Thief Liar Lady

Thief, Liar Lady 

By DL Soria 

Release date: July 11, 2023 

My review: 4 out of 5 stars 

“Happily Ever After” is a total scam, but at least this time the princess is the one controlling the grift—until her true love arrives and threatens to ruin the whole scheme. Intrigue, magic, and wit abound in this Cinderella fairytale reimagining, perfect for fans of Heather Walter and Naomi Novik.
“A dazzlingly magical, thrilling, and inventive take on a beloved classic.”—Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback's a Witch

I’m not who you think I am.

My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen—as the rumors insisted—in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make.

My stepsisters and I had been trained for this—to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we wanted in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after.

But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince—the wrong prince—distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created . . . and that could prove fatal.

There’s so much more riding on this than a crown.

While I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

I was captivated by just the description of this book. It was just a twisty story that I loved to follow. I love how the magic isn't just "there" but requires something to make it work. I love that love found Ash, regardless of what she had planned (or what was planned for her).

Things I didn't love about this book included the pace. I felt like it went on and on. Felt like it could have been better if it were just a little more concise.

Overall this book gets four stars from me. A great story and one I would recommend to friends.

Papa's Magical Water Jug Clock

Is this jug really magical? 

In Mexican American comedian Jesus Trejo’s debut picture book, little Jesús makes a big, funny mistake as he works alongside his landscaper papá, but father and son find a heartwarming solution.

Little Jesús is excited to spend a Saturday with his landscaper Papá at the “family business.” He loves Papá’s cool truck and all the tools he gets to use. Papá even puts him in charge of the magical water jug, which is also a clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday will be done. It’s a big job, and Jesús wants to do it right. But he just can’t help giving water to an array of thirsty animals—a dog in a sweater, some very old cats, and a flock of peacocks. Before he knows it, the magical water jug is empty —but the workday’s not over yet! Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all? This mischievous tale of a very young comedian’s life lesson will warm hearts and have class clowns, practical jokers, and all high-spirited kids nodding in sympathy.

I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review, all opinions are my own. 

This beautiful picture comes out TODAY! 

This book gets a solid four stars from me. 

I found this to be a fun story. It blends in some Spanish words but isn't too tough for a native English speaker. The drawings are cute and keep you interested in the page. 

It would be super easy to keep a child entertained with your own "find a __ game" during reading time with this book. I love the lessons that Jesus learns from his father during the day he works with him. Beautiful story for any child's bookshelf.

The Museum of Lost and Found

The Museum of Lost and Found

by Leila Sales and Jacqueline Li

Publication date: May 16, 2023

My review: 3.75 out of 5 stars 

A warm, relatable middle-grade story about a friendship falling apart and the abandoned museum that becomes a shrine to lost connections

Vanessa isn't sure which happened first: finding the abandoned museum or losing her best friend Bailey. She doesn't know what to do with herself now that Bailey has left her behind—but when she stumbles upon an empty, forgotten museum, her purpose becomes clear. Vanessa starts filling the museum with her own artifacts and memories, hoping that perhaps, if she can find the right way to tell the story of her broken friendship, she can figure out how to make it whole again.

As Vanessa's museum grows, it seems like the place might have the answers to other questions, too. Like why a mysterious work of art was left behind. Or how to deal with a military dad who's trying to parent from thousands of miles away. Or why Vanessa's bad habit is getting harder and harder to quit. Or even, maybe, how to set the past to rest and find a way to move forward.

Moving and charming, The Museum of Lost and Found is about how we grow apart from some people as we grow up—and how sometimes we can find new pieces of ourselves in the aftermath.

While I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for the opportunity to read this story.

I've read other "museum" books, so I thought I knew what I was getting into, but this one was different. Vanessa finds an abandoned museum and starts using it to showcase her own collection, a collection of the former best-friendship she shared with Bailey. As these things often do, her secret didn't stay secret and her brother and then others found out. The Museum of lost and found is born. That is until the real demolition is scheduled.

The ending of this story was a good one for me. I love how the museum memory lives on in the lives of the children. Neighborhood kids creating their own museum "exhibits" to share with each other. Parts of this book were really emotional and touching for me. Remembering what it was like to be in middle school and the strength of those friendships and all the feelings. The author did an amazing job capturing that.

