Tag Archives: 3 stars

13 Jul 2024

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

Posted in Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Reviews, Thrillers
Book Title:
Horror Movie
Book Author:
Paul Tremblay
Page Count:
277
Publishing Date:
June 11th, 2024
Publisher:
William Morrow
Date Read:
July 1st, 2024
Format:
Hardcover
Source:
Purchased
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Synopsis

A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club and The Cabin at the End of the World.

In June 1993, a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks making Horror Movie, a notorious, disturbing, art-house horror flick.

The weird part? Only three of the film’s scenes were ever released to the public, but Horror Movie has nevertheless grown a rabid fanbase. Three decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big budget reboot.

The man who played “The Thin Kid” is the only surviving cast member. He remembers all too well the secrets buried within the original screenplay, the bizarre events of the filming, and the dangerous crossed lines on set that resulted in tragedy. As memories flood back in, the boundaries between reality and film, past and present start to blur. But he’s going to help remake the film, even if it means navigating a world of cynical producers, egomaniacal directors, and surreal fan conventions — demons of the past be damned.

But at what cost?

Horror Movie is an obsessive, psychologically chilling, and suspenseful twist on the “cursed film” that breathlessly builds to an unforgettable, mind-bending conclusion.

My Review

Paul Tremblay is an incredibly gifted author with a true talent for writing thrillers, horror, and the unexpected. I enjoyed some of his other work, and I was super excited to jump into Horror Story because the whole “cursed found … Continue reading →

3 stars
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16 Mar 2021

Buried by Jeffery Deaver

Posted in Mystery, Reviews, Short Stories, Thrillers
Book Title:
Buried
Book Author:
Jeffery Deaver
Book Series:
Hush, #4
Page Count:
80
Publishing Date:
July 30th, 2020
Publisher:
Amazon Original Stories
Date Read:
March 3rd, 2021
Format:
Kindle Edition
Source:
Prime Reading
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Synopsis

An old-school reporter discovers that the search for the truth is still full of surprises in a twisty short thriller from bestselling master of suspense Jeffery Deaver.

After a long run as a respected journalist, Edward “Fitz” Fitzhugh is on his way out when he stumbles across the story of a lifetime. The Gravedigger is a serial kidnapper who taunts the police with riddles. The other puzzle is his motive, which Fitz is determined to piece together. When an eyewitness to the latest abduction leads Fitz closer to the facts, he realizes that the last great story of his career is not at all what it appears to be.

Jeffery Deaver’s Buried is part of Hush, a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. Each piece can be read or listened to in one truly chilling sitting.

My Review

Once again, I have gotten the chance to read an author that I have never read before thanks to the short stories in Hush, a collection of thrillers and mysteries from Amazon Original Stories. This is the fourth book in … Continue reading →

3 stars
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13 Mar 2021

Treasure by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Posted in Mystery, Reviews, Short Stories, Thrillers
Book Title:
Treasure
Book Author:
Oyinkan Braithwaite
Book Series:
Hush, #2
Page Count:
31
Publishing Date:
July 30th, 2020
Publisher:
Amazon Original Stories
Date Read:
March 2nd, 2021
Format:
Kindle Edition
Source:
Prime Reading
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Synopsis

A darkly comic short story of class divide, the lives we invent, and the very real risks of preserving an Insta-fame facade by the award-winning author of My Sister, the Serial Killer.

Treasure is a wannabe Instagram influencer in Lagos, Nigeria. She shows off a luxurious life in a gated community that her almost five thousand followers can only dream of. @Sho4Sure is determined to be part of it. The macho mechanic is Treasure’s number one fan, and double taps and blushing emojis are no longer enough. He needs to meet her in the flesh. If only Treasure were more prepared for destiny.

Oyinkan Braithwaite’s Treasure is part of Hush, a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. Each piece can be read or listened to in one truly chilling sitting.

