PLBR Book Reviews 2018 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

THE COUSINS BY KAREN M. MCMANUS

12/25/2020

Young adult mystery and thrillers are my guilty pleasure and McManus slays the genre! I love a book that not only keeps me interested but surprises the heck out of me just like this one!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Genre: Young Adult Mystery and Thriller
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 330 pages
Format: Hardcover. Purchased.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point--not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious--and dark--their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over--and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

LAYLA BY COLLEEN HOOVER (INCLUDES GIVEAWAY)

12/18/2020

Colleen Hoover is a wonderful writer and I've enjoyed nearly all of her books. While this one wasn't my favorite I can certainly appreciate the book and where she took the story! I wasn't expecting that epic twist (you won't want to miss it!).

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: December 8, 2020
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 300 pages
Format: eBook. ARC from the publisher.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love.

When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.

Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his

THE NIGHT SWIM BY MEGAN GOLDIN

12/7/2020

The Night Swim is by far one of my favorite books of 2020! It's a relevant thriller with all the pieces of a well woven mystery too. I highly recommend it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Crime. Thriller. Suspense.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 352 pages
Format: Hardcover. Book of the Month Box.

In The Night Swim, a new thriller from Megan Goldin, author of the “gripping and unforgettable” (Harlan Coben) The Escape Room, a true crime podcast host covering a controversial trial finds herself drawn deep into a small town’s dark past and a brutal crime that took place there years before.

Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel's podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under

EVERY LAST SECRET BY A.R. TORRE

12/1/2020

Alessandra Torre can write amazing romance novels but I have to say, I prefer her twisted thrillers! This is a must read. I devoured this book in one sitting!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 301 pages
Format: eBook. ARC kindly received by the publisher.

Welcome to the neighborhood. Watch your husband, watch your friends, and watch your back.

Cat Winthorpe has worked hard to get what she has: a gorgeous home; social standing; and William, her successful, handsome husband. Then a friendly new couple moves into the estate next door. While cautious, a good neighbor like Cat greets them with open arms and warm hospitality.

Neena Ryder isn’t a fellow lady of leisure. A life coach with off-the-rack dresses, personal issues, and a husband who hasn’t delivered, she’s anxious to move up in the world. This beautiful new town is a step in the right direction. It’s also making Neena aware of what she doesn’t have. Namely, William. When Neena’s infatuation escalates into obsession, it’s just a matter of eliminating a few obstacles to get the life she wants. The life next door.

HYDRA BY MATT WESOLOWSKI

10/31/2020

Hydra is the second standalone in the Six Stories series by Matt Wesolowski. This is such a unique series as each book depicts a podcast that discusses an old cold case murder. I loved it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: December 24, 2017
Genre: Crime. Podcasts. Suspense.
Series: Six Stories series #2 (can stand alone).
Pages: 251 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

A family massacre
A deluded murderess
Five witnesses
Six stories
Which one is true?

One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre.

Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.

King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions

THE GUEST LIST BY LUCY FOLEY

10/14/2020

Lucy Foley has written a near perfect thriller with The Guest List and I devoured each page. The atmospheric setting and the killer plot twist are insanely good!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Genre: Murder Mystery. Psychological Thriller.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 319 pages
Format: Hardcover. BOTM box.

A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.

The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the

CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 BY LISA UNGER

10/6/2020

Lisa Unger has set up a good, twisty thriller in Confessions on the 7:45. However, I found the book to be very slow. This type of book would be a better fast paced thriller.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller. Suspense.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 418 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

From master of suspense Lisa Unger comes a riveting thriller about a chance encounter that unravels a stunning web of lies and deceit.

Be careful to whom you tell your darkest secrets…

Selena Murphy is commuting home from her job in the city when the train stalls out on the tracks. She strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat, and their connection is fast and easy. The woman introduces herself as Martha and confesses that she’s been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again.

But days later, Selena’s nanny disappears.

MIDNIGHT LILY BY MIA SHERIDAN

8/20/2020

Midnight Lily is one of the most unconventional and unique romance novels that I have ever read. My mind is still reeling from that ending! I highly recommend this one.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance. Mental Illness.
Series: The Sign of Love Series (can stand alone)
Pages: 244 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

A standalone romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Archer's Voice.

Holden Scott is the prince of professional football. At least he was before he lost it all . . . or more to the point, before he threw it all away. Now he's out of a job, out of the public's good graces, and perhaps just a little out of his mind. So when a friend offers up his remote lodge in the wilds of Colorado, giving Holden some time away to get his life back on track, he can hardly say no. The last thing he expects is to see a beautiful girl in the woods—one wearing a white, lace dress who appears in the moonlight, and leaves no footprints behind. Is she a dream? A ghost? A product of his muddled imagination? Or something entirely different?

