PLBR Book Reviews 2018 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS BY LISA JEWELL

1/19/2020

Lisa Jewell has written a riveting family thriller in The Family Upstairs and I was glued to this book from beginning to end. I'm so glad I took a chance on a new to me author and grabbed this one in my Book of the Month box!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Genre: Domestic Thriller. Gothic Thriller.
Series: None. Complete Standalone.
Pages: 349 pages
Format: Hardcover. Book of the Month Club.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes another page-turning look inside one family’s past as buried secrets threaten to come to light.

Be careful who you let in.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have

UNSPEAKABLE THINGS BY JESS LOURNEY

1/2/2020

Unspeakable things that all the makings of an excellent read. However, it fell short for me in so many areas. I think the blurb is deceiving as well and doesn't live up to what it says it will be.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: January 1, 2020
Genre: Mystery. Thriller. Suspense. Crime.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 296 pages
Format: eBook. Amazon First Reads.

Inspired by a terrifying true story from the author’s hometown, a heart-pounding novel of suspense about a small Minnesota community where nothing is as quiet—or as safe—as it seems.

Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them.

All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale.

One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets

THE WIVES BY TARRYN FISHER

12/29/2019

Tarryn Fisher has written a mind twist with, The Wives! I gobbled this one up and never wanted to put it down! If you're a psychological thriller fan, grab this book!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: December 30, 2019
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series: None. Complete Standalone.
Pages: 336 pages
Format: Paperback. ARC.

New York Times bestselling author Tarryn Fisher delivers a pulse-pounding, fast-paced suspense novel that will leave you breathless. A thriller you won’t be able to put down!

“You’ll have whiplash until the very end.”--New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover

Thursday’s husband, Seth, has two other wives. She’s never met them, and she doesn’t know anything about them. She agreed to this unusual arrangement because she’s so crazy about him.

But one day, she finds something. Something that tells a very different—and horrifying—story about the man she married.

What follows is one of the most twisted, shocking thrillers you’ll ever read.

FOE BY IAIN REID

12/26/2019

Foe is another mind bending thriller with an epic twist many readers won't see coming. I love his books and cannot wait to see what sort of book he writes next.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: Psychological Thriller (ish)
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 273 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

We don’t get visitors. Not out here. We never have.

In Iain Reid’s second haunting, philosophical puzzle of a novel, set in the near-future, Junior and Henrietta live a comfortable, solitary life on their farm, far from the city lights, but in close quarters with each other. One day, a stranger from the city arrives with alarming news: Junior has been randomly selected to travel far away from the farm...very far away. The most unusual part? Arrangements have already been made so that when he leaves, Henrietta won't have a chance to miss him, because she won't be left alone—not even for a moment. Henrietta will have company. Familiar company.

Told in Reid’s sharp and evocative style, Foe examines the nature of domestic relationships, self-determination, and what it means to be (or not to be) a person. An eerily entrancing page-turner, it churns with unease and suspense from the first words to its shocking finale.

THE AU PAIR BY EMMA ROUS

8/16/2019

The Au Pair is a compelling read- one I had a hard time putting down! It has a Gothic feel to it and left me excited as each twist and turn hit! I highly recommend this one!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 8, 2019
Genre: Domestic Thriller. Gothic Literature.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 360 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

If V. C. Andrews and Kate Morton had a literary love child, Emma Rous' USA Today bestseller The Au Pair would be it.

One of the most anticipated books of 2019 from Pop Sugar, Bustle, Cosmo, Parade, and Goodreads!

Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family's estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.

Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises dangerous questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW BY SALLY HEPWORTH

4/23/2019

This is my first Sally Hepworth novel and it WON'T be my last! This is an amazing domestic drama/thriller. I was glued to the pages and didn't want to put this book down. I am so excited to read more books by the author- her stories remind me of Liane Moriarty's books.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: April 23, 2019
Genre: Domestic Drama
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 352 pages
Format:eBook. ARC.

Someone once told me that you have two families in your life - the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don't choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all.

From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they'll never have the closeness she'd been hoping for.

But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something...

THE STILLWATER GIRLS BY MINKA KENT

4/9/2019

The Stillwater Girls is an excellent domestic drama/thriller that I devoured in one day! I was so invested in this book that I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: April 9, 2019
Genre: Domestic Drama/Thriller
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 256 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Two sisters raised in fear are about to find out why in a chilling novel of psychological suspense from the author of The Thinnest Air.

Ignorant of civilization and cautioned against its evils, nineteen-year-old Wren and her two sisters, Sage and Evie, were raised in off-the-grid isolation in a primitive cabin in upstate New York. When the youngest grows gravely ill, their mother leaves with the child to get help from a nearby town. And they never return.

As months pass, hope vanishes. Supplies are low. Livestock are dying. A brutal winter is bearing down. Then comes the stranger. He claims to be looking for the girls’ mother, and he’s not leaving without them.

To escape, Wren and her sister must break the rule they’ve grown up with: never go beyond the forest.

THE NIGHT OLIVIA FELL BY CHRISTINA MCDONALD

2/12/2019

Woah! This book blew me away! I devoured it in a day because I simply couldn't take my eyes off the pages. I think this is one of the best domestic thrillers I have read in a long time.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: February 5, 2019
Genre: Domestic Thriller.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 368 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

In the vein of Big Little Lies and Reconstructing Amelia comes an emotionally charged domestic suspense novel about a mother unraveling the truth behind how her daughter became brain dead. And pregnant.

A search for the truth. A lifetime of lies.

In the small hours of the morning, Abi Knight is startled awake by the phone call no mother ever wants to get: her teenage daughter Olivia has fallen off a bridge. Not only is Olivia brain dead, she’s pregnant and must remain on life support to keep her baby alive. And then Abi sees the angry bruises circling Olivia’s wrists.

