REVIEW⤏ DEADLY LITTLE SCANDALS (DEBUTANTES #2)

BY JENNIFER LYNN BARNES

SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS⇣
"Think of the White Gloves like the Junior League—by way of Skull and Bones…"
Reluctant debutante Sawyer Taft joined Southern high society for one reason and one reason alone: to identify and locate her biological father. But the answers Sawyer found during her debutante year only left her with more questions and one potentially life-ruining secret. When her cousin Lily ropes her into pledging a mysterious, elite, and all-female secret society called the White Gloves, Sawyer soon discovers that someone in the group's ranks may have the answers she's looking for. Things are looking up... until Sawyer and the White Gloves make a disturbing discovery near the family's summer home--and uncover a twisted secret, decades in the making. No one is quite who they seem to be in this twisty, soapy, gasp-inducing sequel to Jennifer Lynn Barnes' unputdownable Little White Lies.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ DEBUTANTES AND A SECRET SOCIETY
⤏ SECRETS, LIES & MURDER
⤏ A SOUTHERN SOAP OPERA 
⤏ YOUNG ADULT

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ KATHERINE LITTRELL
BOOK COVER⇢ I  LIKE IT

SETTING⇢ THE GENTRIFIED SOUTH???

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 8 HOURS, 57 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

The narrator, Katherine Littrell has the perfect accent to set the atmosphere for this story flawlessly.  But sometimes the twang she had going on was a little difficult for this Yankee to understand.

The blurb is spot on when it calls this twisty, soapy and gasp-inducing.  While I found this to be totally entertaining I also found the many characters...all the who's momma is who's and baby daddy drama difficult to keep track of.  I really liked book one, Little White Lies, but even with that book, I found the characters difficult to keep track of.  Although, with all that drama and those draw-dropping twists...this could make for an excellent TV show.  Maybe, if I had listened to these books closer together I could have kept track of it all.  If you do decide to give this duo a try...it might be best if you keep a flow-chart on everyone, like, family tree style...but you should definitely use a pencil.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 3.5/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 3.5/5

Pacing⇢ 4/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 3.7/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 2.5/5

Twisty-ness⇢ 4/5

Originality⇢ 4/5

Ending⇢ 3/5

REVIEW⤏ NOTHING TO SEE HERE

BY KEVIN WILSON

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.
Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.
Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ MAGICAL REALISM
⤏ LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY
⤏ ENDEARINGLY ODD
⤏ LITERARY FICTION

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ MARIN IRELAND
BOOK COVER⇢ I DON'T REALLY LIKE CARTOON COVERS...

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 6 HOURS, 40 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

What an endearing and odd little story.  It blazed a path straight to my heart.  Short and sweet with no unnecessary filler.  With quirky but lovable characters and a sometimes humorous, but completely original storyline.  Who knew that a story about kids who literally catch on fire could be all this and more.  Deep down, at its core, it portrays one universal truth...that everyone needs to be loved by someone.

Marin Ireland was absolutely perfect for the voice of Lillian, and her voices for others within the story were also perfectly executed.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5+/5

The Feels⇢ 5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

World-Building⇢ 4.5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

REVIEW⤏ DEADLY SILENCE

BY REBECCA ZANETTI

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
DON’T LOOK BACK
Under siege. That’s how Ryker Jones feels. The Lost Bastards Investigative Agency he opened up with his blood brothers has lost a client in a brutal way. The past he can’t outrun is resurfacing, threatening to drag him down in the undertow. And the beautiful woman he’s been trying to keep at arm’s length is in danger…and he’ll destroy anything and anyone to keep her safe.
Paralegal Zara Remington is in over her head. She’s making risky moves at work by day and indulging in an affair with a darkly dangerous PI by night. There’s a lot Ryker isn’t telling her and the more she uncovers, the less she wants to know. But when all hell breaks loose, Ryker may be the only one to save her. If his past doesn’t catch up to them first…

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
⤏ SEXUALLY EXPLICIT
⤏ DARK ANGEL-ESQUE GENETICALLY ENHANCED DUDES
⤏ TOO MUCH GOING ON...
⤏ EYE-ROLL INDUCING

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ KAREN WHITE
NARRATION RATING⇢  2/5
BOOK COVER⇢ IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER...

SETTING⇢ WYOMING...(I THINK)

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 12 HOURS, 36 MINUTES...TOO F-ING LONG

MY THOUGHTS⇣

Full Disclosure:  I wouldn't have even tried this series if it weren't for the many readers who love it...so, maybe, don't take my feelings on it too seriously...

