phantomparagrapher7's reviews
112 reviews

Forget Me Not (Summit Lake Thriller) by Kristen Middleton

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

3.0

 

Amanda and her young son Kevin’s move to Summit Falls is meant to bring closure, but instead, it opens Pandora’s box of secrets and danger. Inheriting the estate of her ex-husband Brad—a man she hasn’t seen or heard from in nearly two decades—Amanda anticipates awkward adjustments, not the chilling discoveries that await her. As whispers of Brad’s mysterious death evolve into shouts of foul play, Amanda finds herself in the crosshairs of a relentless stalker who seems hell-bent on revenge. 

The story begins with a gripping prologue featuring a man seeking vengeance against a shadowy figure from his past, setting a dark, tension-filled tone that permeates the novel. When Amanda arrives in Summit Falls, she is plunged into an atmospheric world where every friendly face hides potential betrayal, and each shadow seems to harbor deadly intent. 

The plot masterfully intertwines Amanda’s current plight with Brad’s history, unraveling their shared past while exposing dark truths about what happened in the years since their separation. The themes of pedophilia and sexual abuse are handled with care but add a harrowing depth to the story, making it as thought-provoking as it is suspenseful. 

While the subject matter may be difficult for some readers, it’s woven into the narrative in a way that underscores the depth of the characters’ trauma and motivations. The ultimate reveal of the killer and their motives is both shocking and tragically human, leaving readers contemplating the ripple effects of past sins. 

Fans of dark, emotionally charged thrillers will find this book unforgettable—a perfect mix of suspense, emotional depth, and gripping mystery. 

I'm Watching You by Amanda Brittany

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

Sometimes, the past refuses to stay buried. Set against the eerie backdrop of Ensley, I'm Watching You is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into family loyalty, buried secrets, and the chilling lengths people will go to protect themselves.

After the death of her husband, Charlotte returns to Ensley with her 18-year-old twins, Ryan and Mia, seeking solace at her mother's home. But the town is not the safe haven she hoped for. A serial killer is on the loose, casting a shadow of fear over the community. One fateful night, Charlotte witnesses a horrifying scene: Ryan shoving Mia into the lake. Soon after, Charlotte and Ryan flee, leaving Ensley—and Mia—behind.

Fast forward 12 years, and Charlotte's carefully constructed life begins to unravel. She receives an email announcing the lake's imminent drainage, and the fear that Mia’s body may resurface sends her into a spiral. To make matters worse, a new killer has emerged in Ensley, and their sinister actions feel eerily connected to the events of the past. Who is the killer, and what do they want? As Ensley’s secrets begin to surface, Charlotte must confront the truth about her children, her past, and herself.

The novel masterfully weaves between the past and present, keeping readers hooked as layers of deception, grief, and betrayal are revealed.

I'm Watching You by Amanda Brittany is a masterclass in suspense, a haunting tale of how secrets can fester and destroy. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and The Family Upstairs, this is a must-read for anyone who loves thrillers with an emotional punch. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself looking over your shoulder long after you’ve put the book down. 

 

Vain - Part One by Deborah Bladon

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

  

Scrolling through my Kindle, I clicked on Vain by Deborah Bladon, and going in blind, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book or not as I had been lately bored of romances and been going on a thriller buzz. The book begins with our female character Alexa delivering a sub for her friend Sadie to a guy's house. The guy answers the door naked and thinks that Alexa is a hooker. Alexa leaves but the guy asks her for a proposition, he wants to photograph her for his new collection. The guy turns out to be photographer Noah Foster, known for his erotic photos of females. Alexa agrees only with the condition, her face isn't shown. During this time Alexa and Noah have a few sparks fly or so Alexa believes. She has been burned before and left Paris with her heart broken. What happens when the person who broke her heart ends up collaborating with Noah and when the exhibition is unveiled - it isn't what she expected - it's 100x worse and at that moment her whole world collapses. The book then ends on a massive cliffhanger which made me want more. I have to admit this book surprised me and is one that I highly recommend to others to read. I am now looking forward to reading the other two parts of this series and seeing what happens between Alexa and Noah. I don't give 5 stars out much, but Vain -Part #1 by Deborah Bladon deserved it. 

 

The Right Equation by Tracy Krimmer

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

 

Scrolling through my Kindle in search of a quick read, I stumbled upon a delightful short story by Tracy Krimmer. It centers around Penny, who is reluctantly gearing up for her 20th high school reunion. Dressed as Albert Einstein, she steps into the party hoping for more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane—she’s hoping to reconnect with her high school crush, Will. 

