Review: Five Bad Deeds by Caz Frear

Five Bad DeedsFive Bad Deeds by Caz Frear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

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Five Bad Deeds is suspenseful Domestic Drama from one of my go-to authors, Caz Frear.

I really enjoyed all the books in the Cat Kinsella series by this author, so was looking forward to this standalone novel. The synopsis sounded intriguing and luckily, it delivered.

We do get a few different perspectives in this story, but our main perspective is that of Ellen; a wife, mother, and by all appearances, a good person.

Ellen has a lot on her plate, raising a head-strong teenage daughter, as well as toddler twin sons. She’s currently job-hunting and undertaking a fairly significant renovation on their beautiful family home.

She’s also balancing time with her sister and friends, just trying to keep all the balls in the air.

When the first sinister note arrives, Ellen can hardly believe it. Is someone threatening her? Who could possibly dislike her so much they would be this cruel? What has she ever done to deserve this kind of ire?

The anonymous enemy doesn’t stop with notes though, it seems this person is truly out to trash Ellen’s life and her reputation. As the threats intensify, Ellen scrambles to figure out who is behind it all and stop them, before it’s too late.

I had so much fun with this. I read 43% in the first sitting. I couldn’t put it down once I started. I loved the perspective shifts and how they were used to build-out the story.

As mentioned above, Ellen is our MC and we are getting her perspective the majority of the time. But every once in a while, mixed amongst the Ellen sections, we get the perspectives of various side characters in her life.

Their perspectives are pretty much solely providing their personal commentary on Ellen. So, in this way, it’s very how you see your life, versus how outsiders see it. It was interesting to me to have it formatted this way.

Ellen’s sister, Kristy, plays a big role in the story, and her thoughts on Ellen were some of the most enlightening, IMO. It’s very true that there are two sides to every story, and it was never more evident than in the sister’s thoughts about one another and their relationship.

This is just the kind of secret-laden, spite-filled Domestic Drama I love. I was captivated by the twisty storyline. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any crazier, it did.

The structure felt unique and I loved how the truth was revealed. It was a bit of a jaw-dropper. Well done by Frear!!

While I understand this type of Domestic Suspense/Drama may not be for everyone, I tend to have a lot of fun with this type of story. I eat it up like cake; it’s so good.

If you are the type of Reader who loves small town stories, with a cast of characters harboring a ton of secrets, than this story may be for you. Also, if you are reading for fun, or escape, and are mainly looking for something to take your mind off life for a while, this could fit the bill.

If the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, give it a go. Hopefully, you’ll end up enjoying it as much as I did.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Paperbacks, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Caz Frear is a go-to author for me. I’m definitely looking forward to whatever she delivers next!

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Review: The Fury by Alex Michaelides

The FuryThe Fury by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

The Fury, the latest from Alex Michaelides, is a unique and unsettling Tragedy from which I couldn’t look away. This kept my head spinning all the way through. We love that!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this author’s previous novels, so had been highly anticipating this. I started to see some early reviews though that made question if I would like it.

Luckily, I found this to be engaging and intriguing from the very start. Our narrator, Elliot, addresses the fact that he is our narrator. It’s like we are sitting with him, having some drinks, and he is telling us a story from his life.

I absolutely adore that kind of narrative. It always makes me feel like I am actually a part of the action, or more fittingly in this case, of the friend group.

Elliott relates to us the details of an ill-fated trip he took with his best friend, Lana, a retired movie star, her husband, Jason, their mutual friend, Kate, also an actress, Lana’s son Leo, an aspiring actor, and Lana’s assistant, to a remote Greek island for a weekend getaway.

We know what starts out as a beautiful holiday, ends up to be anything but. The group gets trapped on the island due to high winds. Emotions and tensions are running high. The claustrophobic nature of their excursion becomes palpable.

This strain could be blamed for the violence and death that ultimately occurs, couldn’t it? Or is something much deeper lurking under the surface that leads to the bloody and chaotic conclusion?

