PLBR Book Reviews 2018 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

FLOCK BY KATE STEWART

7/31/2020

Flock is the first book in the Ravenhood Duet and is honestly one of the most intoxicating books I have ever read. I knew immediately when I started it that I was going to devour this book and that's exactly what happened. I can't wait for the conclusion.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: New Adult Romance (reverse harem themes)
Series: The Ravenhood Duet #1
Pages: 312 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Can you keep a secret?

I grew up sick.

Let me clarify.

I grew up believing that real love stories include a martyr or demand great sacrifice to be worthy.

Because of that, I believed it, because I made myself believe it, and I bred the most masochistic of romantic hearts, which resulted in my illness.

When I lived this story, my own twisted fairy tale, it was unbeknownst to me at the time because I was young and naïve. I gave into temptation and fed the beating beast, which grew

THE WIFE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH BY MICHELE CAMPBELL

7/29/2020

The Wife Who Knew Too Much was executed fantastically however, it was a bit of a slow read. I felt the tension but wish it was faster paced.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller. Murder Mystery.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 329 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It's Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Tabitha Girard had her heart broken years ago by Connor Ford. He was preppy and handsome. She was a pool girl at his country club. Their affair should have been a summer fling. But it meant everything to Tabitha.

Years later, Connor comes back into Tabitha's life—older, richer, and desperately unhappy. He married for money, a wealthy, neurotic, controlling woman whom he never loved. He has always loved Tabitha.

When Connor’s wife Nina takes her own life, he’s free. He can finally be with Tabitha. Nina’s home, Windswept, can be theirs. It seems to be a perfect ending to a fairy tale romance that began so many

DIRTY GIRLS BY LILY WHITE

7/25/2020

If you mix a bully romance with a murder mystery you get Dirty Girls by Lily White! This book is insanely good and I recommend it to all dark romance fans!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: January 22, 2020
Genre: Dark, Bully Romance. Murder Mystery.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 345 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

They were the boys any good girl knew to avoid.

Rich and privileged.
Gorgeous and cruel.
The poster boys for rebellion…their tongues so sharp they cut to the bone.

We worshipped them despite their dangerous games.
We laughed even as we cried.
It was all fun and games until the first dirty girl died.

Now, as the bodies pile up, I believe I can endure their wicked ways. Only time will tell if I’ll escape.

Because when wealthy boys are accustomed to getting everything they want, not even the lives of those around them are too high an asking price.

SOMETHING IN THE WATER BY CATHERINE STEADMAN

7/24/2020

I don’t know what I was expecting when I went into the story but it’s certainly not what unfolded before my eyes! This is a slow building thriller with twists and turns that leave readers wondering what the hell is going on!

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Genre: Domestic Thriller.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 373 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY GLAMOUR AND NEWSWEEK • FINALIST FOR THE ITW THRILLER AWARD

If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak

HE STARTED IT BY SAMANTHA DOWNING

7/22/2020

He Started It is a slow moving domestic drama/thriller. While it wasn't really my cup of tea I think many readers would love the buildup and the way everything ended...

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: Domestic Drama. Domestic Thriller.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 384 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

From the twisted mind behind mega hit My Lovely Wife comes the story of a family—not unlike your own—just with a few more violent tendencies thrown in....

Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven't all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we'll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.

But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.

It's even harder when you're all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory, a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won't stop following your car—and especially

QUARTER MILES BY DEVNEY PERRY

7/20/2020

I can always count on Devney Perry to get me out of a book slump. This is the perfect friends to lovers romance for those looking for a quick and heartfelt read.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: Friends-to-Lovers. Road Trip Romance.
Series: The Runaway series #3
Pages: 258 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

From USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry comes a small town, friends-to-lovers romance.

Katherine Gates has been in love with Cash Greer since the moment he saved her life from a runaway goat. According to Cash, she’s the little sister he never had, the greatest roommate in the world and his favorite coworker. They’re friends—best friends.

In the dark days of her youth, it was her friendships that kept her alive and made life in a junkyard worth living. So she’s learned to shove her feelings for Cash down deep, even if that means ignoring eyes that shine brighter than the Montana summer sun and the smile that illuminates the snowiest winter day.

Except with every passing year, the denial takes its toll on her wounded heart until one day Katherine decides to take an impulsive road trip to the Oregon coast. Alone. That is, until Cash cons his way into the passenger seat.

THE PERFECT FATHER BY JOHN GLATT

7/18/2020

The Perfect Father is a horrific true crime account of the Christ Watts murder case. This book emotionally devastated me but I'm glad to have a better understanding of the case that has haunted millions of people around the world.

Rating: ★★★(.5)
Release Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: True Crime.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 291 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

In The Perfect Father, New York Times bestselling author John Glatt reveals the true story of a Colorado family whose storybook life turned into a nightmare.

In the early morning hours of August 13th, 2018, Shanann Watts was dropped off at her Frederick, Colorado home by a colleague after returning from a business trip. It was the last time anyone would see her alive. By the next day, Shanann and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, had been reported missing, and her husband, Chris Watts, was appearing on the local news, pleading for his family's safe return.

But Chris Watts already knew that he would never see his family again. Less than 24 hours after his desperate plea, Watts made a shocking confession to police: he had strangled his pregnant wife to death and smothered their daughters, dumping their bodies at a

HOOK SHOT BY KENNEDY RYAN

7/16/2020

Kennedy Ryan has made a clear path to my heart and I am officially addicted to her words. Her novels as deeply emotional, poised, and some of the most romantic reads I have ever come across.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance. Single Dad. Sports.
Series: The Hoops series #3 (can stand alone).
Pages: 435 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

A deeply emotional standalone romance set in the worlds of professional basketball and high fashion.

