Category: HarperCollins

#Review | THE STRANGER IN THE MIRROR by Liv Constantine

The Stranger In The Mirror by Liv Constantine
Genre: Sister’s Fiction, Conspiracy Thriller
Published by Harper Collins
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
ASIN: B08F7QTMQN
Pages: 336
Review Copy From: Publisher via NetGalley
Edition: eARC/Print ARC
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR)

Addison’s about to get married, but she’s not looking forward to the big day. It’s not her fiancé; he’s a wonderful man. It’s because Addison doesn’t know who she really is. A few years ago, a kind driver found her bleeding next to a New Jersey highway and rescued her. While her physical wounds healed, Addison’s memory never returned. She doesn’t know her real name. Or how she ended up injured on the side of a road. Or why she can’t shake the notion that she may have done something very, very bad . . .

In a posh home in the Boston suburbs, Julian tries to figure out what happened to his loving, caring wife, Cassandra, who disappeared without a trace two years ago. She would never have left him and their seven-year-old daughter Valentina of her own free will—or would she?

As these two lives intersect, The Stranger in the Mirror hooks readers with riveting drama, told with Liv Constantine’s hallmark blend of glamour, tense psychological thrills, and jaw-dropping twists.

My Thoughts

The sisterly dynamic duo has done it again!!!!

O!! M!! G!! I have read every book by this team and each book will have captivated and this book didn’t disappoint.

Let’s talk about the characters. I don’t think I have read a book where my emotions and feelings towards each character changed so drastically and so often. I would feel empathy and like them, then I would have my suspicions as to their real agenda, then be surprised that maybe I was wrong and care about them again, and then BANG!!! The truth is revealed!!!!

It was nonstop suspense that had my head reeling so much that I think I now have vertigo. I found myself holding my breath and the next minute having heart-pounding palpitations. The kind of book that you can’t wait to see how it all comes together, but on the other hand, don’t want it to end.

An explosive read that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering when the next shoe will fall.

I just hope they are on the final edits of their next book because I don’t have that much patience to wait to see what they have in store with their next book.

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  •  

    #Review | The Fiancée by Kate White

    The Fiancée by Kate White
    Genre: Domestic Thriller
    Published by Harper Collins
    Publication Date:
    ISBN-10: 0063092727
    ISBN-13: 978-0063092723
    Pages: June 29, 2021
    Review Copy From: Publisher
    Edition: ARC
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    They had everything they needed for a perfect family vacation: close-knit relatives, a bucolic setting . . . and a murderer in their midst?

    Summer’s looking forward to a break from hustling for acting work in Manhattan when she, her husband Gabe, and Gabe’s nine-year-old son arrive at the annual family get-together at her in-laws’ sprawling estate. On the agenda are leisurely gourmet meals, tennis matches, and plenty of relaxation by the pool.

    But this year, Gabe’s brother Nick has invited his new flame Hannah, whom Summer immediately recognizes from a few years before. Oddly, her brother-in-law’s girlfriend claims not to know her. Yet she charms the other family members, and after Nick announces that he’s proposed to Hannah, Summer doesn’t have much choice but to grin and bear it.

    Then the reunion is rocked by tragedy when a family member is found dead. Though the doctors attribute the loss to natural causes, a grieving Summer fears that the too-good-to-be-true Hannah is involved, even as Gabe dismisses her suspicions.

    How far will Summer go to expose the truth? As she investigates just what Nick’s fiancée might have done to keep her perfect image intact, she begins to fear that the first death might only be the beginning . . .

    My Thoughts

    It’s been a long time since I have read one of Ms. White’s books and after turning the last page not only did I have to process what I just read but also ask myself why it’s been so long.

    The story takes place in Buck’s County, PA. The ironic thing is that I read the majority of this book on our ride to my son’s house is the next county over from Buck’s so the scene was so easy to visualize because we have been on this drive many times. And then to make it a little eerier, we came upon a situation (vague to avoid a spoiler) that was very similar to an incident in the book.

    I love books with family dynamics and then add in a thriller, this book had everything that I enjoy in a story.

    It’s the week of the Keaton family reunion when all 4 brothers and their significant others not only gather at their parents’ house but truly look forward to it with its cottages, pool, tennis courts, and the mass amount of land. Why wouldn’t it be a perfect family getaway? Except this year turns out to be not the fun gathering but a somber event when one of the family members is found dead. Then in the midst of this grief, another body is found on the property. Could it be that one of the Keatons is a murderer? Or could it be the new additional guest that is introduced as one of the brother’s fiancée after a couple of months of knowing her?

    This story gripped me from the beginning and held me captive until the end. I usually have 1 or 2 suspects on my radar but this book wouldn’t give it up. The suspense was fluid, the writing descriptive where I felt that I was part of the story. The characters believable, even to the point where I would like to be friends with a couple of them. All in all, I loved this book!!!!

    And I know one thing is true, it won’t be such a long time before I grab another Kate White book. I am already looking forward to her next book!!!!!!