In the Lives of Puppets

In the Lives of Puppets

by TJ Klune
Narrated by Daniel Henning
Release date: 25 April 2023
My review: 4.5 out of 5 stars

"[Narrator] Daniel Henning revels in a cornucopia of characters, diving into nuanced voices and colorful moments with accents and growls, tone shifts and whispers...This is definitely a title for those who enjoy fantasy stories replete with gnomes and witches and all in between."—AudioFile on The House in the Cerulean Sea

New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune invites you deep into the heart of a peculiar forest and on the extraordinary journey of a family assembled from spare parts.

Most Anticipated from BookPage Goodreads The Nerd Daily Paste Magazine LitReactor OverDrive LGBTQ Reads Tor.com more

“An enchanting tale of Pinocchio in the end times.”—P. Djèlí Clark

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Inspired by Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful stand-alone fantasy adventure from the beloved author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.

★ “An epic quest of rescue and discovery [with] the author’s trademark charm, heart, and bittersweetness.”—Library Journal, starred review

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

Although I recieved a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this one!

After reading a couple of Klune's other books, I read the description on this one and knew I would have to read it. Klune has a way of writing about the relationships between the characters that I am drawn to. I love it. This one was no different. A boy lives in the woods with his papa and two "robots." When one day he finds a new android to repair, their lives are forever changed. But is it a good thing? I really loved this one. Going on my "to buy" shelf for sure

Good Girls Don't

Good Girls Don't

By Mara Wilson

Published 18 April 2023

Narrated by the author 

My review: 3.75 out of 5 stars 

In this candid and illuminating Scribd Original, writer-actor Mara Wilson navigates the good-girl-versus- bad-girl tropes from early childhood through adolescence and teen life. Good Girls Don’t is a coming-of- age memoir that bravely examines both the friendships Wilson formed as a child actor in Hollywood and the complex family relationships that shaped her.

Looking back on her experiences on and off the set of notable family-friendly films including Matilda, Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and A Simple Wish, Wilson shares the challenges and joys of growing up in the public eye while enduring the very personal grief of losing her mother to cancer when she was just eight. She describes periods of acting out to assuage her own sadness, as her contentious grandmother stepped in and her hardworking, grief-stricken father grappled with raising a young daughter and her four siblings.

Wilson also shares intimate thoughts about religion and her struggle to adhere to the learned family values of her “Conservadox” upbringing while exploring clandestine friendships, such as with “bad girl” classmate Skye, that went against the “good” behavior her parents tried to instill in her. We discover the TV shows, films, and risqué pop and rock music that influenced her and hear fascinating, hilarious details of life on movie sets as seen from the perspective of a highly intelligent and emotionally vulnerable child.

And, as Wilson seeks to discard a people-pleasing mentality, she digs into past experiences with fans. We learn about the challenges of maintaining a significant fan base — including her complicated relationship with Edward, the college-age young man who administered a website to engage them — in addition to the ongoing anxiety over others’ opinions of how any move she made would be perceived.

With the transition to adulthood, Wilson reflects on the moments that led up to this next phase of her life. Forging solid friendships as a theater student at New York University, she begins to accept her extraordinary past while finally realizing what being “good” means to her.

While I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Net Galley and Scribd for the opportunity to read this story.

As a child I loved Matilda. It was one of my favorite books and then when the movie came out, I really felt a connection to the actress who played Matilda, Mara Wilson. Her journey is chronicled in this memoir. When I was older, I heard the stories about her mom passing away during the filming, how other famous people stepped into her life and stepped up. This story made me sad for her. I totally relate to her "good girls don't" upbringing. I was always the one in my friends group trying to stay the good girl. How much harder it would have been as someone living in the literal spotlight.

Becoming a Queen

Becoming a Queen

By: Dan Clay

Narrated by the author
Published on: April 25, 2023

Listening length: 10 hours and 41 minutes 
My review: 4 out of 5 stars
Read date: May 5, 2023

If only Mark Davis hadn’t put on a dress for the talent show. It was a joke—other guys did it too—but when his boyfriend saw Mark in that dress, everything changed.

And now, fresh on the heels of high school heartbreak, Mark has given up on love. Maybe some people are just too much for this world—too weird, too wild, too feminine, too everything. Thankfully, his older brother Eric always knows what to say to keep Mark from spinning into self-loathing. "Be yourself! Your full sequin-y self.”

