"The Puzzle Box" by Danielle Trussoni

 

It is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.

The box was constructed during one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box’s sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.

Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.

But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.

Brink’s quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji’s hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent. ~taken from Goodreads

This is book two featuring Mike Brink, puzzle master extraordinaire. Although it's book two, this could absolutely be read as a stand alone book. 

It's been a few years since the Jameson Sedge and Jess Price incident. Mike Brink is trying to get on with his life and just be as normal as he possibly can, given the genius that is his brain. 

Brink is invited to solve a very prestigious puzzle box by the Japanese Imperial Family. A puzzle which has killed every player prior. Everyone, including Brink himself, is sure that he is the one person who can solve this century old puzzle box. 

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I really liked The Puzzle Master and was looking forward to getting back into this series. I tried and tried, but the reading was slow from start to finish. 

I am not sure if it was the story itself, my little known knowledge of Japanese history, or a combination of both. I had the hardest time seeing the images in my head because I just had no idea the reality of what the scenery and architecture would look like. 

Then there was the story of the sisters and how they were connected both to the Japan narrative and somehow connected to Brink. It was just so confusing to try and get everything sorted out. 

Then there was the "ending". It was like suddenly the book was near the end and the author suddenly wrapped things up quickly and too perfectly. It was boring and predictable while being very unbelievable- as in there is no way it could happen. 

I wish I could give this a better review, but it was 3 stars for me. I do look forward to the next book in the series though! 

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me an eARC to read and give my honest review. 

"The Puzzle Box"   is set to be released here in the U.S. on October 8, 2024 so pre-order now. 

Happy Reading! 

"Red River Road" by Anna Downes

 

Katy Sweeney is looking for her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo vanlife trip, her free-spirited younger sister, Phoebe, vanished without a trace on the remote, achingly beautiful coastal highway in Western Australia. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNAevidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up on her.

Using Phoebe’s social media accounts as a map, Katy retraces her sister’s steps, searching for any clues the police may have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and how dangerous were they?

And then Katy’s path collides with that of Beth, who is on the run from her own dark past. Katy realizes that Beth might be her best—and only—chance of finding the truth, and the two women form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this wild, beautiful, and perilous place.

Anna Downes takes us on a twist-filled journey into the dark side of solo female travel, in this gripping novel that explores what drives us to keep searching for those we have lost, the family bonds that can make or break us, and the deception of memory. ~taken from Goodreads

This was my second novel from author, Anna Downes, my first being "The Safe Place" back in 2020. I was eager to dive into this book, as I enjoyed the previous one. 

I will be straightforward and say I had a really hard time with this book. It was really slow to get started and I couldn't connect with a single character. The fact that chapters switch back and forth between characters, but with no real way to know how their stories connect made it even more confusing. 

By the end of the book the story did start to become interesting, but by then I was so frustrated and bored that I just wanted it to end. The ending seemed unnecessarily drawn out and completely unsatisfying. 

This needs to come with a trigger warning about domestic violence, child neglect, and human trafficking. 

I think, perhaps, I am the minority with my opinion of this book, so please read some other reviews and pick up a copy to decide for yourself. 

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an e-copy to read and give my honest review. It was a 3 star read. 

"Red River Road" is set to be released August 27, 2024 here in the U.S. so preorder your copy now! 

Happy Reading! 

"Eye Of The Beholder" Emma Bamford

 

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Vertigo , the author of the “subtle and ominous” (Lee Child) debut Deep Water returns with a wholly original and sinister novel about the beauty industry, a ghostwriter, and the reappearance of the lover she thought was dead.

When Maddy Wight is hired to ghostwrite the memoir of world-renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds, she thinks it might just be her chance to get her career back on track. She travels to Angela’s remote estate in the Scottish Highlands to hunker down and learn everything she can. But the deeper she digs, the more elusive the doctor becomes. Is there more hidden beneath the surface of the kaleidoscopic beauty industry than Angela wants to reveal?

Sharing the estate is Angela’s enigmatic business partner, Scott, whose mercurial moods change as quickly as the conditions on the darkening moors outside. Confined to the glass-walled house, Maddy can’t shake the feeling of being watched. As objects go missing, handprints appear on the windows, and a stranger lurks in the grounds, she finds herself drawn ever closer to Scott. Returning to London once the book is finished, Maddy is excited for their future together. But her dreams are shattered at the book launch when Angela learns that Scott has leapt to his death from the Scottish cliffs.

