The Rumor

The Rumor by Lesley Kara

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Rumor had me gripped from start to finish. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what would happen next.

It all starts with a rumor… a notorious killer, Sally McGowan, is reportedly resides in a quiet, friendly little town just a few miles from NYC. Joanna finds herself obsessed with an old case, and she shares the findings with her partner, a freelance journalist who decides to write a book regarding the child killer. An innocent rumor makes a huge impact on the town and its residents, and Joanna finds herself and her son in danger. A couple of threatening tweets and photoshopped photo are only the beginning of a horrific discovery she is about to uncover.

The Rumor is clever and twisted and completely engrossing. I haven’t been this satisfied with a book in a while. I would like to thank the publisher, Ballantine Books, for allowing me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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The Dream House

The Dream House by Jess Ryder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Dream House (originally titled The Guest) is a phycological thriller with a dual timeline. The story is about domestic violence and what effect it takes on young kids who are exposed to it at an early age.

The author introduces us to two different characters: Kay and Stella.

Kay’s life took a drastic change the moment she met Foxy. Dreams of her own little family have finally come true. However, as months went by, behind the closed doors, Kay’s life became a living nightmare. From a charming young man that Kay met just a year earlier, Foxy became controlling and verbally and physically abusive. And worse of all… Kay starts to see the change in her daughter, who starts to adopt her stepfather’s behavior.

Stella’s life also had a drastic change. After the accidental death of her parents, she quit the job she once loved, moved to London suburbs and bought an old Westhill House. From the moment she laid her eyes on it, Stella knew this house is peculiar. Old houses tend to have ghosts attached to them, and Stella is about to meet some of them.

The Dream House is a fantastic, fast-paced story. I highly recommend this standalone for anyone that loves a suspenseful, psychological thriller. Thank you, NetGalley and Jess Ryder for this great read.

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They Called Me Wyatt

They Called Me Wyatt by Natasha Tynes

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

“Dying wasn’t the worst part. It was what came after dying” – After those first words, I jumped head first into the novel.

Birthday is the anniversary of the day on which a person was born. For young Jordanian Siwar Salaihav it is also an anniversary of her death. After Siwar’s life was cut short, her consciousness was reborn in an American boy named Wyatt, who was born on the evening of her death.

As the years went by, young Wyatt struggled with two personalities that are overtaking his body. And on the night of his twenty-fifth birthday, Siwar made the final persistent move that forced Wyatt to stop ignoring the signs and memories that she has been sending to his brain thru the years. Finally, Wyatt teams up with Siwar, digs into her past, and finds the new details that force the detectives to reopen Siwar’s case, and brings the murderer to justice.

I wanted to like the book. The first paragraph was phenomenal, it had a lot of potentials, however, the rest of the novel, all the way thru the end was just simply gibberish. In my opinion, the characters were not fully developed. The dialogs were just awful… awful! The plot unfolded slow. Many details mention in the novel, that also took a large portion of the story were simply useless at the end and played no role in the book’s final conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley, Rare Bird Books Publisher and Natasha Tynes for an advanced copy of the novel.

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The Perfect Mother

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“The Perfect Mother” is a mystery/suspense story surrounding the group of new mommies (and a SAHD) who call themselves “May Mothers”.

This story takes us to spring/summer time in one of New York’s borough – Brooklyn. A group of new mothers meets twice a week in the park under a big shadowy tree to share their baby stories, advises and experiences. During a hot summer afternoon, one of the May Mothers suggests a grand idea – a “mommies night out”. A few hours out. A slice of freedom. Nothing they’ll regret. Just one drink.

Bad things happen in heat like this…

After returning home, a dreadful reality hits one of the May Mothers… her son is missing. As days go by and police are searching for baby Midas, some skeletons are starting to fall out of May-Mothers’ closets. It all seems as someone purposely is spreading the negative gossip about the group.

I was looking forward to reading this book and I really wanted to like it. It was great… the characters and their background stories were compelling, but it had nothing to do with Midas’ disappearance. And the ending was good, but it just came from nowhere, I felt that it lacked the connection with the rest of the story. I was not surprised by the ending, rather confused, as if I had missed a part of the novel. Nevertheless, the book had great potential and I am looking forward to reading the author’s other works.

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Fatal Inheritance

Fatal Inheritance by Rachel Rhys

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you are searching for a light historical fiction mystery – look no further. This novel contains a wonderful location and a great set of characters who are connected by one mysterious secret.

Let’s start from the beginning. Eve Forrester is caught in loveless and dishonest marriage. She has no close friends or relatives. Therefore, Eve and her husband are caught by a surprise when a letter arrives announcing that Eve has come to a large inheritance. Intrigued by this surprise, for the first time since their wedding, Eve dismisses her husband’s orders to stay in England, packs an overnight bag and sets off to sunny french riviera.

On her journey to the south of France, Eve befriends a couple who will become her dear friends. Upon her arrival to her final destination, she also meets not so friendly members of Lester family, handsome American writer, a Hollywood start and many other fascinating characters. Between glamorous riviera parties and outings, Eve makes it her mission to find what connection she has to famous Guy Lester. And she is not the only one who is searching for the answers.

“Fatal Inheritance” was an enjoyable virtual vacation with charming personages and interesting events. However, I was able to figure out all the twists before the explanation was revealed in the story. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Export for a free and advanced copy of the novel.

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The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook

The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook was given to me by a friend, and at first when I looked thru the pages of this book it looked like it is a collection of hilarious responses of how to get away from the amusing situation: How to not get eaten by a lion, How to avoid annoying coworker, How to survive a boring class… etc. However as I continue to read the guide, I surprisingly realized that it contains many valuable advices and can certainly be used in real life situations. It also includes multiple entertaining topics that can be discussed in a group, on a date, etc.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This is a perfect gift for anyone, book lover or not.

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Mistress of the Ritz

Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While I really liked the entire book a lot, the beginning and the ending were outstanding.

The novel introduces us to Blanche and Claude Auzello, the Monsieur and Mistress of the Ritz. After returning from the line of war, the couple rushes to their beloved Ritz, just to find it occupied by Nazi. And like any other Parisian, the Auzellos do their best to follow the rules to avoid the opposite side of a German raffle. As the story unfolds, it seems that the Auzellos follow an old saying “keep your friends close, and your enemy closer”. But how long can they play this game? Joining the French resistance is not the only secret they must protect in order to survive, and stay alive.

I love books that pluck a piece of history and built an elaborate story around it. “Mistress of the Ritz” is a wonderful example of this. It is a fast-moving story filled with heroism, secrets, and a strong wish for survival. The author did a great job in the development of the characters. If you enjoy historical fiction, you do not want to miss this!

Thank you, Net Galley and Delacorte Press Publisher for a free ARC of this book.

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