The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods. It was on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, and a woman was sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm, and she probably would have been hurt herself if she’d stopped. Not only that, her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing. Where she left the car; if she took her pills; even the alarm code.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

And the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

Kindle Edition, 337 pages

Audiobook 9 hours, 25 minutes

Published March 1, 2019

 by St. Martin's Press

3/5 stars

This was my first time reading a book by this author. The Breakdown started with an enticing scene that had me hunkering down as I listened to the audiobook. I also had the Kindle version and alternated while not driving.

Like I said the opening scenes really grabbed my attention.  A dark stormy night, deserted country road until it wasn't, the guilt Cass feels for not stopping...I was feeling the vibes.  But then it lost a little momentum. It got bogged down with repetitiveness as Cass feels like she is losing her mind. Since her mother passed away after having dementia diagnosed while young, Cass feels she has inherited this trait. Cass also feels guilt for not helping the woman stranded on the side of the road though that is her little secret that keeps eating away at her thoughts, thus creating tension within.

It wasn’t until the last quarter that things really picked up, it became an addicting read that I had to finish before retiring for the night.

The Breakdown is a story of inner demons, tragedy and mystery. Is Cassie really losing her mind or is something else to play?

Like I said I listened to the audio for most of this book and I’m glad I went that route, I think if I read I might have given up at the halfway point.

The audiobook was obtained through CloudLibrary with the Kindle via the publisher, St. Martin Press

The Mirror by Nora Roberts

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets.

Then one night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past—and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again—a centuries-old curse that must be broken—and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

Hardcover, 435 pages

Audiobook, 16 hours, 48 minutes

Published November 19, 2024

 by St. Martin's Press

4/5 stars

Book 2 in Nora Roberts, The Lost Bride Trilogy continues right where Inheritance left off.

In The Mirror, the ghosts of the past are getting restless. And for Sonya McTavish, her newly inherited mansion begins to take on more of a life of its own. Aside from the footsteps, the piano playing and music, she now dreams of the past and the pieces are finally clicking together in regards to the seven brides. She knows what needs to be done, but alas, that will be for book 3, which comes out in the fall.

As a new Nora Roberts reader I enjoyed this one just as much as Inheritance. It has things that go bump in the night and the acceptance of Sonya and her friends makes it not as creepy as one would anticipate. Because seriously if someone started playing the piano at 3 AM every single night I wouldn’t really be staying there for very long.

 There are twist to the backstory and part of me wishes that there was a family tree available just so this old brain can remember who is who and what year each bride was from. All in all a fun and entertaining read/listen.  Yes I did have the audiobook on hand also.

My copy of the book was through my local public library and the audiobook via Everand

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Kindle edition, 320 pages

Audiobook, 10 hours

Expected publication May 20, 2025

by St. Martin's Press/Macmillan Audio

5/5 stars

Oh how good it feels to jump into a Katherine Centre story, some of my favourite rom/coms she has penned.  The Love Haters releases in less than a month, I highly recommend it.

Told from Katie Vaughn's point of view she takes on a job she is nowhere near qualified for, She is not only trying to help a coworker out but also possibly saving her own job. She gets way more than she bargained for.

As I’ve come to expect with this author, this wasn't just a rom/com, she also deals with relevant subject matter. For Katie, it is dealing with her inner demons in terms of body image, love ability and being too hard on herself. With a wonderful cast of characters I was thoroughly entertained with a story that was heartfelt. It made me laugh, smile and feel for all the characters, even George.

I was lucky enough to get both the e-book and audiobook for review purposes and I listened and read both. Center’s books are a perfect fit for audio since they are usually from the point of view of the main character, it's like she’s telling her story. The reader did an awesome job bringing Katie's story to life with heart and emotion. The e-book worked great for curling up on the couch to read and unwind. I will be adding the print copy to my shelf to go with her other books.

The Love Haters is a story of friendship, loss, self love and stepping out of your comfort zone. There is a Great Dane named George Bailey, who one can’t help but love along with Lucky his new little friend.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.

The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean

A woman being held captive is willing to risk everything to save herself, her unborn child, and her captor’s latest victim in this claustrophobic thriller in the tradition of Misery and Room.

