Book Review: Dark Places @TheGillianFlynn @CrownPublishing #Suspense #Novel #Drama #GillianFlynn #DarkPlaces #5starbook

This is my first Gillian Flynn novel and will not be my last! A co-worker lent me this novel and wow…what a suspenseful, chilling, twisty mystery!

I wasn’t sure who to believe at first. The Kill Club or Libby. Libby’s family (her mother and two sisters) had been murdered and her brother was convicted of the crime. Was he really innocent though? Libby had memories of hearing her brother and him shouting things as she ran out of the house to get away from everything going on. The Kill Club had concocted a crazy theory about who killed her family…and it wasn’t her brother.

Let me back up a second. So Libby Day has been living off of $321,374 which she inherited when she was 18 thanks to donations of people who felt bad for her surviving the Prairie Massacre of 1985. She was able to make it 13 years before her financial adviser let her know she had nothing left. This is where she finds out she can make some money by selling some of possessions and making appearances with The Kill Club.

The story is told through Libby, Patty (her mother), and Ben (her brother). As Libby goes along and starts to talk more to The Kill Club, she realizes she doesn’t really know what happened that night. Now she is on a journey to not only make money, but to get answers. As Libby starts to do what The Kill Club asks her we get bits of pieces told to us of events leading up to that night by Ben and Patty.

This blew my mind. I can’t say much more because then it would give the book away, and I would hate to ruin this one if you have not read it! Just when you think you have the book figured out, it twists and turns, leaves you hanging, and then makes your jaw drop with what actually happened. Wow.

5 stars. I gobbled this up in 2 days because it was so intensely chilling and mind boggling. There is no way you can see the twist coming and Gillian Flynn kinda scares me now, haha. What a crazy imagination she has! I can’t wait to read her other books! Have you read this one? What did you think?

Title: Dark Places

Author: Gillian Flynn

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Publisher: Broadway Books

Release Date: May 5, 2009

Find it here on Goodreads and Amazon

First Line Fridays: June 21st #McAvoySistersBookOfSecrets @MollyOKWrites #FirstLine

As always First Line Friday comes courtesy of Hoarding Books Blog. I discovered this magic thanks to Crystal at Must Love Reviews. This week I am featuring a book that is coming out next month…

Delia Collins was no proud of her glee. It was unbecoming, she got that. And truthfully, she couldn’t even say where it came from. What awful spring of motherhood created this kind of joy in catching her teenage daughter sneaking back in past curfew?

I couldn’t resist by giving a few more than just that first short line…what can I say, the paragraph intrigued me! I will be reviewing this book on here closer to its release date of July 16th so keep checking back to see what all becomes of Delia! What is the first line from the book you’re reading?

Thursday Quotables: June 20th @NicolaHAuthor #Montauk #HistoricalFiction #BookQuotes #Book #Quotable

Welcome to Thursday Quotables. Books Kat Likes has joined in on the weekly fun and came up with this great description of what this is…

This feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines will be, and you’re invited to join in! Created by Lisa, over at Bookshelf Fantasies.

You should join in too! Leave the link to your Thursday Quotable post below and I will make sure to check it out!! Or just leave a comment with a quote from a book that has struck you!

This week my quote comes from….

“My husband thinks reading can turn a person into a recluse.” “Well, it sort of does for a moment in time,” he said. “But isn’t that the whole point, to lose yourself in a world that’s different from your own?”

Uhm….YES, YES, YES WITH A CHERRY ON TOP! Look for my full review on Montauk coming soon!

Dollar Tree June Haul @DollarTree #CheapReads #OneDollaHolla #DollarBooks #Bibliophile #Reader

If you love to read and have a Dollar Tree near you, do yourself a favor and walk in and see what books they have. Sometimes I strike out and other times I can’t help myself and buy a bunch! Here is what I bought this month…

I managed to find TWO books for my Dad for Father’s Day (bottom two pictured)…although he’ll get them when he’s back stateside from his job…don’t worry, he won’t ever see this post I promise! The other 4 I couldn’t resist!

Have you read any of these books? Do you go to your local Dollar Tree and find some great reads? Tell me what you’ve found before! I love finding great deals on brand new books!!

