Tag Archives: Suspense

Sea Wife [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

April 14, 2022

Sea Wife by Amity Gaige
#throwbackthursday

 

Sea Wife by Amity Gaige (cover) Image: a lagoon in the foreground and ocean expanse in the background

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Suspense, Sea Life, Living Off the Grid, Adventure

Welcome to Throwback Thursday where I highlight an older review or post a current review of an old read. Today, I’m re-sharing a complicated family drama, Sea Wife by Amity Gaige.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Juliet and Michael are disillusioned with work, life, and marriage for individual reasons, and even though they are novice sailors, they set out for a yearlong sailing venture with their two young children. Things are fine at first until the unexpected happens. (see original post for trigger warnings)

Juliet is more than a wife and more than her husband’s plans for their life. At sea, she finds her voice, survives difficult circumstances, and plants seeds for envisioning a fulfilling future….

Continue here for my full review of Sea Wife..

(including trigger warnings)

QOTD:

Have you read Sea Wife or is it on your TBR?

 

I Must Betray You [Book Review] #YoungAdult #WhatsOnYourBookshelfChallenge

March 18, 2022

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Are You Young at Heart?
Do You Have YA Fiction on Your Bookshelf?

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (cover) Image: in a muted blue toned picture, a person walks alone under turbulent skies toward a palace with a flag

Today for the March #WhatsOnYourBookshelfChallenge I’m focusing on “Young Adult” fiction as I bring you a review of I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys.

Every year, I commit to reading a few YA fiction titles. One of my favorite YA histfic authors is Ruta Sepetys….and I’m proud to declare myself a Sepetys completist! You may be familiar with her back list: Salt to the Sea, Between Shades of Gray, The Fountains of Silence, and Out of the Easy.

Following today’s review, I’ll list a few of my favorite YA titles.

Do you have a favorite YA author or recomendation?

***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Genre/Categories/Setting: Young Adult Historical Fiction, Romania, Communism, Freedom

My Summary:

In 1989, Romania is ruled by dictator, Nicalae Ceausescu. Seventeen-year-old Cristian along with other citizens of Romania deal with intimidation, isolation, fear, repression, hunger, blackmail, informants, and having no voice. Cristian is forced into the impossible situation of betraying friends and family. He hears rumors of revolution and yearns to join it. But what can a young man do? How can he make a difference? How will he make his voice heard?

My Thoughts:

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Code Name Helene [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

March 17, 2022

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
#throwbackthursday

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhom (coveer)

Genre/Categories/Setting: Biographical Historical Fiction, World War 11, French Resistance Movement, France

Welcome to Throwback Thursday where I highlight an older review or post a current review of an old read. Today, I’m re-sharing suspenseful, page-turning historical fiction, Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Told in multiple timelines, Code Name Hélène is the thrilling and intense story of real-life socialite spy, Nancy Wake. Helene is only one of her four code names. When Nancy Wake first meets the love of her life, wealthy Henri Fiocca, in 1936, she is a freelance reporter and an Australian ex-pat living in Paris. As the Germans invade France, she begins her spy career by using her socialite status to smuggle documents and people across borders. Eventually, she is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. At this time she is trained for Special Operations by the British and returns to France to work in the French Resistance Movement. Known for her innovative thinking and leadership, profanity, and red lipstick, she secures weapons from the allied forces for the French Resistance fighters. This is complicated because she is also a hunted woman with a bounty on her head.”

Real-life socialite spy, Nancy Wake….

Nancy Wake in 1945

Image Source: Wikipedia

Fast-paced, suspenseful, and gritty historical fiction…

Continue here for my full review of Code Name Hélène..

QOTD:

Have you read Code Name Hélène or is it on your TBR?

 

The Huntress [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

August 12, 2021

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
#throwbackthursday

The Huntress by Kate Quinn (cover) Image: a shadowy black and white picture of a woman dressed in dark clothing walking away from the camera into an opening

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction (post WW11), mystery, suspense, thriller, romance

In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing a suspenseful and page-turning historical fiction story, The Huntress by Kate Quinn

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“An ex WW11 war correspondent, a former American soldier, and an extraordinary Russian woman pilot team up to hunt down a Nazi war criminal known as The Huntress. The duel timeline fills in the past and follows the present-day intrigue. The two timelines merge in a thrilling and suspenseful conclusion.”

Historical fiction with a generous serving of mystery, intrigue, suspense, and romance!

Continue here for my full review of The Huntress…..

QOTD:

Have you read The Huntress or is it on your TBR?

The Good Sister [Book Review]

July 23, 2021

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

The Good Sister by Sallhy Hepworth (cover) Image: a girl looks out the window of a house at red roses growing in the garden

Genre/Categories: Psychological, Domestic Thriller/Suspense, Siblings

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Twin sisters + one unreliable narrator + good storytelling.

