Review: Reputation by Sara Shepherd

Title: Reputation

Author:  Sara Shepherd
Publisher: Dutton
Publishing Date:  December 3rd, 2019

Pages: 373
Genre: Adult Mystery Thriller

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Audio

 

Aldrich University is rocked to its core when a hacker dumps 40,000 people's e-mails—the entire faculty, staff, students, alums—onto an easily searchable database. Rumors and affairs immediately leak, but things turn explosive when Kit Manning's handsome husband, Dr. Greg Strasser, is found murdered. Kit's sister, Willa, returns for the funeral, setting foot in a hometown she fled fifteen years ago, after a night she wishes she could forget. As an investigative reporter, Willa knows something isn't right about the night Greg was killed, and she's determined to find the truth. What she doesn't expect is that everyone has something to hide. And with a killer on the loose, Willa and Kit must figure out who killed Greg before someone else is murdered.

Told from multiple points of view, Reputation is full of twists, turns, and shocking reveals. It's a story of intrigue, sabotage, and the secrets we keep—and how far we go to keep them hidden. Number one bestseller Sara Shepard is at the top of her game in this brand-new adult novel.

Last year I read The Elizas by Sara Shepard last year and I loved it. I wasn't sure if I was going to give her adult books a chance because of my feelings for pretty little liars. But I did like her writing so I thought I would give it a chance. I adored it and when I saw she came out with a new adult book, I was excited. I wanted to read it asap and I did. I loved it! My favorite book of hers so far. So good. I loved the mystery, the characters, the stories, how everything weaved together. It was written well and it dealt with sexual assault on girls very well. I just loved everything about it. 

Aldrich University is a very well known prestigious university. The smartest and brightest kids get in. That is why it was a perfect target for a hacker to go in and make every email account for the university accessible for anyone to read. The story focus on Kit, the wife of a professor and daughter of the president of the university. After the email hack, Kit's husband, Greg,  ends up dead. She and her sister need to find the murderer and find out why he was killed. In the process secrets are discovered and there are numerous suspects because some of Greg's secrets were deadly. 

So what I thought of this book. This book just amazed me and surprised me. Like I said I did enjoy her other adult book, The Elizas, and thought I would enjoy this one too... but I more than enjoyed it. I couldn't put it down. It shocked me, it made me cry, it made me root for some not so good guys, it crossed so many grey areas. It was written very well and it was just amazing. 

One thing I loved about this book, it was told from many pov's. It wasn't confusing either. I was able to keep up quite well. Each individual was very unique and had a strong voice. So many personalities in one book. I can't name all the pov's at this moment, as I can't recall all their names, but there were quite a bit and they all came together to tell the story of what happened leading up to and on the night the murder happened. I really can't say I didn't like any of the characters. I loved them all. They were all so different and so strong in their own way. I feel that every one of their stories were so important. 

The setting was okay. I enjoyed it. I haven't read much from the university setting and I must say I wish there was more of them out there. It was very interesting and I wish that there would have been more details on the setting. It was done well but I feel compared to the story, it lacked a bit. 

The book in the end was really focused on assault on women. I loved how well this was done. There was a bit of women empowering other women and it made me really warm inside thinking about women standing up for other women. Sometimes I feel this lacks a bit. The reasons why women don't come forward, don't think they can speak up, this was done well too. I also loved how it told the other side of women taking advantage of men too. So it wasn't just one sided. The entire thing was just dealt with so wonderfully. 

The mystery was done well too. I had not clue , I mean no clue who did it. Everyone was a suspect in the book and a suspect of mine at one time or another. I was thoroughly confused on who the murderer was. I was shocked a bit but when it came out. Not totally, it made sense I could look back and see how it made sense, but I didn't see it until the author wanted me to see it. Great mystery. 

I really wanted more when it ended. The ending was complete and it was wrapped up nice. But I wasn't ready to leave this world, these characters behind. I would read more if there was more. I really did enjoy it. 

Truly just loved this book. If you like murder mystery and drama, read this book. 

Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She has lived in New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.

Review: And Then You Were Gone by R.J. Jacobs

Title:  And Then You Were Gone  R.J. Jacobs

Author:  R.J. Jacobs
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publishing Date:  March 13th, 2019

Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Audio

 

After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she’s got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees—wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift…and Paolo is gone.

A strong swimmer, there’s no way Paolo drowned, but Emily is at a loss for any other explanation. Where else could he have gone? And why? As the hours and days pass by, each moment marking Paolo’s disappearance, Emily’s hard-won stability begins to slip.

But when Emily uncovers evidence suggesting Paolo was murdered, the investigation throws her mania into overdrive, even as she becomes a person of interest in her own personal tragedy. To clear her name, Emily must find the truth—but can she hold onto her own sanity in the process?