On an isolated farm in the United Kingdom, a woman is trapped by the monster who kidnapped her seven years ago. When she discovers she is pregnant, she resolves to protect her child no matter the cost, and starts to meticulously plan her escape. But when another woman is brought into the fold on the farm, her plans go awry. Can she save herself, her child, and this innocent woman at the same time? Or is she doomed to spend the remainder of her life captive on this farm?

Intense, dark, and utterly gripping The Last Thing to Burn is a breathtaking thriller from an author to watch.

Audiobook, 8 hours, 29 minutes

Published April 20, 2021 

by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

4/5 stars

This book has been on my TBR for so long, ever since I heard thebakingbookworm rave about it. Finally, I grabbed the audiobook while on a recent vacation. It was my listen while I walked on the beach, needless to say I did a lot of walking

The Last Thing to Burn was a fast paced story about a young woman kept hostage by someone who was supposed to offer her freedom. In exchange she is trapped going on seven years. I really didn’t know what to expect here but what I got was a suspenseful story that was atmospheric in that I could tell the surroundings that Jane was forced to live in. It was told from her point of view, which was great showing everything that she has gone through

Though I’m not usually into these types of stories, this was well written and hard to read/listen to at times, since it deals with both physical and mental abuse. It was great to witness her bravery, resilience, and thought process.  As for the ending yeah I didn’t see that coming.

This listen it isn’t very long, approximately 241 pages or 8 and half hours for the audiobook.  
I highly recommend the audiobook if that is available to you.

My audio was obtained through my subscription with Everand

The Great Bear by David A. Robertson

Eli and Morgan journey once more to Misewa, travelling back in time.

Back at home after their first adventure in the Barren Grounds, Eli and Morgan each struggle with personal issues: Eli is being bullied at school, and tries to hide it from Morgan, while Morgan has to make an important decision about her birth mother. They turn to the place where they know they can learn the most, and make the journey to Misewa to visit their animal friends. This time they travel back in time and meet a young fisher that might just be their lost friend. But they discover that the village is once again in peril, and they must dig deep within themselves to find the strength to protect their beloved friends. Can they carry this strength back home to face their own challenges?

Paperback, 240 pages

Published August 2, 2022

 by Tundra Books

3.5/5 starts

This is book 2 in the Misewa Saga by Canadian author David A. Robertson.

The Great Bear begins right where book 1, The Barren Grounds left off. For Eli and Morgan, foster children, they have found a secret portal into the land of Misewa. But this time it comes with a twist as they can travel back in time . It wasn’t as detailed oriented or explorative as the previous book but it did have a great story about bullying. Not only is Eli being bullied at school, a secret he tried to tries to hide, but bullying also takes place in Misewa. Which is something they want to curb. But how do you tame The Great Bear?

This is a fun series that might remind some of Narnia, but it comes with a Canadian flair and current day setting. I recommend not just to the middle grade but this adult is enjoying this series. I look forward to reading more as book 5 is released in August and #6 coming soon also.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge and is book # 24.

On Isabella Street by Genevieve Graham

From #1 bestselling author Genevieve Graham comes a gripping novel set in Toronto and Vietnam during the turbulent sixties about two women caught up in powerful social movements and the tragedy that will bring them together.

Toronto, 1967. Two young women with different backgrounds, attitudes, and aptitudes are living in an exciting but confusing time, the most extreme counter-culture movement the modern world has ever seen. They have little in common except for the place they both call an apartment building on Isabella Street.

Marion Hart, a psychiatrist working in Toronto’s foremost mental institution, is fighting deinstitutionalization—the closing of major institutions in favour of community-based centres—because she believes it could one day cause major homelessness. When Alex Neumann, a vet with a debilitating wound, is admitted to the mental institution, Marion will learn through him that there is so much more to life than what she is living.

Sassy Rankin, a budding folk singer and carefree hippy from a privileged family, joins protests over the Vietnam War and is devastated that her brother chose to join the US Marines. At the same time, she must deal with the truth that her comfortable life is financed by her father, a real estate magnate bent on gentrifying the city, making it unaffordable for many of her friends.

The strength of their unlikely friendship means that when one grapples with a catastrophic event, the other must do all she can to make it right.

Inspired by the unfettered optimism and crushing disillusionment of the sixties, On Isabella Street is an extraordinary novel about the enduring bonds of friendship and family and the devastating cost of war.