Which is why, months later and lost in a fog of grief, Maddy is completely blindsided when she sees Scott entering the Tube station just in front of her. It can’t be him, can it? After all, Scott is dead...or is he?

In exploring the differences between looking and seeing, surface and depth, and the power of the female gaze, this tribute to Hitchcock’s 1958 film masterpiece If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, how much can you trust what you see? ~taken from Goodreads

Author, Emma Bamford's, "Eye Of The Beholder" sounded like an intriguing thriller. It started out great- Maddy chasing her dead presumed dead boyfriend through the streets and a nightclub. I was hooked and excited to see where this went. 

Then we get to the "before". The story slows to a snail's pace and turns into more of a love story than a thriller. I had trouble figuring out what the mystery even was. It wasn't until the last half of the book that it was even becoming clear, and by then it was a total let-down. The story was way too long and repetitive.

The characters are boring and unlikeable. Their actions seems disjointed and unrealistic. There wasn't a single one that I liked. 

I would never call this book a thriller. I don't think it even classifies as a mystery. It's a love story, at best. 

This was a 2.5 star read for me. Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery books for allowing me an eARC to read and give my honest review. 

"Eye Of The Beholder" is out today in the U.S. so you can get your copy now. 

Happy Reading! 

Drew Afualo's "Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve"

 

Drew Afualo is best known as the internet’s 'Crusader for Women' and is at the head of a new generation of entertainment’s rising stars, with more than nine million followers across her social platforms. She soon realized that men on social media were creating sexist content aimed at disparaging women, and also containing rampant fatphobia, racism, and other forms of bigotry with very real-life consequences. It didn’t take long for her to step into the role of unofficial watchdog for misogyny, and her signature laugh is now recognized as a feminist call to arms.Loud is part manual, part manifesto, and part memoir. It is a summoning cry to rid the internet (and our hearts, minds, and lives) of 'terrible men' and create a space to fight outdated patriarchal ideals. Above all, it makes it clear that behind Drew’s fearsome laugh is a mission and a life philosophy, a strategy for self-confidence from the inside out, and a pathway to once and for all remove men from the centre of how women and fems think about themselves. ~taken from Goodreads

Hey guys!

She has one of the most recognizable laughs in today's world. Depending on what kind of person you are you either love it or hate it. I, personally, LOVE her laugh. It means that a sexist, misogynistic, fatphobic (usually) man is about to get an ear full in the same tone that he dished it out. Drew Afualo gives it back the way it was served. 

This book does have her beloved comedic approach to it, but it does highlight what an intelligent, well-spoken woman she is. She covers her early life and even how she met Pili Tanuvasa, the love of her life. It gives insight on how she gained the confidence she currently has. 

This is part memoir, part self-help. I wish every person who has or is doubting themselves would read this book. In Drew's own words:

"A bad bitch is still a bad bitch, regardless of how many times she doubts herself." 

This is a book about learning to be comfortable with you body, your feelings, and your place in this world. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Farra, Straus, and Giroux for the e-ARC to read and give my honest opinion. It was a 4 star read! 

"Loud" is being released here in the U.S. on July 30, 2024 so preorder your copy now! I think this will even be a great audiobook if read by the author! 

Happy Reading! 

"Her Last Goodbye" by Carla Kovach

 

Her small hands tremble and tears run down her cheeks. Shivering in the dark, damp storeroom, the little girl clutches her favourite toy dog. She cries out for help, but nobody answers. Her mother went missing last night and, as dawn breaks, there is still no sign of her.

Four-year-old Cleo shakes with fear as she tells the police that her mother, Darcie, was taken by a man on their way home last night. Darcie told Cleo to run and hide, and the last thing she saw was Darcie being pushed into the back of a car.

When police look into Darcie’s life, they discover a drunken argument with her best friend hours before she went missing, a dark figure seen loitering near where Cleo was found, and a recent assault allegation against a customer at Darcie’s work.

It seems like everyone around the young mother was keeping secrets, but Darcie had a dark secret of her own – one she hasn’t dared tell a soul.