But Mark starts to notice signs that his perfect older brother has problems of his own.

When the source of Mark’s strength suddenly becomes the source of his greatest pain, the path back to happiness seems impossible. Searching for a way out, Mark slips into a dress to just, briefly, become someone else, live a different life. His escape, however, becomes an unexpected outlet for his pain—a path to authentic connection, and a provocation to finally see other people as fully as he wants to be seen.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Even at 50% of the way through, this book wasn't what I was expecting. I loved every emotional word I listened to. Hearing how Mark coped with his grief, how he found himself in drag, it was simply beautiful. I also really loved the realness of it. I could see my parents reacting like his... It really was a journey of a book. Anyone who has delt with a sudden loss will feel parts of this book so deeply. This is read by the author so I loved that!

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor 

By Bianca Marais
Release date: August 23, 2022
Listening length: 10 hours, 47 minutes
My review: 4 stars out of 5
Read date: May 1, 2023

A coven of modern-day witches. A magical heist-gone-wrong. A looming threat.

Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor. All eyes turn to the witch in charge, Queenie, who confesses they’ve fallen far behind on their mortgage payments. Still, there’s hope, since the imminent return of Ruby—one of the sisterhood who’s been gone for thirty-three years—will surely be their salvation.

But the mob is only the start of their troubles. One man is hellbent on avenging his family for the theft of a legacy he claims was rightfully his. In an act of desperation, Queenie makes a bargain with an evil far more powerful than anything they’ve ever faced. Then things take a turn for the worse when Ruby’s homecoming reveals a seemingly insurmountable obstacle instead of the solution to all their problems.

The witches are determined to save their home and themselves, but their aging powers are no match for increasingly malicious threats. Thankfully, they get a bit of help from Persephone, a feisty TikToker eager to smash the patriarchy. As the deadline to save the manor approaches, fractures among the sisterhood are revealed, and long-held secrets are exposed, culminating in a fiery confrontation with their enemies.

Funny, tender and uplifting, the novel explores the formidable power that can be discovered in aging, found family and unlikely friendships. Marais’ clever prose offers as much laughter as insight, delving deeply into feminism, identity and power dynamics while stirring up intrigue and drama through secrets, lies and sex. Heartbreaking and heart-mending, it will make you grateful for the amazing women in your life.

The opening sentence of the description of this book had me hooked " Five octogenarian witches gather as an angry mob threatens to demolish Moonshyne Manor." Each of the witches has such a personality that you can find one that you want to grow up to be! I loved the intermixed grimoire pages that told showed some of the ladies' recipes including "making your own wand" and as out there as "making your own lube" It had me laughing out loud. Each one of the ladies can be found in any community. A reminder to find your own family and stick with them.

I Am in Here: The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak But Finds Her Voice

I Am in Here: The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak But Finds Her Voice

by: Elizabeth M. Bonker, Virginia G. Breen

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Release date: November 10, 2011

Listening length: 5 hours, 12 minutes 

Read date: April 28, 2023

My review: 3 out of 5 stars

"She looked into my eyes and blinked hers slowly and deliberately, like a stroke victim, to show me that, although she couldn't speak, she understood what I was saying to her. I stroked her hair softly. 'I know you're in there, honey,' I told her. 'We'll get you out".

Despite the horror of seeing 15-month-old Elizabeth slip away into autism, her mother knew that her bright little girl was still in there. When Elizabeth eventually learned to communicate, first by using a letterboard and later by typing, the poetry she wrote became proof of a glorious, life-affirming victory for this young girl and her family.

I Am in Here is the spiritual journey of a mother and daughter who refuse to give up hope, who celebrate their victories, and who keep trying to move forward despite the obstacles. Although she cannot speak, Elizabeth writes poetry that shines a light on the inner world of autism and the world around us. That poetry and her mother's stirring storytelling combine in this inspirational book to proclaim that there is always a reason to take the next step forward - with hope.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. What I didn't love was the author implying that vaccines caused her children's autism. It is something I almost put the book down over. If she had gone much deeper into her belief of that, I might have put the book down, but the mentions were brief and thankfully she focused this book on her non-verbal daughter and not how she thinks she "contracted" autism. It was interesting to read about the different treatments they were trying with both Elizabeth and her son, also autistic. I also really enjoyed seeing the world through Elizabeth's poetry. Though non-verbal, she uses a word board to communicate. Being able to "see" how she thinks of things, makes you change your perspective a little bit.