Divorced. Single dad. Traded to a losing squad. Cheated on, betrayed, exposed.
My perfect life blew up in my face and I'm still picking up the pieces.
The last thing I need is her.
A wildflower. A storm. A woman I can't resist.
Lotus DuPree is a kick to my gut and a wrench in my plans
from the moment our eyes meet.
I promised myself I wouldn't trust a woman again,
but I've never wanted anyone the way I want Lo.
She's not the plan I made, but she's the risk I have to take.

A warrior. A baller. The one they call Gladiator. Kenan Ross charged into my life smelling all good, looking even better and snatching my breath from the moment we met.

WONDERLAND BY ZOJE STAGE

7/14/2020

Wonderland is Zoje Stage's sophomore novel. While I enjoyed her debut this one just didn't work for me. I felt like parts of the book dragged and the supernatural aspects hovered to close to fantasy.

Rating: ★★
Release Date: July 14, 2020
Genre: Horror. Supernatural.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 352 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

If Shirley Jackson wrote The Shining, it might look like this deliciously unsettling horror novel from the acclaimed author of Baby Teeth.

A mother must protect her family from the unnatural forces threatening their new and improved life in a rural farmhouse.

The Bennett family - artist parents and two precocious children - are leaving their familiar urban surroundings for a new home in far upstate New York. They're an hour from the nearest city, a mile from the nearest house, and everyone has their own room for the very first time. Shaw, the father, even gets his own painting studio, now that he and his wife Orla, a retired dancer, have agreed that it's his turn to pursue his passion.

But none of the Bennetts expect what lies waiting in the lovely

BURIED IN THE STACKS BY ALLISON BROOK

7/12/2020

Buried in the Stacks is the third book in the Haunted Library mystery series. This is one of my favorite series as it not only has an amazing sleuth but a hint of paranormal as well.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Genre: Cozy Mystery (with paranormal elements)
Series: The Haunted Library mystery series #3
Pages: 316 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Librarian Carrie Singleton is building a haven, but one of her neighbors is misbehavin'. Can resident spirit Evelyn help Carrie catch the culprit who made her a ghost?

In winter, the Haunted Library is a refuge for homeless townspeople. When a group purchases a vacant house to establish a daytime haven for the homeless, Carrie offers the library as a meeting place for the Haven House committee, but quickly learns that it may be used for illegal activities.

As the new Sunshine Delegate, Carrie heads to the hospital to visit her cantankerous colleague, Dorothy, who had fallen outside the local supermarket. She tells Carrie that her husband tried to kill her—and that he murdered her Aunt Evelyn, the library's resident ghost, six years earlier.

And then Dorothy is murdered—run off the road as soon as she

REAL BY KATY EVANS

7/10/2020

This book was recommended to me by a friend on Instagram so I bought it immediately. For the most part, I'm glad I read it. The romance is HOT and angsty. However, there were a few things that bothered me about the writing which I'll explain below.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Genre: MMA Fighter Romance.
Series: The Real series #1
Pages: 321 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

The New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller, the first in a scorching series about a beautiful young sports rehab specialist who can't fight her attraction to a dangerously sexy underground fighter.

Remington Tate has a bad-boy rep in and out of the ring, a granite-hard body, and a raw, animal power that sends his female fans into a frenzy. But from the moment their eyes lock, the only woman he wants is Brooke Dumas. His desire is pure, all-consuming, and REAL.

Hired to keep his perfect body working like a machine, Brooke finally has the lucrative sports therapy job she’s been dreaming of. But as she tours the dangerous underground fighting circuit with Remy and his team, Brooke’s own body becomes alive with the most primal of hungers. If what happens between Brooke and

SOUTHERN SUNRISE BY NATASHA MADISON

7/7/2020

Southern Sunrise is a wonderful second chance romance! It's also my favorite book in the series so far! I recommend reading them in order for greatest enjoyment and to avoid potential spoilers from past books.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: Enemies to Lovers romance. Second Chances.
Series: The Southern series #4
Pages: 215 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Buried secrets never stay hidden in the South

Emily
I fell in love with him when I was fourteen. Under the stars, he told me he loved me, and under the stars we promised to love each other always. But under the stars, he broke my heart by walking away.

He left me without a second glance. I was just an afterthought.
Now he's back, but this time, I'm not falling for his Southern charm.

Maybe.

It’s time I get my happily ever after, even if part of me wishes he was still mine.

THE WHISPER MAN BY ALEX NORTH

7/4/2020

The Whisper Man is a creepy mystery/thriller novel with a touch of the supernatural. I enjoyed this one a lot and am looking forward to reading the authors next book!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Genre: Mystery. Thriller. Suspense.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 350 pages
Format: Print Copy. Purchased.

In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must

THE SINNER BY KELSEY CLAYTON

7/2/2020

The Sinner if the first book in the Haven Grace Prep series and is a must read for fans of bully romances! This is a standalone in the series and is filled with angst!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 12, 2020
Genre: Bully Romance. Childhood friends to lovers.
Series: Haven Grace Prep series #1(can stand alone)
Pages: 279 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

When I was a kid, my best friend betrayed me in the worst way possible, ripping my family to shreds in the aftermath. She ruined my life in one fell swoop, and didn’t even have the heart to warn me.

Now, nearly a decade later, I’m back in the town I grew up in, determined to make her pay.

They say revenge is a dangerous game, but I’ve never been one to play it safe. There is nothing I’ll love more than to find her weakness and use it to destroy her. The lie she told all those years ago will be her undoing.

Savannah Montgomery may be queen of the rich and entitled, but she’s about to meet her match.

THE SINNER is a standalone and part of the Haven Grace Prep series. It contains angst, violence, and scenes that may be

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