March 24 Reads and Reviews
I had another super short book month *whine*
I really was hoping to get more books read, but I just didn’t. My problem is that I want to watch TV to zone out instead of read because of baby reasons as of late. It’s fine; I’ll pick it back up soon, but here’s what I read this month!
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Bright Young Women – Jessica Knoll
Amazon rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.04 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Serial killers
- Ted Bundy
- Dark academia-ish
- True crime fiction (aka. stories that are based on real events but are fictional versions)
- Dual POV
- Alternating timelines
What I loved: I really liked that the story was around the victims of “The Defendant” rather than the criminal
What I didn’t love: Unclear ending?
Book Blurb
“The book opens on a Saturday night in 1978, hours before a soon-to-be-infamous murderer descends upon a Florida sorority house with deadly results. The lives of those who survive, including sorority president and key witness, Pamela Schumacher, are forever changed. Across the country, Tina Cannon is convinced her missing friend was targeted by the man papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer—and that he’s struck again. Determined to find justice, the two join forces as their search for answers leads to a final, shocking confrontation.”
My thoughts
I’ve been doing my best to go in to books mostly blind because I’m tired of being let down and this one has been on my TBR for forever so I decided to knock it out.
The entire time I was like, “Wow, it’s giving Ted Bundy” and then realized that it was written that way.
I loved that it was written from the POV of the victims and not the serial killer because they’re losers.
I’ve read another book by this author and again it read very much like a movie, but it could also be because there was a made for TV movie about Ted Bundy anyway.
My rating
The Nanny’s Secret – Kiersten Modglin
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.16 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Domestic suspense
- Quick hit thrillers
- Multiple POV
- Bingeable
What I loved: Good and twisty
What I didn’t love: Some unlikeable characters
Book Blurb
“Olivia Mendes has a secret.
With her new position as a nanny for the prestigious Locke family, she’s learning just how powerful secrets can be.
Orrick and Iris Locke, owners of the billion-dollar security company known as Locke Industries, are beautiful, mysterious, and seemingly perfect. When she enters their home, Olivia quickly discovers everything is not what it seems. The Lockes’ elusive empire is built on dark and terrifying truths and with Olivia now a part of their lives, she has no choice but to play her role.
As she finds herself digging deeper into the Lockes’ web of lies, Olivia begins to question everything she’s learned. When the family’s insidious nature is revealed, her loyalties will be put to the ultimate test.”
My thoughts
Okay so this was super bingeable. And this is why I love this author. Her books are super easy to listen to and they’re not super in depth which makes them easy to follow.
I also loved some of the twists in here. Some were predictable, but I did audibly say “oh sh!t” a time or two which means it’s a good one.
If you’re looking for a deep meaningful thought provoking plot and characters, she will likely never be the author for you, but if you’re looking for a good old fashioned shady domestic thriller, this will be a good one for you!
My rating
Until I Find You – Rea Frey
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.98 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Domestic thrillers
- First person POV of MC, third person POV of other characters
- Whodunnits
- The feel of a locked room mystery (I’ll explain)
What I loved: Easy to listen to on audiobook
What I didn’t love: Somewhat predictable
Book Blurb
“2 floors. 55 steps to go up. 40 more to the crib.
Since Rebecca Gray was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, everything in her life consists of numbers. Each day her world grows a little darker and each step becomes a little more dangerous.
Following days of feeling like someone’s watching her, Rebecca awakes at home to the cries of her son in his nursery. When it’s clear he’s not going to settle, Rebecca goes to check on him.
She reaches in. Picks him up.
But he’s not her son.
And no one believes her.
One woman’s desperate search for her son . . .
In a world where seeing is believing, Rebecca must rely on her own conviction and a mother’s instinct to uncover the truth about what happened to her baby and bring him home for good.”
My thoughts
This was definitely a unique plot, but it honestly felt a little far fetched to me.
It just left a lot of questions and just had me scratching my head at her TERRIBLE, or at the very least insanely unobservant friends.
I don’t know; it was fine and it was easy to binge because I wanted to figure out where the hell the baby went but like….for real the people in this book were maddening.
My rating
And There He Kept Her – Joshua Moehling
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.73 stars
How I read it: Kindle
Read if you like:
- Dual third person POV
- VERY unlikeable characters
- LGBTQ representation
- “Side by side” timeline (essentially the same story from 2 different POVs so it jumps around a bit)
Content warnings: Kid m*rd*r, kidnapping
What I loved: Really unique plot and super satisfying ending
What I didn’t love: I hated a LOT of characters in this (but in a good way maybe kinda???)
Book Blurb
“They thought he was a helpless old man. They were wrong.
When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. Emmett Burr has secrets he’s been keeping in his basement for more than two decades, and he’ll do anything to keep his past from being revealed. As he gets the upper hand on his tormentors, the lines blur between victim, abuser, and protector.
Personal tragedy has sent former police officer Ben Packard back to the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake in search of a fresh start. Now a sheriff’s deputy, Packard is leading the investigation into the missing teens, motivated by a family connection. As clues dry up and time runs out to save them, Packard is forced to reveal his own secrets and dig deep to uncover the dark past of the place he now calls home.”
My thoughts
This was my favorite book I read this entire month!!!! Wanna know why???
It was the last book I read in the NICU. So it holds a special place in my heart for that reason.
Now, the book itself? These characters were….wow. Something else.
This does have an element of police procedural which I typically don’t love. The cop is a big part of the story so sometimes I got confused on those parts and subconsciously tuned that part out, but the big bulk of the story was WILD.
What an insane concept – and Emmett Burr was one of those complex characters who you absolutely hated but then kinda didn’t sometimes? It was so weird.
All in all, this was a good, well paced suspense novel.
My rating
Creep – Jennifer Hillier
Amazon rating: 4.5 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.90 stars
How I read it: Audiobook
Read if you like:
- Fast paced
- Multiple POVs
- Serial killers
- Psychological thrillers
- Cliffhanger
What I loved: Talk about a RIDE
What I didn’t love: I hate a cliffhanger
Book Blurb
“If he can’t have her…Psychology professor Dr Sheila Tao is an expert on human behaviour, so when she begins an affair with charming graduate student Ethan Wolfe, she’s well aware she’s playing with fire. Consumed by lust and riddled with guilt, Sheila ends their three month fling when she becomes engaged to a kind and loving man who adores her. But Ethan has different plans…NO ONE CAN. When a star student is stabbed to death, it’s clear someone is raising the stakes of violence, sex and blackmail on campus. Before long, Sheila is caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the lover she couldn’t resist is now the monster who will never let her go.“
My thoughts
I have read several Jennifer Hillier novels at this point and quite frankly, the woman always delivers.
She can hook me from the get go and then it’s a wild ride from there and this was no different.
I will say I felt the twist coming, but it didn’t make the storyline any less enticing.
I blew through this on audiobook and even though I hate a cliffhanger, I was able to immediately start the 2nd one and flew through that too!
My rating
Top Read of March
I didn’t want to do a top 3 this month since I only read so few books.
So for this month, my number one choice goes to:
Creep by Jennifer Hillier.
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