Falling by Emma Kavanagh #BookReview

A plane falls out of the sky. A woman is murdered. Four people all have something to hide.

Jim is a retired police officer, and worried father. His beloved daughter has disappeared and he knows something is wrong.

Tom has woken up to discover that his wife was on the plane and must break the news to their only son.

Cecilia had packed up and left her family. Now she has survived a tragedy, and sees no way out.

Freya is struggling to cope with the loss of her father. But as she delves into his past, she may not like what she finds.

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Falling is besides a backlist book also my fourth novel by this author (I rated Case 48: The Kidnapping of Isaiah Rae and The Missing Hours with four stars and The Killer On The Wall with three stars btw) so I was curious to find out how I’d feel about this one.

There are three different threads in this novel, one’s about a missing (presumed dead) woman so there is a police investigation going on, then there’s Cecilia who survived a plane crash and there’s Freya, daughter of the pilot who was flying the plane. A connection between two people on the same plane wasn’t hard to imagine but I didn’t know how the missing woman (a police officer) could have been involved so that certainly kept me curious. Unfortunately the first half of the book was quite boring for me and I even skim read parts of it. It did pick up and got a little more interesting in the second half though so the perseverance did pay off a little in the end.

Most of all I wish Cecilia hadn’t been so unsympathetic. She was extremely unlikeable to me. She’s not to be left alone with her young 3 year old son and was planning on leaving him and his father actually on the day of the crash (I have no idea why she doesn’t afterwards). She doesn’t have any motherly feelings and she’s not even very friendly towards her own husband. At the end I know there were reasons for this and it’s not that she’s a complete sociopath, but it didn’t make me very excited to read about her.

Every puzzle piece fits in the end so I can clearly see the plot idea the author had in mind, and I like her idea, there are good twists and it’s not all that predictable, but the key is to make the journey also interesting and she lost me a few times, especially in the beginning. Maybe I was impatient and not understanding enough for Cecilia but it is what it is. I do hope I’ll choose my next one wisely because none of the thrillers I read lately is wowing me and I’m leaving it open if it’s the books or my own fault.

I bought a paperback copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center #BookReview

Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she’s an elite bodyguard and she’s just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.

Jack Stapleton’s a Hollywood heartthrob – captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.

When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah – against her will and her better judgment – finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover.

Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done…

It’s finally happened, I read my first novel by Katherine Center. My fellow blog friend Nicki @ Secret Library Book Blog made me add this author and pick this one up because she wrote a raving review about it in the past.

I share the same opinion, this was a lovely book and I was immediately happy that it was a female security guard instead of the typical male protection detail (come on, I bet we all had someone similar to Kevin Costner as the bodyguard in mind before reading the synopsis and just by looking at the cover, I know I did).

Hannah is not to be underestimated, she might look like you and me but she’s definitely not. The only flaw I found is that she has a ridiculous (I stress the word ridiculous) fear of cows. That’s right, cows. Jack’s family lives on a ranch so of course there are cows. I know everyone has some irrational fear but that was the only thing that I found too much over the top because she loses all professionality right there and then while she’s sitting in a car. OK, let’s just let that one slide and focus on all the wonderful interactions between Hannah and Jack and his family. There’s also a stalker on the loose by the way to make it extra interesting but don’t let that distract too much from the feelings she starts to have for him. And when he looks into her eyes, is he really acting or might there be something real there in return? Whatever it is, Hannah cannot be falling for a client, it is forbidden and she’s a pro so she will do what is necessary.

Fake dating is a popular trope but it was done really well in The Bodyguard. I really enjoyed how the story developed, I was happy the ‘is he or isn’t he into her’ wasn’t drawn out too long but there was more to come after finding out the answer, and there were also a few interesting side plots involving Jack’s stalker, and Hannah’s ex.

All in all, a fun and cute story that you definitely don’t need to read if you want steamy scenes. I was happy to find there were none here. Instead I found some strong characters with a vulnerable side. Maybe all A-listers aren’t how they seem after all? Food for thought here.

I bought an ecopy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

The Couple on Cedar Close by Anna-Lou Weatherley #BookReview

One sunny August afternoon, the residents of Cedar Close throw their annual summer barbecue. Children play in the cherry-tree lined street, tables are laden with food, and the wine is flowing. For Laurie Mills, it’s her first time meeting the neighbours. And it’s the first time she discovers her husband Robert is having an affair.

Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen.

Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.

Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.

She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.

