michelles_book_nook's reviews
263 reviews

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

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challenging emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

⚠️ CW: child abuse, miscarriage, mental health, suicidal ideations, sexual assault, gaslighting, stalking, torture ⚠️ If you want to know more about the horrific case of the Franke family behind the 8 Passengers YouTube channel, and are prepared to go on an emotional rollercoaster then this book is for you! Shari Franke’s childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a front of a picture perfect family. But Ruby’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime. Ruby and Jodi were arrested in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo of a police car outside their family home with a caption saying 'Finally'. In this heartbreaking memoir Shari reveals the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt, while also exposing the perils of influencer culture and her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother’s cruelty. This book was so hard hitting and left me speechless with every single chapter. It's well known that the Franke children endured appalling conditions and abuse, but this book details so much more as Shari opens up about her life and how the things she endured have left lasting scars. Shari is incredibly inspiring and I hope that she and her siblings can now be given the time they need to process and heal. Overall, I highly recommend this read but please check the CW's because there are so many that I may have missed some.
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Nothing to See Here by Susan Lewis

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⚠️ CW: murder, drug use, mental health, child abuse, sexual assault, rape ⚠️ If you're a fan of true crime and gripping thrillers then this one is for you! A mother, her daughter and a family friend are brutally killed at Kellon Manse one quiet summer’s day, and a young girl disappears and has not been seen since. All fingers point to the husband of one of the victims. Yet he still walks free and the case is listed as an unsolvable crime. This is until Cristy Ward discovers the case and thinks it will be the perfect feature for her true crime podcast. But who really killed the three women at Kellon Manse? And is there a chance the missing girl is still alive? This book had me obsessed with this fictional case! It is filled with twists and turns and left me suspecting everyone and despite thinking I had cracked the case, the big reveal truly left me speechless (and I was very wrong with my guesses). I did drop it down a star however, because there were so many characters and it was a bit difficult to follow them all at times and I think it could have easily been shortened to a standard length book rather than a 500+ page behemoth. Overall though, I loved this book and highly recommend it!
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Stay in the Light by A.M. Shine

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⚠️ CW: murder, misogyny and mentions of parental death and alcoholism ⚠️ If you're looking for a spine chilling read that gives you the perfect mix of psychological horror and Irish folklore then this one is for you! After her terrifying experience at the hands of the Watchers, Mina has escaped to a cottage on the west coast of Ireland. She obsessively researches her former captors, desperate to find any way to prolong the safety of humankind. When Mina encounters a stranger near her home, she fears the worst as she knows the figure is not what it seems. Soon, people she has encountered start to disappear. Mina knows the Watchers' power is growing. She flees for her life, but when she reports her fears she finds her sanity questioned. Can she convince people that the Watchers are real and ready to strike, or will she suffer the fate she has dreaded since she first encountered those malevolent beings? This book was such an amazing sequel and ended this duology so well! It had me absolutely hooked throughout and I love how the storyline developed following on from book 1. The eerie atmosphere that A.M Shine creates with his writing is so masterful and truly left me with goosebumps and that awful feeling of being watched. I cannot wait to read more by this author. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because one of the male characters continuously annoyed me with his misogyny but that's just a personal thing of being looked down upon by men in a specialist field solely due to being a woman. Thankfully there were plenty of other male characters that were lovely though. Overall, I highly recommend giving this book, and series, a read!
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The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ CW: sexual assault, murder, domestic abuse, child abuse, alcoholism, torture, stalking ⚠️ If you love psychological thrillers that make your heart race like you've been on a high speed rollercoaster then this one is for you! Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all, men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot. Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet. Until things change when the brutal murder of a young woman, the latest in a string of deaths across the coast, confounds police. Especially when the primary suspect is a mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams but she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she could be the killer’s next victim. This book had me absolutely hooked and I could not put it down, I could have easily binged it in a single sitting but I also didn't want it to end. This was my first Freida McFadden read and it's safe to say that it definitely won't be my last. It was such a great psychological thriller that kept me guessing, and even though I did partly guess the big twist it was still a great read. Overall, I highly recommend this read if you love fast paced psychological thrillers.
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Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

⚠️ CW: childhood trauma, religious trauma, animal death, cannibalism ⚠️ If you're looking for a horror read with a dysfunctional family, dark secrets and Satanism then this book is for you! Nobody has a 'normal' family but Vesper Wright’s is truly something else. Vesper left home at 18 and never looked back, mostly because she was told that leaving the staunchly religious community she grew up in meant she couldn’t return. But then an envelope arrives on her doorstep with an invitation to the wedding of her beloved cousin. However the catch is that it’s to be hosted at the family farm. Vesper's mind spirals with confusion, have they made an exception to the rules? Is the invite a sweet gesture? An olive branch? A trap? She has no idea but something inside her insists she must go to the wedding, even if it means returning to the toxic environment that she escaped from and reuniting with her mother. When Vesper’s homecoming exhumes a terrifying secret she’s forced to reckon with her family’s beliefs and her own crisis of faith in this deliciously sinister novel that explores the way family ties can bind us as we struggle to find our place in the world. This book was such a good read and it really had me hooked throughout but unfortunately it didn't fully live up to the hype. I absolutely loved the plot and all of the secrets that were waiting to be unearthed. I think my issue was that I really didn't like Vesper and I can't even explain why, I just didn't particularly gel to her and found her cynicism of everything to be quite annoying so despite loving the book that did drop it down a bit. Overall, if you're a horror fan I would definitely recommend giving this one a read.
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The Journey: Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