Y’all, I was absolutely swept up into this story. I know that some Reviewers have mentioned that it was slow for them, but I didn’t have the same experience with it. I had the audiobook and listened to the first 70% just while adulting, doing my cleaning and other errands, one Saturday.

I was obsessed with learning all I could about the characters and couldn’t help but continuing on. The narrative structure is out of the ordinary, but I loved how it was done.

Michaelides kept me guessing. It also should be noted that I am a huge fan of unreliable narrators and Elliott fits that moniker to a tee.

I wouldn’t say this is a simple story to read, and I can see how it wouldn’t be for everyone. I can also see how some may find it slow. There is quite a bit of develop in the beginning, building out our group and their relationships.

However, for those who enjoy some mental gymnastics, mixed with great character work, an unreliable narrator and tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, this is sure to be a success.

If any of these descriptors are buzzwords for you, give it a go. You may like it, you may not, but either way, it’s sure to be a memorable experience.

A few other aspects of this book that worked for my tastes were the remote location, particularly the fact that it is set on an island, I live on an island, so tend to love to see that, the cast of unlikable characters and the teeny bit of character crossover from The Maidens and The Silent Patient.

No, you don’t need to read either of those novels prior to reading this, but for those who have, those little name drops can be a lot of fun.

While this doesn’t have the same level of mystery as The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it did sort of remind me of that in some ways. I think the vibe of mild confusion mixed with enjoyment is quite similar.

If you enjoyed that one, you may enjoy this as well. Overall, I think this is just so fun. It’s clever and engaging and yes, also a tad confusing at times.

I’d definitely read it again, maybe try and pick up some subtleties I might have missed this time around.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a great reading experience for me and I’m happy to have a copy on my shelves.

I can’t wait to see what Michaelides comes up with next!!

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Review: A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

A Twisted Love StoryA Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure what to expect from A Twisted Love Story after seeing a few mixed reviews. For me it was a fun and engaging Domestic Drama, which offered up quite a bit of food for thought that I wasn’t necessarily anticipating.

Downing was able to draw me in and keep my attention, which is pretty tough to do during the holiday season!

This story focuses on Wes and Ivy, whose contentious romance has nevertheless lasted for a decade.

Their on-again, off-again nature may seem toxic to outsiders, but for them, it is their deep, passionate love for one another that pushes them to extremes at times.

Ivy messes up though and ends up contacting the wrong outsider and drawing her attention to their relationship. Unfortunately, the new woman in their life is a detective and Wes and Ivy have something they’re desperate to hide.

As Detective Karen Colglazier begins to circle the couple like a shark, the heat ramps up and they start feeling serious pressure. It’s a classic game of cat-and-mouse as Ivy and Wes scramble to get out from under the Detective’s scrutiny.

When I first began this story, I hadn’t read the full synopsis. Samantha Downing’s name was enough to attract me to the book. As it was first kicking off, we’re getting a lot of info regarding Ivy, Wes and their relationship. I was curious how it was going to gain intensity, or suspense, from that set-up.

It soon became clear Downing had a plan and I just needed to relax into it. She definitely pulled it off in the end.

I found this story to be compelling and highly readable. While I would tamper your expectations as far as thrills go, I think as a character exploration and twisted romance, this one is extremely well-paced and plotted.

I may be reading too much into it, but it made me think a lot about assumptions. We all make assumptions, even if unintentional, a lot of time based on our own experiences.

We’ve all heard of, or even know of, relationships like Wes and Ivy’s. I enjoyed watching the side characters interacting with them and discussing their relationship with them.

Each of these friends and family members it seemed felt they knew what was best, but I don’t feel like any of them were ever truly spot on with this couple.

Most interesting to me was the Detective’s perspective. She was definitely making assumptions about them, which I felt were incorrect, but then things would happen that would make me second-guess my own interpretation. It was super enjoyable and engaging.

I would recommend this story to people who enjoy dramatic, possibly OTT-Domestic Dramas. This title says it all, this is a twisted love story. That’s exactly what it is.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is only my second Downing novel, but I’m excited to pick up more!

