Happy New Year! What a year 2018 was, huh?!? It was challenging for many (including myself), but there were some great things, too, and this post is all about some fabulous books that I had the pleasure of reading in the last quarter of 2018. I will be doing 12 book reviews for you, plus I’ll be showing you a few ‘bookish’ goods that I love, per usual. If I had to choose a theme for my reading picks this time around, it would be “Dark & Disturbing”. I read anything and everything, but lately I’ve been hooked on dark romance and thrillers. I’ve written the reviews in the order that I read the books in, from October through December, 2018 – so grab a beverage and get cozy with me!
If you want to take a look at some of my previous book reviews (of course you do!), you can go here. If you’d like to stalk me on Goodreads, go here! (I need friends!) You will also be able to see the number of stars I gave each of these books on Goodreads, if you are curious.
There are affiliate links in this post, cuz I need moolah! Go, go, go! Buy, buy, buy!
Book Review #1 – Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
Amazon excerpt:
Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?
In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty turns her unique, razor-sharp eye towards three seemingly happy families.
Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other.
Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite.
Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?
In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don’t say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm.
I have been a big fan of Liane Moriarty books for awhile now, and slowly but surely I’m reading them all. She does an amazing job with character development, and has a way of sucking you into a story and making you turn pages until you get all of your questions answered. This book is about 3 couples (+ kids) having a backyard BBQ, where a horrific event occurs that changes all of their lives. You have to wait almost to the end to find out exactly what happened (faaaack!), but in the meantime you get to know each character and their relationship to one another.
I found all the characters in this story to be both intensely interesting and fatally flawed, and for the most part relatable – and I even changed my mind about a couple of them by the end. This is typical of her books, and for me the most important element. By the time I got to the ‘horrific event’, it didn’t seem all that fantastical to me, though. It’s not that it wasn’t bad, it’s just that it wasn’t bad enough for me to view it as a ‘life changing event’. To be fair though, I have never experienced anything like that, so who the fuck am I to judge? All in all it wasn’t my favorite Liane Moriarty book, but I did enjoy it and don’t feel it was a waste of my time at all. There was a satisfying conclusion, so you don’t have to worry about walking away pissed off – this author always wraps everything up nicely.
Book Review #2 – Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Amazon excerpt:
Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family’s Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming.
OOOOOH MY. This one was a doozy! This is my first Gillian Flynn novel, and I can see why she is so popular. This book pushed some serious boundaries! Now, for ME to say that, is something. I read some messed up shit. I love banned, taboo, dark and twisted books that fuck with your head. I can say in truth, this book delivered all of those feels. I actually can’t believe it took me this long to read this author. I don’t want to give even one detail away – go in blind. All I can say is Gillian covers all of the cringe-worthy topics, and I even GASPED at something one character said to another. Yes, gasped. If you are looking for a psychological thriller that gets under your skin, you’ve found it in ‘Sharp Objects’ – trust me. I loved the dreary and depressing theme throughout, but beware it’s not for everyone. Put your big-girl (or big-boy) pants on if you decide to read this one!
NOTE: HBO recently released a limited series for ‘Sharp Objects’ that I watched AFTER I read the book (I suggest you do the same), and they did a fantastic job with it. The series followed the book well and the casting was solid. Big thumbs up for both!
Me and my fuzzy boy enjoying this crazy read!
Book Review #3 – Animal by Marni Mann
Amazon exerpt:
In this prison, we weren’t just guards. We were animals.
I captured the guilty.
Locked them inside our prison.
I tested their courage and I challenged their strength.
Throughout the years, I’d taken the lives of hundreds.
I had never recognized one.
Until her face.
Until that scream.
I was hired to take her life.
But first, I had to figure out how she ruined mine.Animal is the first book in the Prisoned Spinoff Duet. Monster is the second book.
I recently found the greatest book subscription box EVAH called ‘Mystic Box‘ – you can read my reviews of it here. This box has introduced me to some truly awesome dark romance authors, and I’ve been gobbling up their books like crazy. ‘Animal’ is the very first book I received and read from Mystic Box, which actually included 2 novels by Marni Mann. I’ll be reviewing the second one next!