Oh I liked this book. This book was good. I found it while roaming around Goodreads or audible. I can't remember. What drew me into this book was the fact that the main character is bipolar and also its a mystery thriller. So I knew I had to have it. I am so glad that I found this book. I truly enjoyed it.  I feel that was so much good with this book. 


Emily and her boyfriend Paulo go on a trip across the waters on a boat. They are having a good time, they drink a little, play around a little, then they go to sleep. In the morning Emily wakes up not feeling so great and finds that Paulo is gone. No trace. Emily calls the police and investigation is started. Something fishy is going on and it is confirmed when a co-worker of Paulo's is found dead. Suddenly Emily is the main suspect in the murder and the disappearance of Paulo. She teams up with Paulo's best friend to try and figure it all out. Who by the way... really doesn't like Emily. 

So to start. I love that the main character is bipolar. I love when books highlight this mental illness. I have a special p lace in my heart for this illness because I have a loved one that lives with it daily. So I do love it when there is a main character that suffers from bipolar. It also makes a mystery suspense thriller read much more since the narrator is a bit unreliable if their mania or depression is not under control. 

The main character in this book just rocked. I adored her so much. She was was very aware of her illness, her mental states, and how it effects her life. She was a strong independent woman and really just good. I loved her. 

I also fell in love with Cal. He is the boyfriends best friend and he was just great. I have to admit at first he was quite an asshole but the reasons why come out and make sense and he does change his tune quickly...well slowly but it happens. And I just adored him too. 

The entire book really surprised me. The mystery was good, the suspense was good. They story was good. The mystery did take a different route than I thought it would, but the entire story behind what was going on was just so interesting. 

The book did a great job of exploring bi-polar and other things as in PSTD. The wonderful thing was the issues that were packed into this book were done so seamlessly and effortlessly they felt natural. 

I really enjoyed this entire book. Great characters, a little bit of romance, a great plot, it was all good. The narrator was great too. It was full package for me. I will for sure be watching out for more from this author. 

A really great mystery read! 

R. J. Jacobs lives in Nashville where he maintains a private practice as a psychologist. After completing a post-doctoral residency at Vanderbilt, he has taught Abnormal Psychology, presented at numerous conferences, and routinely performs PTSD evaluations for veterans.

Review: The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

Title: The House Swap 

Author:  Rebecca Fleet 
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Publishing Date:  May 22nd, 2018

Pages: 320
Genre: Adult Noir, Thriller/Suspense

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Audio

 

Be careful who you let in . . .
When Caroline and Francis receive an offer to house swap--from their city flat to a townhouse in a leafy, upscale London suburb--they jump at the chance for a week away from home, their son, and the tensions that have pushed their marriage to the brink.
As the couple settles in, the old problems that permeate their marriage--his unhealthy behaviors, her indiscretions--start bubbling to the surface. But while they attempt to mend their relationship, their neighbor, an intense young woman, is showing a little too much interest in their activities.
Meanwhile, Caroline slowly begins to uncover some signs of life in the stark house--signs of her life. The flowers in the bathroom or the music might seem innocent to anyone else--but to her they are clues. It seems the person they have swapped with is someone who knows her, someone who knows the secrets she's desperate to forget...

I am really enjoying the genre Noir lately.  I have read some good ones and this one is no exception. I absolutely loved this book. This book was exactly what I was in the mood for, suspense, psychological, and so creepy at times. I loved the story, the characters, and the writing. It was just so so good. This is a debut book for this author and I can't wait to read more from her in the future. So good guys. 

Caroline and Francis decide to take a little vacation, to save some money the do a house swap. That's not creepy and invading at all. Their marriage has been on the rocks and they need some time together away from their child, stress of life, and jobs. These two have some sins in their past and the sins of Caroline come to haunt her while she is in this stranger's house. The house they are staying at is pretty empty and cold, the only things around the house are items that are reminders of the affair Caroline had some time back. She is starting to question whose house she is staying at and who is currently in her house. Even strange yet is the really nice neighbor lady that is all up in Caroline's business. It all seems to come together in the end and it doesn't look good for Caroline. 

I really love Noir books. I love the victim not really being the nicest person, I enjoy watching lines of morality being crossed for the right reasons. I think I like it because we all mess up and this genre really shows that there isn't a clear division between good and evil. We all have done bad things, we have all been good people. This genre explores all of that. This book completely fits into this genre. 

Caroline has made some bad decisions in her life.  I mean so really messed up choices. She has had to pay consequences in her own way but the choices she made is coming back to haunt her. This story is told in dual timelines and the story of her affair unfolds in the past timeline and the future timeline explores the situation she is currently in.... the creepy house. 

