between Madeline and Juno. What I didn’t care for, though, was the hint of a love triangle between Madelin, Juno, and Daniel. I felt that it wasn’t needed. Just my opinion but I felt that it took away from what Daniel was going through because of his feelings for her.

The end of the book was great. Some plots were wrapped up and others were not. I liked that the author left enough unsaid so that I need to read Part 3.

What I liked about To Kill an Assassin:

A) more depth added to characters

B) book kept me on the edge of my seat

C) Roger discovering what he could do with his new vampire skills

What I disliked about To Kill an Assassin:

A) Leodenin. He made my skin crawl in this book

B) the hint of a love triangle between Madelin, Juno, and Daniel

C) That’s it

I would give To Kill an Assassin an Adult rating. There are sexual situations (but no sex). There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings for To Kill an Assassin.

I would reread To Kill an Assassin. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review To Kill an Assassin.

All opinions stated in this review of To Kill an Assassin are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Cyprus Papers by C.W. Bordener

The Cyprus Papers

2 Stars

Publisher: C.W. Bordener

Date of publication: November 11th, 2017

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Where you can find The Cyprus Papers: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A consortium of people determined to keep a secret safe. A woman hell-bent on exposing the truth. A relentless assassin hunting her down.

The odds are heavily stacked against Emily. Armed with fortitude and determination, she does everything she can while the world around her crumbles.

Back Cover:
Emily, a consultant specializing in financial forensics, discovers an unspeakable plot of ambition and greed. Her investigation uncovers a paper trail of obscure evidence that her client, a congressman, and hopeful presidential candidate, is part of a corrupt consortium of individuals with links to international tax havens.

As she learns more about her client and the consortium, a deadly cover-up quickly reaches her colleagues and inner circle of friends. Unsure of whom to trust and where to go, Emily is forced into hiding.

With her life in the balance, she searches for the internal fortitude to battle and expose the consortium. Hindering her investigation is a ruthless assassin with his sights trained directly on her. While the people around her continue to perish, Emily stands up for what she believes is right, trying to preserve her moral compass amidst the chaos.

My review:

The Cyprus Papers is a slow-moving espionage novel. With a strong female lead, it failed to keep my attention. I almost DNF’d the book. But I didn’t. I made myself read the book through to the end. I will say that the book started picking up towards the end but by then, it was too little too late. I could not connect with the main character. The plot fizzled towards the end of the book.

I did like Emily but I could not connect with her. I felt that she kept making the same bad decisions over and over. I also felt that she should have heeded the man with the gray and black hair’s warning. It would have saved her a lot of pain.

I did admire Emily’s obsession to get the job done. I mean, if I had an assassin coming after me and I had people warning me to stop investigating things, I would have noped the heck out of the assignment.

I also thought Emily was toxic to her friends. Every single one of her friends that she told about her assignment turned up dead. You would think that she would have stopped after the last death but no, she didn’t.

I know that she was written to be a tough woman but man, she was running rampant around Washington and Virginia. Bodies were piling up. I was surprised that she wasn’t arrested during the book.

The ending of The Cyprus Papers was boring. The plot fizzled out after the scene with the assassin. As with most of the book, I had to force myself to keep reading it. I figured what happened at the end of the book would happen. I wish it was done differently. I did see an opening for a book 2 but I am not sure if I want to read it.

What I liked about The Cyprus Papers:

A) Strong female character

B) I guess that’s it

C) Yup, pretty sure about that

What I disliked about The Cyprus Papers:

A) Failed to keep my attention

B) Couldn’t connect with the main characters

C) Plot fizzled towards the end of the book

I would give The Cyprus Papers an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

Surprisingly, there are no trigger warnings in The Cyprus Papers.

I would not recommend The Cyprus Papers to family and friends. I will not be rereading this book.

I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Cyprus Papers

All opinions stated in this review of The Cyprus Papers are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

Jar of Hearts

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: June 12th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find Jar of Hearts: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all these years . . .

When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong—one of the most popular girls in school—disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brody, who was close with both girls back in high school.

