What Lies Between Us by |Arc Review

SYNOPSIS

Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.

They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.

Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.

UM, HOLY GUACAMOLE, YOU GUYS!

I am currently at a loss for words, because John Marrs has once again rendered me speechless. This is my third John Marrs’ book, and they seriously get better and better. Like, seriously, what did I just read?!

Told through alternating POVs spanning with flashbacks from over the course of two and a half decades to current day. We are introduced to Maggie and Nina’s dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship. John Marrs takes you on a roller coaster ride as we learn why Nina keeps her mother a prisoner in their own home.

This book was completely addictive as it is unhinged and insane. Twists after twists are thrown at you left and right as the story unfolds leaving you shell-shocked. I was at the edge of my seat reading this! Do you ever catch yourself talking to yourself or gasping so loud, the person next to you gives you a weird look? Because I did that with this book. Sometimes I would think I figured something out (YAY ME!), then John Marrs would say “haha, jokes on you. PLOT TWISTS.”

So, without giving anything away- I promise you guys will not be disappointed if you pick this up! With so many thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and John Marrs for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Details

Title: What Lies Between Us
Author: John Marrs
Publication Date: May 15th, 2020

Do you have an author whom you’ll pretty much read anything by without looking at the synopsis?

I have so many, and I know this will come as a shocker, but John Marrs is one author I’ll read anything by, lol! I’m pretty sure I immediately requested this book as soon as I heard John was releasing a new book. SO- I’d love to hear about the staple authors in your library!

Pretty Things | Book Review

52217478. sx318 sy475 — Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Synopsis

Two wildly different women–one a grifter, the other an heiress–are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear.

Nina once bought into the idea that her fancy liberal arts degree would lead to a fulfilling career. When that dream crashed, she turned to stealing from rich kids in L.A. alongside her wily Irish boyfriend, Lachlan. Nina learned from the best: Her mother was the original con artist, hustling to give her daughter a decent childhood despite their wayward life. But when her mom gets sick, Nina puts everything on the line to help her, even if it means running her most audacious, dangerous scam yet.

Vanessa is a privileged young heiress who wanted to make her mark in the world. Instead she becomes an Instagram influencer–traveling the globe, receiving free clothes and products, and posing for pictures in exotic locales. But behind the covetable façade is a life marked by tragedy. After a broken engagement, Vanessa retreats to her family’s sprawling mountain estate, Stonehaven: A mansion of dark secrets not just from Vanessa’s past, but from that of a lost and troubled girl named Nina.

Nina, Vanessa, and Lachlan’s paths collide here, on the cold shores of Lake Tahoe, where their intertwined lives give way to a winter of aspiration and desire, duplicity and revenge.

This dazzling, twisty, mesmerizing novel showcases acclaimed author Janelle Brown at her best, as two brilliant, damaged women try to survive the greatest game of deceit and destruction they will ever play.

My Review

“Don’t take too much; don’t get greedy. Take only what won’t be missed. And only steal from those who can afford it.”

Firstly, can we all just take a moment to admire the beautiful cover! I’m not going to lie. It was one of the reason that convinced me I needed to have this book. Cover aside, this is my first novel by Janelle Brown and it truly did not disappoint.

Pretty Things is a slow-burner, character-driven novel. At almost 500 pages, there were moments that felt too slow to me and wished it was just a tad bit shorter; however, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was well-written and does keep you intrigued from beginning to ending.

The story is written as alternating POVs from Nina, a con artist, and Vanessa, an Instagram influencer, which will always be a plus for me because it tends to capture my attention more. Nina uses her Instagram primarily as a way to track her targets and learn the ins and outs of their life. She has been tracking Vanessa for quite some time, so when Nina’s mother fall ill and needs a heaping amount of money for treatment, Nina decide it is time to insert herself into Vanessa’s life. What happens next is a story of deception, betrayal, and loyalty.

Now might also be the time for me to tell you that I personally would not classify this book as a psychological thriller. While there are plot twists and tension that will have you turning the page like there is no tomorrow, I think it’s more appropriate to classify it as a literary suspense. The suspenseful moments are woven throughout the story leaving you to try and anticipate the ending. The story plays on more than just the plot of con-artist and social class difference. It is a multi-layered book. You get to see the impact social media has on a person when they broadcast every moment of their lives, it brings awareness to the fact that you don’t need anyone to validate you, and through all the backstabbing and lies, it shows what forgiveness can do for you.