Fern avoids crowds, bright lights, and loud noises. She has a strict schedule and routine, and she’s a popular librarian who cares for the patrons. Rose watches out for her sister, is protective, and a bit controlling. She’s trying desperately to get pregnant. Fern thinks she has a solution for Rose but this plan shakes up both of their lives. Who is the good sister?

My Thoughts:

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The River [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

July 8, 2021

The River by Peter Heller
#throwbackthursday

The River by Peter Heller (cover) Image: white text over an abstract swirl of red leaf shapes

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Wilderness Survival/Thriller, Friendship

In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing a review of an atmospheric wilderness survival thriller, The River by Peter Heller.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“The River is a story of wilderness survival and friendship with a generous side of suspense/thriller. Wynn and Jack are college friends who enjoy the mountains, reading, and fishing, but they get more than they bargained for in this wilderness canoe trip. Instead of days filled with fishing and reading and nights of stargazing, they attempt a rescue as they face starvation, a forest fire, and a dangerous stranger.”

 An atmospheric wilderness thriller…..

Continue here for my full review of The River …

QOTD:

Have you read The River or is it on your TBR?

The Nature of Fragile Things [Book Review]

February 1, 2021

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

The ature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner (cover) Image: a blue toned image of a young woman and a young girl holding hands and walking down the middle of a earthquake damaged street

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Friendship, Women’s Fiction

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyBuddyReads for my complementary e arc of #TheNatureOfFragileThings upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Desperate to leave a deplorable situation in New York City, Sophie Whalen, a young Irish immigrant, agrees to become a mail-order bride. Sophie marries the handsome, but aloof, widower named Martin Hocking and becomes attached to his five-year-old daughter. Martin is away from home frequently. During one absence, a mysterious visitor knocks on Sophie’s door and from that moment on, their lives are intertwined. The great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 is just one of the traumatic events they will face together.

My Thoughts:

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The Wife Upstairs [Book Review]

January 4, 2021

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins (cover) Image: a glimpse of a while railing, black text on blue wallpaper with light pink flowers scattered around

Genre/Categories: domestic suspense, psychological thriller

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Summary:

Thanks, #NetGalley @MacmillanAudio @Macillan.Audio for a complimentary e ARC of #TheWifeUpstairs for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A twisty, slow-burn, domestic suspense story inspired by Jane Eyre.

Plain but street smart Jane has aged out of the foster care system and is struggling to make it on her own in a small suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. After a brief stint in a coffee shop, she becomes a dog walker in the upscale, gated community of Thornfield Estates. She supplements her income by stealing jewelry and other small items from her clients. One day while walking through the estates, she meets Eddie Rochester, a rich widower, whose wife recently died in a boating accident. Their insta attraction is complicated because Jane is running from her past and Eddie has secrets of his own.

My Thoughts:

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10 Mildly Suspenseful Books #toptentuesday

October 27, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Mildly Suspenseful Books

top ten tuesday

I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl: Top Ten Tuesday: Halloween Freebie.

Are you a HSP (highly sensitive person) like me? Or do you like the scariest and most thrilling reads?

Does the thought of reading scary books cause anxiety?

I have a bookish confession: I’m an October Outlier. I don’t read books that fall into the horror, true crime, crime fiction, paranormal, or thriller categories or are too scary or spooky. I’m highly susceptible to nightmares. So…..this makes a typical Halloween post rather tricky! If you share my preferences and would rather have recommendations for “slightly suspenseful,” I think you might like today’s list!

I have discovered that I can tolerate a bit of suspense! However, I won’t promise you that I haven’t peeked at the last page to be sure my favorite characters are still alive!

Here’s my list of books that I have enjoyed that have a bit of suspense but are not too scary! I should also note that none of these books have a Halloween theme or setting.

Is there a certain type of book that you enjoy reading in the fall?

pumpkins

*Titles are Amazon affiliate links. (more…)

Force of Nature [Book Review] #throwbackthursday

(***This post is republished from earlier because of a publishing glitch in the previous post which I cannot fix #bloggingproblems sorry for the duplicate)

October 1, 2020

Force of Nature by Jane Harper
#throwbackthursday

Force of Nature by Jane Harper (cover) Image: white text on a background of hills and trees

Genre/Categories: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Detective, Suspense, Australian

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday.

This year as part of Blog Audit Challenge 2020 I’m going back to update older review posts. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads, and today I’m sharing my review of Force of Nature by Jane Harper, an atmospheric whodunit…

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

“Five women go on a hike in the Australian forested wilderness and only four return. As the women grab their backpacks and reluctantly set out, not one of the five women attending this three-day, mandated, corporate, team-building retreat is thrilled about the prospect. When four of the five women emerge from the woods battered and bruised, an investigation is launched to find the fifth woman. Federal agent Falk returns to help the investigation, and the story alternates between the present day investigation and the women’s experiences as the hike unfolded a few days earlier. Was the fifth woman murdered?”

Continue here for my review of Force of Nature by Jane Harper …

Lost in the Australian Bush….what would you do?

QOTD: Have you read Force of Nature by Jane Harper or is it on your TBR?