But fourteen years later, Angela Wong’s remains are discovered in the woods near Geo’s childhood home. And Kaiser—now a detective with Seattle PD—finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.

To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Geo, he’s something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Geo’s first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.

For fourteen years, Geo knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela’s death until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.

While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.

How far will someone go to bury her secrets and hide her grief? How long can you get away with a lie? How long can you live with it?

My Review:

I like a good mystery. I also like a good suspense. I have found it hard to find a book that can keep the suspense up while unraveling a mystery. So, I have become very picky about what I read. When the publisher approached me to review Jar of Hearts, the blurb caught my attention. I was very interested in a mystery about what happened after the murder and trial. I thought that it made for an interesting storyline. So I accepted. I am glad I did. Not only did this book keep the suspense high but the mystery was fantastic.

When I started reading Jar of Hearts, I had no pity for Geo. She showed little to no remorse for her part in Angela’s death. She was more worried about what was going to happen to her in prison and that made me not like her. But, as the book went on, her remorse and sadness started to show. I started to pity her when it was revealed what happened that night. The trauma she endured that night shaped her into the woman that she was 14 years later.

I liked how the author kept what happened the night Angela died under wraps until almost the end of the book. I wasn’t surprised at what happened. I was surprised at Geo’s role in it when it was revealed. What happened afterward took me by surprise also.

Geo’s relationship with Calvin was complicated. He was her first love but she also hated and feared him. He wanted to own Geo completely and wasn’t afraid to use physical violence or mind games to get her to stay with him. I had no issue seeing him turning into a serial killer. His transformation started the night that Angela was killed.

I thought that the second storyline of the other serial killer was pretty good. I thought I had it figured out until Geo last flashback. Looking back, there were hints but I didn’t see them. I was surprised at who it was and who that person was to Geo. I was also surprised at who came to Geo’s rescue.

The storyline with Kaiser didn’t make sense to me at first. I didn’t need to know that he was sleeping with his partner. That was unneeded information. But his relationship with Geo and Angela was. I do think that his relationship with Geo after jail was complicated. I was not expecting what happened to them to happen. Now that came out of left field.

I know that the book stressed that Geo and Angela were besties and had been besties for years. But I didn’t see that. I saw a spoiled girl used to getting her own way ruling her friends. The whole cheerleader practice fiasco was what made me feel that.

The end of Jar of Hearts was one shock after another. All I can say about it is “Wow“. The epilogue got me too. I guess some people deserve their happily ever after. I wasn’t expecting who Geo was experiencing hers with.

What I liked about Jar of Hearts:

A) The suspense was kept high throughout the book

B) Everything was kept under wraps until the end of the book.

C) Interesting storyline

What I didn’t like about Jar of Hearts:

A) Geo showing little to no remorse in the first half of the book

B) Kaiser’s storyline. Didn’t need the sexcapades with his partner. Him doing the police work was fine.

C) Geo and Angela’s friendship. Screamed friendemies to me. Also Geo and Calvin’s relationship. Super creepy

I would give Jar of Hearts an Adult rating. I would suggest that no one under the age of 21 read this book. There is explicit violence. There is language. There is sex with a few rape scenes thrown in (F/F, M/F). There is also a brutal scene of a body being dismembered.

There are trigger warnings with Jar of Hearts. They would be rape, attempted rape, domestic violence, and assault.

I would recommend Jar of Hearts to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the triggers. This is a book that I can see myself rereading.

I would like to thank Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Jar of Hearts.

All opinions stated in this review of Jar of Hearts are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The Crooked Staircase (Jane Hawk: Book 3) by Dean Koontz

The Crooked Staircase (Jane Hawk, #3)

5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: May 8th, 2018

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, suspense

Series: Jane Hawk

The Silent Corner – Book 1 (review here)

The Whispering Room – Book 2 (review here)

The Crooked Staircase – Book 3

Where you can find The Crooked Staircase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

“I could be dead tomorrow. Or something worse than dead.”

