I became a fan of this author after reading her chilling novel, Hunting Annabelle which I loved for its dark and sinister plot. Now Wendy Heard has written The Kill Club and it’s equally as great and disturbing.
Here’s the premise:
Jazz will stop at nothing to save her brother. Their foster mother, Carol, has always been fanatical, but with Jazz grown up and out of the house, Carol takes a dangerous turn that threatens thirteen-year-old Joaquin’s life. Over and over, child services fails to intervene, and Joaquin is running out of time.
Then Jazz gets a blocked call from someone offering a solution. There are others like her—people the law has failed. They’ve formed an underground network of “helpers,” each agreeing to eliminate the abuser of another. They’re taking back their power and leaving a trail of bodies throughout Los Angeles—dubbed the Blackbird Killings. If Jazz joins them, they’ll take care of Carol for good. All she has to do is kill a stranger.
This is the kind of book where I could never imagine doing what the characters do but I like reading about it! I will read anything Wendy writes and look forward to her next book.
Get it here! Let me know what you think!
The Followers by Megan Angelo is receiving lots of praise, take a look:
SPECTACULAR” —Publishers Weekly
“AN ADDICTIVE TREAT” —Kirkus Reviews
“AN INTRICATE AND BRAVE STORY” —Booklist
“ONE OF THE BEST NOVELS OF 2020” —BookPage
With that kind of praise, what more do you need? This book is smartly written and engaging.
Take a look at the synopsis:
Orla Cadden dreams of literary success, but she’s stuck writing about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Orla has no idea how to change her life until her new roommate, Floss―a striving, wannabe A-lister―comes up with a plan for launching them both into the high-profile lives they so desperately crave. But it’s only when Orla and Floss abandon all pretense of ethics that social media responds with the most terrifying feedback of all: overwhelming success.
Thirty-five years later, in a closed California village where government-appointed celebrities live every moment of the day on camera, a woman named Marlow discovers a shattering secret about her past. Despite her massive popularity―twelve million loyal followers―Marlow dreams of fleeing the corporate sponsors who would do anything, even horrible things, to keep her on-screen. When she learns that her whole family history is a lie, Marlow finally summons the courage to run in search of the truth, no matter the risks.
Followers traces the paths of Orla, Floss and Marlow as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. At turns wry and tender, bleak and hopeful, this darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection.
With that all being said, I didn’t realize when I began that the book would shoot us into the future. One of the genres I really don’t like and cannot relate to is science fiction or anything futuristic. It’s my own personal issue and not the fault of the author!
My book-loving friends raved about this book and I’d like to try reading it again when I’m more in the mood to open my mind to a post-apocalyptic setting. Is this a genre you enjoy?
I don’t mind an emotional read that leaves me speechless and tearful which is what you will get with You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley. She’s such a good writer and I liked this book a lot even though I felt sad reading it.
Told from multiple points of view, I liked how the author structured the story to deliver maximum emotional impact.
Check out the synopsis:
Mia Graydon’s life looks picket-fence perfect; she has the house, her loving husband, and dreams of starting a family. But she has other dreams too — unexplained, recurring ones starring the same man. Still, she doesn’t think much of them, until relocation to small-town Pennsylvania brings her face to face with the stranger she has been dreaming about for years. And this man harbors a jaw-dropping secret of his own—he’s been dreaming of her too.
Determined to understand, Mia and this not-so-stranger search for answers. But when diving into their pasts begins to unravel her life in the present, Mia emerges with a single question—what if?
Let me know your thoughts! Can’t you see this being a Lifetime movie?
Did someone say cult? Communes? I am all in! This is such a fascinating topic that any book that can incorporate it into a story will pique my interest.
The Poison Garden by Alex Marwood reminded me a bit of the Jim Jones story which honestly gave me nightmares after I read a book about him.
Here’s the synopsis:
Where Romy grew up, if someone died you never spoke of them again. Now 22, she has recently escaped the toxic confines of the cult she was raised in. But Romy is young, pregnant and completely alone – and if she is to keep herself safe in this new world, she has some important lessons to learn.
Like how there are some people you can trust, and some you must fear. And about who her family really is, and why her mother ran away from them all those years ago.
And that you can’t walk away from a dark past without expecting it to catch up with you.
This is everything you want in a chilling and creepy story. I like the authors writing and will be seeking out her other books. This one is highly recommended!
Pre-order here, this book will be published on January 14!
I really enjoyed this book! If you like stories such as The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel by Rachel Joyce or The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (these are must-reads) then you will absolutely love this one.
After twenty-nine years of marriage, Kay has decided she wants more. She walks out one day in search of something she’s been lacking. Because her dear friend has stopped writing her monthly letters, Kay flies to Australia to see her face to face, searching for answers.
From there Kay confronts some issues that have deeply affected her including a choice she made when she was younger.
There is much more to this wonderful book. Kay’s daughter Stella is also dealing with changes in her life, the story is told in a dual timeline between Kay and Stella. It’s a bittersweet novel and I loved the author’s writing style, her humor, the fleshed-out characters. This was a wonderful break in the thrillers and suspense I typically read.
A solid four-star read! Be sure to get your hands on this one as soon as it’s out on January 9. Only $3.99 for your Kindle!
Julia Kelly is such an incredible author and I have loved every single book she’s written. Coming out next week is The Whispers of War and I don’t want you to miss this novel! Look at that beautiful cover! It captured my interest right away, not that I ever judge a book by its cover or anything…
Here’s what you need to know:
In August of 1939, as Britain watches the headlines in fear of another devastating war with Germany, three childhood friends must choose between friendship or country. Erstwhile socialite Nora is determined to find her place in the Home Office’s Air Raid Precautions Department, matchmaker Hazel tries to mask two closely guarded secrets with irrepressible optimism, and German expat Marie worries that she and her family might face imprisonment in an internment camp if war is declared.
When Germany invades Poland and tensions on the home front rise, Marie is labeled an enemy alien, and the three friends find themselves fighting together to keep her free at any cost.
I tend to forget how terrific historical fiction can be and then I read something like this and I am reminded that it really is a genre that I love. Most of my favorite books are historical. I absolutely love novels set during World War II and if you like them too then you will want to get this one.
You can pre-order this book here!
