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#BookReview Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout @torbooks #FallOfRuinAndWrath #AwakeningSeries #JenniferLArmentrout #torbooks

#BookReview Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout @torbooks #FallOfRuinAndWrath #AwakeningSeries #JenniferLArmentrout #torbooks Title: Fall of Ruin and Wrath

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Awakening #1

Published by: Bramble on Nov. 12, 2024

Genres: Fantasy

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Tor Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian—royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning—and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he’ll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall. 


Review:

Fierce, spicy, and action-packed!

Fall of Ruin and Wrath is a suspenseful, seductive tale that takes us to a world where the wrath of gods has left only nine cities remaining and where the orphan, Calista (Lis), with the power of intuition, lives her days comfortably as one of the Baron of Archwood’s courtesans until her life gets turned upside down when she saves a Hyhborn prince from the hands of some ruthless mortals, the attraction between them is hot enough to burn them both, and a rebellion is brewing right around the corner.

The prose is intense and passionate. The characters are complex, unique, and gifted. And the plot is a riveting tale of twists, turns, passion, angst, fury, loyalty, heartbreak, duty, sizzling tension, violence, secrets, mysterious pasts, and supernatural abilities.

Overall, Fall of Ruin and Wrath is an imaginative, gripping, highly entertaining tale by Armentrout that is brimming with grit, determination, bloody battles, heat, sexual chemistry, adventure, gods, healers, and other magical elements. It kept me invested and engaged from the very first page, and with its cliffhanger-type ending, has undoubtedly left me counting down the days until I have the opportunity to read the next novel in the Awakening series to discover how this epic battle might end.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

 

Thank you to Tor Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Photography courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #MurderInTheDressingRoom #HollyStars #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

#BookReview Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #MurderInTheDressingRoom #HollyStars #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Murder in the Dressing Room

Author: Holly Stars

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.

By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene.

But when Misty’s drag mother, Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room beside a poisoned box of chocolates, Misty and her fellow performers become the prime suspects.

Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won’t rest until she finds out who it is.


Review:

Unique, lighthearted, and fun!

Murder in the Dressing Room is a well-paced, amusing murder mystery that takes you into the life of Misty Divine, a star of the drag stage who finds their life turned upside down when the drag mother of the club winds up murdered, and it quickly becomes apparent that someone in their midst most certainly committed the crime.

The writing is light and witty. The characters are inquisitive, impulsive, and endearing. And the plot is a well-paced, zany whodunit full of glitz, glamour, drama, misdirection, secrets, amateur sleuthing, and red herrings.

Overall, Murder in the Dressing Room is a humorous, quirky, entertaining read by Stars, and if you’re a fan of oddball cosy mysteries, this one definitely won’t disappoint.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Holly Stars

Holly Stars is a drag stand-up comedian and writer. She is the writer of the smash-hit drag murder mystery, Death Drop, a play that has had three runs on the West End and a UK and Ireland tour. Holly has two seasons of her own television series, Holly Stars: Inspirational, on Froot TV and OutTV, and regularly performs in London and around the UK. Her solo shows include: Justice For Holly, Nightmare Neighbour and Birthday.

#BookReview More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova @ScoutPressBooks @SimonSchusterCA #MoreOrLessMaddy #LisaGenova #SimonSchusterCA

#BookReview More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova @ScoutPressBooks @SimonSchusterCA #MoreOrLessMaddy #LisaGenova #SimonSchusterCA Title: More or Less Maddy

Author: Lisa Genova

Published by: Scout Press on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

A breathless, riveting novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder who rejects the stability and approval found in a traditionally “normal” life for a career in stand-up comedy.

Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, and she goes on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dreams, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

With her signature “deep empathy and insight” (Booklist), Harvard-trained neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling authorLisa Genova has crafted another profoundly moving novel that makes complicated mental health issues accessible and human. More or Less Maddy is destined to become another classic like Still Alice.


Review:

Moving, memorable, and compelling!

More or Less Maddy is an intimate, thought-provoking novel that immerses you into the life of Maddy Banks, a bipolar young woman who is struggling to find purpose in her life while being dependent on medication, consistently disappointing those she loves, and feeling like a prisoner to a mind that never wants to rest.