Jane Hawk knows she may be living on borrowed time. But as long as she’s breathing, she’ll never cease her one-woman war against the terrifying conspiracy that threatens the freedom–and free will–of millions. Battling the strange epidemic of murder-suicides that claimed Jane’s husband, and is escalating across the country, has made the rogue FBI agent a wanted fugitive, relentlessly hunted not only by the government but by the secret cabal behind the plot. Deploying every resource their malign nexus of power and technology commands, Jane’s enemies are determined to see her dead . . . or make her wish she was.

Jane’s ruthless pursuers can’t stop her from drawing a bead on her prey: a cunning man with connections in high places, a twisted soul of unspeakable depths with an army of professional killers on call. Propelled by her righteous fury and implacable insistence on justice, Jane will make her way from southern California to the snow-swept slopes of Lake Tahoe to confront head-on the lethal forces arrayed against her. But nothing can prepare her for the chilling truth that awaits when she descends the crooked staircase to the dark and dreadful place where her long nightmare was born.

My review:

I have mentioned in other reviews how big of a Dean Koontz fan I am. So I am not going to bore you all with my gushing over his books. Let it be known that I love his books. The Crooked Staircase is no exception. I was on the edge of my seat while reading it. Very rarely does a book make me sit on the edge of my seat and keep me there the entire book.

The Crooked Staircase is the 3rd book in the Jane Hawk series. The plot is continuous from the other books in the series. Jane is tracking down the top member of the secret cabal that is orchestrating murder/suicides all over the country. She has tracked down the top two members of this cabal and she is determined to find out what started this. Meanwhile, Gavin and Jesse are still protecting Travis. But, the cabal has found out where he is hiding. It is a race to rehide Travis. With the cabal breathing down their necks, Gavin and Jesse hide in the last place that anyone would expect.

I like Jane. I thought she was pretty good at keeping two steps ahead of the cabal. She had what seemed like an endless supply of burner phones, identities, and cars that didn’t rely on GPS. I did liken her to Wonder Woman during the middle of the book. She didn’t quit. She also was like quicksilver. The cabal couldn’t catch her, even though she did have a few close calls.

Can something become even eviler? Because the cabal reached new heights of evilness in this book. I can’t even explain it because I am still reeling from some of the things that they did. I loved it. I also liked that the real figurehead, Anabel, was introduced. I am looking forward to seeing where her character is going and what she will do.

Travis, Gavin and Jesse’s storyline was as good as Jane’s. Gavin and Jesse were tough cookies. They were prepared for anything. I wasn’t ready for what happened in their storyline. I can’t get into it but I was pretty shocked by what happened.

The twins’ storyline confused me at first. While I was confused by the storyline, I was upset when it ended. Very upset because I thought the twins had a chance. But, there is also something in that storyline that made me go “Hmmm“. It was at that point where I understood why the author chose to include them in the book.

I did wonder where the characters from book 2 disappeared too. I thought that they would be mentioned. That drove me nuts. I hope that they are in the next book. Because I need closure.

The end of the book was great. Everything was left up in the air. The author left me wondering “What will happen now”

What I liked about The Crooked Staircase:

A) It is scary intense and action-filled

B) Well developed characters

C) Great plotlines

What I disliked about The Crooked Staircase:

A) The twins storyline. Didn’t get it at first

B) Booth’s revelations. I actually felt bad for him

C) The dropped storyline in the beginning.

I would give The Crooked Staircase a rating of Adult. There are graphic violence and language. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.

There are trigger warnings in The Crooked Staircase. They are talk of past child abuse, torture, and implication of rape. If you are triggered by those, I would recommend to not read the book.

I would recommend this book to family and friends. I would include a note about the triggers. This is a book that I will be rereading.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House – Ballantine, and Ballantine for allowing me to read and review The Crooked Staircase.

All opinions in this review of The Crooked Staircase are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The Neighbor by Joseph Souza

The Neighbor

3 Stars

Publisher: Kensington Books, Kensington

Date of publication: April 24th, 2017

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Trigger Warning: sexual abuse, racism, and domestic violence

Where you can find The Neighbor: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

In a taut psychological thriller filled with breathtaking twists, Joseph Souza explores the tangle of betrayal and deception between two neighboring couples and asks how well we can really know others–or ourselves.