First off, I did not care for the voice of the narrator...and she voiced the male lead of the story to further my dislike.  That, unfortunately, set the tone for the whole book.  Secondly, I don't know if Romantic Suspense is for me...it comes off too cheesy and unbelievable.  I don't know if it's the narrator or just the genre itself???

I liked the genetically enhanced Hero and his "brothers" aspect, even if it is a little sexist, I mean, I think they were created by some deranged sex-starved woman...so maybe, that explains why they are all men.  As the story progressed it basically went from bad to worse, there were too many elements at play here...and I couldn't follow them all.   The clincher for me, though...was the hour-long sex scenes...Ugh!

MY RATING⇢ 2✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 2.5/5

Characters⇢ 2/5

The Feels⇢ 1/5

Pacing⇢ 2/5

Addictiveness⇢ 1/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 2.5/5

Steaminess/Story Ratio⇢ 40/60

Romance⇢ 2/5

Ending⇢ 2/5

REVIEW⤏ THE THIRD MRS. DURST

BY ANN AGUIRRE

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Some people just need killing.
Marlena Altizer Durst lives in her husband's shadow. He controls her every move—what she wears, the food she eats, and the friends she's allowed to make. If she disobeys, there are...consequences. And he has all the power.
To outsiders, it seems that she leads a fairy-tale life. But nobody ever wonders if Cinderella was happy after she married the prince. Marlena has traded freedom and safety for luxurious imprisonment, and most days, that seems like a bad bargain. Death may be the only exit she's allowed. Just like his first wife. And his second. Unless she flips the script.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ ABUSIVE/CONTROLLING HUSBAND
⤏ SECRETS & LIES
⤏ REVENGE THEME
⤏ EVERYTHING IS NOT ALWAYS AS IT SEEMS...

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ COURTNEY PATTERSON
NARRATION RATING⇢  5/5
BOOK COVER⇢ MEH...

SETTING⇢ IT WAS ALL OVER...BUT, I THINK IT WAS MOSTLY NEW YORK

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 8 HOURS, 23 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

The terrific narration made listening to this a breeze...Courtney Patterson was top-notch.  The story itself was satisfying, just not quite top-notch...

If this book were a puzzle...it would be missing a few pieces.  It was diverting and rather compelling...but when you're all finished...a few things don't necessarily add up.  It's not a deal-breaker, by any means.  But seriously, if you like a story where the bad man gets taken down, somewhat similar to Jane Doe...this could be a winner for you.

MY RATING⇢ 4✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 3.7/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 4/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4/5

Twisty-ness⇢ 3.3/5

Originality⇢ 4.5/5

Ending⇢ 3.5/5

REVIEW⤏ LOST STARS (JOURNEY TO STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS)

BY CLAUDIA GRAY

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
This thrilling Young Adult novel gives readers a macro view of some of the most important events in the Star Wars universe, from the rise of the Rebellion to the fall of the Empire. Readers will experience these major moments through the eyes of two childhood friends–Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell–who have grown up to become an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot. Now on opposite sides of the war, will these two star-crossed lovers reunite, or will duty tear them–and the galaxy–apart?
Star Wars: Lost Stars also includes all-new post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi content, as well as hints and clues about the upcoming film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, making this a must-read for all Star Wars fans.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ STAR WARS DISNEY CANON
⤏ SET DURING EPISODE IV AND VI (THE OG STAR WARS TRILOGY)
⤏ MOVIE TIE-IN TIDBITS
⤏ ROMANCE

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ PIERCE CRAVENS 
NARRATION RATING⇢  4.5/5
BOOK COVER⇢ VERY STAR-WAR-SY...IT'S BETTER THAN MOST

SETTING⇢ STAR WARS UNIVERSE

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 11 HOURS, 42 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

A story of best friends who morph into something more..until they end up on -opposing sides...and become star-crossed lovers, set against the backdrop of the Star Wars Universe.  Packed with new characters, the ones behind the scenes in the movies, and plenty of action. With perspectives of life from both sides; including both the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance.

The narration of the Star Wars books is phenomenal because of the sound effects as always...but...this really needed a second narrator for the female voice (Ciana).  Not that Pierce Cravens wasn't good...because he totally was.  I'm going to reiterate what I've said a dozen or more times before...when you have a male and a female perspective (POV), it helps to separate narrators for each so the listener always knows whose head they are in.