This book was the most perfect read to start a new year with, especially considering 2024 was a tough time for me. I believe that sometimes books come to you at the right time and this definitely feels like one of those books. Although Big Panda and Tiny Dragon are content with their temple home high up the mountains, Tiny Dragon realises that something feels incomplete. So they set out on an extraordinary adventure together to new and distant lands as Tiny Dragon works through his big feelings. As they encounter dangers and challenges, they learn that everything they need is already inside them and that change, though sometimes scary, is possible and, with patience, can lead to better things. This book truly hit me right in the feels and I think it will resonate with everyone that has been through their own personal battles. The story is so wholesome and heartfelt and it's combined with the most beautiful artwork throughout that truly makes the story's meaning echo louder the further you get into it. Overall, I highly recommend this book!
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⚠️ CW: murder, kidnapping, police corruption, trafficking and brief mention of infertility ⚠️ If you're looking for a crime fiction thriller that will have you in an absolute choke hold then this one is for you! Olivia has been missing for one day, and counting. She was last seen on CCTV entering a dead-end alley and not reappearing. Julia, the detective heading up the search for Olivia, thinks she knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But she has no idea just how close to home this case is going to get, because the criminal at the heart of this disappearance has something she never expected. His weapon isn’t a gun or a knife, it’s a secret. Her worst one. And her family's safety depends on one thing, Julia must not find out what happened to Olivia and must frame somebody else for her murder. If she finds her, she will lose everything. This book had me guessing until the very end and was filled with so many twists and turns that left me absolutely hooked with suspense with every new chapter. I love books like this that make you question your own morality and make you think what would you do in this situation. All I can say is that there is no wonder that this book is a best seller and is so hyped up throughout the bookish community. It was so close to being a 5 star read but I kept getting a little confused with the characters because there are just so many to keep track of. Overall though I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more by this author.
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This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⚠️ CW: murder, child abuse, domestic abuse, rape, paedophilia and mentions of drug abuse and addiction ⚠️ If you want a book that will make you question every single character multiple times then this one is for you! For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night. Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock. This book had me absolutely hooked from the very beginning and even when I did put it down I was still thinking of the plot and the characters and trying to figure out who the murderer was. Karin Slaughter is a new author to me, and this is only the second book I've read by her, but she's quickly becoming a fast favourite! Especially with her Will Trent series as I love that the books can be read as a series or easily picked up as standalones with no issues. The only reason I dropped this down a star was because of the mass amount of characters, and in parts it did feel a bit overwhelming trying to remember everything and everyone. Overall, I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more by this author.
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Run on Red by Noelle W. Ihli

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⚠️ CW: stalking, abduction, drug abuse, human trafficking, murder and mentions of sexual assault and rape ⚠️ If you're looking for a read that will really get your heart racing with fear then you need to read this book! A rural country road. No cell signal for miles. A terrifying game of cat-and-mouse. By the time Laura and Olivia notice the headlights tailing them through the hills, it’s too late. What seems, at first, like a case of road rage quickly unfolds into a heart pounding chase, and a battle for survival. Who are the men in the truck? What do they want? And can Laura and Olivia outrun, and outsmart, them long enough to call for help, even if it means taking their chances in the hills on foot? As their situation grows more perilous, the girls realize that the real terror has only just begun. But flight won’t save them from their pursuers. If they’re going to make it home alive, they'll have to fight. This book was such a fast paced, terror inducing read and it really gives you that uneasy and eerie feeling that you get when you first think you're being followed, before it unfolds into a wildly thrilling and twisty book that I just couldn't put down. I loved how the intensity and that feeling of having no way out ramped up with each chapter. It is truly so well written from the emotions it conjures to the short chapters that really build the suspenseful 'life or death' feeling. Overall, I highly recommend this read and I can't wait to read more by this author.
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The Wreckage of Us by Dan Malakin

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

⚠️ CW: murder, mental health, suicidal ideations, self harm, drug use, stalking, rape, underage relationships, domestic abuse ⚠️ If you're looking for a read to get you into the spooky season mood that will keep you guessing until the very end then this one is for you! Astrid Webb is missing. The police have found her car crashed near the woods, the driver's door open and the seat spotted with blood. But there's no sign of Astrid herself, a chronically ill woman who rarely left her house, and who surely couldn't have left the scene of the accident without help. Her husband Bryan is sure that she's alive because after all, this isn't the first time she's vanished, only to reappear without explanation. But as the days pass, Bryan starts to look like a suspect in his wife's disappearance, perhaps in her murder. Yet little do the police know, Bryan isn't telling the whole truth. Not about Astrid's stalker, their broken-in back door or the threatening messages she received. And it seems as if both Astrid and Bryan have something to hide. This book had me absolutely hooked from start to finish! It is so suspenseful and chilling, and so perfectly written in a way that just when you think you've figured everything out another twist drops and demolishes what you thought you knew. It is one of those books that's hard to review without giving spoilers though, but trust me it's just such a perfect way to kick off spooky season. Overall, I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what Dan Malakin drops next.
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