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Review: The Guest by B.A. Paris

The GuestThe Guest by B.A. Paris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

B.A. Paris is back and she’s bringing my favorite kind of suspenseful Domestic Drama with her.

I had so much fun reading The Guest. Frustrating in the best ways, I found it to be completely addictive and one heck of a gripping roller coaster ride.

In this story we meet Iris and Gabriel, a married couple living in the British countryside. They have a grown daughter who is currently working abroad in Greece, so all is fairly peaceful on the homefront.

That is until the day a local boy suffered a terrible accident, falling into a nearby quarry. Gabriel was the one to find the boy’s battered body and even though Gabriel’s a skilled doctor, there was nothing he could do.

The boy couldn’t be saved, but Gabriel did get to be with him in his final moments, so he wasn’t alone.

Gabriel hasn’t been the same since that tragic day, and even though Iris is trying to help him cope, it’s definitely put a strain on their relationship.

As they are grappling with this, an unexpected house guest arrives. Their old friend, Laure, has shown up from Paris. She says that she and her husband, Pierre, have had a terrible fight and she needs a place to stay.

Iris and Gabriel have been best friends with Laure and Pierre for many, many years, so they tell Laure that she is welcome and that she can stay for as long as she needs.

Laure moves herself in and makes herself as comfortable as possible, wearing Iris’s clothes and shadowing her every move. As the days and even weeks pass, the couple begins to question Laure’s story and her motives.

What is she really doing there and when the heck is she going to leave?

As tension mounts, more people get drawn into the twisted drama; the new couple in town, their handsome gardener and even Iris and Gabriel’s daughter.

As mentioned above, I really enjoyed this one and found the narrative to be compulsively readable. From the Prologue, Paris had absolutely hooked me. She definitely has a gift for drawing the Reader in.

From the initial set-up, with Laure arriving at the house, you can just tell it is going to get freaking wild. There’s a vibe under the surface of constant tension and intrigue.

No matter how crazy things get though, I always find Paris’s main characters to be relatable. I never have a problem putting myself in their shoes and imagining what I would do in any given situation.

This one had me biting my nails with tension, yelling at Laure, yelling at Iris. I would have done some major clean-out of my house, that’s for sure.

I really got sucked into all of the interpersonal drama in this story, but also loved the mystery running throughout. It was hard to tell who you could trust and some of the connections were also shady.

There were some real strong reveals and I was happy with the way it ultimately concluded. This did feel more reminiscent to some of Paris’s earlier works as well, which were a little stronger for me than her more recent releases.

I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a taut, twisted Domestic Drama, particularly if you have enjoyed B.A. Paris’s earlier stories.

I would also recommend reading this one with a friend, or Book Club. I actually Buddy Read it and thought it was exciting to discuss it with someone else as we discovered the twists and turns together.

Overall, I thought this was such a great read. I’m so happy Paris continues to write these types of stories. As long as she is writing them, I’ll be reading them.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. The Guest is releasing on February 20, 2024, and IMO, this one should not be missed!!

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Review: A Likeable Woman by May Cobb

A Likeable WomanA Likeable Woman by May Cobb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Likeable Woman is the third novel that I have read from May Cobb and it will not be my last.

There’s no denying that Cobb has a knack for writing Rich People Drama and I’m here for every OTT-minute of it.

In this story we meet Kira, a single-woman living in L.A., who is headed back to her wealthy and traditional hometown in East Texas for the first time in decades.

She’s been invited to attend the vow renewal ceremony of an old frenemy. Although that’s not high on her priority list, there are other things calling her back as well. It’s time.

Kira fled town all those years ago following her mother’s mysterious death. Having left the way she did though, there’s of course unfinished business.

Additionally, her grandmother has been hounding her recently, telling Kira she has something to give her of her mother’s. That’s definitely piqued Kira’s interest.