Let’s start by saying ‘Animal’ is unlike any book I’ve ever read, and I loved every mind-fucking minute of it. First of all, LOOK AT THE COVER. If that doesn’t entice you, then maybe this will: A complicated story told in both past & present, that collides characters in a most unconventional way. The Past: An ordinary young girl (Tyler) who comes from a humble (poor) family that she isn’t particularly close with, and her college roommate is her only friend. She doesn’t party, and keeps mostly to herself, until one day her roommate drags her out to a club. She winds up getting herself mixed up with a crazy-ass group called “The Achurdy”, and that’s all I’m gonna say about that because I don’t want to ruin it for you. The Present: There is ANOTHER group of crazy-ass people – men who run an underground prison where inmates are sent by enemies, then tortured and killed by the guards (animals). ‘Beard’ is who we follow; one of the guards who has quite a life – both in and out of the prison.
There’s a forbidden love story. There’s unconventional sex. There are secrets. There is violence, and twists and turns and NO ONE AND NOTHING is as it seems! I absolutely could NOT put this book down, I HAD to find out WTF happens. The story unfolds slowly like a puzzle, but you are never bored for even one second. Confused? Yes. Bored? No. While this book is considered ‘dark romance’, I would say it’s more just DARK. There are erotic scenes for sure, but that isn’t the takeaway. The writing is quite good and the characters are gritty, raw and…different. Let’s go with that. If dark and twisted is your thang, you are definitely going to want to give this one a read. I’ll tell you this though, it ends on a (helluva) cliffhanger with a lot of questions lingering. A LOT. I know that makes some people nuts, but I was good with it because I already had the sequel sitting on my bookshelf. 😉
Just wanted to show off some of the perks of the Mystic Book Box! Got some pretty great swag, here. It’s a book nerd thing.
…and there I sat for 8 hours reading my book with both of my ‘animals’ – HA! Jack was inquiring to whether or not I was EVER GOING TO MAKE DINNER. He’s not one to wait, and is the only creature alive who dare disturb me while I’m reading.
Book Review #4 – Monster by Marni Mann
Amazon excerpt:
“Because I came from you, does that mean I’m capable of killing? That I’ll be addicted to blood? That I’ll get off on torturing people?”
The kid had questions.
I didn’t blame him.
He’d only heard one side, and it wasn’t mine.“Why did you hate my mother?”
Now, that was a story worth telling.
But, to do that, I had to bring the kid back to the very beginning.
When the killing and the blood and the torture had all started.
When I was truly happy.
When I was first called a Monster.Monster is a follow-up to Animal. Animal must be read first.
*WARNING*
Monster is an extremely dark novel. There are strong sexual themes, drug usage, physical and sexual abuse, and torture that could trigger and/or cause emotional suffering.
‘Monster’ is the sequel to ‘Animal’, which I reviewed above. ‘Animal’ is dark. ‘Monster’ is DARK AF. The cover art captures the essence of how I probably looked while reading it (minus the facial hair and tattoos). In all honesty, I have no idea how to review this book because to say too much will destroy the mind fuck that is this ongoing story. So I can’t do that to you! Here’s what I can say: This book definitely gives you insight as to what happened with the characters introduced in ‘Animal’, but this story is told by one of the other underground prison guards called ‘Shank’. Shank is serving his own prison sentence and tells his raw story from there, in letters to ‘The Kid’ (not telling you any more). This gives the reader both more background (that they no doubt desperately need after reading the first book), and a different POV told in both past and present again. Shank is a VERY sick fuck. There, you were warned. We are also introduced to two new characters, Huck and Arin, who unveil their stories along side Shank’s; but you’ll never guess how they all intersect. Huck owns a Brothel, and finds a bloody and beaten girl on his back porch one fine day. That’s really about all I can say. I know it doesn’t make much sense – you really just must read the book for yourself! For some reason I liked the first book (Animal) just a little better, but I can’t really nail down why. I think it may be because being introduced to “The Achurdy” in the first book was just so much fun, and it was old news by the second book. Or maybe because Shank is just such a dark character that you can’t possibly like or relate with – I don’t know – but it certainly gets a high rating from me nonetheless because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Not for the faint of heart. Not for the simple mind. An edgy, violent maze of craziness is the best I can tell you. I’m now a huge Marni Mann fan! I absolutely can’t WAIT for her newest novel to come out January 15, 2019 – When Ashes Fall.