    Purchase Links: Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  •  

    #Review | THE LAST TO SEE HER by Courtney Evan Tate

    The Last To See Her by Courtney Evan Tate
    Genre: Domestic Thriller/Psychological Thriller
    Published by Mira/HarperCollins
    Publication Date: December 15, 2020
    ISBN-10: 077830941X
    ISBN-13: 978-0778309413
    Pages: 352
    Review Copy From: Publisher
    Edition: Print
    My Rating: 4.5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    A woman disappears into the dark city night…

    Gen is on the verge of a divorce from her cheating husband. When her sister, Meg, has a convention to attend in the Big Apple, she invites Gen along to celebrate her newly found freedom. But the perfect sisters’ getaway quickly goes awry when a tipsy Gen defiantly throws her wedding ring off the hotel room’s balcony. Then, wanting some fresh air, she decides to take a late-evening walk alone and vanishes without a trace.

    The investigation that follows uncovers secrets–and betrayals–between sisters and spouses that will twist the truth in on itself until nothing is clear.

    What really happened to Gen and who, besides Meg, was the last to see her?

    My Thoughts

    Dr. Meghan Harris has invited her sister, Genevieve Thibault and who considers each other’s best friend, for a NY weekend away to lift Gen’s spirits because she is going through a very tumultuous divorce from her husband Thad due to his infidelity after 10 years of marriage.

    On the first night in NY, after the sisters go out to eat and end up having a few too many drinks, they return to the hotel. Meghan asks Gen why she is still wearing her very extravagant wedding band after all these months. Gen decides it’s time to take it off and walks out onto the balcony and throws it off. At this point, she tells Meg that she just needs to be alone and get some air. That’s the last time she is seen.

    This is the first book that I have read by this author but it surely won’t be the last.

    The story alternates between Gen and Meg, with the then and now.

    The writing and storyline were solid. The suspense was unremitting and substantial that it had me glued to every word.

    There were so many OMGs!! I didn’t see that coming throughout the book.

    My explanation as to why I didn’t give it a full 5 stars was for 2 reasons. Approximately a little over halfway through I did figure out who had kidnapped Gen. Even so, I kept on reading because I felt that there had to be more to this story and I had to know the whys. And it was then that many of the OMGs!!! started. The other reason, which probably wouldn’t bother another reader, but for me, I found annoying was the use of the word mercurial too many times.

    Even with that, I will be putting this “new to me” author on my “authors to read” list.

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH by Gilly Macmillan

    To Tell You The Truth by Gilly Macmillan
    Genre: Psychological Thriller
    Published by William Morrow
    Publication Date: September 22, 2020
    ASIN: B081FDHZYZ
    Pages: 320
    Review Copy From: William Morrow via NetGalley
    Edition: Kindle
    My Rating: 4

    Synopsis (via GR)

    The acclaimed author of The Nanny, The Perfect Girl, and What She Knew—“a writer to watch” (Publishers Weekly)—returns with another serpentine thriller that is a potent blend of atmosphere, tarnished memories, mystery, and twisty secrets from the past.

    Bestselling mystery writer Lucy Harper’s talent for invention has given her fame, fortune, and an army of adoring readers. It has also saddled her with dependents, namely her fawning husband Dan.

    When Dan suddenly goes missing, his disappearance evokes dark memories that take Lucy back more than thirty years—to the day her brother vanished without a trace. That’s when Lucy began conjuring stories. The police investigation revealed few confirmed details, so she created tales to fill in the gaps, to explain what happened that day her brother disappeared—and young Lucy was the only witness.

    Now decades later, with the whole world watching, Lucy’s past and present are colliding, and this bestselling author skilled in telling stories is losing control of her own narrative.

    Where is Dan? What happened to Lucy’s brother? And is the brilliant mystery writer—an expert in devising red herrings and hidden clues—revealing all she knows about both disappearances?

    With twists and turns, Gilly Macmillan reveals the answers in this clever and compulsively readable mystery sure to thrill fans of Ruth Ware and Shari LaPena.

    My Thoughts

    Lucy Harper is a bestselling author, even though her husband Dan had hoped, for many years, that he would be the one with that moniker. Now he is Lucy’s assistant, financial dependent, and number 1 fan. Or is he?

    Lucy hasn’t told anyone what happened 30 years ago, that was until the night when a little bit of wine opened her up to her husband. About the past, that she has hidden all these years. About the night when she was 9 and snuck out of her house with her 3-year-old brother into the Stoke Woods where people were celebrating the summer solstice. So engrossed in what she was seeing, she had lost track of Teddy and he was gone. In the weeks and months that followed, Teddy’s disappearance had never been solved, even to this day.

    After reading The Nanny and I Know You Know, giving each 5 stars, I was looking forward to reading this book. I struggled with the rating for this book between 3 or 4 stars.

    I found it to start slow but then the tempo with the suspense definitely picked up whereas the pages kept turning because I had to see where this was going, which is why I gave it 4 stars. But then there were aspects of the story that didn’t resonate with me. I also found the ending to be disappointing in what happened in both the past and present.

    If I could have, I would have given this a 3.5 rating. Or maybe it was because once I started it, I had to put it down a lot due to adulting tasks, and maybe lost the flow of the story because of it. However, I will definitely pick up her next book.

