Title: Sometimes I Lie Author: Alice Feeney Pub. Date: 13-Mar-2018 Rating: 5 Stars
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney is a chilling debut novel that you will not put down until the last sentence is devoured. This psychological thriller is in the vain of Gone Girl and is sure to keep you awake long after you have finished reading. Definitely one of the best this year.
At this point I usually give a synopsis of the plot; however, this time it is impossible to without some sort of spoiler and I hate spoilers. Believe me, this book is too good and you will be thanking me after you read it. Instead I am just giving you the blurb from the book. Continue reading “Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney”
Holy Smokes! Tobacco Sun by Lorna Hollifield has got to be one of the best written books I have had the pleasure to read this year. It was so good, when I finished reading I had to sit there and let it simmer for a bit. The story is told from three POVs, Sydra the younger sister and Hollywood Star, Jimmi-Lyn the scarred older sister, and Vanse the lifelong friend of both. As each reflects on events during their life, the author is able to slowly and painstakingly paint a picture of the results of these experiences.
Sydra left for Hollywood just before graduating from high school with no intention of ever returning. That is until her mother dies and she is drawn back to the last place she ever expected to see again. She is there less than two days and she has already seduced Vanse and killed her father. Continue reading “Tobacco Sun by Lorna Hollifield”
Title: Good Me Bad Me Author: Ali Land Pub. Date: 12-Jan-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land is a debut novel and a gripping psychological thriller. From the first page, I was lured into the dark places of a twisted and disturbed mind. The mind of Milly, who used to be Annie, and the story of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother a serial killer of children. Milly has seen and heard what no one should have to…. especially a child.
The story opens as Annie, at the age of fifteen, finally reaches a breaking point and turns her mother into the police. She tells the detective what happens in her home. What her mother does. She gives him a bloody piece of clothing and a teddy bear. She is scared. As promised, they come in the middle of the night and arrest her mother. She is given a new name, Milly, and a great foster family. They tell her how lucky she is to have a foster father like Mike, who is a psychologist. He will help her with the trauma and prepare her for the trial against her mother where she is the key witness. Continue reading “Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land”
Title: Like Father Like Daughter Author: Christina Morgan Pub. Date: 12-July-2016 Rating: 5 Stars
Like Father Like Daughter has an opening scene that makes you want to devour this book. While I did not read it in one sitting it was close. The main character of Elizabeth “Libby” was so good. She was flawed in all the right ways and sometimes I just wanted to strangle her for making poor decisions. To me, things like this make a book a great read and not just a good read.
Libby Carter wakes up with a pounding headache to find her husband lying dead next to her. She cannot remember a thing about the previous evening. Though her marriage was not perfect she loved her husband. She would never kill him. Would she? Continue reading “Like Father Like Daughter by Christina Morgan”
Title: The Gods Who Walk Among Us Author: Max Eastern Pub. Date: 14-Mar-2017 Rating: 4 Stars
The Gods Who Walk Among Us is a fast paced thriller. There is plenty of action, suspense and twists in this story to keep any reader sitting on the edge of their seat. This is Max Eastern’s debut novel and a thriller that will have you wanting more; therefore, thriller lovers should be on the lookout for more from this new author.
The story is set in New York City where Adam Azoulay is a washed up attorney working as a paparazzo trying to survive on a merger living selling celebrity photos. By chance, one evening he captures a brief video of an African warlord with an American celebrity of sorts. This draws the attention of a nonprofit looking to make a name for themselves by presenting an award to an elusive, but well known, human rights advocate. To date they have not been able to reach the recipient. They recruit Adam to track him down. Continue reading “The Gods Who Walk Among Us by Max Eastern”
Wow! What a great story. I could not help falling in love with the character of Lola. Yet, I feel like I am not supposed to like the gang banger she is, this is morally wrong, but I could not help myself. Lola and her story are so compelling. How can a Mexican-American woman rise to power in a gang in South Central LA.? Lola does it because she is a strong, determined woman. She knows what she wants and she is smart enough to get it.
Most people think Lola is just the girlfriend to Garcia the leader of a small gang that calls themselves The Crenshaw Six. Lola likes it this way. She likes being in the shadows biding her time. Yet, her time is running short. The cartel, unaware that Lola is the true leader, has asked Garcia to disrupt a rival’s drop and bring them the drugs and two million cash that is to change hands. When the drop goes bad because Lola’s younger brother, Hector, makes a fatal mistake, Lola’s very life is on the line. She gets drawn much deeper into the world of drug trafficking than a small time gang leader would normally go. This just might be the chance for Lola to prove herself and rise from the shadows. That is IF she manages to stay alive.
There are many twists in the plot and that kept me on my toes. I was constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next and what brilliant plan Lola was going to devise to get out of the sticky situations she finds herself in. One problem with the story, all the men of power too readily accept Lola as a leader. Sure, it maybe plausible but I say highly unlikely is more like it. For this reason, I think the story was a bit Hollywood. At the same time it was so well written I can easily over look this.
I recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers. Note of caution, the story does contain violence and talks about drugs, child prostitution, pedophiles and other topics some people might find disturbing.
I received a free ARE from Crown Publishing through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.
