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1003 reviews
Keep It In The Family by John Marrs
3.0
Author: John Marrs
Narrators: Elizabeth Knowelden, Steve West, Simon Mattacks, and Clare Corbett
Startd: June 23, 2024
Finished: June 24, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Thriller
Mia and Finn move into a home where everything needs fixing. When Mia discovers a message leading them to check the attic, they discover suitcases filled with the remains of children. As the police try to solve these murders, Mia realizes her in-laws may know more than they appear. She will do everything possible to keep herself safe.
This has to be said first - this book was too long! As I listened, all I could think about was the song that doesn't end. That being said, a family of serial killers should always make for interesting reading, but this was a bit of a slog to get through. None of the characters were particularly likable, and they were all very self-involved. This was not John Marr's best by a long shot.
Narrators: Elizabeth Knowelden, Steve West, Simon Mattacks, and Clare Corbett
Startd: June 23, 2024
Finished: June 24, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Thriller
Mia and Finn move into a home where everything needs fixing. When Mia discovers a message leading them to check the attic, they discover suitcases filled with the remains of children. As the police try to solve these murders, Mia realizes her in-laws may know more than they appear. She will do everything possible to keep herself safe.
This has to be said first - this book was too long! As I listened, all I could think about was the song that doesn't end. That being said, a family of serial killers should always make for interesting reading, but this was a bit of a slog to get through. None of the characters were particularly likable, and they were all very self-involved. This was not John Marr's best by a long shot.
We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets
2.0
Author: Hanna Bervoets
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Started: June 23, 2024
Finished: June 23, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Literary Fiction
Kayleigh takes a position as a content moderator for a social media platform. The longer she works there, the more she realizes how much it is affecting her and her co-workers - they are becoming desensitized to violent images and seeing the "truth" behind conpsiracy theories. It's not until she does something illegal that she sees what she has become.
This book was short, which I appreciated. This author is well-awarded in the Netherlands, so this is a translation to English. This book has a lot of foul language and inflammatory content, which was hard to hear but works with the context of the story. The characters were unlikeable and cold from the start. This was a take it or leave it book for me.
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Started: June 23, 2024
Finished: June 23, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Literary Fiction
Kayleigh takes a position as a content moderator for a social media platform. The longer she works there, the more she realizes how much it is affecting her and her co-workers - they are becoming desensitized to violent images and seeing the "truth" behind conpsiracy theories. It's not until she does something illegal that she sees what she has become.
This book was short, which I appreciated. This author is well-awarded in the Netherlands, so this is a translation to English. This book has a lot of foul language and inflammatory content, which was hard to hear but works with the context of the story. The characters were unlikeable and cold from the start. This was a take it or leave it book for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Antisemitism
The Asylum Confessions by Jack Steen
3.0
Author: Jack Steen
Narrator: Ben Fortune-Price
Started: June 17, 2024
Finished: June 19, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Horror
Jack works in the death ward of an asylum for the Criminally Insane. His patients are usually serial killers in their last days. To them, Jake is known as The Angel of Death. In exchange for the promise of a quick and painless death, the dying give Jack their final confessions. Four confessions are told in this book and there are killers that you will love to hate.
This was an interesting and different kind of horror novel. Books rarely give us insight into a serial killers mind and this one gives us outright confessions. It makes me wonder if this ever happens - do killers every fully confess their crimes before dying? While most of the patient confessions are grusome, there is one that will break your heart. Patient 1203 tells the hardest story and you can't help but feel bad for her. This book is part of a series and I can't wait to read more.
Narrator: Ben Fortune-Price
Started: June 17, 2024
Finished: June 19, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Horror
Jack works in the death ward of an asylum for the Criminally Insane. His patients are usually serial killers in their last days. To them, Jake is known as The Angel of Death. In exchange for the promise of a quick and painless death, the dying give Jack their final confessions. Four confessions are told in this book and there are killers that you will love to hate.
This was an interesting and different kind of horror novel. Books rarely give us insight into a serial killers mind and this one gives us outright confessions. It makes me wonder if this ever happens - do killers every fully confess their crimes before dying? While most of the patient confessions are grusome, there is one that will break your heart. Patient 1203 tells the hardest story and you can't help but feel bad for her. This book is part of a series and I can't wait to read more.
One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day
3.0
Author: Jamie Day
Started: June 11, 2024
Finished: June 12, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Thriller
Charley Kelly is a maid at the Precipice Hotel, where the owner has just died. His daughters are staying at the hotel for the will reading. With a hurricane looming and the will reading having unexpected results, tensions are building - violently so. Will everyone make it through the storm.
This book should have been the perfect storm (see what I did there? LOL) it had an old hotel on a cliff, a hurricane bearing down, and guests keeping terrible secrets, but it was a bot of a letdown. The story couldn't hold my attention for large swatches of time, and I found myself scrolling social media and had to make myself finish. I wasn't a fan of the main character as she seemed dramatic and whiny. While I didn't guess the ending, the ending also didn't surprise me.