If We're Being Honest

If We're Being Honest

By Cat Shook
Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney
Listening length: 11 hours, 8 minutes
Release date: April 18, 2023
My review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

For fans of We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange and All Adults Here by Emma Straub, Cat Shook’s debut novel If We’re Being Honest is the snappy, smart, heartwarming story of the Williams family, and the sweltering summer that rewrote their history.

When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry’s best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.

The cousins’ eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost—in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry’s sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.

Clever and completely original, If We’re Being Honest reminds you that while no one can break your heart like your family can, there’s really no one better to put you back together.

Although I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

I really enjoyed this story of love and loss. It is about a family that comes together after the sudden loss of their patriarch. When a secret comes out about his life (during his funeral no less) it rocks everyone in the family. Told from almost every viewpoint in the family, this book gives a broad sense of how everyone handles grief and secrets differently. I love how real this felt. There were a few parts that felt a little too "happily ever after" but I guess that does sometimes happen. It was a fun listen and i would probably pick up another of Shook's books to listen to.

The American Wife

The American Wife 

by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger

Narrated by Madeline Pell 
Listening length: 10 hours, 3 minutes 

Release date April 14, 2023 

My review: 4 out of 5 stars

With her heart in her mouth, Kitty let herself into her husband’s private study. She knew where he kept the papers that might save her dearest friend from the Nazis. She just had to steal them....

Vienna, 1937. When beautiful American Kitty becomes engaged to Austrian diplomat Edgar, she finds herself thrown into a very different world in Europe, and soon longs for home. But when the woman designing her wedding dress, Judith, takes Kitty under her wing, she sees the city of Vienna in a new light–a city of culture and music that she can explore with her new friend.

But when the Nazis come, the fact that Judith is Jewish means she is no longer safe. Kitty knows that as a diplomat’s wife she can steal the papers that will allow her closest friend to escape to safety, but will it mean betraying the love of her life?

Except that Edgar has grown distant and secretive since she joined him in Europe and, when war breaks out, Kitty wonders which side her husband is really on. And, as she prepares to betray him, Kitty begins to fear that she doesn’t really know the man she married at all.

Facing an impossible choice between her dearest friend and the man she loves, Kitty knows she must be brave, and do the right thing, no matter the personal cost....

An absolutely heartbreaking, powerful, and gripping story about finding love, resilience, and friendship in the midst of the darkness of World War 2. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, My Name Is Eva, and All the Light We Cannot See.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

I've been quite into historical fiction lately so this seemed right up my alley. I love the idea of an American on foreign soil during the war. In this case, Kitty is in Vienna during World War 2. She meets, falls in love with and marries Edgar. After the wedding, things in the country start heating up politically and Edgar isn't the man that she thought she married, or is he? I really loved seeing how Kitty worked with the American embassy and seeing how they might have tried to help people at the time. I can't even imagine the helplessness they felt at being unable to get people out of the country. :( I will be keeping an eye out to see if Lucyk-Berger writes more stories about Kitty and her ongoing journey in Vienna. The war isn't over at the end of this book so I imagine Kitty and Edgar aren't either...

Where Are The Children Now

Where Are The Children Now

By Mary Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke

284 pages 

Release date: April 18, 2023 

My review: five out of five stars

The legacy of the “Queen of Suspense” continues with the highly anticipated follow-up to Mary Higgins Clark’s iconic novel Where Are The Children?, featuring the children of Nancy Harmon, facing peril once again as adults.

Of the fifty-six bestsellers the “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark published in her lifetime, Where Are the Children? was her biggest, selling millions of copies and forever transforming the genre of suspense fiction. In that story, a young California mother named Nancy Harmon was convicted of murdering her two children. Though released on a technicality, she was abandoned by her husband and became such a pariah in the media that she was forced to move across the country to Cape Cod, change her identity and appearance, and start a new life. Years later her two children from a second marriage, Mike and Melissa, would go missing, and Nancy yet again became the prime suspect—but this time, Nancy was able to confront the secrets buried in her past and rescue her kids from a dangerous predator.