My Review

Treasure is the second story in the short story collection Hush from Amazon Original Stories. I recently read and reviewed the first book in this collection, Snowflakes, by Ruth Ware. I absolutely loved that book, so I was pretty excited … Continue reading →

3 stars
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28 Feb 2021

There’s a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed by Edgar Cantero

Posted in Horror, Reviews, Short Stories
Book Title:
There's a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed
Book Author:
Edgar Cantero
Book Series:
Dark Corners, #3
Page Count:
24
Publishing Date:
September 27th, 2018
Publisher:
Amazon Original Stories
Date Read:
February 26th, 2021
Format:
Kindle Edition
Source:
Prime Reading
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Synopsis

The thrill of a sleepover becomes sheer terror as kids voice their greatest fears into existence in this cheeky, vividly cinematic tale by New York Times bestselling author Edgar Cantero. Lights out.

It’s bad enough that its venom-dripping chelicerae can slice through flesh like warm butter. Worse? It’s right there under the bunk. It’s a fact now. To make it through the night, the children must obey the rules: don’t get out of bed, stay out of the shadows, and don’t wake the beast. But as the threats multiply, so do the rules of survival. And with the safety of dawn still hours away, the fun is just beginning.

Edgar Cantero’s There’s a Giant Trapdoor Spider under Your Bed is part of Dark Corners, a collection of seven heart-stopping short stories by bestselling authors who give you so many new reasons to be afraid. Each story can be read in a single sitting. Or, if you have the nerve, you can listen all by yourself in the dark.

My Review

There’s a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed is the third book in the Dark Corners series from Amazon. This is the shortest story so far, with only twenty-some pages, and it didn’t take very long to read at all … Continue reading →

3 stars
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26 Feb 2020

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Posted in Fantasy, Historical, Paranormal, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult
Book Title:
The Beautiful
Book Author:
Renée Ahdieh
Book Series:
The Beautiful, #1
Page Count:
448
Publishing Date:
October 8th, 2019
Publisher:
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Date Read:
February 25th, 2020
Format:
Hardcover
Source:
Purchased
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Synopsis

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

My Review

This is the first book by Renée Ahdieh that I have read. I have her other books, but I haven’t had the chance to read them yet. I was drawn to this one because of that absolutely stunning cover, and … Continue reading →

3 stars
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21 Feb 2020

The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle

Posted in Mystery, Thrillers
Book Title:
The Marriage Lie
Book Author:
Kimberly Belle
Page Count:
334
Publishing Date:
December 27th, 2016
Publisher:
MIRA
Date Read:
January 26th, 2020
Format:
Paperback
Source:
Library
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Synopsis

Even the perfect marriage has its dark side…

Iris and Will's marriage is as close to perfect as it can be: a large house in a nice Atlanta neighborhood, rewarding careers and the excitement of trying for their first baby. But on the morning Will leaves for a business trip to Orlando, Iris's happy world comes to an abrupt halt. Another plane headed for Seattle has crashed into a field, killing everyone on board, and according to the airline, Will was one of the passengers on this plane.

Grief-stricken and confused, Iris is convinced it all must be a huge misunderstanding. But as time passes and there is still no sign of Will, she reluctantly accepts that he is gone. Still, Iris needs answers. Why did Will lie about where he was going? What is in Seattle? And what else has he lied about? As Iris sets off on a desperate quest to find out what her husband was keeping from her, the answers she receives will shock her to her very core.

My Review

The Marriage Lie is another one of those thrillers that I have wanted to read for some time now, and I was lucky enough to find a copy at my local library, so I picked it up there. I had … Continue reading →

3 stars
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20 Feb 2020

Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters

Posted in Contemporary, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult
Book Title:
Keeping You a Secret
Book Author:
Julie Anne Peters
Page Count:
268
Publishing Date:
July 31st, 2007
Publisher:
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Date Read:
February 4th, 2020
Format:
Kindle Edition
Source:
Purchased
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Synopsis

With a steady boyfriend, the position of Student Council President, and a chance to go to an Ivy League college, high school life is just fine for Holland Jaeger.

At least, it seems to be.

But when Cece Goddard comes to school, everything changes. Cece and Holland have undeniable feelings for each other, but how will others react to their developing relationship?