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

    • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
    • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
    • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

    #Review | The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

    The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
    Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction
    Published by Harper Collins
    Publication Date: May 19, 2020
    ASIN: B07WRCHH3W
    Pages: 320
    Review Copy From: Harper Collins
    Edition: print ARC/eARC via NetGalley
    My Rating: 5+

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Breezing into the tony seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.

    Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else.

    Piper. Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind, along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children.

    Joanna is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for the lives of her ex-husband and children, her concerns are dismissed as paranoia. Can she find the proof she needs in time to save them?

    My Thoughts

    WARNING!!! WARNING!!!! Major book hangover!!!!

    This book, by far, will be in my top five best books of 2020!!!

    Piper, who has changed her name moves to the East coast to start her life again after the death of her husband and stepdaughter. Piper was an initial suspect in these deaths until the ruling but the ex-wife and mother of the victims feel they were murdered.

    Joanna, the loving wife of Leo Drakos and mother to Evie and Stelli. Knowing that Leo is still fighting depression she encourages him to attend a class at Piper’s Healing Arts business. But that may have been her biggest mistake because Piper and Leo have instant chemistry. Leo tells Joanna that their relationship is over and tells her to move out and Leo gets sole custody of the children.

    Joanna is devastated and begins stalking Piper and looking into her past.

    The pages were turning at warp speed!!! I kept going back and forth as to who, Piper or Joanna, was the true victim and my opinion kept changing. Heart pounding suspense!! Red herrings throughout!!! The ending, THE ENDING!!! OMG!!! It was intense and one that had my head spinning!!!

    This has got to be one of the best domestic psychological thriller novels that I have read.

    As for a rating, I wish I could say a 10!! It was that good!! Run, don’t walk, to get your hands on a copy!!!!!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

    This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf
    Genre: Domestic Thriller
    Published by Park Row/Harper Collins
    Publication Date: May 12, 2020
    ISBN-10: 0778388115
    ISBN-13: 978-0778388111
    Pages: 336
    Review Copy From: Harper Collins
    Edition: Print ARC
    My Rating: 5

    Synopsis (via GR)

    Gudenkauf proves herself the master of the smart, suspenseful small-town thriller that gets right under your skin.” —Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny

    Everyone has a secret they’ll do anything to hide…

    Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.

    For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

    My Thoughts

    Heather Gudenkauf is one of the authors on my “authors to read list”, so when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to get a copy in my hands!!! And once again, she didn’t disappoint.

    As the synopsis states, 25 years ago, Eve Knox age 16, was found dead in the Grotto Caves State Park by her younger sister and best friend, Maggie Kennedy. At the time, Maggie’s father was police Chief, however, the department never found her killer.

    Now 25 years later, Maggie Kennedy-O’Keefe is a detective with the same department and reopens the cold case as new evidence has come to light.

    There are quite a few suspects, that still reside in this town, which Maggie soon learns has had some unsavory pasts, lies, and secrets as to what happened that fateful day, December 22, 1995, including Maggie herself.

    The story alternates from the present and what led up to that fateful day in December.

    Reading this book was like walking through a corn maze trying to figure out who the real killer was since the author introduces red herrings throughout that makes this book a page-turner. And with every turn of the page, brings taut suspense, which makes it an engrossing read. LOVED IT!!!!

    Another electrifying and white knuckle read by Heather Gudenkauf!!! I will be on the lookout for her next novel and will try to wrangle another ARC!!!

    If you haven’t read a book by this author, you are truly missing out!!!!

    Check out my reviews for some of her previous books: Before She Was Found, Little Mercies, and These Things Hidden

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
  • #Review | My Sister Is Missing by Carissa Ann Lynch

    My Sister Is Missing by Carissa Ann Lynch
    Genre: Psychological Thriller
    Published by Harper Collins
    Publication Date: March 29th, 2019
    ASIN: B07J3923B1
    Pages: 197
    Review Copy From: HC via NetGalley
    Edition: eBook
    My Rating: 4

    Synopsis (via GR)

    A twenty-year-old local mystery that has never been sold.
    A bone-chilling VHS tape depicting a horrific crime.

    Neighbors with something to hide.

    And a sister who is missing.

    Emily has to find out the truth. But is her sister Madeline the victim…or the one to blame?

    My Thoughts

    Nine years ago was the last time Emily has been home, however, her sister Madeline pleaded with her to come back to their childhood home to help her with the children since her husband left her for a younger woman. Plus she hinted that there was more but wanted to do it face to face.

    Twenty years ago, Emily had a near-death accident in the woods surrounding their house and at the same time, another child went missing. Were these 2 incidents connected?

    But before Madeline tells Emily “the big news” and only after 24 hours of Emily arriving, Madeline goes missing. Is it of her own accord or is something more sinister?

    I really enjoyed this book. I was surprised at all that happened within the 197 pages. I was 99.99% sure I had it all figured out but the last few chapters showed that I wasn’t even close.

    A quick read that will keep you guessing throughout!

    Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

    REVIEW DISCLAIMER

  • This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
  • I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
  • I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.