Now, more than four decades since readers first met Nancy and her children, comes the thrilling sequel to the groundbreaking book that set the stage for future generations of psychological suspense novels. A lawyer turned successful podcaster, Melissa has recently married a man whose first wife died tragically, leaving him and their young daughter, Riley, behind. While Melissa and her brother, Mike, help their mom, Nancy, relocate from Cape Cod to the equally idyllic Hamptons, Melissa’s new stepdaughter goes missing. Drawing on the experience of their own abduction, Melissa and Mike race to find Riley to save her from the trauma they still struggle with—or worse.

Just like the original, Where Are the Children Now? keeps readers guessing and holding their breath until the very last page.


While I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book.

I have loved Mary Higgins-Clark for as long as I can remember. Her mysteries were some of the first "grown up" books that I started reading. When I saw this one available as an ARC, I put my name on the list and kept my fingers crossed. When I noticed that she had help writing this book, my hopes were a little lowered. I've been burned by "ghost writers" filling in for amazing writers before (VC Andrews anyone??) But this book stayed so true to the MHC style of writing, I would have never known that she didn't write the whole thing herself. It was a beautiful follow-up to one of her best selling books. Usually I don't love the "continuation" stories like these, but this one was so well done. The coincidences were written into the story and made it part of the mystery. I simply loved it.

Five stars for this amazing book for sure. If you loved "Where are the Children" you will love "where are the children now" =)

Heart of the Nile

Heart of the Nile
By Will Thomas
Narrated by Antony Ferguson
Listening length: 9 hours, 59 minutes
Release date: April 11, 2023
My review: 4 out of 5 stars

London, 1893: deadly doings are afoot in the British Museum and private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn must unravel a mystery involving a mummy, a giant ruby and a murder, in Will Thomas's Heart of the Nile.

Cyrus Barker, along with his former assistant and now partner Thomas Llewelyn, is the premier enquiry agent in all of 19th-century London, and beyond. They've thwarted the designs of villains and crooks off all sorts, helped Scotland Yard crack their most challenging cases, and worked for the Her Majesty's Government at the very highest levels. But nothing has been quite as challenging and dangerous as the latest case that comes to find them.

In 1893, a volunteer at the British Museum makes a startling discovery. When examining a mummy in the museum's collection, he discovers there is a giant ruby in the shape of a heart buried in the chest of the mummy. Even more startling, the mummy might well be Cleopatra. The following morning, the volunteer is found floating in the Thames and the ruby has gone missing. Hired by the victim’s wife to learn the truth behind his death, Barker and Llewelyn find themselves in the crosshairs—now they must avoid a violent street gang, a ruthless collector, and the British Museum itself in order to find the killer and safeguard the gem.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this novel.

Even though this is part of a quite long series, it was a complete story. You know how much I love that. This book was a perfect who dunnit. There was lots of mystery, lots of colorful characters and lots of questions. I loved the setting of past-time London. It allows you to go way back to a "simpler" time which was also a much more complex time. I also really loved Cyrus and Thomas, the "detectives" called enquiry agents in this series. They are such fun characters. So very different from each other but they work so very well together. I would totally pick up another of these novels to listen to. Narrator was awesome and easy to listen to.

The Family Secret

The Family Secret

By Kiersten Modglin

Narrated by Jennifer Sun Bell

Listening length: 6 hours, 44 minutes 

Release date: April 4, 2023 

My review: 4 out of 5 stars

When freshly engaged Austyn Murphy and Lowell Bass receive the news that Lowell's parents have died unexpectedly, they set out for the historic Bass estate to handle their affairs and lay the former heads of the family to rest.

Enshrouded in layers of secrecy and tradition, the Bass estate, and the family residing within its walls, give anything but a warm welcome. When the idea of staying in the home permanently is brought up, Austyn witnesses a side of her future husband she's never seen before.

Late one night, Austyn overhears a whispered conversation, revealing she hasn't been given the full truth about the world she's marrying into. And when Emily, an old friend, calls with devastating news of her own, Lowell and Austyn invite her to join them for a visit at the estate.

Upon Emily's arrival, a confession is made, causing a rift in the seemingly impenetrable bond the girls once had. As Emily settles into their home, becoming closer to Lowell than ever before, Austyn fears she's made a grave mistake.

Trapped inside the Bass estate under the ever-watchful eye of the staff and her soon-to-be family, Austyn makes another chilling discovery—something so terrible it changes everything.