Thus, after reaching out to her childhood best friend, and biggest crush, Jack, Kira makes a plan and heads home. Jack agrees, if Kira is going, he’ll go as well.

After they reunite, Kira’s surprised when her grandmother gives her a memoir that was apparently written by her Mom just prior to her death. Her Mom, Sadie, was an artist, but Kira didn’t know she was a writer too.

Even with everything going on that weekend, Kira can’t help but diving into the memoir. The story she finds there, in her mother’s own words, makes Sadie’s death look a lot less mysterious and lot more like murder. Is that possible?

This novel is told from two perspectives: Kira in the present and her Mom, Sadie’s, perspective that’s put forth in her memoir. I enjoyed this choice for telling the story and found both perspectives equally enjoyable.

Kira’s return to her hometown played into one of my favorite tropes too, so right off the bat, we were starting off ahead. As someone who left my hometown decades ago, and also rarely, if ever goes back, I always find something intriguing and relatable about that type of narrative.

I particularly enjoy when the MC is looking into some mystery from their past. Kira has never felt comfortable with the accepted story of her Mom’s death. She’s always felt there was more going on and through this memoir, she finally gets the opportunity to look into it further.

Upon returning, Kira feels completely out of place, like an outsider even though she knows everyone there. I found it interesting that through her Mom’s recollections, you could tell that Sadie also frequently felt like an outsider.

Sadie was an artist and a bit of free spirit, who didn’t quite fit into the mold that was expected of her in their small conservative town. Both Kira and Sadie ended up trying to fight the constraints put on them, but luckily for Kira, she was able to move away and build a new life for herself.

Unfortunately, Sadie never got that lucky.

In addition, I also really enjoyed watching Kira explore past relationships, particularly with Jake and her sister, Katie. Kira seemed to want to make connections so badly, but maybe because she had been on her own for so long, was a little clumsy in trying to express herself, or her needs.

The whole idea of the memoir was also great for me. I loved that idea of Kira finally learning about her Mom and having it be through her Mom’s own words, even though she wasn’t there to speak for herself. There was something so special about that.

I feel like there were some great messages in here too, which I won’t get into for risk of spoiling anything, but honestly, this is more than an OTT-story. There’s actually some great take-aways as well.

I know May Cobb’s stories can be hit or miss for some, but I always enjoy her drama-fueled, East Texas-set, Domestic Thrillers. There’s just something about well-to-do women and men behaving badly, that I am always down for.

I will say this one does feel more subtle than her previous stories that I have read. The others sort of pushed the limits in certain areas, or taboo subjects, but this one felt much more traditional, but also a bit more powerful. It’s thoughtful, even in spite of all the drama. I liked that.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys small town Domestic Dramas, or Thrillers, where long-buried secrets are revealed. Also, to anyone who enjoys some quality Rich People Drama. Cobb always excels at that.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Cobb delivers next!!

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Review: The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis

The ChateauThe Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars**

When Darcy’s Grandmother, the elegant, yet aging, Sรฉraphine Demargelasse, invites Darcy and her four best girlfriends to her French Chateau for a luxury Girls Getaway, they can hardly say no.

The women all studied together in France 20-years earlier and they spent many weekends at Sรฉraphine’s. It was at that time, their life-long bonds of friendship were formed, including with Sรฉraphine. It is a beautiful spot, with many beautiful memories.

Prior to the trip, Sรฉraphine tells Darcy she wants to discuss her will with her. This sets a bit of an ominous tone and Darcy wonders if her Grandmother is unwell.

The trip starts off fine, with everyone getting used to being in each other’s company again, enjoying the sights and accommodations. It’s clear they’re hiding some things from one another, but what friendship group doesn’t?

After a boisterous evening celebration, Sรฉraphine is found murdered. Everyone is in shock. Who could have done this?

There’s a limited number of guests, it had to be one of them, but why? Who would want poor Sรฉraphine dead? What is there to gain?

From there the story follows the various characters as the investigation into the murder begins. Everyone is a suspect and in kind, they slowly begin to fall apart.