The trouble is, no-one believes her…

I’m afraid I don’t have much to share about this novel. Laurie is suspected of murdering her (nearly ex-) husband but detective Dan Riley’s intuition tells him that there’s more than meets the eye here. Yes Laurie’s an unreliable narrator who doesn’t remember what happened between cooking a meal for them and finding him murdered but this wisp of a woman is believed to have murdered her husband and then to have called it in herself while she’s covered in his blood. Yeah, I’m finding this a little strange as well.

The writing was enjoyable to read but the murderer of Robert was so bloody obvious from the get go (and reading other reviews I’m not the only one of this opinion). Since everything is pretty much hinged on finding out the killer, it irritated me that they couldn’t see what was right under their noses. This wasn’t really a murder mystery for me and what kept me mostly interested was that I was waiting to see HOW they would catch the killer if they’d ever get there.

There are indeed two really evil people between these pages (and one of them is an incredible cheat), there’s some touching on domestic abuse, and the murderer is a total psychopath in the true sense of the word, lacking any morals or empathy. I still find it incredible how they can stay in the shadows like this and people in their vicinity are none the wiser.

I did enjoy following Dan Riley and his colleague Davis around, they’re a great team and I’m happy that the best and for me the most unexpected twist that really solidifies the case happened on their watch.

Overall a so and so novel which was readable but doesn’t really stand out. I expected more twists and especially not knowing whodunnit so early on. I’m not writing this author off just yet though because I see the potential there is with another less obvious plotline.

I bought a copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

Lease on Love by Falon Ballard #BookReview

Sadie’s looking for a fresh start. After missing out on an overdue promotion, she drunkenly re-opens a long-ignored dating app and, two days later, finds herself on a date with Jack. Except it isn’t a date.

Realizing that she mistakenly matched with Jack on a roommate-finding app, Sadie prepares to make a hasty exit, only to finally notice the gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone that Jack is advertising . . . and the unbelievably cheap rent.

Introverted Jack doesn’t know what to make of the talkative whirlwind in front of him. But he offers Sadie his spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet, and Sadie, recognizing that her dreams of starting her own florist business might now finally be possible, accepts.

As Sadie’s presence starts to turn the brownstone into a real home, and Jack learns to come out of his shell, they both begin to wonder if this accidental roommate arrangement is the best deal they ever made.

Lease on Love was an impulse purchase at a second hand book store. I hadn’t heard of this author yet so I always see that as a bit of a risk, but it certainly paid off. This novel was exactly what I wanted and needed: I fell into a warm bath of friendship and some wonderful slow burning romance. I was also quite happy to find that the male character doesn’t have a role rescuing the damsel in distress this time, it’s all in perfect balance.

Let’s just say that the way to a girl’s heart is a brownstone with a colorful front door, a spacious kitchen, a bedroom with its own big bathroom and not in the least a nice back yard. The cute nerdy guy wearing a Lord of the Ring’s t-shirt – totally not her type – is a nice bonus for Sadie and he’s renting out a room at a price she can’t resist. Sadie loves gardening and her green fingers play a big role throughout the story. Jack is of course the perfect guy, understanding, caring and attentive (and it’ll come as no surprise that he’s also a perfect lover, other authors should take note) although he does come with some baggage too.

Sadie wears her heart on her sleeve, she’s so outgoing and her coming into his life makes him feel alive again. But can these two really be together or is it not worth the risk? She could lose this perfect low-budget place to live, he could lose another person in his life…

Lease on Love was a delight to read and highly addictive. Sadie and her 3 best friends (Gemma, Harley and Nick) are just the best bunch and a group of friends you want to join as a reader. Sadie and Jack might seem quite different but are exactly what the other one needs in order to grow and heal from their traumatic childhoods, Sadie coming from a toxic family that left her with very low self-esteem and Jack still grieving. They are soooo good for each other. There is a bit of unnecessary conflict at the end of the novel that made me feel sad for them both and did feel somewhat of an exaggeration but it couldn’t be all smooth sailing, right?

I’m a little surprised this novel doesn’t get a higher score on Goodreads. I’m telling you they’re so off the mark! This is the type of romance novel that I love to read and it ticks all my boxes. There’s no hesitation here, I’m definitely adding this author’s other books to my readlist asap.

I bought a second hand copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena #BookReview

You never know what’s happening on the other side of the wall.

Your neighbour told you that she didn’t want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn’t stand her crying.

Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You’ll have the baby monitor and you’ll take it in turns to go back every half hour.

Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She’s gone.

You’ve never had to call the police before. But now they’re in your home, and who knows what they’ll find there.

What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?