I felt bad for Caroline in the present. She knows what she did wrong and she lives with it every day. In the past, I hate the Caroline for her choices...even though I understand why she felt the need to make the choices she made, I still didn't like it. What I love about the dual timelines is the ability to really connect with the characters and to enjoy the mystery of what happened. Even though I didn't agree with her choices, I felt she was deep down a decent person who wanted her family to work, she loved her son and her husband, but she felt trapped and she found a way to deal with her current situation. I felt she was real. She was normal. She was just like everyone else. I really connected with her. 

The other characters, I didn't really connect as much too. I felt this was more Carolines story. I could feel for the other characters involved in her life. I was angry, sad, excited, I felt the struggles and the celebrations of the other characters, I just didn't feel for them the way I did Caroline. This didn't take away from the story, I think it helped to see the story in a clearer vision. It was all about Caroline. 

In this genre, it's really not about the story as much as the main character. So the story wasn't anything exception... The affair, damaged people, creepy things happening, twists and turns, the normal. I did really enjoy how the house swap fit into everything. That was very well done and creepy as all get out. I would never do a house swap to begin with, now for sure NEVER!

So yea the story was great, the writing was so good, the characters were well done. It all just flowed and ebbed in the right way. 

So loved this book. CREEPY as HELL!

Rebecca Fleet’s brilliant page-turner The House Swap was pre-empted by Transworld for publication in May 2018 and has sold in 16 territories. The novel combines psychological suspense with domestic drama. When a young couple organises a house swap to have a break away – a first step towards rebuilding their faltering marriage – the wife slowly begins to realise from clues left in the house that the person staying back in their home is someone she used to know and, for reasons that gradually become clear, was very much hoping to forget. Rebecca had two literary novels published by 4th Estate under a different name.

Review: The Retreat by Mark Edwards

Title:  The Retreat

Author:  Mark Edwards
Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Publishing Date: May 10th, 2018

Pages: 335
Genre: Adult Thriller-Suspense 

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Audio

 

A missing child. A desperate mother. And a house full of secrets.
Two years ago, Julia lost her family in a tragic accident. Her husband drowned trying to save their daughter, Lily, in the river near their rural home. But the little girl’s body was never found—and Julia believes Lily is somehow still alive.
Alone and broke, Julia opens her house as a writers’ retreat. One of the first guests is Lucas, a horror novelist, who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Lily. But within days of his arrival, the peace of the retreat is shattered by a series of eerie events.
When Lucas’s investigation leads him and Julia into the woods, they discover a dark secret—a secret that someone will do anything to protect…
What really happened that day by the river? Why was Lily never found? And who, or what, is haunting the retreat?


From the bestselling author of Follow You Home and The Magpies come his most terrifying novel yet.

I have been obsessed lately with thriller suspense books.  I was really excited to read this one. It sounded really good and creepy. I enjoyed this book.  This was the first book I have read from this author and I do plan on reading more.  I really enjoyed the creep factor and the anxiety of this read.  

A horror writer, Lucas, decides to spend some time at a writing retreat. He is currently in a writer's block kind of way and he needs a little peace and quiet. Once he is at the writer's retreat he finds the owner has recently (in the last two years) lost a little girl in the forest. He finds the details frightening close to his book and he feels he must solve the case. He likes Julia, the owner of the retreat, and he feels for her. He wants to find out what happened to this little girl. Soon it is discovered that there is something really off that happens in this town and everyone blames it on the Red Widow, but it seems the entire town or someone who gets around wants to keep it all under wraps.

This book was pretty good. I found it slow in parts and the mystery, well at least part of the mystery was a little to easy to figure out but for the most part, it was good. I found an amazing creepiness in the tone and in the setting it really helped set the entire book up for what I wanted.

I think the only issue I really had with this book was lack of connection to the characters. I didn't dislike the characters. I just wasn't emotionally attached. I did like their role int he story and I liked their backgrounds. Something just stopped me from really connecting. There were a lot of characters to keep up with. There were only two major characters, Julia and Lucas, but there were a ton of other characters. The story is told in 3rd person and switches a lot. So I had a hard time keeping up and I think that hindered my connection level. But the connection wasn't bad, just not as much as I like. 

I did like the story and the plotline. I feel it played out very well, and even though I was able to guess some parts, I was still shocked by some reveals. There was a lot going on. There was the past story of Lucas, the stories of others in the writers retreat, stories of the townspeople, and of course Julia's story. It was a lot to keep up with and I feel there were some filler parts but all in all. The story was good. The ending was quite a shocker and I feel that this story isn't over even though it is. 

I think the best part for me was the feel of the book. Total creepville and that is what I was in the mood for. SO it was a good read for me. 

I really enjoyed this book and it did its job well in the creepy and crawly department. 