Here’s the thing, starting off, I was very intrigued by this. I love a story that follows friends, or family, traveling together, staying in remote locations on holiday. I like learning about the characters and their varied lives.

This started out strong with that set-up and while the characters weren’t particularly likable, I never mind that. I like when you get everyone’s perspective in a friendship group, because no matter how close they are, there’s always something: secrets, resentments, betrayals, etc. I love watching it all come to light. I’m here for the drama.

Unfortunately, about halfway through this just fell off a cliff for me. It felt like it was trying to do too much and with so much thrown in, it made everything feel less impactful.

There is a betrayal revealed that turned me off. It’s weird because I’ve read that same thing before, but the way it was done here, I was just over it. I can’t even really explain why.

I don’t think it was necessarily that betrayal though, like the circumstance, that killed this for me, but more like from that point on, every subsequent thing the author threw at us had me tuning out more and more. It was a turning point.

Additionally, I didn’t feel invested enough in the mystery. I didn’t really care who did it. I hadn’t felt connected in any way to Sรฉraphine and her murder hardly felt gripping.

I realize that sounds awful, but I just wasn’t invested enough to care, I guess.

I wanted more intrigue, suspense and nail-biting moments. Instead I feel like it turned into more of a character study than a murder mystery.

Again, I feel like the downfall of this book is that it tried to do too much. It diluted the impact with so many things happening concurrently. Like the Van Gogh thing??? Completely unnecessary, IMO.

I feel like I’ve said enough at this point. You get it. I really wanted to like this one, but it ended up being a big miss for me. I tried, I did, but overall, pure mehhhhhhh.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though this wasn’t my cup of tea, I would be willing to pick up this author’s next book. I’m a firm believer in second chances!

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Review: The Lodge by Sue Watson

The LodgeThe Lodge by Sue Watson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Deep, dark secrets and non-stop drama are certainly a family affair in Sue Watson’s The Lodge!!!

In this story we follow the Wilson family, who all get called to a weekend getaway at a remote lodge by the matriarch of the family, Angela. It’s a complicated dynamic, but Angela is ready to celebrate her 75th-birthday and she wants her whole family there.

Thus, she rents the Lodge and invites her son, Scott, his ex-wife, Fiona, his new wife, Danni, who once played the role of the other woman, and their baby, as well as Scott and Fiona’s two teenagers.

Thrown in just for fun is a young woman named Jenna, who claims to be a professional chef. As Danni and Scott react to Jenna’s presence though, it’s clear she may not be exactly who she’s selling herself as.

The story is told mainly through Fiona and Danni’s perspectives, but we do get some others in different sections. I found both women’s thoughts fascinating from the start and wanted to know more about their lives.

They’re both feeling self-conscious going into the weekend and they’re also bringing a lot of preconceived notions in with them. Both are mothers and also have a natural instinct to do whatever they can to protect their children.

When a terrible storm hits and the Wilson family is trapped at the Lodge, with no end in sight, tensions rise to an unbearable level. People begin to break and cracks are revealed amongst the many relationships.

Will anyone make it out of the Lodge unscathed?!

The Lodge was highly addictive and entertaining as all heck. It was actually my first Watson novel, but certainly won’t be my last. I look forward to many, many more in the future.

I listened to the audiobook and found the narration to be a perfect fit for the story. It drew me in right away and I felt like I was actually getting to know these characters; hearing their stories told their own way.

I vibed with Fiona immediately, and she continue to be my fave throughout. Although not perfect, I could see where she was coming from and definitely related to some of her feelings and motivations.

This story starts off rather quickly, throwing the Reader right into the enticing set-up, with all of the family coming together at the Lodge. You can tell right away that everyone is keeping secrets, but what are they and how big of a blowout are they going to make when they’re revealed?

In addition to the secrets, not a lot of great choices are made either and this definitely adds to the fun of the story. I just love characters making bad decisions.