Yes yes I know I’m late to the party :-). Now The Couple Next Door was a series airing on Belgian tv and I thought to myself, I really want to see it but I better read the book first. Turns out that the tv series only has the same title but has nothing to do with said book. Oh well, at least I finally read my copy 🙂

The Couple Next Door was more suspenseful than I expected. I mean, I had a theory in my head when Cora was taken from her crib while her parents were having dinner and drinks with their next door neighbors. A child being taken at midnight while the parents happen to be away, it’s just too much of a coincidence for me so either one of them told someone about their plans or one of them had to have been involved. There was another theory that the police was investigating as well, where one or both of her parents hurt her and they were covering it up. A valid idea as well I guess, especially taking Anne’s past in consideration, but I still very much wanted to stick with my own tunnel vision :-).

Anne is definitely an unreliable narrator but the others have their own secrets as well so nobody could really be crossed out. I thought I knew where the plot would go but the nightmare just keeps growing bigger and bigger. There are great twists and I was gripped and dying to know how this would turn out. Would they find Cora and would she be alive? I loved the intricate plot and how they all betrayed each other. Well you might think there’s one or two innocent parties in all of the story but you might want to reconsider your thoughts about one of them by the end of the novel. Personally I felt it was a bit overkill in the end but if the goal was to shock and have an ending that lingers then that certainly had the desired effect.

The Couple Next Door is a riveting thriller. I already read two of this author’s other books and I can only confirm that they’re all worth reading. Hopefully I won’t keep from reading the next one for so long.

I bought a paperback copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

Meet Me When My Heart Stops by Becky Hunter #BookReview #Netgalley

What if your soulmate could only ever be the love of your afterlife?
The first time Emery’s heart stops, she is only five years old…

Emery is born with a heart condition that means her heart could quite literally stop at any moment. The people around her know what to do – if they act quickly enough there will be no lasting damage, and Emery’s heart can be restarted. But when this happens, she is briefly technically dead.

Each time Emery’s heart stops, she meets Nick. His purpose is to help people adjust to the fact that they are dead, to help them say goodbye, before they move on entirely. He does not usually meet people more than once – but with Emery, he is able to make a connection, and he finds himself drawn to her.

As Emery’s life progresses, and she goes through ups and downs, she finds that a part of her is longing for those moments when her heart will stop – so that she can see Nick again.

This is the story of two fated lovers who long for each other, but are destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments – because if they were to be together, it would mean the end of Emery’s life.

Emery has a heart condition and for a number of reasons (shock, pain or excitement) her heart can fail at any given time. She dies countless of times throughout the story and it starts when she’s only 5 years old.  Every time she dies she sees the same person in the ‘in between’ and he’s becoming more and more important to her, he doesn’t judge her like all the others do.

As a reader I saw Emery grow up and deal with her condition. She was overly protected by her father and – in her mind at least – it caused her parents to break up. As a young woman she then tried to get far away, living to the extreme… going skydiving for one thing. Her ageing involves different approaches and goes with many ups and downs. Her death is always looming over her and how can it not affect her life and the reactions of the people around her? It’s a difficult journey, she can’t find a job she likes or a man she loves. And frankly, having a real relationship is something she’s not interested in, because how can she when she might leave someone behind? The only one who’s always there is the ‘guide’ she sees when she’s dying. She feels safe with him, she feels they were assigned to each other for a reason and she starts longing to see him again. It’s simple, she’s falling for him while it’s an impossible love.

All the while there’s someone near her who’s loved her from a distance since she was a young teenager. Good dependable Colin would do anything for her. I have to say that I felt for him all through the novel and I wish he wasn’t treated as second best. If it were up to me he wouldn’t be in love with her at all, then I’d find it easier to be in peace with her desire for Nick. Colin, of course, doesn’t know at all about the unfair competition, as far as he sees it there’s no man in her life and he keeps hoping she’ll love him back.

I thought the story would be more soul destroying but I was quite ok and I actually wouldn’t mind having a guide who puts you at ease at what is about to come. I did find it strange (and a little disappointing) that she doesn’t attempt to tell anyone about what happens when you die, and who you see, even if it could put someone who is important to her at ease.

Ultimately she’ll have to make a choice. Is her desire to live big enough or will she choose to die? The ending was quite bittersweet for me. I think she made the right choice but I’m not sure if it’s for the right reasons.

I can’t explain in more detail but whether you’ll love the book and give it 5 stars depends on who you’re actually rooting for and I was rooting for someone else. He just shouldn’t have been so damn likeable and sweet.

I received a free ecopy from the publisher via Netgalley to read and review. This is my honest opinion.