More swag that I received from Mystic Box. (See ‘Animal’ review)
Beware, peeps! This book will chew you up and spit you out!
Book Review #5 – Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Amazon excerpt:
Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, the Kill Club—a secret society obsessed with notorious crimes—locates Libby and pumps her for details. They hope to discover proof that may free Ben.
Libby hopes to turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club—for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer.
After reading “Sharp Objects” earlier in the year (my first Gillian Flynn novel) I immediately had to go for another one! I’d already seen the “Gone Girl” movie, and although I know books are always better than the movies, I wanted to read something fresh where I didn’t know the plot twist. “Dark Places” also has a movie counterpart, but I haven’t seen it yet, so I was good to go.
I’m going to say right off the bat, that ‘Dark Places’ is good, but not as good as sharp objects IMHO. The writing is captivating, the plot is interesting, and the subject matter is dark and gory, but it just didn’t have the ‘sting’ I was looking for. At first, the main character (Libby) is a little twat. You don’t like her. As you learn more and more about her family, you don’t like them either. BUT, over the course of the novel, another side to everyone is revealed and I did change my mind about most of them. While I was not able to guess the ending, it kind of fell flat for me. This sounds sick, but I wanted it to be more disturbing. It’s not that it wasn’t a little twisted, but the darkness of it kind of died in a way. To explain that cryptic sentence would give too much away, but you’ll know what I mean if you read it. I did enjoy it though, so not all is lost. Gillian Flynn definitely lives up to her hype, and I’m looking forward to more from her!
Book Review #6 – Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Amazon excerpt:
Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…
Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.
Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?
It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.
Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.
I loved this book! I don’t know how she does it, but Liane Moriarty writes characters that seem real to me. Like I know them in real life, or that they actually exist. That is a talent you don’t find very often. My all-time favorite of her books is ‘Big Little Lies’, but this one is a close second.
I read a few reviews where people complained there were too many characters and it got confusing, but honestly I never felt this way. There were a ton of people in it – the guests, the staff and the owner – but the personalities were written so vibrantly that I had no trouble envisioning each and keeping them separate. The plot was probably one of the most original stories I’ve ever read. It started off normal and nice, but with each chapter it just got weirder and darker and more disturbing. The owner of the spa retreat called Tranquillium House is pretty bizarre and entertaining, and all the guests were very different from one another, so it was this hodge-podge of people and points of view. The experience of this retreat was certainly a little ‘off’, and it was just so much fun to try and guess what would happen next. The ending was tied up neatly, and none of it ever felt ‘over the top’ to me, but fairly plausible. If you like Liane Moriarty, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you will like ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’. Lots of fun!
I received this book as one of my choices in the ‘Book of the Month’ box for November 2018. I was so excited because I was looking forward to it’s release, and was so happy to see it as a choice for a subscription I was already getting. To see my reviews of BOTM, go here!
Book Review #7 – Beyond the Pale Motel by Francesca Lia Block
Amazon excerpt:
Maternal, sexy Catt and her beautiful, daring best friend Bree are hairdressers at an L.A. salon called Head Hunter, and work out at a gym called Body Farm. They have over a decade of sobriety behind them and are getting close to living the lives they’ve always wanted.