With distressing revelations hidden around every corner and time running out before final decisions are made about her future, Austyn must uncover the truth about the opulent and powerful Bass family...at the risk of becoming another one of their dark secrets.

Although I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape media for the opportunity to listen to this novel.

This book was a wild ride. While I have read a few of the "family secret" type books, this one is by far one of my favorites. Until the very end, I had no idea what the secret was or how things were going to play out. It did have some of the troupes that many of these books have like the rich man sweeping the not so wealthy woman off her feet, taking her into a world that is so unlike her own. The girl being so overwhelmed by the opulence of the wealth. The fact that this book starts with the death of his parents made this start out a little differently then I was used to, and I kind of appreciated that. It made for a relationship that felt more real (at least in my opinion). This one kept me guessing what was going to happen until the last pages. The epilogue made the ending for me. Loved that wrap up like a bow on a fancy present.

The Soulmate

The Soulmate
By Sally Hepworth
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Jessica Douglas-Henry
Listening length: 7 hours, 44 minutes
Release date: April 4, 2023
My review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

"Listeners will be captivated as the narrators create tension and drop hints about the real problem in this “ideal” family."—Booklist on The Younger Wife

Get ready for a thrilling, addictive novel about marriage, betrayal, and the secrets that push us to the edge in Sally Hepworth's The Soulmate.

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral...Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate...lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this novel.

This was a wild ride of a book. I never saw the ending coming and while I did enjoy the story overall, it felt a bit over the top. As someone who is in a relationship with someone with bipolar, the disease was painted a little bit inaccurately. I guess that could be the case for some people, but not for my husband. It made me uncomfortable. That's why the deduction in stars for me. I also hated that Pippa lied to her husband about such a big thing in their marriage. The whole thing could have been avoided if she were just honest. I guess that is part of the story, but it is still so frustrating to read that. It was a good book and I enjoyed it, but won't be reading it again.

I did enjoy this passage from chapter 79, it is from the viewpoint of the woman lost on the cliff that is under investigation: "While I've been in this liminal space, I've discovered things that most people never get to see. Things which have altered my perspective on the messiness of humanity.
It's as if, while living your life, you view the world through a straw. You see only the tiniest sliver, all of it from your own perspective. Other people have their motives, their backstories, their feelings, but you don't know that unless they share them with you. And even then, there is every chance they are lying or prevaricating."

A Cruel Light

A Cruel Light

By Cyndi Macmillian
Narrated by: Nan McNamara
Listening length: 7 hours, 53 minutes
Release date: April 4, 2023
My review: 4 out of 5 stars

It was a blood-curdling crime that rocked the town to its core, leaving some with permanent scars and others with deep regrets. A young girl had been brutally slain. Memories were beginning to fade, but during the renovation of the old parsonage, the murder rears its ugly head again when workers discover a time-ravaged portrait of the young victim. Conservator Annora Garde is hired by the local police to clean the painting and expose what lies buried within it.

Inspector Scott Mac MacGowan is convinced the mural is a cryptic confession that will solve the cold case—but it’s looking more and more like someone will do whatever it takes to keep the past in the past. Together, Mac and Annora struggle to put the pieces of the puzzle together, in order to provide closure to surviving family members.

Toxic mold obscures blood-chilling clues, and the painting has an eerie life of its own. Annora is haunted by what she reveals, by the dirt she digs up, by her own tragic losses, and perhaps even by the young victim herself. As she closes in on the killer, the killer inches ever closer to her, and she will come face to face with a brutal truth: some murderers never come clean.

Although I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape media for the opportunity to listen to this story.

The description of this mystery pulled me in, and once I started listening, I couldn't stop. This story didn't feel like one that you have heard over and over. In this novel, Annora is tasked with restoring an old mural, but not for the "usual" reasons that one restores art. She is tasked with restoring the mural to help solve a cold case. As she and Mac get closer to figuring out the painting, the murderer is getting more and more violent to try and keep them from the truth. I loved how this book weaves in parts of Annora's past, helps you understand why she sees things the way she does. Another thing I really loved was the relationship between characters. You see the realness of the people shine through in the way they handle the things that keep getting thrown at them.

Overall, this was a great mystery and I hope to be able to read more stories that feature Mac and Annora.