My Review

I bought this book for my Kindle ages ago. Ages and ages. I finally got around to reading it. I don’t really go through my Kindle that often, except when I swear I can’t find anything to read among my … Continue reading →

3 stars
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18 Nov 2019

The Last to Die by Kelly Garrett

Posted in Mystery, Reviews, Thrillers, Young Adult
Book Title:
The Last to Die
Book Author:
Kelly Garrett
Page Count:
205
Publishing Date:
November 5th, 2019
Publisher:
Sourcebooks Fire
Date Read:
November 13th, 2019
Format:
eARC
Source:
I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Synopsis

It all started out as a game.

Just a way to have fun. We figured as long as we had rules, it wouldn't be a problem.

RULE #1: Only break into one another's houses.

RULE #2: Only take stuff that can be replaced.

It worked for a while. Whoever's turn it was to break in got a rush, and the rest of us laughed over the trophies they brought back. But then someone went too far. Lives got ruined. Someone is dead.

And I might be next.

My Review

The Last to Die really made me excited to read it based on the premise and the blurb on the front cover, which claimed that it is “a twisty puzzle of a mystery.” I really love mysteries and thrillers, and … Continue reading →

3 stars
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29 Aug 2019

In at the Deep End by Kate Davies

Posted in Contemporary, Fiction, Reviews, Romance
Book Title:
In at the Deep End
Book Author:
Kate Davies
Page Count:
336
Publishing Date:
June 4th, 2019
Publisher:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date Read:
August 29th, 2019
Format:
Kindle Edition
Source:
Purchased
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Synopsis

A deliciously disarming debut novel about a twenty-something Londoner who discovers that she may have been looking for love — and pleasure — in all the wrong places (i.e. from men).

Julia has had enough. Enough of the sex noises her roommate makes. Enough of her dead-end government job. Enough of the one-night stand who accused her of breaking his penis. The only thing she hasn’t had enough of is orgasms; she hasn’t had proper sex in three years.

So when Julia gets invited to a warehouse party in a part of town where trendy people who have lots of sex go on a Friday night, she readily accepts. And that night she meets someone: a conceptual artist, who also happens to be a woman.

Julia’s sexual awakening begins; her new lesbian life is exhilarating. She finds her tribe at queer swing dancing classes, and guided by her new lover Sam, she soon discovers London’s gay bars and BDSM clubs . . . and the complexities of polyamory. Soon it becomes clear that Sam needs to call the shots, and Julia’s newfound liberation comes to bear a suspicious resemblance to entrapment . . .

In at the Deep End is an unforgettable and audacious odyssey through the pitfalls and seductions we encounter on the treacherous path to love and self.

My Review

IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I’VE POSTED. Let me start off by saying that In at the Deep End isn’t the type of book that I would usually pick up. I’m not sure why; I rarely read books that … Continue reading →

3 stars
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26 Mar 2019

Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster

Posted in Dystopian, Reviews, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Book Title:
Last Star Burning
Book Author:
Caitlin Sangster
Book Series:
Last Star Burning, #1
Page Count:
400
Publishing Date:
October 10th, 2017
Publisher:
Simon Pulse
Date Read:
February 1st, 2019
Format:
Hardcover
Source:
Purchased
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Synopsis

Sev is branded with the mark of a criminal—a star burned into her hand. That’s the penalty for being the daughter of the woman who betrayed their entire nation.

Now her mother’s body is displayed above Traitor’s Arch, kept in a paralyzed half sleep by the same plague that destroyed the rest of the world. And as further punishment, Sev is forced to do hard labor to prove that she’s more valuable alive than dead.

When the government blames Sev for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city or face the chopping block. Unimaginable dangers lurk outside the city walls, and Sev’s only hope of survival lies with the most unlikely person—Howl, the chairman’s son. Though he promises to lead her to safety, Howl has secrets, and Sev can’t help but wonder if he knows more about her past—and her mother’s crimes—than he lets on.

But in a hostile world, trust is a luxury. Even when Sev’s life and the lives of everyone she loves may hang in the balance.

My Review

Last Star Burning was a book that I bought a while ago, but never picked up until now. It just sounded so amazing, and I fell in love with that gorgeous blue and silvery cover. The whole concept behind the … Continue reading →

3 stars
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