But when Catt’s husband, Dash, leaves her, and then her neighbor is brutally murdered, possibly by a man being called the Hollywood Serial Killer, Catt’s world begins to come crashing down. The murdered victims all seem to bear a chilling resemblance to Bree. Catt suspects that Bree is the next target of the Hollywood Serial Killer…is she losing touch with reality or simply coming to terms with the truth?
In Beyond the Pale Motel, a terrifying and intensely erotic novel, Francesca Lia Block explores the dangers of modern living, loving and dying with lyrical edge and sensational attitude.
The description of this book intrigued me so much that I traded for it on a swap site. The author was new to me, but I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that. I thought the writing was decent (although there were quite a few typos), and the story was original, but the ending was…awful. It was abrupt and unsatisfying, not to mention depressing. I usually (surprisingly) enjoy a fucked-up ending, but in this case I just didn’t. Maybe if the ending didn’t feel so rushed I would have liked it better, but it felt like the author got sick of writing and just wanted it to be over with. Also, I didn’t find it “erotic” AT ALL. Which was a bummer to me. It was a shorter book that had potential, but didn’t deliver in the end. I probably won’t think about it ever again past this review, and that sucks.
Book Review #8 – Silver Swan by Amo Jones
Amazon excerpt:
Madison Montgomery comes from money and power, but when someone close to her commits the ultimate crime, Madison must live with her tainted name for the rest of her life. When she begins Riverside Preparatory Academy, the private school her father has swept her into in The Hamptons, she hopes for a fresh start. What she wasn’t hoping for was the pack of bad boys who run the school; ten, to be exact. When Madison gains the attention of their leader, Bishop Vincent Hayes, a whole new world that she didn’t think existed is exposed to her. A whole world that starts and ends with The Elite Kings Club and these boys, are about to flip her world upside down. Secrets are overflowing and family lies are about to be exposed. Is there more to Madison Montgomery than even she knows?
‘Silver Swan’ is the first book in the ‘Elite King’s Club’ series by Amo Jones, who I had no idea existed until I started getting the ‘Mystic Box’ subscription. (You can see details about Mystic Box in the above ‘Animal’ review). The first thing that grabbed me was the cover art! Just beautiful. Then, of course, the description was intriguing, and the story totally sucked me in. Even though this is considered dark romance, it has a YA (young adult) feel to it because of the young age of the characters. But let me just say this: DON’T GIVE IT TO YOUR TEENAGER TO READ. There’s lots of rough sex and fuckery. There’s partying, and drugs, and cursing, and blood and violence and questionable morals. So basically, perfect, but not for a younger audience. The story is wholly unique and fun, and keeps you guessing. It does get confusing at times, and I wanted to smack the main character (Madison) occasionally, but I still loved her spunk. I flew through this book in just a few days, and wasted no time diving into the second one, needing to know what happens. So yes, there is a cliffhanger.
The description is accurate, so there is no need for me to expand on that, but here are some things I noted along the way. Due to the age of the characters, there were a lot of details I couldn’t relate to – like music I’ve never heard of, and clothing choices that baffled me – but it didn’t bother me all that much, except that it made me feel about 85 years old. LOL! These ‘kids’ however, have epic sex. Not so realistic…but I wasn’t reading this for realism. It may bother some that the age vs. the sex was inappropriate, but this is fiction, so who gives a shit. It’s not like it doesn’t happen, it’s just usually a little more ‘awkward’ at that age. Just sayin’. Another thing is that everyone is stupid-rich. So yeah, can’t relate to that either, but I can live vicariously – ha! There were some typos/grammatical errors here and there, but for the most part I would say Amo Jones is an amazing storyteller with quite the imagination! I truly enjoyed this read, and was super happy to find a new author I like. The characters are messed up (especially the ‘Kings’), so if you like REALLY BAD boys, you’ll wanna get on the Amo bandwagon straight away.
I spent a few days in the remote Arizona desert where I had a chance to start this amazing series uninterrupted – so here I am after just finishing ‘The Silver Swan’.
Book Review #9 – Broken Puppet by Amo Jones
Amazon excerpt:
“I thought I knew who I was, but I was wrong.”
