The Woman in Me by Britney Spears - 4 Stars

 "In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last."

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I really enjoyed hearing Britney's side of her life. The media has made her out to be such a loonie in the last several years and with her story, you understand a lot of her actions and behaviors. Her family has really treated her awful for most of her life and it was really sad to read about some of the things they did/said to her. There were times in the book that I just wanted to give her a big hug. 

Top Secret Twenty One by Janet Evanovich - 5 Stars

 "Trenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger—resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation—has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day’s work for Stephanie Plum. The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur’s wild bucket list. A boob job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what’s number one on the list—but that’s top secret."

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I think the Stephanie Plum books are getting funnier the further I get into the series. There was a lot of this book where I was laughing so much! Evanovich has a good way of describing these scenes to where you can picture it and that makes it even funnier. 

A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean - 5 Stars & A Favorite

 "After a crushing betrayal by the man she loves, Gillian Gibbons flees to her family home for a much-needed escape, but when she finds an old photograph of her grandmother in the arms of a Nazi officer, Gillian’s life gets even more complicated. Rattled by the discovery, Gillian attempts to unravel the truth behind the photos, setting her off on an epic journey through the past…

1939. England is on the brink of war as Vivian Hughes falls in love with a handsome British official, but when bombs begin to fall and Vivian’s happy life is destroyed in the blitz, she will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves…

As Gillian learns more about her grandmother’s past, the old photo begins to make more sense. But for every question answered, a new one takes its place. Faced with a truth that is not at all what she expected, Gillian attempts to shine a light not only on the mysteries of her family’s past but also on her own future."

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I can't say enough good things about this book. It was absolutely amazing!!! The author pulled me in and I kept wanting more. When the truth about one thing was revealed, something else came to light and I had to know what was going to happen. It was fast paced and so emotional. 

Never Lie by Freida McFadden - 4 Stars

 "Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams .But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate … with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end.

In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room . One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance .

Tricia plays the tapes one by one, late into the night. With each one, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly unravels .

And then Tricia reaches the final cassette.

The one that reveals the entire horrifying truth."

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This was a pretty good read. McFadden's writing isn't stellar at some points. There were a few thoughts that were unnecessarily repeated several time and a couple of grammatical errors, but the twists in her books really make them worth finishing. This is my 2nd one by her and I'm sure I'll check out a few more. 

A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa - 5 Stars

 The harrowing true story of one man’s life in—and subsequent escape from—North Korea, one of the world’s most brutal totalitarian regimes.

Half-Korean, half-Japanese, Masaji Ishikawa has spent his whole life feeling like a man without a country. This feeling only deepened when his family moved from Japan to North Korea when Ishikawa was just thirteen years old, and unwittingly became members of the lowest social caste. His father, himself a Korean national, was lured to the new Communist country by promises of abundant work, education for his children, and a higher station in society. But the reality of their new life was far from utopian.

In this memoir translated from the original Japanese, Ishikawa candidly recounts his tumultuous upbringing and the brutal thirty-six years he spent living under a crushing totalitarian regime, as well as the challenges he faced repatriating to Japan after barely escaping North Korea with his life. A River in Darkness is not only a shocking portrait of life inside the country but a testament to the dignity—and indomitable nature—of the human spirit

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This was such a heartbreaking read, but inspirational at the same time. It's amazing that the author lived through all the horrors he went through while in North Korea. It's hard to imagine a government having complete control over your entire life. And the way they treated their citizens was awful. 

This book was translated from Japanese, and I have to say that the translating was done very well. A lot of times I feel translated books are translated into choppy English that doesn't make a lot of sense, but this one flowed really well. 

For the Sake Of (1) by Judith Sonnet - 4 1/2 stars

 Tabby thought she'd never see her child again. Missing for eight months, all hope seemed lost in finding six-year-old Riley. But then, Tabby wakes up one morning to find a brown lunch bag on the porch. Inside is a burner phone and a picture of Riley... with a decapitated head on her lap.Now, Tabby Moss has to prove that she'll do anything to save her daughter and have her returned. She'll do whatever the fiends who are holding her captive want.No Matter how sick...No matter how depraved...No matter how EVIL...It's a twisted game of life and limb, wherein Tabby must prove to a psychopath (and his hoard of online followers) that her daughter is worth saving!

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This was my first time reading this genre (extreme horror). I love horror movies, so I was interested to see what these books would be like. I had a hard time trying to decide what rating to give it. While it was such a grotesque story, it was like a train wreck you didn't want  to look away from. It was like Hostel meets Saw meets Criminal Minds. The author did a good job of making you want to know what was next. I was disappointed in the ending, though. It was a bit of a let down. But I will probably read something else in this genre in the future. 

Sisters Behaving Badly by Maddie Please - 4 Stars

 Sisters Kitty and Jenny haven’t spoken since a very disappointing Carvery lunch. Kitty, sixty-two, thinks Jenny is turning grey. Jenny, sixty-six, thinks Kitty needs to grow up!

So when both sisters inherit a farmhouse in rural France, it gives them the perfect chance to heal the rift between them. Except the farmhouse is a wreck, the garden is terrorized by a flock of chickens, not to mention a donkey with a serious flatulence problem!

Kitty is determined to enjoy herself, especially when she meets gorgeous French builder, Leo. Ooh la – la! And Jenny finds the fully stocked wine cellar helps enormously with missing horrible husband Paul – hic!

And as the two sisters begin to repair their fragile friendship, they discover that being bad is actually very good for the soul.

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This was such a cute book. It had a few LOL moments and I enjoyed the predicaments that Kitty was getting into. And of course it was heartwarming with a happy ending, too. 

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka - 3 Stars

 Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. He hoped it wouldn’t end like this, not for him.

Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.