The prose is evocative and sincere. The characters are multi-layered, vulnerable, and eccentric. And the plot is a touching tale of life, love, family, friendship, desires, needs, dreams, mania, suicide ideation, standup comedy, complex relationships, and mental health.

Overall, More or Less Maddy is an immersive, emotional, sensitive tale by Genova that does a remarkable job of reminding us of the lifelong struggles for those suffering from a mental health disorder to perform normal daily activities, forge true friendships, and experience love, while also highlighting just how easily the greatest of highs can quickly transition to devastating, tragic lows.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lisa Genova

Acclaimed as the Oliver Sacks of fiction and the Michael Crichton of brain science, Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar–winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She is featured in the documentary films To Not Fade Away and Have You Heard About Greg. Her TED talks on Alzheimer’s disease and memory have been viewed over eleven million times.

Photo by Greg Mentzer

#BookReview Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita @Berkley @PenguinRandomCA #VillageInTheDark #CaraKennedySeries #IrisYamashita #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

#BookReview Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita @Berkley @PenguinRandomCA #VillageInTheDark #CaraKennedySeries #IrisYamashita #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Village in the Dark

Author: Iris Yamashita

Series: Cara Kennedy #2

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 7.5/10

Detective Cara Kennedy thought she’d lost her husband and son in an accident, but harrowing evidence has emerged that points to murder–and she will stop at nothing to find the truth in this riveting mystery from the author of City Under One Roof.

On a frigid February day, Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy stands by the graves of her husband and son, watching as their caskets are raised from the earth. It feels sacrilegious, but she has no choice. Aaron and Dylan disappeared on a hike a year ago, their bones eventually found and buried. But shocking clues have emerged that foul play was involved, potentially connecting them to a string of other deaths and disappearances. 
 
Somehow tied to the mystery is Mia Upash, who grew up in an isolated village called Unity, a community of women and children in hiding from abusive men. Mia never imagined the trouble she would find herself in when she left home to live in Man’s World. Although she remains haunted by the tragedy of what happened to the man and the boy in the woods, she has her own reasons for keeping quiet.
 
Aided by police officer Joe Barkowski and other residents of Point Mettier, Cara’s investigation will lead them on a dangerous path that puts their lives and the lives of everyone around them in mortal jeopardy.


Review:

Duplicitous, intense, and atmospheric!

In this intriguing, second instalment in the Cara Kennedy series, Village in the Dark, we head back to Alaska, where Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy now finds herself having to relive the devastating tragedy of losing her husband and son when new clues seem to tie their murders to another crime and she makes the difficult decision to exhume their bodies, treks back to the isolated village of Pont Mettier to ask for help, and allows the romance between herself and the recuperating Officer Barkowski to blossom even further.

The prose is sharp and brisk. The characters are strong, relentless, and resourceful. And the plot unfolds quickly into a menacing tale of mischief, mayhem, corruption, manipulation, betrayal, coercion, greed, violence, and murder.

Overall, Village in the Dark is a tight, captivating, sinister tale by Yamashita that is also dark, intricate, and entertaining.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Iris Yamashita

Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and mentor for various film and writing programs, and lives in California.

Photo by Anthony Mongiello

#BookReview Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #OnceSmittenTwiceShy #TheWilmotSisters #ChloeLiese #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

#BookReview Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #OnceSmittenTwiceShy #TheWilmotSisters #ChloeLiese #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Once Smitten, Twice Shy

Author: Chloe Liese

Series: The Wilmot Sisters #3

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.
 
Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is.  Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.
 
Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.


Review:

Lighthearted, sensitive, and cute!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a tender, feel-good tale that takes you into the life of the kind, heartbroken Juliet, who has finally decided that love is just not in the cards for her until she meets the ruggedly handsome, socially awkward Will and their agreement to practice romance together quickly turns into something more.

The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are wary, lovable, and unique. And the plot is an engaging, push-pull tale of family, friendship, tricky situations, playful banter, heartfelt moments, humorous hijinks, self-discovery, happiness, neurodivergence, chronic pain, romance, and love.

Overall, Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a charming, touching, delightful tale by Liese that I thoroughly enjoyed and which, in my opinion, is the perfect choice for anyone who loves their romcoms with a whole lot of heart, humour, and hope.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Chloe Liese

Chloe Liese writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats.

