"The Last Mrs. Parrish" by Liv Constantine

Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.

To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.

Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn't have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces. 

With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent. 


So this was such a fun read! It will probably be a short review, so that I don't ruin any surprises!

It's fun, to me, to read about the lives of the 1%. The clothing, the houses, the nannies, and the special clubs and societies that make up their daily lives. Amber, the main character, envies these lives and has devised a plan to be the next and last Mrs Parrish. She is a sociopath and has no morals what so ever. The lengths she went to to secure her spot was jaw dropping.

I loved that there were only 3 main characters- homewrecker, wife and husband. I didn't get confused about who was who and were they belonged in the story. The story flows effortlessly and kept me engaged. Plot twists left me surprised and wondering how exactly this story would end. I was not disappointed!


I give this a 4.5 star read! The Last Mrs Parrish is available at your local bookstore, online retailer or library so you should definitely read it! Let me know what you thought once you're done!

Happy Reading! 

Jonathan and Drew Scott's "It Takes Two"

Jonathan and Drew Scott, known for their wildly popular HGTV shows including Property Brothers and Brother vs Brother, follow up their New York Times bestseller, Dream Home, with a highly anticipated memoir. It Takes Two: Our Story shares never-before-revealed tales of the brothers’ childhood and rise to fame—from starting their first business at 7 years old, their years modeling and acting, to their first house purchase at the impressive young age of eighteen. They soon found their true passion in life, combining their natural gifts for entertaining with the skills they learned from buying, renovating, and selling homes.

Complete with hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from set, Jonathan and Drew discuss how their family and upbringing have led to their success in life. Throughout, the brothers keep fans laughing with the clever—and sometimes zany—sibling banter for which they’re known best. ~taken from Amazon

So this is a book that had been on my "highly anticipating" list and I knew that if the audio version was actually narrated by the twins, that was the route I was taking. IT WAS and it did not disappoint! 

The light-hearted banter between Jonathan and Drew flowed throughout the book. They shared stories of their childhood, tales of their troubles pre-HGTV, and behind the scenes information once they became huge stars!

The sarcastic duo's voices were pleasant to listen to, and surprisingly their personalities projected the same in the audio book as they do on tv. Even their brother, girlfriend, fiance and parents had cameos, cementing in my mind that these two characters are the real deal. No fluff added to their multiple tv shows. They are who they are!

This book was a pleasure to listen to and I especially loved hearing about their life prior to fame. I won't give away any spoilers! The only complaint I have about the audio version is that sometimes I forgot who was actually talking! They sound the same! 

If you enjoy Jonathan and Drew Scott on television, you will enjoy hearing (or reading) this memoir, I guarantee it! 

A 5 star read for me! You can pick this up now at your local bookstore, online book retailer or library! 

Happy Reading! 

Marieke Nijkamp's "Before I Let Go"

Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return.

Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated―and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town's lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger.

Corey knows something is wrong. With every hour, her suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets―chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter... ~taken from Amazon

Soooo... I think I should start by saying that I loved her first book, "This Is Where It Ends" , as it was original and very thought provoking. You can read my review here.

That being said, this book just didn't quit do it for me. Let me see if I can explain... 

*WARNING- THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS*

This story did keep my attention, as I read through it pretty quickly. The chapters alternate between first person account and also letters (often unsent) between Corey and Kyra. The writing was beautiful, descriptive, and easy to read.  

That being said, the entire story in itself was quite unbelievable. First, we have this mentally ill girl in a very small town she was born and raised in, and the entire town hates her or is scared of her? Then suddenly they all fall in love with her, deam her as some kind of goddess with magical powers, but let her die? It was just odd.

Then there Corey's behavior when she goes back for the funeral. Careless, reckless and pretty much just acting like and outright bitch. I couldn't believe how rude she was to people and how mean the people, mainly grown adults, spoke to her. It was like watching a Disney Channel show where everyone yells and is disrespectful to each other the entire episode. 

I completely understand that desperation and fear can cause people to change. But an entire town acting like they did, including Kyra's family, was completely frustrating and unrealistic. Then, the way they treated Corey, allowing her to run away and live in a falling down, unheated hotel with no food, water, or warmth? COME ON!!! 

The characters, besides Corey and Kyra, were way under developed. At times I had trouble remembering who exactly Corey was interacting with and what their role in the town was. Even Kyra's parents were forgettable. Because Kyra's last name was mentioned ONCE at the very beginning, when the story mentions Mr. or Mrs. Soandso, it took me a minute to even register they were important characters in the story.

There was also the weird, supernatural element to the story. Corey constantly hears voices while Kyra supposedly could predict the future by the pictures she drew, but none of it was ever explained. It just added more frustration to the story.

 Finally, there was no actual build up. The story just kind of plateaus and then ends quickly leaving me asking "what just happened? That's it? There's no more?". 

So, I give this 3 stars. Yes, I was gripped, but was ultimately left confused and frustrated. I think the only reason I read so quickly was to see where the plot was going, ultimately feeling a complete let down.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me a copy to read and give my honest review. This book is now available at your favorite bookstore, online retailer, or library.

Happy Reading!