It all seems so promising at the start . . .

When Leah and her husband, Clay, move from Seattle to Maine, she envisions a vibrant new neighborhood packed with families–playmates for her twins, new friends she can confide in and bond with. But while Clay works long hours to establish his brewery, Leah is left alone each day in a nearly deserted housing development where the only other occupants are aloof and standoffish.

Bored and adrift, Leah finds herself watching Clarissa and Russell Gaines next door, envying their stylishly decorated home and their university careers. But Leah’s obsession with the intriguing, elegant Clarissa grows until she’s not just spying from afar but sneaking into their house, taking small objects . . . reading Clarissa’s diary. It contains clues to a hidden turmoil Leah never guessed at–and a connection to a local college girl who’s disappeared.

The more Leah learns about Clarissa, the more questions emerge. Because behind every neighbor’s door there are secrets that could shatter lives forever . . .

My review:

The Neighbor left me with mixed emotions. It also left me with mixed feelings. I like reading mysteries/thrillers. I also like reading books that take current events and put a fresh spin on them. The Neighbor did that. That is not what gave me mixed feelings. I felt that part of the book was very well written. My mixed feelings were about the characters and their storylines.

The storyline of The Neighbor was promising. A bored housewife starts spying on her next door neighbor. She soon becomes obsessed with her. The secondary storyline was about a missing college girl and her disappearance. I would have been fine with those two storylines. With the secondary storyline of Leah’s secret, Clarissa’s secrets, Clay’s secret, I couldn’t keep focused on the book. I felt overwhelmed.

I like damaged characters. They make the books they are in more interesting to read. But Leah was just out there. She came across as creepy. Put it this way, if I had a feeling that my neighbor was spying on me, I would be uncomfortable. I would have distanced myself like Clarissa did. I do wish that her secret came out in full earlier in the book, instead of being dragged out. Speaking of that, I didn’t like the 180 her secret took. By the end of the book, my head was spinning. I couldn’t keep up with everything.

Clay drove me nuts. His trying to rationalize his relationship with Mycah was pathetic. As was his trying to drink his issues away. I also couldn’t believe that he didn’t put two and two together about part of Leah’s secret. I mean, her attitude towards sex was a huge clue for me. While I thought that he was a tool, he did stand by Leah when push came to shove. So, I didn’t completely dislike him.

I ran through a lot of emotions with Clarissa. At first, I felt bad for her. But when her character did a 180, I was surprised. Then I started to dislike her. She was manipulative and knew how to work things in her favor. So, I wasn’t surprised by what happened to her at the end of the book.

Russell was the only one that I truly felt bad for. He was manipulated by all the women in the book. I felt that he didn’t have a chance because no matter what he did, he was screwed.

I actually enjoyed Mycah’s character. She was a strong woman who didn’t stand down for anyone. She was passionate about her beliefs. I do think that she got in over her head with Russell and Clay. Even though I enjoyed her character, I won’t excuse her actions.

The thriller part of the book was well written. I do feel that it got lost with everything that was going on.

The end of the book confused me. While I understood what happened, I felt the book ended too suddenly. I was left wondering what will happen.

What I liked about The Neighbor:

A) Promising storyline

B) Strong characters

C) Engaging storyline

What I disliked about The Neighbor:

A) Felt overwhelmed with the storylines.

B) The characters drove me nuts

C) The ending confused me

I would give The Neighbor an Adult rating. There is sex. The sex scenes between Clay and Mycah were graphic and degrading. There is language. There is violence. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.

There are triggers in this book. They are sexual abuse, racism, and domestic violence. If you are triggered by any of these, then do not read the book.

I am on the fence if I would recommend The Neighbor to friends and family. While I wouldn’t reread this book, I would be open to reading more books by the author.

I would like to thank Kensington, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Neighbor.

All opinions stated in this review of The Neighbor are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

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