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz 

By Henry Oster, Dexter Ford 

Narrated by: William Hope, Susan Oster, Dexter Ford and Henry Oster

Listening length: 6 hours, 59 minutes 

Release date: April 4, 2023 

My review: 4.5 out of 5 stars

"Hunger gnawed at my insides. I couldn’t last much longer. But just as I was beginning to give up, I found myself in the Auschwitz stables, with rows of stalls filled with horses. Barbarossa was a towering, beautiful stallion. He only responded to commands in German, and as the only German-speaking boy, I was chosen as his caretaker. I felt an ember of hope. If I could make myself useful, helping these horses, maybe I could stay alive.”

Henry Oster was just five years old when Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. One of the 2,011 Jews who were rounded up by the Gestapo and deported from Cologne, he was one of only 23 to emerge alive from the concentration camps after the war.

A heart-wrenching and inspirational true account of a courageous little boy who, against all odds, after losing almost everything a human being can lose, survived to tell his story.

Torn from their home, Henry and his parents were deported to the Łódź Ghetto in Poland, a concentration camp within a city. Then, one terrifying day, after losing his father to starvation, Henry found himself and his mom herded onto a stifling, filth-ridden cattle car, on a ride to a place whose name has come to symbolize the worst of humanity: Auschwitz.

Nazis ripped Henry apart from his mother in the shuffling river of children, women, and men stepping off the train. For the first time in his life, Henry was completely alone.

Assigned to work in the Auschwitz stables, breeding horses, Henry had to tend his mares, Mutti, Olga, and the stallion Barbarossa from dawn into the night. It was back-breaking labor, but Henry clung to the belief that if he made himself hard to replace, he might just stay alive. With crippling hunger pains, Henry fed the horses each day, knowing that if he were caught pocketing a carrot or cramming some grain into his mouth, he would face the hangman.

Through it all—from finding ways to escape being selected for death in the Auschwitz/Birkenau gas chambers, to surviving a machine-gun firing squad, to enduring a brutal death march through the bleak Polish winter—Henry somehow found the strength and the will to keep on going.

How did one starving little boy, alone and forgotten, survive this ultimate hell on earth? The Kindness of the Hangman is the heart-breaking, mesmerizing, and unforgettable true story that will destroy your faith in humanity. And then build it back up again.

This book was originally published as The Kindness of the Hangman.




While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to this story.

I love reading stories of the holocaust. Well, love is the wrong word, but I think it is important for people to keep reading these stories because I do believe "Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it." This book is the true story of a holocaust survivor. This book is named for one of the "jobs" he held while in Auschwitz, helping to care for the horses of the Nazi's. This story of survival and also of his ability to come to America after and go on to live a long life, it did soothe my heart a little. Henry went on in his life to speak out regularly about his time during the holocaust, his story. It really is an amazing tale of survival.

Lost in Paris

Lost in Paris

By: Betty Webb
Narrated by: Hope Newhouse
Listening length: 9 hours, 37 minutes
Release date: April 4, 2023
My review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Paris, 1922: Zoe Barlow knows the pain of loss. By the age of eighteen, she'd already lost her father to suicide and her reputation to an ill-fated love affair—not to mention other losses, too devastating for words. Exiled from her home and her beloved younger sister by their stepmother, she was unceremoniously dumped in Paris without a friend to help her find her way.

Four years later, Zoe has forged a new life as a painter amidst fellow artists, expats, and revolutionary thinkers struggling to make sense of the world in the aftermath of war. She's adopted this Lost Generation as her new family, so when her dear friend Hadley Hemingway loses a valise containing all of her husband Ernest's writings, Zoe happily volunteers to track it down. But her search for the bag keeps leading to murder victims, and Zoe must again face hard losses—this time among her adopted tribe. If she persists in her reckless quest to find the killer, the next life lost may be her own.

Pulsing with the glamour and excitement of the Jazz Age, Lost in Paris explores a young woman's journey to redeem herself from the heartaches of her past while finding her way forward in tumultuous, unprecedented times.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the chance to listen to this story.

I love books that take me to a time period before my own. This one took me back to the 1920s in Paris. Zoe is living on her own as an artist. I love this character. She is so independent and resourceful. The way that you learn of her past as she is reliving things happening in her current life, made me feel terrible for her. In a search for a lost manuscript, she comes across a murder scene and from there things just wind up getting more and more complex for Zoe. I loved this story and the way that the mystery played out. Seeing Zoe use her art as a way to work through the things she's going through and eventually even the things that went on back in the US for her. It is beautiful to see different ways that people cope and learn to deal with grief. I enjoyed this book but probably wouldn't re-read it.