Top Ten Tuesday: June 18th #AnticipatedReads #ToBeReleased #ComingSoon #Bibliophile #WantToRead

It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for another TTT courtesy of That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is…

Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

I actually have 2 books that have been pre-ordered that I am dying to get my hands on. One I am waiting on until it gets closer to release and the others I have the privilege of already having a copy thanks to Netgalley…what are they??

Amazon now has this listed as, who knows when it will be released…when I ordered it I believe it was slated for a July release…we’ll see what happens with it.

Slated for release on June 27, 2019. All of the reviews I read on here made me run out and pre-order this sure to be great read!

Follow up to Winter In Paradise, this will be released on October 8, 2019. Winter In Paradise left us on a cliff and I have been dyiiiiiiiiiiiing for this book. I know I will be dying once again after this one because it’s a trilogy…the torture I put myself through!

Due out July 30, 2019 this looks like this could be the psychological thriller of the year…

Scheduled to be released August 13, 2019.

This one will be out on December 30, 2019 and I am dying for this chick lit read!

What are you most looking forward to coming out for the second half of 2019?

Book Review: The Ring On The Sill #VacationlandBooks #JodyClark #Trilogy #Maine

My Maine trilogy reads come to an end. Now I’m sad…I have no more Josh to live vicariously through and my time in York Beach has come to an end with The Ring On The Sill. Ugh. Do you ever just wish that books would go on forever? This is how I feel with this trilogy…

Jody Clark decides to span this book across two summers. Doug is still the womanizer he is. Pete starts to grow tired of his job and his marriage is starting to become strained. Josh…is Josh, still the hopeless romantic looking for the one.

Hang on a second. Doug ends up, not single?? Pete and his marriage…no, no, no. Josh finds someone?!?! WHAT?!?!?! The Ring On The Sill gives us some closure on the crazy summers which really truly happens when we grow up, get married, have families, and have bustling careers. This book culminates their lives as they reach different points.

Here is where I am going to say DAMN YOU JODY!!!! The story leaves us hanging with an open ending. %##@@&@*@%@ By now you all know I love my stories wrapped up with little bows (but I am starting to mature in my reading and accept open ended endings more) and The Ring On The Sill just smacks us with an open ending. The only reason I actually end up LIKING the end is because Clark acknowledges the open ending and tells us, the reader, to have it end how we would like to…and I darn well did!

I struggled with a rating for this book. I felt like a 5 would not be fair to Between Hello And Goodbye, but a 4 isn’t quite right either. Ultimately, I’m going with a 4 with the premise that if you have read the other two books, this is a must read. This is not a book I would recommend as a standalone because you wouldn’t be able to truly appreciate it and understand a lot, this really takes a lot from the first two books and ties everything together. Plus, you would not appreciate the ending and where everyone ends up!

This trilogy really hit me hard emotionally. It was unexpected and now a part of me is sad that it’s over, but happy because these books came into my life. Because of these books I gained a new appreciation for the Maine authors and picked up some new books at the good ol’ Whispering Sands in York Beach, Maine (along with my new favorite pair of sweatpants EVER). Well, my mom did for a Christmas present for me, haha. Do yourself a favor and when you’re in your favorite vacation spot, pick up a book from a local author. I am so, so, so glad I did with Jody Clark (thankfully I still have 2 more books to read by him…Jody, you better be writing another book as I write this). I’m going to leave you with the best possible words he could have ended this trilogy with and if this does not make you want to read this trilogy alone, then you’re not a human with feelings…

As a matter of fact, life will probably NEVER turn out the way you plan it, but I promise you this, it’ll ALWAYS turn out the way it’s supposed to.

Title: The Ring On The Sill

Author: Jody Clark

Genre(s): Literary Fiction

Publisher: Vacationland Books (go here to get yourself an autographed copy)

Release Date: April 7, 2019

Find it here on Goodreads and Amazon

Sunday Funday: Spouses Who Don’t Read #Marriage #Reading #Husbands #Wives #Spouse #Bibliophile

Raise your hand if you are married (or dating/in a relationship) to someone who does not read…

If you are in the same boat I am…welcome aboard! If you happen to be in a relationship where the two of you enjoy reading, well, la-di-da (KIDDING, but I am super jealous!!!!!).