MY RATING⇢ 4½✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 4.3/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4/5

World-Building⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

REVIEW⤏ BRING HER HOME

BY DAVID BELL

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Just a year and a half after the tragic death of his wife, Bill Price’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Summer, and her best friend, Haley, disappears. Days later, the girls are found in a city park. Haley is dead at the scene, while Summer is left beaten beyond recognition and clinging to life.
As Bill holds vigil over Summer’s bandaged body, the only sound the unconscious girl can make is one cryptic and chilling word: No. And the more time Bill spends with Summer, the more he wonders what happened to her. Or if the injured girl in the hospital bed is really his daughter at all.
When troubling new questions about Summer’s life surface, Bill is not prepared for the aftershocks. He’ll soon discover that both the living and the dead have secrets. And that searching for the truth will tear open old wounds that pierce straight to the heart of his family…

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ MULTI-LAYERED MYSTERY 
⤏ THRILLS & SECRETS
⤏ TWISTY
⤏  SOMEWHAT ANNOYING MC

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ JON LINDSTROM
NARRATION RATING⇢  5/5
BOOK COVER⇢ LIKE SECRETS IN THE WIND...

SETTING⇢ JAKESVILLE...I THINK

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 11 HOURS, 56 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I originally tried to read an ARC of this a few years ago...and I found myself unable to get into it.  I figured maybe someday once the Audiobook comes out that I could try again.  It took me long enough, but I finally got around to it. 

John Lindstrom was a competent narrator with a pleasant voice and I'm glad that I went with the Audio.  It really helped with the main issue I had with this...I didn't care for the main character of Bill.  He was exhaustingly repetitive and he tended to go off half-cocked and crazy. Thank goodness for his sister Paige, she was his much-needed voice of reason.

Despite that, the overall mystery of his daughter's disappearance was twisty and engaging and basically a parent's nightmare.  My favorite kind of mystery has many layers, where each one is revealed as the story progresses towards the conclusion and this one delivered on that.   

MY RATING⇢ 3¾✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 4/5

Characters⇢ 3/5

The Feels⇢ 3.7/5

Pacing⇢ 4/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 3.7/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4/5

Twisty-ness⇢ 4.3/5

Originality⇢ 3.5/5

Ending⇢ 4/5

REVIEW⇢ THE LAST LETTER

BY REBECCA YARROS

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Beckett,
If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.
I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.
My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.
And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.
So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.
Please don’t make her go through it alone.
Ryan

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ SPECIAL FORCES/MILITARY HERO
⤏ SINGLE MOTHER OF TWINS HEROINE
⤏ A LOVABLE BLACK LAB RESCUE DOG
⤏ MOUNTAIN RESORT TOWN
⤏ CANCER

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ TEDDY HAMILTON & JENNIFER STARK
NARRATION RATING⇢  5/5
BOOK COVER⇢ I LIKE THE COVER WITH HAVOC ON IT, BETTER

SETTING⇢ TELLURIDE, COLORADO

SOURCE⇢ AUDIBLE AUDIOBOOK

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 13 HOURS, 23 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

Finally, my first five-star rating (not counting my re-read/listen of The Grace Year).   I was wondering if I'd become too jaded, too unfeeling, to really let a story get under my skin anymore.  This book not only got under my skin, it even made me cry, It was actually quite heartbreaking.  With everything that this woman had to through with her child, I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to go through all that with an ongoing pandemic added to the mix.

I had a few issues with the back and forth will they or won't they, between the Hero and Heroine...but Havoc (the retired military/rescue dog), plus Colt and Maisie (the twins) were such likable characters it was only a minimal hiccup for me.  Added to that the splendid narration by Teddy Hamilton and Jennifer Stark that was perfectly executed...and voila, my first five-star rating of 2020.  I really like Rebecca Yarros' writing and storytelling finesse.  I think she has made my list of top 5 go-to Authors for Romance...which also includes Colleen Hoover, Emma Scott, Amy Harmon, and KA Tucker.