Midnight Lily is the haunting love story of two lost souls reaching for each other in the dark. A tale of healing, acceptance, and the worlds we create to protect our own hearts. It is a story of being lost, of being found, and of being in the place between.

THIS IS HOW I LIED BY HEATHER GUDENKAUF

6/5/2020

This is How I Lied is another is another fantastic murder mystery from Heather Gudenkauf! Her thrillers are top notch and I recommend each and every one of her books!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 12, 2020
Genre: Murder Mystery. Suspense.
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 336 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Everyone has a secret they’ll do anything to hide…

Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.

For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

BE MY BRAYSHAW BY MEAGAN BRANDY

6/1/2020

Meagan Brandy captures Captain's tortured soul with so much clarity readers can feel his struggles. I loved this man and I never wanted the story to end!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: June 3, 2020
Genre: Enemies to Lovers. Slow Burn. New Adult.
Series: Brayshaw series #1 (should be read in order)
Pages: 400 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

“Cross one, cross all.”

That’s the Brayshaw way.

She should have realized this before sliding into our world with secrets too big to bury.
She didn’t and now the target is on her back.

The day her lies came crashing down, I should have forced her out.
Instead, I locked her in, and with the promise I would never be hers.

I resisted, fought against us.
I caved.

I tasted what became my newfound favorite flavor and fell hard for the little liar.

THE WIFE STALKER BY LIV CONSTANTINE

5/26/2020

WOW! This book, while extremely frustrating in some aspects, was such a fantastic read! The big twist towards the end if one of the best twists I've seen in a long time! I now need more by the author asap!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller & Suspense
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 316 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

The bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish returns with a psychological thriller, filled with chilling serpentine twists, about a woman fighting to hold onto the only family she’s ever loved—and how far she’ll go to preserve it.

Breezing into the upscale seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.

Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self,

PIKE BY T.M. FRAZIER

3/30/2020

T.M. Frazier writes fantastic anti-heroes and this is no different with Pike! Pike is the first book in the Pawn Duet series and is a spin-off of the King series!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 24, 2020
Genre: Anti-hero romance. Romantic Suspense.
Series: The Pawn Duet #1
Pages: 248 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

I was raised by the violent laws of the streets, spilling blood without the hindrance of useless emotions or connections.
Unfeeling. Unloved. Alone.

My life was perfect.

Until her.

While on a manhunt for a mysterious enemy, one hellbent on taking both my business and my life, I find Mickey. She's covered in mud, rambling nonsense, and clearly out of her mind.

She's also a distraction I don't need.

That is until I discover a connection between the girl and my enemy.
Mickey isn't a distraction anymore.
She's the perfect weapon.

DARLING ROSE GOLD BY STEPHANIE WROBEL

3/14/2020

Darling Rose Gold is a ripped from the headlines thriller and I enjoyed every single minute of it. This is the authors debut novel and I am so excited to see her career take off because of it!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller. Based on a true story.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 319 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Mothers never forget. Daughters never forgive.

In her compulsive, sharply-drawn debut, Stephanie Wrobel peels back the layers of the most complicated of mother-daughter relationships.

For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.

Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.

After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.

THE LIFE YOU STOLE BY JEWEL E. ANN

2/24/2020

The Life You Stole is the brilliant conclusion to the Life Series duet! What a mind bender! Gosh, I loved this book and series so much and I can't help but recommend it to everyone!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: February 20, 2020
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Series: The Life series duet #2
Pages: 376 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Sex. Lies. Revenge.

On the heels of a devastating loss, Evelyn fights to put her life back together.
Only … part of her husband belongs to another woman, and the devil owns her soul.

“If you tell her the lie, I will tell her the truth.”

When her best friend goes to great lengths to protect Evelyn from destruction and devastation, mistakes are made, lines are crossed, and all trust is shattered.

“We weren’t unbreakable.
I just needed to believe we weren’t unrepairable.”

THE SUN DOWN MOTEL BY SIMONE ST. JAMES

2/19/2020

The Sun Down Motel is an incredibly written and eerie read that mixes both horror and thriller. This is my first read from the author but you can bet I'll be reading more from her in the future!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: February 18, 2020
Genre: Psychological Horror. Ghost Story.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 3336 pages
Format: Hardcover. BOTM Pick.

Something hasn’t been right at the roadside Sun Down Motel for a very long time, and Carly Kirk is about to find out why in this chilling new novel from the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnʼt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.

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