#BookReview The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas @AuthorJuliaT @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheKennedyGirl #JuliaBryanThomas #bookmarkedbylandmark

#BookReview The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas @AuthorJuliaT @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheKennedyGirl #JuliaBryanThomas #bookmarkedbylandmark Title: The Kennedy Girl

Author: Julia Bryan Thomas

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 8/10

This American Girl in Paris might hold the fate of nations…

It’s the 1960s, and the fashion culture of New York, Paris, and Milan is starting to make an impression on the mid-century American woman. Jackie Kennedy’s effortless style leads the nation, although Mia’s bustling bakery job doesn’t often give her the time or money to craft a stylish closet after her idol in the White House. But when a mysterious stranger suddenly offers her a modeling job in Paris at the esteemed House of Rousseau, she takes a chance on it, despite knowing nothing about the world of fashion. As an orphan with big dreams, holding a one-way plane ticket to Paris, she sets off for what she hopes is a better life.

But the job of a model runs deeper than photoshoots and runway walks, and as Mia adjusts to the Parisienne lifestyle, she realizes that not everything is as it seems. Becoming more and more successful in her position as an up-and-coming model, she is soon drawn into the Cold War by the very fashion house she works for. And as she finds herself falling further into national crimes and politics, Mia will soon have to decide which side of history she’s really on.

Jackie Kennedy is no longer the only woman for whom fashion and politics dramatically collide… 

The Kennedy Girl is an immersive and heart-pounding story perfect for history buffs and armchair travelers alike, with glimpses into both the propulsive Cold War era of espionage and the inner-workings of the most prestigious Parisian fashion houses.


Review:

Absorbing, captivating, and vivid!

The Kennedy Girl is a rich, compelling tale set in Paris during the 1960s that takes you into the life of Mia Walker, a young American woman who, after accepting a position to model for the House of Rousseau, finds herself swept up in the glitz and glamour of the City of Light, mingling with the rich and powerful from several countries, and moonlighting as a spy for more than one side.

The prose is descriptive and smooth. The characters are independent, spirited, and brave. And the plot is a mysterious tale of life, loss, love, self-discovery, war, politics, secrets, friendship, determination, betrayal, and espionage.

Overall, I found The Kennedy Girl to be an intriguing, absorbing, atmospheric tale by Thomas that did a lovely job of blending historical times with entertaining suspense.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Julia Bryan Thomas

Julia Bryan Thomas is the author of For Those Who Are Lost. She is married to mystery novelist Will Thomas.

#BookReview Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu @doubledayca @PenguinRandomCA #HeavenlyBodies #ImaniErriu #PenguinReads

#BookReview Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu @doubledayca @PenguinRandomCA #HeavenlyBodies #ImaniErriu #PenguinReads Title: Heavenly Bodies

Author: Imani Erriu

Series: Heavenly Bodies #1

Published by: Random House Canada on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Fantasy

Pages: 496

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

A runaway TikTok sensation, Heavenly Bodies is the first book in a dazzling new romantasy series that blends mythology and shadow magic with a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance that will rewrite the stars.

“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…


Review:

Fantastical, suspenseful, and action-packed!

Heavenly Bodies is a fierce, gripping tale that takes us to both the Kingdoms of Night and Light and into the lives of the powerful, fiery Elara and her nemesis the ruthless, handsome Prince Lorenzo as they reluctantly join forces to battle the King of Stars all while trying to resist the ever-growing attraction quickly building between them.

The prose is intense and passionate. The characters are complex, gifted, and unique. And the plot is a riveting tale of twists, turns, passion, angst, betrayal, wrath, loyalty, heartbreak, duty, sizzling tension, violence, secrets, prophecies, fate, mysterious pasts, and supernatural abilities.