Black Lake Manor by Guy Morpuss #BookReview

A locked room. A brutal murder.
And a killer who can turn back time…

In the former mining town of Black Lake on the west coast of Canada, there is a story about a shipwreck. All those aboard died, except an unnamed man who staggered ashore. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives – and only once – they can unwind the events of the previous six hours.

More than two hundred years later, Ella Manning, marine biologist and part-time police constable, is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion of the town’s divisive local billionaire. With a raging storm coming in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped. And when their host is discovered brutally murdered in a locked room, they turn to her to solve the crime.

Against the odds, Ella is sure she has identified the killer… but then time is unwound. With no memory of what she discovered before, her investigation begins again, with very different results. Someone is willing to use their gift to protect a killer, and everyone is a suspect…

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Of course I was drawn to reading this because of the locked room component. It was quite an  interesting concept but I was also a bit lost when reading about the logs of the door to Lincoln’s office being locked and unlocked because I wasn’t sure what that told me. There were repeated discussions about those specific times and a lot of attention drawn to it but I kept wondering if it wouldn’t be equally interesting to see who locked and unlocked their own bedroom door after 10 pm, it might rule out some people too who shouldn’t be wondering about?

Black Lake Manor has a fascinating mind-bending concept where some descendants of the Akath have the power to wind back time 6 hours. I enjoyed the story and I was even into the concept of hard light and ghost characters but there was just a bit too much of mythology and rituals involved for my taste and I didn’t feel Ella gained a lot with each unwinding of time. I was of course most of all interested in solving the murder mystery but so many other things were to be taken into account that it felt the story was focusing more on past legends than the present.

There was a lot I did like though, I really liked the three separate timelines, I loved that Ella had an octopus as a pet called Scarlett and how they interacted, I liked the lawyer character in the story most of all and Ella was a good character too, but the other characters weren’t all that interesting or developed.

The best surprise was at the end when I finally found out how and by whose hand Lincoln died. Big surprise there!

All in all an okay book but not one I think I’ll want to read again. It’s just a bit too much out of my box. I’m still debating whether Five Minds, his previous novel, would be more my style, the vote is still out.

I bought a hardback of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

3096 Days by Natascha Kampusch #BookReview

On 2 March 1998 ten-year-old Natascha Kampusch was snatched off the street by a stranger and bundled into a white van. Hours later she found herself in a dark cellar, wrapped in a blanket. When she emerged eight years later, her childhood had gone.

In “3,096 Days” Natascha tells her incredible story for the first time: her difficult childhood, what exactly happened on the day of her abduction, her imprisonment in a five-square-metre dungeon, and the mental and physical abuse she suffered from her abductor, Wolfgang Priklopil.

“3,096 Days” is ultimately a story about the triumph of the human spirit. It describes how, in a situation of almost unbearable hopelessness, she slowly learned how to manipulate her captor. And how, against inconceivable odds, she managed to escape unbroken.

3096 days is another book that I’ve had for years but was a little scared to read. I knew only a few things about Natasha Kampush and that was only what had happened on the last day of her captivity. For all these years I had lived with the impression that she had had some freedom, she was outside after all. It’s really a very good thing that she had the courage to write this book and tell everyone what exactly she had to endure during these 8 long years.

However strange it sounds, Natasha doesn’t come across as a traumatized victim. She’s such a strong person, even at the tender age of 10 years, and I’m sure that’s what helped her get through this. I’m not sure I would have been able to if I were in her place.

She doesn’t talk about sexual abuse although I don’t doubt there was since he wanted to control her in every way possible. Her captor cut off all her hair, he gave her another name (she wasn’t allowed to mention her real name), he told her lies about the windows being booby-trapped and who he would kill if she escaped. The many ways he tries to demolish her identity are astounding but he was never able to break her completely.

He had many problems, was OCD and anorexic and she almost didn’t get any food at all while she had to cook all his meals. He would bring her video tapes or other things she asked for but while cooking, cleaning and helping him renovate the house he would accuse her of anything and everything and use a lot of violence against her.

Natasha also explains in the book why she can also mention some good things about him and doesn’t only see him as a monster. This view helped her to cope and survive while she was held. As she says it’s always in movies that everyone is 100% good or 100% bad. The media isn’t really happy with her viewpoint and even tries to tell her how she should feel and think but she doesn’t care, she doesn’t fold to others anymore, she does she and I love her for it.

I’m not going to lie, yes 3096 days is heavy stuff but it is told not coldly but with enough detachment to not let the reader feel utterly depressed. Natasha is so strong and I admire her resilience so much. I don’t regret reading her story at all, quite the opposite.

I’d rather not rate this book because it doesn’t feel right in a way but it’s also a five star read because she describes her situation and environment very well and the writing was very accessible.