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Ended up being disappointed in this. The author put too much mumbo jumbo in the middle of the storyline. Metaphors and philosophical stuff just to take up space. Half of what was written didn't even pertain to the story. There were too many POVs. I got confused as to who was who a couple of times. Won't be reading this author again. 

The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb - 5 Stars

 When Eleanor Harper becomes the director of a renowned artists’ retreat, she knows nothing of Cliffside Manor’s dark past as a tuberculosis sanatorium, a “waiting room for death.” After years of covering murder and violence as a crime reporter, Eleanor hopes that being around artists and writers in this new job will be a peaceful retreat for her as much as for them.

But from her first fog-filled moments on the manor’s grounds, Eleanor is seized by a sense of impending doom and realizes there’s more to the institution than its reputation of being a haven for creativity. After the arrival of the new fellows—including the intriguing, handsome photographer Richard Banks—she begins to suspect that her predecessor chose the group with a dangerous purpose in mind. As the chilling mysteries of Cliffside Manor unravel and the eerie sins of the past are exposed, Eleanor must fight to save the fellows—and herself—from sinister forces.

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This one surprised me. It started off a bit slow, but then really pulled me in. It was different than what I thought it was because it turned out to be a Gothic horror/ghost story. But I enjoy the paranormal, so it was a good read. 

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent - 4 Stars

 Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone.

I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

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This was a nice surprise read. It started out slow, but once it picked up, I liked it. It's actually several genres wrapped into on, which is a neat idea. I want to see what else the author has written. 

Pity Date by Whitney Dineen - 3.75 Stars

 Faith

I should’ve known it wouldn’t work out.

In all my twenty-nine years, life has never been smooth sailing when a man was involved. Astor Hill was everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner—handsome, successful, and interested in me. Until he started cheating. The cherry on the sundae is finding out the truth less than two weeks before we’re supposed to stand up for our best friends at their wedding.

When a staggeringly good-looking and kind stranger comes to town and offers to take me to the wedding, I jump at his proposal. Who cares if he’s gay? Astor doesn’t need to know that.

Teddy

She thinks I’m gay?!

I’m taking a vacation from Hollywood and going back to Elk Lake. My grandfather hasn’t been doing well after Gram died and he needs my support. Luckily, I’m between blockbuster movies so I can make the time.

My first stop is Rosemary’s Bakery for one of the gingersnaps I remember so fondly from my childhood. The only problem is that the girl at the counter has eaten them all. After spilling my tea on me, she bursts into tears and tells me her troubles. I should be annoyed but I’m oddly charmed.

I know what it’s like to be dumped by a cheater, so I do the only thing I can think I offer to take her to the wedding to make her ex jealous. Unfortunately, with the help of the tabloids, things quickly spiral out of control…

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This was a fairly cute rom-com that I found on Kindle Unlimited. I kept me engaged, but I'm not sure if it was good enough to where I want to read the next book.

Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry - 5 Stars

 "We forgive murderers, not pedophiles. Not since Lionel Shriver brought us We Need to Talk About Kevin has a writer delved into the complexities of a disturbed mother/son relationship. Until now. Meet Noah—an A-honor roll student, award-winning swimmer, and small-town star destined for greatness. There weren’t any signs that something was wrong until the day he confesses to molesting little girls during swim team practice. He’s sentenced to eighteen months in a juvenile sexual rehabilitation center. His mother, Adrianne, refuses to turn her back on him despite his horrific crimes, but her husband won’t allow Noah back into their home. In a series of shocking and shattering revelations, Adrianne is forced to make the hardest decision of her life. Just how far will she go to protect her son? Saving Noah challenges everything you think you know about teenage sexual offenders. It will keep you up at night long after you've read the last page, questioning beliefs you once thought were true."

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Wow! Just wow! I don't think I've ever read a more heart wrenching book. It actually made me cry, which books don't usually do. The last 25% tore my heart apart. It makes you think about how you'd act in a situation like the events that happen in the book. The ending was not what I was expecting, especially the last chapter before the epilogue. 

Killer Nurse by John Foxjohn - 5 Stars

 She was hired to nurse them back to health...instead, she took their lives.

For months, the DaVita Dialysis Center in Lufkin, Texas had been baffled by the rising number of deaths and injuries occurring in their clinic. In April alone, they’d rushed thirty-four patients to the hospital. But no one expected such a horrific cause to be behind it all.

Kimberly Clark Saenz was a well-liked licensed vocational nurse at the center. The East Texas nurse was a mother of two, and known for her smiles and the stories she told to help patients pass the time. But on April 28, 2008, witnesses came forward to say that instead of lifesaving medication, they’d seen Saenz adding toxic bleach to IV ports. Turns out, it wasn’t the first time. Once caught, the shocking story of Saenz’s murderous practices began to unravel…

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I really enjoyed this one. It helped that I was familiar with the dialysis process. There were a couple of things that irked me, one was the repeating of details. But I guess that's understandable to help explain to those that don't understand the process. 

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine - 3 Stars

 Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.

But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

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I honestly don't know how this has a 4.12 star rating on Goodreads. The premise is good, but the book was just not that great. It's a VERY slow read and a lot of it dragged on and repeated itself. I was really hoping for more out of it, but it let me down. 

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren - 3.75 Stars

 "Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of... lucky."

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This was a cute, fun read. The characters were likable and the story moved along well.

Alphabet Soup Challenge 2024

 

2024 Alphabet Soup Challenge

A-
B-
C-
D-
E- The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb
F- For the Sake Of (1) by Judith Sonnet 
G-
H-
I-
J-
K- Killer Nurse by John Foxjohn
L-
M-
N- Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
O-
P-
Q-
R- A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa 
S- Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
T- Top Secret Twenty One by Janet Evanovich
U- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

V-
W-The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
X-
Y-
Z-