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The Mad Wife by Meaghan Church

"Lucy (Lulu) Mayfield tries to be the put-together, perfect picture of the good wife and loving mother she sees in all the magazines. She even has "Good Housekeeping's official schedule on how to keep a tidy house, on her refrigerator door. The truth is, though, most days, she struggles to work up the energy to cook, clean, raise a child, and have dinner on the table. Exhaustion is her constant companion, and when, one sleepless night, she sees lights on in the new neighbors' house, her curiosity is piqued. She's determined to find out more about the quiet, shy Bitsy Betser because she just has a feeling that she's hiding something. The truth she uncovers is earth-shattering. This was an emotionally charged, heart-wrenching tale of one woman's desperate plea to be seen, heard, and understood in a world where, sadly, women were better seen and not heard. I devoured this book and would recommend it to anyone who has ever felt overlooked or brushed aside ⭐⭐⭐⭐...
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Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

"After a fierce storm, a woman, Rowan, washes ashore on the remote island of Shearwater. Dominic Salt and his children, the only inhabitants, rescue her. When she wakes, she's immediately suspicious, since she only came to the island after receiving a desperate email from her husband, the head of the science team that's supposed to be on Shearwater, cataloguing and studying the massive seed vault there. The tension grows as Dominic explains that all the comms equipment is broken, so there's no way to call for help. Rowan is trapped until the last boat arrives, five weeks away. This was a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat, compelling thriller, but McConaghy expertly crafted a dramatic and deeply moving tale of loss, devotion, loyalty, and love." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pros:  You know something shifty went down, and McConaghy’s great at keeping up the suspense/I white-knuckled the last twenty pages.  Cons:  Claire was more of a suggestion, and though I wanted to know more, her mystery ...

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

"When the diary of her great-great-great-grandfather, Arthur Beaucarne is unearthed, Betsy sees it as a possible path to getting a paper published or a book deal. It's the jumpstart her career needs. What she finds is a tale of desperation, deprivation, and terror soaked in blood. This book would have been 5 stars except for the ending, which was just a bit too literal for me."  ⭐⭐⭐⭐️ Pros:  Great pacing and tension/Good Stab is a heart-breakingly tragic hero, doomed to be a monster but still with a gentle heart, and he wants nothing more than to go back to his people, but he knows he never can.   Cons: Some of the names that Good Stab uses for animals were lost on me, but it didn’t take away from the story overall/The ending took off a star; it was just kind of silly. It would’ve been better if the fate of Beaucarne remained a mystery, in my opinion.  Full Review:  When the diary of Arthur Beaucarne, a Lutheran minister, is found behind the walls of a buil...

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

"Elsie Fitzpatrick is quite content to live a quiet life, tending her garden, reading her books, and spending time with her best friend Daphne. The peace is soon shattered when her neighbor is found dead, and Elsie is the unfortunate one to discover the body. A news story is soon published, revealing the dark truth of Elsie's past as "Mad Mabel" Victoria's first convicted female murderer at the ripe old age of fifteen. What follows is an often heart-wrenching but also hilarious tale of found family, love, and the truly unbreakable power of friendship." ⭐⭐⭐⭐️⭐ Pros:  Mabel is a saucy beast, and I liked her immediately/Beneath all that irreverence is a woman capable of great love and devotion/Hepworth was great with pacing and suspense.  Cons:  The "big reveal" at the end and Mabel's "inheritance" just seemed rather extraneous.  Full Review: Elsie Fitzpatrick is a crotchety, sarcastic, 81-year-old woman living on a small street in Austr...

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean Book 1) by Rebecca Yarros

"Violet Sorrengail has made it into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath, a war College, that trains the young people of Navarre to serve their King and Country. She trains to ride a Dragon, hold her own in combat, and in other matters of a military nature. She's, of course, attracted to the tall, dark, and dangerous Xander Riorson, son of the infamous traitor who led a rebellion against Navarre...and the book ended up being as cliché and overdone as it sounds. I should have DNFed this book 500 pages earlier. This was a massive disappointment, and I really don't understand all the hype."  🟊⯪ Pros:  An interesting premise/Some of the challenges were fun/Tairn & Violet's repartee was charming at first, but after 400 pages it became obnoxious.     Cons:  All clichés and tropes in existence lived in this book/ There was no reasoning behind why Jack Barlowe was so intent on killing Violet/ Everyone Violet sees is jaw-droppingly gorgeous/I honestly thought about ...

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

“When Clay Jensen gets a package of cassette tapes, he has no idea what they mean. When he plays the first one, he hears the voice of a ghost. Hannah Baker killed herself just a few weeks ago, and if you’re listening, then you’re one of the thirteen reasons why. This was a depressing read that emphasized the importance of being kind to others, that every action has a consequence, but also the importance of advocating for yourself. You must ask for help if you're struggling because, though you hope that others will notice, the sad truth is they most likely won't. So, ask for help even though it's difficult."  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pros: Dark and intense, emphasizing the importance of being kind to others because we’re all fighting battles that no one knows anything about/How every action has a consequence.  Cons:  Though it’s difficult, you must  advocate for yourself in all areas of your life. Your body, your health. Don’t hope that someone will notice you’re struggling because t...

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

"It's been six years since Alicia Berenson was tried for the murder of her husband, Gabriel, and sent to the Grove, a facility for the criminally insane. Theo Faber, a therapist, has just transferred there, eager to work with Alicia and try to get her to open up, to actually speak, after six years of absolute silence. Michaelides kept me guessing, and the twist at the end was pretty surprising. Though this wasn't the best mystery/thriller I've ever read, it did keep me on my toes." ⭐⭐⭐ Pros:  I was curious to see why/if Alicia killed her husband. The chapters were short, which I appreciated since they offer convenient stopping points. Cons:   Everyone is in love with Alicia, of course/It all escalated rather quickly.   Full Review: Alicia Berenson is a moderately famous artist. Her husband, Gabriel, is a fashion photographer. They’re a seemingly happy couple. That is, until Alicia is found with her husband, who’s been tied to a chair and shot five times at point-b...