Overall, I found Pretty Things to be a gripping story with many twists and turns. I did have some minor questions and though I do wished it was a tad bit shorter, I absolutely enjoyed this story and the emotional yet suspenseful roller-coaster it took me on. I am so ecstatic that Nicole Kidman will be starring and producing Pretty Things.

“When you’re documenting everything that you do, you stop living life for yourself and start living it as a performance for others.”

Book Details:

Title: Pretty Things
Author: Janelle Brown
Publication Date: April 21, 2020
Goodreads: Pretty Things

Have you read Pretty Things yet? If so, have you started thinking about some cast members? Drop your guesses in the comments!

The Honey-Don’t List | Arc Review

Synopsis:

Carey Douglas has worked for Melissa and Rusty Tripp, famous home remodeling and design team, for about ten years. The couple works together to create designs and has built up an empire of Netflix remodeling shows. They are beloved across the country, with only one problem, they don’t actually like each other. With Carey as Melissa’s assistant she is tasked with making the couple appear more than what they are.

James McCann is an MIT graduate that was hired by the Tripps to be a structural engineer. However, James soon realizes this job is not what he was anticipating.

Carey and James must accompany the Tripps on their book tour to keep the “happy couple” in line. They must work together to keep their bosses’ secrets and to secure their own jobs.

Review:

I have come to realize that I will most likely read anything that this duo puts out! I absolutely fell in love with their book, The Unhooneymooners, and felt overall happy with Twice in a Blue Moon and Roomies. This duo writes some amazing and witty rom-coms that have you up past your bedtime trying to finish. So when I saw that they were coming out with another one, you know your girl had to go hit up Netgalley to try and get an early release copy. Not only was I lucky enough to snag an ebook copy, so was Thi! Since we both received a copy, we decided to have ourselves a buddy read.

When we finished this book, we both found that we generally agreed on our star rating for the book, as well as our overall feelings. So with that being said, consider this review to be a joint endeavor!

From the outset I found Carey to be one of the most relate-able female leads in a story. Someone who has invested so much time and energy into a job and watching it succeed that it starts to consume your daily life. She puts her all into making sure that her boss Melissa is happy, that she hasn’t taken the time to see if she is happy. I enjoyed watching her grow into a strong independent female.

On the flip side, James was not like most male love interests in a rom-com. I am tired of reading about men that think that they always know what is best for the female in the story. That they are somehow entitled to be with that person for the mere fact that they exist. James from the start was passionate about what he wanted for himself out of life and his career, while also being understanding of other people. He was an excellent addition to this cast of characters and I don’t think he could have been written in any better.

The fun, witty banter that Christina Lauren writes is always a pleasure to read and they did not disappoint in this novel either. I loved the different types of relationships and dialogue between all the characters throughout this novel and I also think important topics of discussion were brought up that provided insights into unhealthy relationships and learning to value yourself.

I have been looking for the next good rom-com that I can wholeheartedly recommend to everyone, and this one fits the bill! This book releases on March 24, 2020 and should be read by any and everybody who loves a fun, quick romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving us the chance to review this book in return for our honest review!

Book Details:

TITLE: THE HONEY-DON’T LIST
AUTHOR: CHRISTINA LAUREN
PUBLICATION DATE: MARCH 24, 2020
PURCHASED/GIFT/LIBRARY/BORROW: e-ARC FROM NETGALLEY
GOODREADS: The Honey-Don’t List

Christie/Thi

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird | Arc Review

Synopsis:

Lydia and Freddie. Freddie and Lydia. They’d been together for more than a decade, and Lydia thought their love was indestructible. But she was wrong. On her twenty-eighth birthday, Freddie died in a car accident.

So now it’s just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide indoors and sob until her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to try to live fully, happily, even without him. So, enlisting the help of his best friend, Jonah, and her sister, Elle, she takes her first tentative steps into the world, open to life–and perhaps even love–again.

But then something inexplicable happens that gives her another chance at her old life with Freddie. A life where none of the tragic events of the past few months have happened. Lydia is pulled again and again across the doorway of her past, living two lives, impossibly, at once. But there’s an emotional toll to returning to a world where Freddie, alive, still owns her heart. Because there’s someone in her new life, her real life, who wants her to stay.