Overall, Heavenly Bodies is an imaginative, seductive, highly entertaining tale by Erriu that’s brimming with bloody battles, grit, determination, heat, sexual chemistry, gods, stars, and other magical elements. It kept me invested and engaged from the very first page and has undoubtedly left me counting down the days until I have the opportunity to read the next novel in the Heavenly Bodies series, Fallen Stars, to find out how this epic adventure will continue.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Imani Erriu

IMANI ERRIU is the author of the romance fantasy series Heavenly Bodies. She is a graduate from the Manchester Metropolitan University where she received a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She spent most of her childhood in the forests of the English countryside, which definitely gifted her an overactive imagination. When she isn't crying over her own fictional characters or daydreaming up her next plot twist, she can be found eating pasta and watching "The Office" on repeat.

Photo by Alessia Erriu

#BookReview I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry @doubledayca @PenguinRandomCA #IDiedOnATuesday #JaneCorry #PenguinReads

#BookReview I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry @doubledayca @PenguinRandomCA #IDiedOnATuesday #JaneCorry #PenguinReads Title: I Died on a Tuesday

Author: Jane Corry

Published by: Doubleday Canada on Dec. 17, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 480

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

From the internationally bestselling author of Coming to Find You and My Husband’s Wifecomes another edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller about a harrowing crime, the long-buried secrets surrounding it, and the explosive uncovering of the truth.

18-year-old Janie has the world and her bright future ahead of her. She’s about to leave behind the small seaside town she’s known all her life to embark on a career in London in book publishing and couldn’t be more excited. She’ll miss home—especially her dad. They’ve only had each other since her mother died years earlier. But she’s about to start her life and she can’t wait.

She’s on her way home after her last early dawn swim in the bay when the peaceful stillness of the quiet Tuesday morning is suddenly shattered. A white van careens around the corner and onto the quiet street Janie is riding her bike along, and in one swift moment, her life is forever changed, and her dreams of a new life destroyed. She’s brutally run-down by the van and left for dead on the street.

Twenty years later

Robbie Manning, international pop superstar and all-around good guy, answers the front door of his palatial home to a pair of police officers who inform him that he’s being arrested for the attempted murder of Janie White. Everyone knows the horrifying story of Janie and what happened to her, and the mystery of who could have done such an awful thing has rattled the world for the last twenty years. But as word of Robbie’s arrest spreads, no one—including Robbie’s family—can believe it; Robbie is upstanding, a model citizen and family man. He couldn’t possibly have committed a hit-and-run that left a young woman paralyzed and unable to speak.

Robbie doesn’t deny the accusations. He’s been waiting for the truth to come out for the last two decades, and he’s ready for his punishment. He deserves it after what he did to Janie . . .

. . . But what if there’s more to the story? What if someone else knows what really happened that day?

Janie may be the only one who can reveal the truth—if they can get her to tell her side of the story.


Review:

Sinister, immersive, and addictive!

I Died on a Tuesday is an ominous, compelling novel that takes you into the lives of a handful of people, including the famous pop star Robbie Manning, whose worlds have been irrevocably changed forever by a tragic accident that occurred twenty years prior that left one young woman physically and emotionally scarred for life, and the rest haunted and struggling to survive the inevitable guilt, repercussions and fallout sure to come.

The prose is expressive and charged. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are complex, vulnerable, and conflicted. And the plot is a menacing, intricate tale of life, loss, family, deception, friendship, grief, guilt, denial, secrets, self-preservation, manipulation, coercion, violence, redemption, and survival.

Overall, I Died on a Tuesday is a dark, twisty, gripping tale by Corry that kept me guessing from the very first page and left me chilled, satisfied, impressed, and curious to see what her devious mind might manage to come up with next.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jane Corry

Jane Corry is a former magazine journalist who spent three years as the writer-in-residence at a high-security prison. This often hair-raising experience helped inspire her Sunday Times-bestselling psychological dramas, which have been translated into sixteen languages and sold over a million copies worldwide. This is her ninth novel.

Photo by Justine Stoddart

#BookReview Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox @josephknox__ @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #ImposterSyndrome #JosephKnox #bookmarkedbylandmark

#BookReview Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox @josephknox__ @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #ImposterSyndrome #JosephKnox #bookmarkedbylandmark Title: Imposter Syndrome

Author: Joseph Knox

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Dec. 10, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 416

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 8/10

On the run from his shady past, Lynch has just arrived in London, still looking over his shoulder to make sure he isn’t being followed. His phone is dead, he has no money, no contacts, no one at all. Until he runs into a young woman named Bobbie who mistakes him for her brother, Heydon Pierce, who disappeared 5 years ago without a trace.

