Thursday, February 27, 2020

Review: The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

Sadie, Will, and their kids move from Chicago to a small island town in Maine. They've moved because Will's sister Alice has died and left them her house and custody of her 16-year-old daughter Imogen. Sadie and Will have seized on this move as an opportunity for a needed fresh start.

Not long after they are moved in, one of their neighbors, Morgan Baines, is found murdered in her home by her stepdaughter, This unsettles Sadie badly. She finds herself drawn into the investigation after another neighbor tells the detective that they saw her having a disagreement with Morgan.

As the investigation proceeds, Saide feels like they are trying to make her into the scapegoat for the crime. She starts doing risky things to investigate on her own and prove her innocence.

The book is told in 4 points of view. Three for most of the book - Sadie, Camille, and Mouse. Will, the fourth, is only shown near the end. Still, it works pretty well.

I mostly liked Sadie and Will. I felt for Imogen who lost her mother and seemed to be acting out. While there are indeed multiple points of view, the story is mainly Sadie's. I liked the way that Sadie seems so put together at the beginning but seems to come apart a little more with each twist.

Just when I thought I had a handle on things, there would be a twist that would make me doubt my conclusions. The mystery was well played out. There were some very good red herrings. When I finally learned the truth, I could look back and see a lot of it coming. But, there was still a major plot twist near the end that changed so much.

Overall, I give this book 5 stars out of  5. It's well-paced. The twists are creative and mostly unexpected. If you enjoy thrillers/suspense with a female protagonist, this could be a good book for you.

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica was published February 18th, 2020 by Park Row.'

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my opinion.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #317: Fantastic Hope ed. Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.


From Goodreads:
A collection of sci-fi and fantasy stories edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton and author William McCaskey.

A child’s wish for her father comes true. The end of the world has never been so much fun. Conquering personal demons becomes all too real. It’s not always about winning; sometimes it’s about showing up for the fight. It’s about loving your life’s work, and jobs that make you question everything.

In this anthology, seventeen authors have woven together brand-new stories that speak to the darkness and despair that life brings while reminding us that good deeds, humor, love, sacrifice, dedication, and following our joy can ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last.

Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey are joined by Kevin J. Anderson, Griffin Barber, Patricia Briggs, Larry Correia, Kacey Ezell, Monalisa Foster, Robert E. Hampson, John G. Hartness, Jonathan Maberry, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jessica Schlenker, Sharon Shinn, M. C. Sumner, Patrick M. Tracy, and Michael Z. Williamson in this collection.


Fantastic Hope edited by Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey is expected to be published April 7th, 2020 by Berkley.

Why am I waiting on this one? I generally enjoy sci-fi and fantasy short story collections. And I like the particular angle, the positive take, that this one has reminding us that there are things that can "ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last." There is so much dark dystopian literature that we all could stand a little hope instead.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: Ghosts of Gotham by Craig Schaefer


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"We are all a story," she told him. "I'm a character in your story; you're a character in mine. And we're both part of the story of New York, along with eight million other people. It's all fiction, it's all true, and just like you were taught as a child, there's a world of possibility on each new page. Once you accept that, there's only one question worth asking."

"What's that?" he said.

"What kind of story do you want to live in?"
(p. 235)

Ghosts of Gotham by Craig Schaefer was released April 9th, 2019 by 47North.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #316: Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Synopsis:

In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.

Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.

When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s is here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.


Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman is expected to be published on October 6, 2020 by Simon & Schuster. It's available for preorder now.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've enjoyed the other books in the series: Practical Magic and Rules of Magic - a prequel to Practical Magic. I've always enjoyed books about witches. This book is another prequel to Practical Magic. And it's definitely about witches. It's not going out on a limb to think I will enjoy this book too.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I stepped from the building when I saw him, called to him and he came. A chance encounter which was anything but. (29% through on my Kindle)

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica is being released today by Park Row.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #315: His & Hers by Alice Feeney


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From Goodreads:

There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

Anna Andrews finally has what she wants. Almost. She’s worked hard to become the main TV presenter of the BBC’s lunchtime news, putting work before friends, family, and her now ex-husband. So, when someone threatens to take her dream job away, she’ll do almost anything to keep it.

When asked to cover a murder in Blackdown―the sleepy countryside village where she grew up―Anna is reluctant to go. But when the victim turns out to be one of her childhood friends, she can’t leave. It soon becomes clear that Anna isn’t just covering the story, she’s at the heart of it.

DCI Jack Harper left London for a reason, but never thought he’d end up working in a place like Blackdown. When the body of a young woman is discovered, Jack decides not to tell anyone that he knew the victim, until he begins to realize he is a suspect in his own murder investigation.

One of them knows more than they are letting on. Someone isn’t telling the truth. Alternating between Anna's and Jack's points of view, His & Hers is a fast-paced, complex, and dark puzzle that will keep readers guessing until the very end.


His & Hers by Alice Feeney is expected out July 28th, 2020 from Flatiron Books.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've been reading thriller/suspense novels lately. This book sounds like it will be a really good addition to the genre. I'm not sure I agree with the blurb that someone is always lying. I think sometimes it's a matter of perspective instead. But, for the purpose of this book, it makes sense. I wonder who is doing the lying and why. It should be interesting to follow.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: No Tomorrow by Luke Jennings


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Looking out over the glimmering canal, poised between the upstream and downstream of her life, Eve considers her adversary. All she's seen of her is her eyes, but the eyes are enough. I am death, that gaze seemed to say, and if you are not intimate with death, can you ever feel truly alive? (p.107)

No Tomorrow (Killing Eve #2) by Luke Jennings was published October 25th, 2018 by John Murray. 

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!