Did Darcie’s deadly past finally catch up with her? And will she find the strength to fight for her life and keep her promise to return for her beloved daughter? ~taken from Goodreads

Another Gina Harte story to sink my teeth into! For those new here, the Gina Harte book series are divine and are great read together or can be read as stand alone books without being confusing to the reader. I was actually introduced to this series after a few books had already been published and I picked up on the storyline with no issues. 

This latest novel is about revenge. Someone from the far past has come back to terrorize a group of what were once high school friends. A woman is kidnapped, her small daughter left to run to safety through the dark woods, and a single finger is left to be found. 

Days later another woman goes missing, a friend to the first victim. Another finger left to be found. Detective Harte and her team seem to be running around in circles trying to figure out the who, where and why of the case. The hope is to find the women alive. They have to connect the dots before it's too late.

This is a multi-layered and multi-character story line that was unique, intriguing, and satisfying. I honestly has no idea who the villain was until the very end. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me an ARC to read and give my honest review. It was a 4 star crime thriller! 

"Her Last Goodbye" is out today here in the U.S. so get your copy in time for a good weekend read! 

You can also check out my other Kovach book reviews HERE.

Happy Reading! 

"Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth

 

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects? ~taken from Goodreads 

Another masterful creation by author Sally Hepworth. She is so talented in creating atmospheric thrillers that suck you in and keep you guessing until the end. This newest novel was no different, though I will say it should come with trigger warnings of child abuse, so read at your own risk. 

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Jessica, Norah and Alicia in both their past and present lives. We are let in on their journey as they travel back to their childhood home, where a body has been discovered under the house. Through glimpses back into their past, we learn they endured both psychological and physical abuse from their foster parent. We also get chapters of a mystery character- glimpses into the life of a girl, but it is not clear who the girl is. 

This novel is heart-wrenching and chilling. It shows just how deep the love between sisters can go, even when the sisters aren't blood related. It also tells of how a person's past can cut deep and shape the future no matter how hard they try to forget and run from it. 

"Darling Girls"  is set to be released here in the U.S. on April 23, 2024 so pre-order now because this is a 4 star must-read! 

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced ecopy to read and give my honest review. 

Happy Reading! 

"Family Feud: by Daniel Kowalski

 

A husband relieved when his kidnapped wife shows up unharmed soon learns she has a dark past that threatens their entire family. ‘Family Feud’ is a fast-paced mystery/thriller that begins when missing supermom Kelly McCarthy is dumped on a rural stretch of highway by the people who kidnapped and held her hostage for two weeks without any demands. Her ex-military turned security expert husband Joe, young-son Tommy, and abrasive mother-in-law Faye are all relieved to have her back relatively unharmed. But as everyone tries to readjust to life again, Joe begins to worry that Kelly is not being entirely truthful about her ordeal and the people that abducted her. He moves the family to his cousin’s rural estate so that his wife can recover in anonymity, but it’s not as safe as he expected. Strange things start to happen and it becomes clear to Joe that Kelly is not out of the woods yet with her kidnappers and now the entire family is in danger. The only way out of this will be an inevitable confrontation that not everyone will walk away from in this exciting mystery/thriller novel. ~taken from Goodreads

This was my first novel from author, Daniel Kowalski, and I have to say I really liked it! I read the premise and it sounded unique and interesting. It had been awhile since I read an action thriller and I was really in the mood for something good. I crossed my fingers and dug in. 

I immediately got hooked on the plot. It was an immediately interesting and suspenseful storyline. From the start we know Kelly is lying about who actually kidnapped her but we don't know why. She starts withdrawing from her family at a time when they uproot their lives to keep her safe. Her husband, Joe, is doing everything in his power to protect her and the rest of the family.

I have to be honest and say that at first I thought this book would be filled with more action scenes and technology descriptions than my brain could handle. There were some instances where there was a bit too much detail in security cameras and the technological setup for safeguarding the family than I could comprehend. But it eased up and the character development started to blossom.

As the story unfolded the characters grew and we got to know more about how they thought and felt. By a quarter of the way in I felt like I was invested in the journey and really looked forward to reading everyday. There wasn't a dull moment in the plot. It was actioned filled from start to finish.

The ending was a strong finish and had such a twist. It was a highly entertaining and fun read. 

Special thanks to author Daniel Kowalski for the advanced eARC to read and give my honest review. 

"Family Feud" is set to be released April 16, 2024 here in the U.S. so preorder now! It was a 4 star read! 

Happy Reading!