When the police unexpectedly rule Olivia’s fall an accident, Abi decides to find out what really happened that night. Heartbroken and grieving, she unravels the threads of her daughter’s life. Was Olivia’s fall an accident? Or something far more sinister?

MY SISTER IS MISSING BY CARISSA ANN LYNCH

2/8/2019

My Sister is Missing is a fast paced, gripping read. It's also one that readers can easily get through in one sitting as the page count is just under 200 pages.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Genre: Mystery. Thriller.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 197 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

“Reminiscent of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects" Christina Kaye, award-winning author of Presumed DeadA twenty-year-old local mystery that has never been solved.

A bone-chilling VHS tape depicting a horrific crime.

Neighbors with something to hide.

And a sister who is missing.

Emily has to find out the truth. But is her sister Madeline the victim…or the one to blame?

A creepy and chilling thriller that you won’t be able to put down. MY SISTER IS MISSING is the most gripping read of 2019.Readers can’t get enough of this book.

THE TEMP BY MICHELLE FRANCES

1/29/2019

The Temp is an absorbing domestic drama/thriller that I devoured in a day. I really enjoyed and am looking forward to reading more books by the author in the future.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Genre: Domestic Thriller.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 432 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Wanted: Assistant to provide maternity cover for high-powered TV producer. Must be bright, creative, with killer instincts.

Emma would do anything to work for the woman who has the job she wants. Carrie is at the top of her game, with a dream career, a baby on the way, and a handsome screenwriter husband. For Emma, with parents who don’t understand her ambition and a serious misstep behind her, this temp position might be her last chance.

Carrie has given up more than anyone knows to get to the top of a ruthless business. She won’t give up this baby too. But with Emma filling in for her at the office, her perfect life starts to unravel. Her bank account is inexplicably overdrawn, her husband seems strangely distant and colleagues are all too happy to take Emma’s creative direction. Carrie finds herself dying to get back to work . . . until a letter left at her door changes everything.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL BY GREER HENDRICKS AND SARAH PEKKANEN

1/6/2019

An Anonymous girl is an original and tense read that will have you hanging by the edge of your seat until the final twist! These two authors writing together are amazing!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 8, 2019
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 384 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave.

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding.

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

VERITY BY COLLEEN HOOVER

12/23/2018

This is by far one of my favorite books of the year! In fact, I think it's easily on my list of top reads of all time- it's that good! If you are looking for something different, something original, and something that cause goosebumps on your flesh, this is a must read for you!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: December 7, 2018
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 250 pages
Format: Borrowed. Kindle Unlimited.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a chilling and unexpected standalone romantic thriller.
"It was a beautifully disturbing, completely twisted love story that was unputdownable...pure entertainment!!" -Two Unruly Girls Review
"Warning: Verity is not going to melt your heart. It's going to fry your soul." -Kindle Crack Book Reviews

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL BY BRITNEY KING

10/4/2018

Once again, Britney King brings her readers an edge of your seat thriller that will leave you gasping! I love the way she writes these twisty reads and I highly recommend her novels to anyone who loves a psychological thriller and suspense novel

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: October 4, 2018
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 269 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

In the tradition of Gone Girl and Behind Closed Doors comes a gripping, twisted, furiously clever read that demands your attention, and keeps you guessing until the very end. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, Speak of the Devil delivers us the perfect dark and provocative villain. The only question--who is it?

In the upscale suburb where Vanessa Bolton lives, she's your average suburban housewife.

She does her grocery shopping on Tuesday, Thursday mornings are reserved for Pilates, Sundays for church. At home, she's an impeccable housekeeper and a mother with a mediocre track record.

But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the city, she can be

THE REPLACEMENT WIFE BY BRITNEY KING

9/26/2018

This is only the second book I have read from Britney King and I can say that I am totally addicted! If you are a fan of domestic thrillers and twisted endings, you need to grab this one!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: May 3, 2018
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 269 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

From the bestselling author of The Social Affair comes a new riveting, powerful psychological thriller which offers a savage look into a utopian cultish society where beauty and perfection are valued at all costs.

For readers of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, The Replacement Wife offers a peek into the lives of a married couple up against impossible odds and the notion that history has a way of repeating itself.

Statistically speaking, fifty percent of marriages end up in divorce. What are the odds formurder?

Widower Tom Anderson is a savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Problem is, one is a lonely number. Thankfully, he solved for X by finding the perfect woman. It wasn't easy. Tom is very specific. He has to be.

THREE LITTLE LIES BY LAURA MARSHALL

9/8/2018

Three Little Lies is a fantastic book and I am so glad to have read it! Laura Marshall does it again in this brilliant book. I hope everyone gets a chance to read it!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Genre: Mystery. Thriller. Suspense.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 352 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

When Sasha disappears, Ellen fears the worst. Then long-buried secrets resurface, Ellen realizes she may not know Sasha -- or what she's capable of -- at all.

2005: 17 year old Ellen falls under the spell of glamorous newcomer, Sasha. As Ellen is welcomed into Sasha's family, she doesn't see the darkness that lies beneath their musical, bohemian lifestyle. At a New Year's Eve party, events come to a dramatic head, resulting in a court case (in which Ellen is a key witness) that means family life at the Corner House will never be the same again.

2018: Now 30, Ellen and Sasha are still entwined in each other's lives and sharing a flat in London. When Sasha disappears, Ellen fears the worst. She has gone missing like this before and the police won't take it seriously, but long-buried events in their shared past mean that Ellen has good reason to be frightened - not only for Sasha, but also for herself. Finding out the truth about

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