Penny’s excitement builds when she discovers that Will has harbored similar feelings for her all these years. Sparks fly, and for a moment, it feels like a fairy-tale reunion. But things take a turn when the lights suddenly go out, and when they come back on, Will’s friends are laughing. The painful memories of Penny’s high school days, filled with humiliation at the hands of the popular crowd, come rushing back. 

The story cleverly weaves themes of self-worth, redemption, and the courage to confront the past. Penny is a relatable protagonist, and readers will feel her internal struggle as she decides whether to give Will—and herself—a second chance at happiness. 

Will Penny and Will have their happily ever after? Or will she pull a Cinderella, leaving the reunion before midnight and missing her chance at love once again? 

This charming short story is a perfect pick if you’re craving a lighthearted yet meaningful read with a dash of nostalgia and romance. Tracy Krimmer captures the bittersweet essence of high school reunions, showing how the past can both haunt and shape us. 

If you’re in need of a quick read that scratches that reading itch, The Right Equation is just the ticket. Don’t miss this delightful story that proves it’s never too late to rewrite your own happy ending. 

Violets for Vanessa by Dianne Miley

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

 

Violets for Vanessa can be read as a stand-alone and is a prime example of going into a book blind as I too be honest couldn't even remember exactly when I picked this book up or what I was in for. Even though this is Book #3, I was glad I was able to just jump in and read as I could catch the gist of this story. In Violets for Vanessa, we meet Vanessa who is 25 years old and lives at home with her parents. Her dad is an abuser and violent and hits her mother and has also sexually abused Vanessa and her older sister Layla who died a few years back. Vanessa has caught the eye of one of the bachelors in town - Chad James. He has been praying for God to deliver him a wife and he feels that God is telling him that Vanessa is the one for him. It's going to be a bit more work on his side as Vanessa is loyal to her family and protecting her mother and despite the horrible things her father does - she hates to rock the boat and also prides herself on not accepting help as though Chad wants to help her where he can - she views it as controlling and wishes to be independent. I do have to admit despite enjoying this story, there were moments when I wanted to strangle Vanessa and be like "Open your eyes, woman, this guy loves you and he is not your freaking dad, and also stop protecting your dad, he hurt you". I found her character quite naive which even though you live a sheltered life like I did - we aren't all that naive as in my case - I read books and watched movies and read Girl's and Women Magazines and learned most things from them. I might not have gone to parties or experienced drugs, or teenage boyfriends but I still lived and wasn't a naive gullible girl like Vanessa. If you love Women's Fiction with an Edge and a hint of Christianity, then check out Violets for Vanessa by Diann Miley. 

Hide and Seek by Amy Bird

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

 

Ellie and Will Spears's life has been going great and now they are finally about to have their child. Most recently Ellie has been playing a CD of this classical pianist that she found at Will's mum and the pair have laughed as this singer is Will's doppelganger - he and Will are the spitting image. One night Ellie plays it and Will's parents start to get teary and cagey and go pale. This spurs Ellie on to find out the truth as to be honest, she would love to get one over Will's mother as Ellie feels like she can't do anything right. So Ellie goes on a mission and hunts up in the attic, what she finds and discovers though will end up with Will spiraling down the rabbit hole as turns out the singer is related to Will and was killed when Will was four years old. This was when Will's parents adopted him. When Will learns that his biological father was killed by a hammer, he feels like what he has been dreaming is finally a memory that was suppressed. We all know that memories though can look like one thing and mean another and when Ellie and Will track down Sophie - Will's biological mother, what will she reveal happened? Will this truth be her and Will's undoing as the past is repeating itself? Is Will strong enough to be a father of his own or Will Will's adopted mother put a stop to Ellie and Will's child's life? Find out in this twisted family thriller filled with secrets, lies, gaslighting, and betrayals. As this is a UK Fiction, the book is a tad slow-paced but gets there in the end and overall was a great read. 