The Silver Swan
– 1. A girl who is tarnished. Tainted. One who does not fit into the confinement of legend.
The Silver Swan
-2. Madison Montgomery.I was lied to.
I was cheated.
Resigned to pick up the scraps of empty memories and disarrayed thoughts, I left. After finally cutting the strings of manipulation, I resorted to do what I’ve done since I was a child, something my father drilled into my brain since I could handle my first rifle.
Run.
I’m a mere shadow of the girl they all knew.
Lies and deceit change you. They alter your entire outlook on life.
I’m Madison Montgomery, and I want to play a game.
Here’s what happens when I win.Riddle me this, Mads.
What goes bump in the night,
but is something you can’t see with sight?
You may run, and you may hide.
If by happily ever after, you mean Bonnie & Clyde.
So here we are with Book 2 of the ‘Elite King’s Club’ series, ‘Broken Puppet’ by Amo Jones! BEST.COVER.EVER. Again with pull of the cover art for me. The story pretty much picks up right where ‘Silver Swan’ leaves off, and we get to know the characters better in this book; including the Kings. You think you have a pretty good handle on who you like, who you don’t, and where it’s going, but you really don’t. I warmed up to a few of the Kings who surprised me, and you can see why Madison falls for Bishop. There is still angst between them (and other characters), but it was more of the same – sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. (Or gangsta music, whatever.) And of course, more violence. You learn along with Madison who she really is, and some new characters are introduced that are pretty fucking bizarre. Which isn’t shocking at all. The plot kinda goes all over the place – you have an escape to New Zealand from The Hamptons, you have tattoo art, and you have even more questions come up as other secrets are revealed. It’s complicated, convoluted and frustrating at times (finish the damn book, Mads!) but it’s another wild ride in the crazy world of the Elite Kings. My only complaint? You get to know about EVERY.SINGLE.SHOWER Madison takes. LOL! There’s another cliffhanger of sorts, too. You must know though, that I am having a great time reading the series so far (even with typos and character frustration), so onto book 3 I go!
Book Review #10 – Tacet a Mortuis by Amo Jones
Amazon excerpt:
Hail to the king, and watch him reign, this game was somewhat fun, until the finale came…
Now we’re here, with carnage and despair, and the only questions left to answer, are the ones that do not appear…
A king loses a war, and a swan sheds her wings, chaos collides with peace, as the crows begin to sing…
Enter if you dare, because I swear the end is near, but nothing is as it seems, and everything is so bare.
So what the hell is going on at Riverside,
I think, I think… everyone is about to die…
Tacet a Mortuis – Latin for ‘Whispers from the Dead’ – a.k.a. Book 3 of the ‘Elite King’s Club’ series by Amo Jones. What can I say about this book? Well, for starters, I don’t know who does her cover art, but it’s just absolutely amazing. Anyway, I had a harder time with this one than I did with the first two – but still enjoyed it all the same. This one jumps around a lot just like the others, and most of the questions were answered, but again, more questions were brought up. I think my issue lies with the ‘Island’ where the Kings have a sort of private mini-civilization. This was a little over the top, but it didn’t ruin the story or anything. I was wanting to know more about certain characters (Daemon, for one) and didn’t get that, but there was a kinda-sorta closure for Bishop and Madison – although I suspect we haven’t seen the last of them. I just found out that ‘Malum’ is coming out in March of 2019, and it will be Book 4 of this series! It is Nate and Tillie’s story – which I’m so glad for! I thought Amo was gonna leave me hanging on that one, so now I don’t have to get all up in her business about it. Haha.
This series is just NUTS. I must say that Amo Jones has the most colorful mind of any author I’ve ever run across, and I just LOVE her! I’m completely excited for the next book in the series, and also grabbed a copy of ‘Manik‘, a standalone novel of hers. So stay tuned for more, coming soon!
