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Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane

Michelle

Ages 18+

Dr. Richmond Dougherty is a pediatric surgeon who has recently fallen down the stairs to his death…or was he pushed? His neighbors are accusing his second wife, Mrs. Addison Daugherty. She is young and a suddenly very widow, as their marriage only lasted a little over 3 months.

Wife number one is Kathryn, Richmond’s high school sweetheart, with whom he had two children. So, the question is: who done it’?

Giving off The Last Mrs. Parrish vibes, this novel was easy to go down and one I won’t soon forget!

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews

The Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb

Michelle

Ages 18+

Classical music prodigy Curtis Wilson has it all figured out after making it out of inner city DC. He’s worked his way through Juilliard and is now performing a solo with the New York Philharmonic on his beloved cello.

However, his father, Zippy, and Zippy’s long time girlfriend Larissa, who has been a mother figure to Curtis since he was small, have other ideas. Zippy is a midlevel drug dealer and gets into it with the drug kingpin, leaving the whole family no choice but to enter witness protection and to upend their entire lives. Curtis is determined to get them out of this mess, but can he do it before it’s too late? I finished Slocumb’s 600 page novel in 3 days because it was so propulsive and I couldn’t put it down. I’ll read anything he writes!

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Romance

Christmas In Bethel by Richard Paul Evans

Michelle

Ages 18+

Evans’ latest Christmas romance follows Leigh Beth Stilton, a woman who is single by choice, and who has never liked the holidays. She grew up in an unstable home, and escaped an abusive marriage, and has had enough.

She doesn’t care about Christmas, but she does care about her favorite author, J.D. Harper, a man whose books spoke to her long ago when she happened upon one of them in a bookstore years ago. Now she finally has a chance to attend one of his signings and meet him in person.

Richard Paul Evans’ books tug at your heartstrings, and this one is no different. I absolutely adored this book!

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Netgalley Reviews

The House of Cross by James Patterson

Michelle

Ages 18+

The most recent book in the Alex Cross series, The House of Cross follows Alex as he hunts down a serial killer after America’s best attorneys. During his investigation, however, Alex’s wife Bree and his best friend Sampson go missing, and up the anti significantly. Will he solve his case and be able to save his wife and friend?

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

LGBTQ+, Netgalley Reviews, Romance, YA Fiction

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick

Michelle

Grades 9-12

This sapphic holiday romance follows teen actor Arden James and her former best friend Caroline Beckett as they find their way back to each other for a purely business relationship.

Arden is up for a huge role with a picky director who wants to prove that she’s a small-town girl, and Caroline will do anything to beef up her would-be journalist portfolio to get into Columbia. So, the two agree to a fake-dating scenario, where Caroline gets to write the article about Arden for Cosmo Magazine. Win-win, right?

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Romance

Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks

Michelle

Ages 18+

Tanner Hughes is about to embark on his next tour as an army ranger, but stops in Asheboro, North Carolina first, where he meets Kaitlyn Cooper. Kaitlyn is a doctor and a single mom to a teen girl and a young boy.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn’s 83-year-old neighbor Jasper lives alone with only his dog for company.

Sparks takes readers on a journey that intertwines these character’s lives in a way that we won’t soon forget.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Romance

After the Red Carpet by Patricia Leavy

Michelle

Ages 18+

In this sequel to The Location Shoot, famous actor Finn Forrester and his love interest Ella Sinclair are madly in love and recently engaged. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion, and she must adjust to Finn’s lavish lifestyle.

By 40% into the book, there was no conflict to speak of, and the book was too overly saccharine for me. If you love celebrity romance and feel-good vibes, you will love this book, but unfortunately, I found myself skimming the book after a while, and it just didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Children, Middle Grade Fiction, Netgalley Reviews

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman

Michelle

Grades 4-7

Alex is almost sent to juvie when he isn’t, and ends up assigned to spend his summer as a volunteer in a senior living facility. There, he meets Josey, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who hasn’t spoken in years, and Maya-Jade, a girl about Alex’s age whose sense of self-importance is entirely blown out of proportion. Alex gets Josey to open up to him, however, and he begins to tell the young boy his story. It is then that Alex realizes he can make a good difference in the world.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Netgalley Reviews, Thriller

Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara

Michelle

Ages 18+

Anya and Julia have been friends since their school days, and they plan to meet up soon after a long while apart, along with their mutual friend Eleanor. When Anya doesn’t show, the other ladies grow worried, and quickly find out that their friend has drowned in her bath at the hands of a stranger who’s been in Anya’s attic.

Soon Julia and Eleanor are entangled in a web of neighbors, a mystery person who has been taking videos from inside Julia’s house, and the family members of their late best friend Donna who lost her life back in high school.

This fast-paced mysterious thriller is not to be missed!

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.

Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Netgalley Reviews

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Michelle

Ages 18+

Melina Green is an aspiring young playwright who has just finished writing a work based on her ancestor Emilia Bassano, an Italian Jew. Melina would love to have her play performed but knows it would be unlikely, until her best friend drunkenly submits it to a festival under a male pseudonym.

Picoult’s novel takes place in a duel timeline, taking the reader back in time to 1591 to Emilia’s time, and going back to Melina’s timeline in present day. Each were equally riveting and kept me engaged the whole way through.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.