Three Single Wives by Gina LaManna

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

This book's cover grabbed me as I just loved the juxtaposition of the glass shards with the three women's faces in them. This book starts at a book club promoting Marguerite Hill's new Self-Help book all about females taking back what was taken from the males in their lives and gaining back their freedom - the book was called Taking Charge. The conversation flows with wine and then turns a bit dark as they end up bringing up the topic of hypotheticals of how would they kill their husbands or partners. Would they use a gun, poison, or a knife? Would they make it look like a suicide or an accident or would they frame someone else for murder? The book then jumps to the present time and we are at a court trial where Penny, Eliza, and Anne are on the stand as one of the husbands has been murdered and now they are all being looked at as suspects. The book then jumps back timelines to how the four women first met each other from Marguerite becoming Eliza's client, Anne being Eliza's best friend from college and Penny being new to LA with dreams of being a scriptwriter and taking a class from Roman - Eliza's husband and she is also the new babysitter of Anne's children.  Each of these woman have something to hide from Roman's affairs, Anne believes her husband is cheating on her and Penny is in love with Roman and carrying his child.  Each woman ends up being a suspect, but which one of the four killed Roman, and if neither of them did - then will they find the killer before the wrong woman is found guilty and sentenced? Three Single Wives was a good thriller and reminded me a little of the book Good Husbands by Cate Ray which I read and reviewed on this blog in 2024. 

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

 

In an effort to clear my bookshelf of my physical copies as I counted at the start of the year and I had 412 books sitting there unread. It has been interesting though as to be completely honest, most of the physical books I have tried to read, they have been just so damn boring and blah and end up going straight into my "to donate" pile.  However, I knew that I would enjoy Elle Kennedy's book as she is an author whose every title I have loved and she is just easy to read. The other great thing was that even though was Book #3 of the Avalon Bay series, it could easily be read as a standalone and you don't need to have read the other two in order to get the gist of the story as I haven't yet and I still managed to enjoy and understand this book just fine. Cassie Soul is back in Avalon Bay for the Summer and staying with her grandmother who has just sold her business, the hotel that has been in her family for generations as none of her children wanted to inherit it especially not Cassie's mother who is a narcisstic who just causes drama galore. I do have to admit, I found similarities to her character in a family member who I have is very much the same. In this book, Cassie is looking a summer fling and finds it in Tate but of course as Summer comes to end - will the couple be able to say goodbye to each other or will they realise that this romance that they had is more than a summer love and that they would both travel to the bottom of the world for each other - in this book "the bottom of the world happens to be New Zealand" which as someone born and bred in New Zealand - and still here , I absolutely loved and smiled about.  I am now excited to continue on the clearing of Elle Kennedy's numerous titles on my physical bookshelf. 

The Thinnest Air by Minka Kent

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

January has been the month for thrillers and also I am finding cleaning my Kindle of the older titles that had been sitting there for a while as I am finding for certain that the older books are the ones I have been enjoying more than recent releases. One of my favorite thriller writers that I have seemed to enjoy most of her published books bar one is Minka Kent. The Thinnest Air starts with Greer's sister Meredith falling in love with a wealthier man Andrew. Greer has never really liked him. Meredith is also Andrew's second wife and we do see that Andrew has got a bit of a temper and controlling spirit, but Meredith loves him or so she thought. We also read in this book, that Meredith has a stalker and this leads her to meet the Detective and the pair strike up an affair and close relationship. One day Meredith vanishes and doesn't come home. Where has she disappeared too and why has she gone? Enter Greer who heads to the small town to find her sister and in doing so, discovers secrets about her sister's life. Can she find Meredith before things end up with the worse outcome? This book had a great ending coming as I did not see this twist coming and the stalker identity surprised me. If you are in the mood for a January thriller, then check out The Thinnest Air by Minka Kent. 

The Last Field Party by Abbi Glines

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

 As a mood reader, there are a few series that I began years ago and then with new books coming out, they got pushed aside, and now some of them I am determined to finish. One of those series for me is The Field Party by Abbi Glines. I first began this series 5 years ago in 2020 and now January 2025, I have finally finished and read Book #7 The Last Field Party. This book is set 5 years after Book #6 finished and I am glad that I got to read this one and that the author decided to create it as it gave all the couples a HEA and a great rounded finish. This was an epilogue of short stories as it focuses on each of the 6 book couples that we had previously and tells their HEA story whether it be second chance romance, overcoming obstacles like miscommunication, pregnancies, adoptions and all centered around the small town of Lawton, Alabama. The book also has the overall theme of "the last field party" at Lees Field. This is because the field has been renamed and will be a football field honoring Hunter McLay who was killed in one of the earlier books by accident - they were aiming for Ryker Lee in a racist attack.  If you are a fan of Abbi Glines's books and read the other books in the Field Party series, then The Last Field Party is the perfect rounded finish and a great way to say goodbye to those characters and close the chapter on Lawton, Alabama as you move on to other books and series.