Review:

After falling in love with Josie Silver’s debut novel, One Day in December, I knew she would be an author I’d read anything from. When I saw Two Lives of Lydia Bird available to be requested on Netgalley- I didn’t even read the synopsis. I just sent a request and hoped I’d be approved. And man, she knocked this book out the ball park!

I tend to alternate between being a mood reader and a book list reader. Up until the earlier part of this year, I was able to create a monthly stack and keep to a very precise reading schedule. Over the last two months, I have been all over the place with my reading. I’d pick up a book and decide I no longer wanted to continue it. Two Lives of Lydia Bird just clicked with me and gave me ALL THE FREAKING FEELS, Y’ALL!

I was already sobbing within minutes. It is as much an endearing novel as it is raw and touching. It is a story about grief and the ups and downs that coexist with it. We follow Lydia after she loses her fiance (whom she has been with for over a decade) as she learns to navigate her life and tries to make sense of everything. In the midst of it all, Lydia has found a loophole that allows her to live a double life. One where she and Freddie can still be together. We watch as she learns to juggle between the two lives.

It is a beautiful story with many wonderful supporting characters. From her mom to her sister to people at work, she has an entire of village supporting her every step of the way as she learns to find her own strength. The characters and the emotions are heart-achingly beautiful. I tend to gravitate towards more emotionally-drawn novels because they are relate-able and there is always a lesson to take out of them. I found myself crying throughout the novel because it felt so real. We all know there is no one direct process to cope with grief and definitely no time limit. I appreciate Josie Silver for including all the struggles and hardships, as well as, the strength and willpower it takes to make it to the next day.

This is truly a story that will stay with me forever. I loved it so much I have already ordered a physical copy through Book of the Month. I know many have and will ask how it compares with One Day in December and I just wanted to make a quick comment. To me, both novels are completely different. Whereas One Day in December is a romance novel, Two Lives of Lydia is not. There are some mentions of romance, but overall it is a story of grief and of finding and believing in yourself. So don’t go into The Two Lives of Lydia Bird expecting a grand romance. Instead, have tissues ready!

Book Details:

TITLE: THE TWO LIVES OF LYDIA BIRD
AUTHOR: JOSIE SILVER
PUBLICATION DATE: MARCH 3, 2020
PURCHASED/GIFT/LIBRARY/BORROW: eARC NETGALLEY
GOODREADS: THE TWO LIVES OF LYDIA BIRD

With many thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird releases March 3, 2020! If it’s not already in your cart, preordered, or wishlist- DO IT NOW 🙂

Over and out.

Thi

Throne of Glass | Book Reveiw

Synopsis:

Celaena Sardothien is Ardalan’s Assassin and has been imprisoned in Endovier. The Crown Prince, Dorian has come to make her a competitor to become the King’s champion. When she makes it to the castle and begins in the competition, one by one the champions start dying in horribly gruesome ways. Calaena must fight for her freedom and survival, while trying to root out the source of the killing before it kills herself and those she holds dear.

Along the way she finds ways to overcome her previous betrayals and seek refuge in new friends and allies. From the Crown Prince himself, the Captain of the Guard, and an unlikely friendship with a foreign princess.

Review:

“Sometimes, the wicked will tell us things just to confuse us — to haunt our thoughts long after we’ve faced them.”

Let me start this review by saying, if you have not read the Novella The Assassin’s Blade prior to picking up this book, I highly suggest that you do. The novellas give you a nice preface to the start of this series and lay out the ground work for Calaena’s journey.

This book was everything and more for what I was looking for in a Sarah J Maas novel. Her writing style is one to be admired, as she really has a way of dragging you into a universe and fully immersing you into the characters and setting. Not only that, but I am in awe of anyone who can create such dynamic characters and truly make you understand the difference in all of the personalities.

Speaking of such characters, Calaena Sardothien has got to be one of my all time favorite female leads in a YA fantasy novel. I have yet to come across many female leads that do not sound whiny and/or annoying. Calaena is a badass assassin, who also enjoys the finer luxuries of style. She is a breath of fresh air in this genre and I feel like more authors should take note.

I have fallen in love with this series even after just reading the novellas and the first book. I am excited to see where the next book will take us on this journey.

Book Details:

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J Maas
Publication Date: May 7th, 2013
Purchased/Gift/Library/Borrow: Christmas Gift
Goodreads: Throne of Glass

Christie