I bought a second-hand copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.

Every Move You Make by C.L. Taylor #BookReview

Alex, Lucy, River and Bridget.

Four people with one thing in common: they are all being stalked. Their lives are filled with daily terror. Always watching. Always waiting. And never knowing what – or who – is hiding in the shadows.

But this group of four used to be five, until the terrible day their friend Nat was followed home by her stalker…

Coming together for Nat’s funeral, they are handed a wreath saying RIP. However, this isn’t a wreath in memory of Nat – it’s for them, with a card dated in ten days’ time.

It’s a clear message: in ten days, one Jo them will die. And the only way to stop the killer is to get closer than they ever dared to their stalkers. The very people who want them dead…

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This novel is so tense, I absolutely loved it. Being single isn’t so bad at all if you see what could happen to you.

Alex, Lucy, River and Bridget are the members of a WhatsApp group for people being stalked. Their life was already agony but now it seems that one of them receives the message they will be murdered, only it’s unclear who is targeted. And so the countdown from 10 days to 0 and the nail-biting starts (and the regular stalking continues).

Every Move You Make is a real page-turner. Some of them know their stalker really well, other stalkers remain invisible and I don’t know what’s worse. The only thing they can do to keep safe is balancing on a fine rope of both keeping track of their stalkers whereabouts and staying far away from them.

My  thoughts also wondered for a while why they simply didn’t go to the police but some of them have good reasons not to go to the police and one of them did actually report their stalker. It’s a fact that the police can’t do much, as usual, so it’s really up to them to find out who they should most be afraid of. The stalkers can’t know but they’re the ones who’ll be watched next. Now there’s a taste of your own medicine ha!

Every Move You Make kept me guessing throughout the novel. The scene at the bar made me even doubt characters I was rooting for until then. Who to trust, it’s certainly a difficult one this time, but I loved the twists and the fight or flight mode was brilliantly done.

I really liked the personal note the author included at the end of the novel, sharing her own story and what inspired her to write this novel. It’s horrible of course but at least one good thing came out of it because she delivered a very gripping novel. The only down part is that I‘m stuck with singing the title of this novel, every single time I see it. And then it feels like it just stops mid-sentence so I need to finish the sentence. Isn’t it a little twisted that it’s a song from The Police or am I completely paranoid after reading this? OK we’ll have that discussion another time.

I received a free ecopy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley to read and review. This is still my honest opinion.

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus #BookReview

True crime can leave a false trail.

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favourite teacher. The case was never solved, but she’s sure that the three kids who found Mr. Larkin’s body know more than they’re telling, especially her ex-best friend Tripp Talbot. He’s definitely hiding something.

When Brynn gets an internship working on a popular true-crime show, she decides to investigate what really happened that day in the woods. But the further she dives into the past, the more secrets she finds.

Four years ago someone got away with murder. Now it’s time to uncover the truth . . .

The time is right for another YA novel and who’s bound to make me happy a reader? You’re right, that honor goes to Karen M. McManus. This is the fifth book by this author that I’ve read and all the previous ones were also either four or five star reads for me. Nothing More to Tell was an enjoyable read although my patience was a little tested here again. Once the ball goes rolling though it’s like a freaking pinball machine.

There were three students who found a dead teacher and years later it’s clear that they are keeping a secret. They don’t talk about that day to anyone or to each other so that was enough proof for me that there was definitely more to discover. I wondered why they were covering for each other. McManus is one of the few authors that is guaranteed to come up with an explanation and make it sound plausible.

Brynn is like a young Veronica Mars and she probably has skills to make a monkey dance, ok or at least make a witness talk in this case and then the hot potato of the whodunnit is passed from one person to another and it’s a long LONG list. Bizarre but the only suspect for me wasn’t on it :-). I guess I’m thinking too  broadly :-). I read a few reviews that state there’s no clear killer in the end but there most definitely is, the reason why is explained as well and it makes sense so I have no idea where that’s coming from. Anyway, the killer was someone that was in my suspect pool but was dismissed at some point, then with all the background story that is gradually revealed about Mr Larkin, a potential motive presents itself just like that. I did love how several people could have done it and were cleared each time because new information reached Brynn.

If I may give one point of critique it’s that the memorial and garden for Mr. Larkin was a project that was started but it stays a bit of a loose end. Nothing More To Tell didn’t tromp The Cousins for me but I really enjoyed reading this, it had so many twists and turns and it made me very happy that my sleuthing skills were put to work (more in overdrive).

I bought a paperback copy of this novel. This is my honest opinion.