I love this photo I took of the first 3 books in the ‘Elite King’s Series’, so I thought I’d share. They’re just so pretty! 😉
Book Review #11 – Verity by Colleen Hoover
Amazon excerpt:
Sexy. Twisted. Consuming.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 of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of the night their family was forever altered.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.
Due to graphic scenes and mature content, this book is recommended for readers 18+.
WHOA! Okay, so, Colleen Hoover is a romance novelist – where the fuck did THIS come from?!? This was a highly anticipated book, and I caught wind of it on social media. I was intrigued by the description, but I have never read Colleen Hoover before, so I didn’t have any pre-existing opinions of her writing. I decided to give it try since it was getting rave reviews, and right now after just finishing it, I must agree with the hype! I was completely drawn in, and didn’t put it down until I was finished. This story is DISTURBING AF. I got goose bumps in certain parts! Seriously, it was THAT good. The writing is fantastic, and the suspense built up at the perfect rate of speed. There were no lulls or filler, and I was completely captivated – and unnerved! This was such a treat (and a surprise), and now I’m curious about her other books; although I know this is a one-of-a-kind for her. I won’t lie, some of the subject matter is hard to read! It’s not horror per se, but it’s definitely upsetting in a wonderfully odd way. I can’t tell you because I don’t want to spoil it, but trust me when I tell you it’s a trip. I’m still not sure what to make of the ending – YIKES! Go in blind like I did, you won’t regret it!
Book Review #12 – No Exit by Taylor Adams
Amazon excerpt:
A brilliant, edgy thriller about four strangers, a blizzard, a kidnapped child, and a determined young woman desperate to unmask and outwit a vicious psychopath.
A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do?
On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers.
Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate.
Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?
There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one?
Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape.
But who can she trust?
With exquisitely controlled pacing, Taylor Adams diabolically ratchets up the tension with every page. Full of terrifying twists and hairpin turns, No Exit will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless.
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD I loved this freaking book! I’m calling it my favorite of 2018, even though it didn’t officially get released until January 2019. I got a pre-release copy from the ‘Book of the Month’ subscription box (see my other reviews for more on Book of the Month), and while I figured I’d probably enjoy it, I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did. This is another new-to-me author, and he is a hell of a writer! This book is non-fucking-stop suspense, thrills and action. From the first word to the very last, you are on goddamned freight train going off the rails – I’m not kidding! It reminded me of ‘Intensity’ by Dean Koontz in a way – with a determined and strong female lead, hell-bent on saving a young girl (and herself) from vicious psychopaths. I pulled an all-nighter to finish it because I HAD TO. What I liked most about this book was that the author had a way of covering every scenario detail that was going through MY mind about the situation. I would have done many of the same things the characters did, and he left no stone unturned. There were no red-herrings or unimportant details here. Such a great, great read!
I love Book of the Month Club! You can read about it here.
I’ll warn you – get cozy when you read this, it will make you cold!!
Bookish Goodie #1 – Fucking Brilliant Lined Journal & Obvious State Floral Bookmark
I love me some journals. I’ve been journaling since I was in Elementary School, can you believe that?!? I got this one for my birthday this year, and I love it, so I wanted to share. It has lined pages – and fits perfectly in my purse. I write down all kinds of brilliant shit in this baby! I also love ‘Obvious State’ products and am using this beautiful floral bookmark to keep my place in it.
Bookish Goodie #2 – Waterproof Kindle Paperwhite & Leather Kindle Cover in Merlot
Santa outdid himself this year!! I got the new WATERPROOF Paperwhite Kindle and I’m over the moon about it. It’s super thin and lightweight, and now I won’t stress about reading in the tub, or on a raft in the pool! I also got this merlot-red leather cover to go with it, and it’s just beautiful. I also got super lucky – the purchase came with a 6-month free trial of Kindle Unlimited, so now I will be filling it up with a shitload of free Kindle books! Wheeeeee!
Well, I hope you enjoyed my reviews, and I want to thank you for stopping by! Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Happy reading to you, my book loving friends!
TTFN, CrazyDogMama – XOXO
Leave a Comment