At Bobbie’s suggestion, Lynch goes to the Pierce family home, posing as Heydon to try and con some money out of them. But far from tricking them, his subterfuge is instantly discovered. He strikes the devil’s bargain with them – their silence for his cooperation in finding out what really happened to Heydon.

But Lynch’s investigation goes too deep and uncovers the fact that Heydon Pierce was tangled up with some dangerous and powerful people in London. Everyone has their own motives to keep Heydon well buried in the past. In such a conspiracy of mirrors, there’s only one thing Lynch know for certain: the only person he can trust is himself.


Review:

Engrossing, fast-paced, and sinister!

Imposter Syndrome is a brisk, compelling tale that takes you into the life of Lynch, a broke con man who, after running from the life he recently led in Paris, becomes embroiled in the dangerously messed-up lives of the complex, affluent Pierce family.

The writing is tight and intense. The characters are secretive, troubled, and multilayered. And the plot is an ominous thrill ride full of twists, turns, familial drama, secrets, lies, deception, guilt, grief, relationship dynamics, reckless behaviour, swirling emotions, manipulation, violence, vengeance, and murder.

Overall, Imposter Syndrome is an intricate, crafty, atmospheric read by Knox that captivated, satisfied, and highly entertained me and was a good reminder that things are never what they seem.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Joseph Knox

Joseph Knox was born and raised in and around Stoke and Manchester, where he worked in bars and bookshops before moving to London. He reads, writes, and runs compulsively. His novels have been translated into 14 languages.

#BookReview One Last Rainy Day by Kate Stewart @authorklstewart @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #OneLastRainyDay #RavenhoodLegacySeries #KateStewart #PGCBooks

#BookReview One Last Rainy Day by Kate Stewart @authorklstewart @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #OneLastRainyDay #RavenhoodLegacySeries #KateStewart #PGCBooks Title: One Last Rainy Day

Author: Kate Stewart

Series: Ravenhood Legacy #1

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Dec. 3, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, New Adult

Pages: 477

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

The first installment of the deliciously steamy Ravenhood Legacy series, a spin-off of the internationally bestselling Robin Hood retelling that set TikTok on fire. One Last Rainy Day sheds new light on the secret, morally gray brotherhood—this time from the brooding and magnetic perspective of Dominic.

“We love rainy days, don’t we, baby?”

Dominic King doesn’t want or need anything…except his freedom.

The key to his cage is tucked in the suit pocket of his overbearing, overprotective, older brother, Tobias—the leader of a secret vigilante group Dominic helps govern.

Their mission? Destroy Roman Horner. And what better way to start than with their target’s daughter?

The problem is, the moment Cecelia Horner arrives in Triple Falls, plans and motivations change. For Dominic, she’s a potent reminder that there’s still good in the world. With Tobias away for the summer, things start to heat up quickly, until she’s not just a want, she’s a need.

With the Ravenhood’s fate on his shoulders, Cecelia becomes Dom’s only solace, and a light for his tortured soul. Because he knows, better than anyone, that a choice is coming. And once the decision is made, there’ll be no coming back.


Review:

Sultry, menacing, and emotional!

One Last Rainy Day is a charged, tantalizing tale that takes us back to Triple Falls and into the lives of Dom, Cecelia and Sean as we now get to see how their introduction, lives, relationships, responsibilities, struggles, and feelings all unfolded from Dom’s point of view.

The writing is edgy and passionate. The characters are troubled, impulsive, and resilient. And the plot is an alluring mix of friendship, family, drama, danger, expectations, heartbreak, desire, self-discovery, sacrifice, and love.

Overall, One Last Rainy Day is the steamy, dramatic, entertaining first story in the new Ravenhood Legacy spinoff series by Stewart that takes us back into the same dark, gritty, sexy world we came to know and love in The Ravenhood series but this time from a male perspective.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

 

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kate Stewart

Bestselling author and Texas native, Kate Stewart, lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick. Kate is a lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.
Her series, The Ravenhood Trilogy, consisting of Flock, Exodus, and The Finish Line, has become an international bestseller, TikTok phenomenon, and reader favourite.