I will say, my husband is supportive of my reading and he doesn’t give me (too much) crap about it. When we go out in our travel trailer he will even take the kids out so I can get a few hours in, alone, of reading time in the outdoors. I get the occasional…why are you buying another book, you have so many already…but then I also get the, hey I saw this book you need to read it (few & far between)

I also enjoy sliding a book into our Amazon account. He has turned into an Amazon freak! He is always buying something! I have started to place some books I really, really, really, REALLY want in the cart (thanks to all of your freakin’ amazing reviews I read daily) and I just leave them there. When he goes to buy something he just leaves it there and VOILA, new book! Just remember, technically *I* didn’t buy it…he could have taken it out of the cart, but he kept it in and bought it. I just have happened to be putting in all pre-orders so I have yet to physically get a book…I am going to be surprised when they all finally show up, hahahaha.

I would love it if my husband would pick up a book and read, but for now at least I’m enjoying getting lost in a good book. Anyone else out there like me? What do YOU do?

Book Review: The Favorite Daughter @KairaRouda #FavoriteDaughter @HQStories @HarlequinBooks #GoodMother

Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced reader’s copy of The Favorite Daughter. Yes, again, I am late with my review, but to make up for it, one of my good friends has already picked this one up and devoured it based on the recommendation from me…so…let’s call it even, shall we?

Apparently Saturdays on my blog are days to post about batshat crazy books. Our main star, Jane, is a crazy protective mother and house wife. How crazy? Jane would say she is loving, caring, and give you some crazy statistic of how you could randomly die. She would say everything she does is out of love and all she is doing is protecting her family. I would say she needs to committed and go under an evaluation because she’s just not right. Jane is what keeps you reading in this one…

I kept reading in awe of Jane would do. I mean, I seriously still cannot get over how crazy Jane Harris is. Some background…Jane is a married mother of 2, except one daughter jumped off of a cliff and killed herself (Mary). Betsy is about to graduate high school and Jane is doing all she can to protect and love her. When she discovers she may be having a relationship with a tutor from school, ooooo. The family is FULL of secrets kept from each other. Sometimes the dialogue between the characters was a little…odd, short, and curt, but overall it’s a great read.

This story was a great mystery/thriller. I did not see quite a bit that was revealed to us toward the end. I firmly believe this book will keep you guessing and will surprise you with a twist or two! Her marriage is also a big star in this book as she thinks it is on its way to healing and being whole again. She really lost it after Mary died and her marriage suffered. Or has her marriage suffered all along? Hmmm…it was SO interesting reading this all from Jane’s point of view!

This is a must read 4 star read. It is a mystery that will leave you satisfied at the end with what happens. I am still in disbelief that Jane thinks she has done NOTHING wrong at the end. Baffling. I know she’s a fictional character, but O-M-G! High five to Kaira Rouda for knocking this one out of the park!! Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Title: The Favorite Daughter

Author: Kaira Rouda

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Release Date: May 21, 2019

Find it here on Goodreads and Amazon

First Line Fridays: June 14th

As always First Line Friday comes courtesy of Hoarding Books Blog. I discovered this magic thanks to Crystal at Must Love Reviews. I am so far behind on my Netgalley reads (yikes) and this week I am reading Montauk by Nicola Harrison. Here’s the first line…

We left the train and were escorted to our awaiting cars, one for Harry and me and one for our trunks–packed to the brim for the summer months ahead.

What book are you reading this week? Drop me a link to your First Reads Friday blog post and I’ll swing by! Happy Friday!

Thursday Quotables: June 13th #bookquotes @elinhilderbrand #ASummerAffair #MomLife

Welcome to Thursday Quotables. Books Kat Likes has joined in on the weekly fun and came up with this great description of what this is…

This feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines will be, and you’re invited to join in! Created by Lisa, over at Bookshelf Fantasies.

You should join in too! Leave the link to your Thursday Quotable post below and I will make sure to check it out!! Or just leave a comment with a quote from a book that has struck you!

Today I have a picture of my quote!

This is how I feel about my babies…I love them and they are amazing souls. I would love to take credit and say, yeah, I did that, but I know they were born wonderful. The quote was taken from…

I love Elin Hilderbrand. It is my goal to read every single one of her books! From this point forward I will be on her every pre-order list! Any fellow Elin fans out there???