You Know Her

You Know Her

By Meagan Jennett

Narrated by: Sophie Amoss and Xe Sands

Listening length: 11 hours, 1 minute 

Release date: April 4, 2023 

My review: 3.5 out of 5 stars 

"This book will be the talk of the genre. If you read one thriller this year, read this one." —Chelsea Cain, New York Times bestselling author of Heartsick

Killing Eve meets Sharp Objects in this lush, savage Southern Gothic about two women: a fledgling murderer and the cop hell-bent on catching her.

Two hours before he vanished, Mark Dixon stole a glass of wine. That's what bartender Sophie Braam told the cops when they questioned her about the customer whose mutilated body was just found. What she didn’t tell them is that she’s the one who killed him.

Officer Nora Martin is new to the Bellair Police Department and trying very hard to learn the ropes from Detective Murphy while ignoring all the men in the department snapping about a diversity hire. When she meets Sophie, they build an uneasy camaraderie over shared frustrations.

As winter slides into spring and bodies start piling up, Nora begins to suspect that something’s not quite right with the unnerving, enigmatic bartender. But will she be able to convince Murph, or will he keep laughing off the idea that the serial killer haunting their little town is a woman?

A crackling cat-and-mouse thriller set against the verdant backdrop of small-town Virginia, Meagan Jennett’s You Know Her probes the boundaries of female friendship and the deadly consequences when frustration ferments into rage.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this story.

Talk about creepy! You go between two views; one is the cop looking for a possible serial killer. But no one else in her department seems to be convinced that 1) their murders are that of a serial killer or that 2) it is a woman. But Nora is convinced and is just working her way through clues and learning the ropes of her, soon to be position, in her new dept. The other viewpoint is that of the killer, Sophie. You don't really see at first how deeply disturbed Sophie is. The deeper into the book you get, the crazier you see she is. I just kept wondering when the crazy was going to spill out of the normal facade that she kept so well in place for everyone else. It was a page turner for sure and had me wondering, when (or if) Nora or anyone in her department was ever going to put all the pieces together and be able to stop Sophie. Not sure I really got my answer...

Divine Rivals

Divine Rivals 

By: Rebecca Ross

Narrated by Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk

Listening length: 10 hours, 50 minutes 

Release date: April 4, 2023

My review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish―into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this story.

First of all, if it weren't for the non-ending, this book would have gotten 4.5 or even 5 stars but because this book HAS NO ENDING I had to lower my rating. I hate it when I have to wait for another book to find out what happens. Even in a series, each book should have a full story on its own. This one left me completely questioning the fate of every single character, save one. I did love the story, loved the characters. The idea is something new to me and with the hint of magic in it, it really is a beautiful start. I just wish that it had an ending. I feel like I only read half a book. Beyond frustrating as a reader, especially when this is so newly out, I have to wait who knows how long until the next book. Hopefully that one will have the end of the story.

Stars & Smoke

Stars and Smoke 

By Marie Lu 

Narrated by Becca Q. Co

Listening length: 11 hours, 57 minutes 

Release date March 28, 2023 

My review: five stars out of five stars

The Hating Game meets Mission: Impossible in this smoldering new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu about a superstar tapped to become a secret agent and the reluctant young spy assigned to be his partner.

Meet Winter Young–rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoonworthy assets to a whole new arena...

Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness–his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday–a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off–only he won’t be on his own.

Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she's forced to admit there's more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea's unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes–and maybe even more–if they can survive each other first.

Although I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to this novel! 

When a young spy is forced to team up with a global pop superstar to take down an infamous criminal, all bets are off on if this duo can pull it off. Both of them have a vial of "death" in their pockets, "just in case" it goes wrong, they can't be caught alive after all. Will they be able to pull it off against the odds and keep a new biological weapon off the market? 

This book was so fun! Interesting characters, the story just kept you going, left me wondering what the heck was going to happen. I also LOVE that there is the opportunity for a sequel, but it wasn't left with a totally open ending. I'm ready to re-listen to this book all over again, just to see what details I might have missed. Seriously a great read!