I write psychological thrillers. My influences include writers such as Stephen King, Ira Levin, Ruth Rendell, Ian McEwan, Val McDermid and Donna Tartt and movies like Rosemary's Baby, Single White Female, Fatal Attraction and anything in which scary things happen to ordinary people.

I love hearing from readers and always respond. I can be contacted in the following ways:
Email: markcity@me.com
Twitter @mredwards
Facebook: www.facebook.com/markedwardsbooks

You can download a free box set of 'Short Sharp Shockers' by visiting www.markedwardsauthor.com/free

Review: Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Title:  Not If I Save You First

Author:  Ally Carter
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publishing Date: March 27th, 2018

Pages:  304
Genre: YA Thriller

Series:  Stand Alone
Source: Audio

 

Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when your dad is a Secret Service agent and your best friend is the president's son, sometimes life has other plans. Before she knows it, Maddie's dad is dragging her to a cabin in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

No phone.
No Internet.
And not a single word from Logan.

Maddie tells herself it's okay. After all, she's the most popular girl for twenty miles in any direction. (She’s also the only girl for twenty miles in any direction.) She has wood to cut and weapons to bedazzle. Her life is full.
Until Logan shows up six years later . . .
And Maddie wants to kill him.

But before that can happen, an assailant appears out of nowhere, knocking Maddie off a cliff and dragging Logan to some unknown fate. Maddie knows she could turn back- and get help. But the weather is turning and the terrain will only get more treacherous, the animals more deadly.

Maddie still really wants to kill Logan.
But she has to save him first.

I had been waiting for a new Ally Carter book to come out for a very long time. I love her books. Just adore them. I was so excited to see that this one was a bit more thriller and less spy-action type book. So let me tell you. This book was so good. I was just entranced. I didn't want to do anything but listen to this lovely book. I was in deep. It was so awesome and I could just gush and gush about this read. Great characters, thrilling story, fabulous setting, yup just so freaking awesome! 

Little girl Maddie had an interesting childhood and childhood best friend. Her father was secret service detailing the president. She was best friends with the president's son. She spent fun times in the White House. She loved this life... until a dreadful night where things went bad and changed her future. Right after this night, her father quit the secret service and moves them to Alaska. Not just Alaska but Alaska no man's land. She loses the life she loved, the dresses, the part, the excitement. She loses her best friend, and she loses her sanity. She and her father live in a small cabin in Alaska where no one else seems to exist. She often wrote to Logan, the president's son, for years. But she never did get letters back in return. She gave up. Now years later, Logan is sent to her cabin in Alaska to spend some time... his parents hoping it would keep him out of trouble... but trouble seems to follow him. On a dreadfully cold day, Maddie's father is on a job out of town, She and Logan get kidnapped by some crazy guy. This is where the adventure begins and secrets come out. 

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2018 and one of my favorite reads for 2018. Of course, I do have a lot of those but this book is definitely at the top. I just loved everything about it. Ally Carter has a writing style that always draws me and makes me fall in love with all her characters. This book was no different. I had so much fun reading this. Not that the book was only fun, there were nail-biting moments, angry moments, sweet moments, slap the characters in the face moments, and all the moments I need to make me love the book. 

Maddie is just a wonderful character. She had her flaws for sure. She was angry, she was lonely, she was unforgiving. But I loved her because she was also tough, smart, resourceful, fierce, snarky, sassy, and all around bad ass. 

Logan was a bit more of a flawed character. He was a troublemaker but not in the bad kind of trouble making but the sneaky and prankster kind of troublemaker. He was a hooligan, he was a smart ass, he was someone that needed a little bit of discipline in his life. He was fun though and I spent so much time laughing at him and his shenanigans. He was not a bad ass though. He was kind of helpless at times. But he did know when he had to step in and be a man and when he needed to he did. 

What is great about this book. Well besides everything, in this story, the girl is the hero. She is the one that has to do the saving.  Yes, there were a few times where Logan had to save her but for the most part, she was the brains, she was the muscle, she was the hero. I for sure wouldn't want to cross her. 

The parents in this book were awesome too. We don't see them much because well the two teens are kidnapped and roaming the wilderness of Alaska, but the parts that are there, they are loving and funny and endearing. 

There is romance but not at the beginning. In the beginning, Maddie pretty much despises Logan but really what YA book doesn't come with a bit of romance in the adventure and life-saving moments. It's a good romance too. Five stars for the romance. 

I can't say what really stood out for me in this book because I loved it all. The entire things from characters to story, setting, writing, thrills, and chills, adventure, romance, it was just all superb and really came together so flawlessly.

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

Ally Carter writes books about spies, thieves, and teenagers. She is the New York Times Best-selling author of the Gallagher Girls, Heist Society, and Embassy Row series. Her books have been published all over the world, in over twenty languages.

She encourages you to visit her online at allycarter.com and embassyrowbooks.com.