Started: June 11, 2024
Finished: June 12, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Thriller
Charley Kelly is a maid at the Precipice Hotel, where the owner has just died. His daughters are staying at the hotel for the will reading. With a hurricane looming and the will reading having unexpected results, tensions are building - violently so. Will everyone make it through the storm.
This book should have been the perfect storm (see what I did there? LOL) it had an old hotel on a cliff, a hurricane bearing down, and guests keeping terrible secrets, but it was a bot of a letdown. The story couldn't hold my attention for large swatches of time, and I found myself scrolling social media and had to make myself finish. I wasn't a fan of the main character as she seemed dramatic and whiny. While I didn't guess the ending, the ending also didn't surprise me.
Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy
4.0
After the deaths of her husband and son, Helen Cunningham moves back to her childhood village, waiting for her death. One night, on a whim, she takes an aquarium from her neighbor's trash to see what is inside it. Along with bits and baubles, she finds a furry little friend she is unsure how to get rid of. After a medical episode, she realizes how important this creature is to her.
This is a fantastic old curmudgeon story. Helen just wants to go about her life alone until it is her time to go. She is a joy of a character to watch as she tries to figure out how to handle the unexpected addition to her life. Sipsworth is a sweet little man who gives the story just enough cute to make you love him. This is a great palate cleanser kind of book that will make you smile.
This is a fantastic old curmudgeon story. Helen just wants to go about her life alone until it is her time to go. She is a joy of a character to watch as she tries to figure out how to handle the unexpected addition to her life. Sipsworth is a sweet little man who gives the story just enough cute to make you love him. This is a great palate cleanser kind of book that will make you smile.
No Road Home by John Fram
3.0
Author: John Fram
Started: June 6, 2024
Finished: June 8, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Thriller
Toby, a single father, has married Alyssa, the granddaughter of a televangelist. Along with Toby's son, they go to the Wright family compound in Texas. Upon meeting Toby and his son, Alyssa's family begins behaving oddly. When the patriarch of the family is found stabbed to death and the worst storm in years hits, Toby and his son do whatever they have in order to make it out of the compound aline.
This was a premise I hadn't read before where a televangelust is a character. The characters were not very likable, including Toby. The story was kind of like a kitchen sink writing - there was a bif of everything thrown in - murder, bigotry, abuse, mental illness, overdosing, and more. The book could have been 100 pages shorter and kept out a lot of nonsense. The ending was also a but much, and I had to try hard no to roll my eyes.
Started: June 6, 2024
Finished: June 8, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Thriller
Toby, a single father, has married Alyssa, the granddaughter of a televangelist. Along with Toby's son, they go to the Wright family compound in Texas. Upon meeting Toby and his son, Alyssa's family begins behaving oddly. When the patriarch of the family is found stabbed to death and the worst storm in years hits, Toby and his son do whatever they have in order to make it out of the compound aline.
This was a premise I hadn't read before where a televangelust is a character. The characters were not very likable, including Toby. The story was kind of like a kitchen sink writing - there was a bif of everything thrown in - murder, bigotry, abuse, mental illness, overdosing, and more. The book could have been 100 pages shorter and kept out a lot of nonsense. The ending was also a but much, and I had to try hard no to roll my eyes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Murder
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Religious bigotry
Barriers to Entry by Ariel Lawhon
4.0
Author: Ariel Lawhon
Started: June 4, 2024
Finished: June 4, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction
Frances Glasser Lee, a 67 year ld woman, is leading a Harvard class full of men to teach them how to solve a crime. Usign a diorama of an actual crime scene, which she created, them men must determine what happened in the house and left all three family members deceased.
I had heard of the crime scene diorama mentioned in this short story but I never knew it was a woman who created it. The story is well-told and allows the reader insight into being a woman in 1945 and trying to teach men who believe they know more than you. I could read a full novel on this woman and be very happy to get to know her more.
Started: June 4, 2024
Finished: June 4, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction
Frances Glasser Lee, a 67 year ld woman, is leading a Harvard class full of men to teach them how to solve a crime. Usign a diorama of an actual crime scene, which she created, them men must determine what happened in the house and left all three family members deceased.
I had heard of the crime scene diorama mentioned in this short story but I never knew it was a woman who created it. The story is well-told and allows the reader insight into being a woman in 1945 and trying to teach men who believe they know more than you. I could read a full novel on this woman and be very happy to get to know her more.
Maria by Michelle Moran
3.0
Author: Michelle Moran
Started: June 3, 2024
Finished: June 4, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Historical Fiction
In the 1950's, Oscar Hammerstein is working in the musical, The Sound of Music and there's a problem...Maria (Von Trapp). She dislikes how her family is being portrayed and wants to talk directly to Hammerstein but what she gets is his assistant, Fran. As Maria shares her story, Fran understands why Maria is upset but there is little she can do.