MY RATING⇢ 5✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Steaminess/Story Ratio⇢ 20/80

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

REVIEW⇢ RUST & STARDUST

BY T. GREENWOOD

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
The gripping, heart-wrenching novel of Sally Horner, the 11-year-old kidnapping victim whose abduction in 1948 inspired Nabokov's Lolita.
Camden, NJ, 1948. When 11-year-old Sally Horner steals a notebook from the local Woolworth's, she has no way of knowing that 52-year-old Frank La Salle, fresh out of prison, is watching her, preparing to make his move. Accosting her outside the store, Frank convinces Sally that he’s an FBI agent who can have her arrested in a minute―unless she does as he says.
This chilling novel traces the next two harrowing years as Frank mentally and physically assaults Sally while the two of them travel westward from Camden to San Jose, forever altering not only her life, but the lives of her family, friends, and those she meets along the way.
Based on the experiences of real-life kidnapping victim Sally Horner and her captor, whose story shocked the nation and inspired Vladimir Nabokov to write his controversial and iconic Lolita, this heart-pounding story by award-winning author T. Greenwood, at last, gives a voice to Sally herself.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ FICTION BASED IN TRUTH
⤏ WITH NAMES AND FACTS KEPT 
⤏ SALLY HORNER KIDNAPPING
⤏ 1948
⤏ PEDOPHILIA (IT'S DIFFICULT TO READ/LISTEN TO AT TIMES) 

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ THERESE PLUMMER
NARRATION RATING⇢  4.5/5
BOOK COVER⇢ IT'S STRIKING

SETTING⇢ CAMDEN & ATLANTIC CITY NJ, BALTIMORE, MD, DALLAS, TX, & SAN JOSE, CA

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 10 HOURS, 34 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I've never read Lolita, and after listening to this...I'm pretty sure I don't want to.  I'm not sure who's pov it's told from, but if it's told from the pedophiles pov, I won't be able to get through it.  For me, it wasn't just the forced intercourse (which is not overly explicit, thank goodness), it's the lies he fed her...the terrible lies, I just wanted this girl to know more, to know better than this.  It was gut-wrenchingly sad at times.

This is really well-written and the story is poignantly told, and still, it didn't wrench me out of this slump.  I haven't rated anything 5 stars in quite some time...pretty much the whole year, actually.  I thought for sure this one would do it too.  I did love the way the title of the book and the cover are woven into the story.

Therese Plummer's narration doesn't always work for me...but in this story she did.  Her voice was a little whispery, but she did a little girl's voice perfectly...endearingly so.

MY RATING⇢ 4¼✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 4/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 4.5/5

Pacing⇢ 3.8/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4/5

World-Building⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 4.3/5

REVIEW⇢ SAVE YOURSELF

BY KELLY BRAFFET

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Patrick Cusimano is in a bad way. His father is in jail; he works the midnight shift at a grubby convenience store; and his brother’s girlfriend, Caro, has taken their friendship to an uncomfortable new level.  On top of all that, he can’t quite shake the attentions of Layla Elshere, a goth teenager who befriends Patrick for reasons he doesn’t understand and doesn’t fully trust. The temptations these two women offer are pushing Patrick to his breaking point.
Meanwhile, Layla’s little sister, Verna, is suffering through her first year of high school.  She’s become a prime target for her cruel classmates, not just because of her strange name and her fundamentalist parents: Layla’s bad-girl rep proves to be too a huge shadow for Verna, so she falls in with her sister’s circle of outcasts and misfits whose world is far darker than she ever imagined.
Kelly Braffet’s characters, indelibly portrayed and richly varied, are all on their own twisted path to finding peace.  The result is a novel of unnerving power—darkly compelling, addictively written, and shockingly honest.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ REALISTIC GRIT-LIT
⤏ DARKISH AND COMPELLING
⤏ YA-ISH MIXED WITH ADULT-ISH
⤏ DEALING WITH MANY HOT-TOPICS
⤏ WITH EVERYTHING FROM BULLYING TO SOMETHING LIKE MASOCHISM

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ MICHAEL GOLDSTROM
NARRATION RATING⇢  4/5
BOOK COVER⇢ MEH...

SETTING⇢ RATCHETSBURG, PA

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 11 HOURS, 40 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

The lives of all these people are on a collision course...and this is the sorted story of how they arrive there.  You know some shit is going to hit-the-fan in a town called Ratchetsburg...

While some of the characters are teens, the story itself is rather heavy.  If you are looking for a happy ending...this isn't it.  It's all about getting the short-end of the straw in life.  It's raw and not pretty.  It's both deeply disturbing and deeply affecting at the same time.  It even almost pulled me out of my slump (I haven't been moved enough to give anything 5 stars lately)...not quite, but close.  Hopefully, I find a book that does, soon.

The Audio is performed really well by Michael Goldstrom, they just should have had a female narrator for the female voices.  It would have upped the narration rating to a full five stars, then.

MY RATING⇢ 4¼✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 4.2/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 4/5

Pacing⇢ 3.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 3.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4.2/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4.5/5

World-Building⇢ 4.3/5

Originality⇢ 4.3/5

Ending⇢ 4.5/5