The drama level just got deeper and deeper too as the story went on and more and more secrets came to light. It was freaking fascinating. I couldn’t get enough.

Towards the end, a couple details didn’t quite work for me, or felt a little too convenient, but overall, I think this was really well done. A great Winter Weather Thriller!

I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a dramatic story, particularly with an extended family involved who have a lot of secrets from one another. Also, I recommend this to Readers who enjoy closed-circle mystery/thrillers that feature inclement weather.

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a ton of fun!

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Review: The Nanny’s Child (The Lies We Tell #2) by L.G. Davis

The Nanny's Child (The Lies We Tell #2)The Nanny’s Child by L.G. Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The Nanny’s Child is Book #2 in The Lies We Tell by L.G. Davis. I read the 1st-book, The New Nanny, earlier this month and found it to be suspenseful and highly addictive.

At the end, there was still so much left to explore involving our main character, the nanny, Christa. I bought this book on kindle and started it right away. I couldn’t wait.

I have to be careful discussing the set-up of this book, because I don’t want to inadvertently spoil the end of The New Nanny. I will say, Christa now finds herself back in the United States with new leads to follow involving her past.

She has accepted a nanny position for Harper and Troy, looking after their twin girls, but Christa’s appearance in their lives is no lucky accident. Christa has a motive.

A neighbor, Madison, the ex-best friend to Harper, is suspicious of Christa from the start. Christa seems too good to be true, which pretty much means that she is. Madison begins some snooping of her own.

When their quiet suburban street is rocked by murder, all of the characters are thrown into a tailspin. How could Christa end up involved with another murder and more importantly, how is she going to get out of it?

The Nanny’s Child though intriguing, particularly early on, didn’t quite pack the same punch for me as the 1st-book. It’s unfortunate, because initially I was seeing just as much promise, but eventually it sort of fell off a cliff for me.

The New Nanny was suspenseful and dramatic, beginning-to-end. While this one started that way, it got to a certain point where it felt like the author was just sick of writing this story and ended up wrapping everything up extremely quickly and cleanly. It didn’t make sense to me in the context of everything else.

There was a particularly chilling story-line, carried over from Book #1, that provided a lot of the tension for the story, which seemingly out of no where just ended. The character involved in that was basically like, it’s over now. I give up. You’re free, Christa.

This didn’t make any sense to me that such a sinister character would suddenly just fold like that and frankly, I was disappointed that after everything we had been through, that is how it would conclude.

There was another piece of the story, involving a different character, that I felt sort of ended that way as well. It all felt very anticlimactic, after such a strong, dramatic build over the course of the two books.

With this being said, I still appreciate Davis’s writing and her ability to throw a lot of twists into her drama. Even though this one let me down a little bit in the end, I absolutely will be picking up more books from this author.

Overall, I’m sad to see Christa go. I wish some of these plot-lines could have been continued on in a third book.

Christa is like that friend you love, who has a lot of great qualities, but just makes terrible, risky decisions all the time. I’m gonna miss her.

I recommend this duology to any Reader who enjoys a fun, engaging, OTT-popcorn thriller. These books can be read extremely quickly, and will definitely take your mind off your own life for a while!

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Review: The New Nanny (The Lies We Tell #1) by L.G. Davis

The New Nanny (The Lies We Tell #1)The New Nanny by L.G. Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

L.G. Davis brought all the twisted, evil, wicked drama here and I ate it up like caramel popcorn on Halloween…

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The New Nanny follows Christa, who has accepted a nanny position for the Mayer family. The post includes looking after their teen son, Wyatt, and some light housework duties, cooking and cleaning for the family.

The pay is great, she’ll get some free-time, and Christa has a special interest in this particular child. The catch is, she has move to a remote mountain village in Austria to take it.

It’s an easy decision for Christa and before she knows it, she’s there, settling into the Mayer’s lavish home.

Christa quickly notes that the family dynamic is a little off. The mom, Robin, whose perspective we also get at times, seems emotionally troubled, and she has very strict and specific rules for Wyatt, such as he isn’t supposed to leave the house. The Dad, for his part, is rarely present.