This novel tells Maria's version of The Sound of Music and it is vastly different from the Julie Andrews version. In truth, Georg, the father, was an incredibly loving man who only stayed away so much over the grief of losing his first wife to scarlet fever. Maria, on the otherhand, ends up being the bad guy who forces her chilren to remain part of the family singing group long after they wish to leave.
There is also Fran's love life to deal with and its not done well. Her storyline feels disjointed and out of place in this novel. If she had more of a hard life growing up and she could have sympathized with Maria more and her storyline would have worked with the larger theme of the novel.
Started: June 3, 2024
Finished: June 4, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Historical Fiction
In the 1950's, Oscar Hammerstein is working in the musical, The Sound of Music and there's a problem...Maria (Von Trapp). She dislikes how her family is being portrayed and wants to talk directly to Hammerstein but what she gets is his assistant, Fran. As Maria shares her story, Fran understands why Maria is upset but there is little she can do.
This novel tells Maria's version of The Sound of Music and it is vastly different from the Julie Andrews version. In truth, Georg, the father, was an incredibly loving man who only stayed away so much over the grief of losing his first wife to scarlet fever. Maria, on the otherhand, ends up being the bad guy who forces her chilren to remain part of the family singing group long after they wish to leave.
There is also Fran's love life to deal with and its not done well. Her storyline feels disjointed and out of place in this novel. If she had more of a hard life growing up and she could have sympathized with Maria more and her storyline would have worked with the larger theme of the novel.
The Outsider by Stephen King
4.0
Author: Stephen King
Started: May 30, 2024
Finished: June 2, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Thriller
After an 11 year old boy is found violatied and murdered, the proof points to a Flint native and neighborhood Little League coach, Terry Mitland. The police are so disgusted by the act that they make a public show of his arrest. This act causes the victims brother to kill Maitland. When proof starts coming in that the accused was elsewhere the day of the killing, they begin to look for other culprits, including one they never knew existed.
Another great horror story by Stephen King. I always love the paranormal aspects of his stories as they are so out of the box. I hated the way the small town police automatically took eyewitness reports as gospel and made such a show of the arrest. That being said, I love Holly Gibney! She was the smartest of the bunch and proved herself to be beyond helpful. I can't wait to read the other novels in her series.
Started: May 30, 2024
Finished: June 2, 2024
Format: Audio
Genre: Thriller
After an 11 year old boy is found violatied and murdered, the proof points to a Flint native and neighborhood Little League coach, Terry Mitland. The police are so disgusted by the act that they make a public show of his arrest. This act causes the victims brother to kill Maitland. When proof starts coming in that the accused was elsewhere the day of the killing, they begin to look for other culprits, including one they never knew existed.
Another great horror story by Stephen King. I always love the paranormal aspects of his stories as they are so out of the box. I hated the way the small town police automatically took eyewitness reports as gospel and made such a show of the arrest. That being said, I love Holly Gibney! She was the smartest of the bunch and proved herself to be beyond helpful. I can't wait to read the other novels in her series.
The Astrology House by Carinn Jade
3.0
Author: Carinn Jade
Started: May 20, 2024
Finished: May 21, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Thriller
Margot and her friends go to the Star Harbor Astrological Retreat for a relaxing weekend. All of those on the retreat have their charts read, which tell them that they must unburden themselves and be true to themselves and those around them. Tensions come to a head when an ultimate betrayal is revealed.
I thought this would be a great popcorn thriller for the summer, but it turned out to be a thriller light. Even with the big reveal at the end, it was just ok. There is a part of the ending that seemed extreme considering the pacing of the rest of the story. Due to this pacing, the story feels disjointed. Also, there is an unresolved storyline line about one of the characters questioning her sexuality. It feels like a throwaway storyline line that the author no longer cared to bother with. This book was a bit disappointing in terms of a summer thriller.
Started: May 20, 2024
Finished: May 21, 2024
Format: Digital
Genre: Thriller
Margot and her friends go to the Star Harbor Astrological Retreat for a relaxing weekend. All of those on the retreat have their charts read, which tell them that they must unburden themselves and be true to themselves and those around them. Tensions come to a head when an ultimate betrayal is revealed.
I thought this would be a great popcorn thriller for the summer, but it turned out to be a thriller light. Even with the big reveal at the end, it was just ok. There is a part of the ending that seemed extreme considering the pacing of the rest of the story. Due to this pacing, the story feels disjointed. Also, there is an unresolved storyline line about one of the characters questioning her sexuality. It feels like a throwaway storyline line that the author no longer cared to bother with. This book was a bit disappointing in terms of a summer thriller.