Christa is uncomfortable with the Mayer’s treatment of their son. They hardly interact with him at all. Christa is determined to shower this boy with all the love he needs.

Christa was already a bit on edge around the Mayers, but then she hears the rumors about the disappearance of their last nanny. Could these people actually be dangerous?

It’s a race against time to figure out the truth about the Mayer family. Are Christa and Wyatt in danger? Christa needs to get to the bottom of this years old disappearance and get herself and Wyatt to safety, if need be.

With the help of a new friend, Christa digs in, risking everything to get the truth. Hold on to your hats because, oh baby, does this get intense. Talk about a nail biter!

I had so much fun reading this. It’s wildly entertaining and I found L.G. Davis’s writing style to be engaging and addictive. In fact, I had so much fun with it, I purchased a copy of the second book immediately upon finishing this.

I wasn’t done with these characters, or Davis’s fun, fast-paced, intriguing plots. There’s no way I was waiting to get more of Christa’s story. It would feel like abandoning a friend if I were to leave her now!

This was one of those types of stories where you get way more invested than you anticipated you would. I was getting so into it, yelling at the characters, shaking my head, telling my dog all about it.

This seriously surprised me. It was such a delight to read; pure fun. Sometimes you just need this type of engaging, OTT-Popcorn Thriller. It’s not perfect, but who cares? Seriously, when you’re having this much fun, who cares?

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to following L.G. Davis’s work from here on out. I’m a fan!

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Review: Perfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah

Perfectly Nice NeighborsPerfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perfectly Nice Neighbors is an A++ Legal Thriller featuring major Neighborhood Drama from Kia Abdullah.

This is my second novel from Abdullah and I have given both 5-stars. I think it’s fair to say, I’m a huge fan!

As far as Thrillers with a Legal bent go, I don’t read a lot of them, only a few a year, but the ones I read, I do tend to enjoy. I feel like Abdullah brings such substance to her stories though, they almost go above and beyond.

In this story we follow two families. Salma, Bil and their son Zain, who are the new family on the street, and Tom, Willa and their son Jamie, long-time neighborhood residents.

It is important to note, Salma’s family is Bangladeshi, while Tom’s family is white. Also, please note, each family has a dog and the dogs are also involved in the drama.

You have been warned now about these two aspects. In other words, you may read things in this book that will make you uncomfortable. You may read things in this book that will make you angry, or emotional, but I promise, you’ll walk away with a lot of thoughts and it will be memorable.

Basically, Salma and Tom get into it. They get into it deep. This is a neighbor feud for the freaking record books. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.

As events escalate, the tension really amps up. I was squirming in my seat. It feels very unsafe, like a ticking time bomb, but how far will the battle be taken?

Y’all, I am always down for the drama. But this is a different sort of neighborhood drama than I’m used to. This was on a different level than most.

I appreciated how quickly Abdullah got to the action. She didn’t waste a lot of time on build-up. We meet Salma and her family, basically as they’ve just moved into their new home. It seriously takes no time at all for the event that leads to the initial confrontation to take place.

After that, each subsequent run-in just digs both families into their position deeper and deeper.

The snowball keeps rolling until the point where I was feeling emotionally drained. I don’t mean this as a bad thing, because hey, at least I was feeling something.

In fact, one of the things I love most about Abdullah’s stories is that she sets her Readers up with space to do some critical thinking. The way she frames her stories, it explores both sides, instead of hammering home with one character’s perspective. It’s so engrossing.

I feel like her style is a great platform for Readers to have some real self-reflective, as well as shoe-on-the-other-foot, moments. It feels written with such intention and what’s not to appreciate, and respect, about that.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy tense neighborhood dramas that explore current societal issues. I know this won’t work for everyone, but for the Readers who do end up enjoying it, I think they’ll walk away feeling like they’ve had a memorable reading experience.

Thank you so much to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to see what Abdullah comes up with next!

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