Paperback, 432 pages

Published April 22, 2025 

by Simon & Schuster

5/5 stars

Genevieve Graham has solidified herself as an auto-read author. Her passion for telling Canadian historical fiction stories is evident in her well researched books. On Isabel Street released just a few days ago.

On Isabella Street is a vivid portrayal of what life was like in Toronto in 1967. Seen through the eyes of two women, from different walks of life, and how they develop a special friendship. One a psychiatrist that deals with the deinstitutionalization of mental institutions that took place in that year. As one of a very few female doctors in her field, her struggle is felt. The other view is of a carefree, happy, bubbling folk singer from a well to do family. Her brother has joined the US Marines and sent over to Vietnam.

I could go on and on what takes place in this book but rather say that On Isabella Street is a must read for historical fiction lovers. It is not just a story of a friendship, but it is also a glimpse of how the Vietnam war affected Canada, the struggles with PTSD when it wasn’t as well known as it is today. This is a very well written story that has some twists, romance, but ultimately it is about friendship, family and the bonds that held them together.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster CA for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.

By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.

Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication April 22, 2025 

by Harper Muse

4.5/5 stars

This was my first time reading a Marie Boswick book, I was drawn to it by the time period and bookish title.

Set in the early 1960s three women Margaret, Viv and Bitsy invite their new neighbour Charlotte to their newly formed book club.  Charlotte will only come if the book is the newly released  The Feminist Mystique, which sets off a lot of discussion, soul searching and drama in this Virginia community.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the woman were relatable on one hand, and I felt their injustice and lack of opportunities as frustrating as they did. It was a well written story about four women with different personalities, goals and way of life. There was a lot of historical events that took place making it all the more authentic. It also gave a glimmer of hope for future women.

Don’t let the title fool you into thinking this is a typical book club, it is far from. It is a story of the power of female friendships that is heartwarming as they navigate life.

My thanks to Harper Muse (US) for a print arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

From the bestselling author of Hidden Pictures comes a breathtaking work of suspense about a father trying to save his daughter from a life-altering decision that will put everything he loves on the line.

Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right.

He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate—very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller that delves deep into the heart of one family, The Last One at the Wedding is a work of brilliant suspense from a true modern master.

Paperback, 368 pages

Published October 8, 2024

 by Flatiron Books

3.5/5 stars

I really enjoyed the author‘s previous book Hidden Pictures. It was 5 stars for me so maybe my expectations were a little high for this his latest, which released last fall.

I wouldn’t exactly call this a thriller, but rather a mystery. It’s been three years since Frank Szatokski has seen or communicated with his daughter Maggie, then out of the blue he gets a call announcing that she is getting married and would like Frank to walk her down the aisle.

When Frank turns up to meet the fiancé red flags start to appear. And then for the wedding weekend Frank questions so much about this new family Maggie is married to. It is a twisty story, there are secrets of the  past and present that are revealed with drastic consequences.

Maybe my expectations were too high, this was an okay mystery but definitely not suspenseful or a thriller like advertised.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge (#18).

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help.

Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.

As she searches for answers, Kai only finds more questions, especially regarding the blacksmith who can ignite her body like a flame, then douse it with ice in the next breath.

And no one is what—or who—they appear to be in the kingdom of Vinevridth, including the man whose secrets might be as deadly as the land itself.

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published December 3, 2024

by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Red Tower Books)

2.5/5 stars

I was sucked into this book because of the cover and the lovely sprayed edges. Though the blurb did sound intriguing.

Imagine waking up in the woods not knowing who you are, where you are and watching someone steal all your possessions. That is what happened with Kai and thus begins her journey searching for answers. And as the blurb states she gets more questions in that regard.

This was a long book, 496 pages, and honestly it was longer than necessary. There was a lot of yelling, cringe worthy scenes and banter that just didn’t work for me. The story itself I enjoyed but again it was slow paced and way too long.

The Last One has an interesting world building, though long in the telling. I think I keep repeating that. I did switch over to the audiobook for a bit, though the reader and I just did not hit it off. Her emotions in the telling did not correspond or rather were over the top compared to actually reading the book.

All in all an okay read that has me questioning whether I will read book 2 in the series.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge and is book number 23

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five....In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. 

In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.

Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens -- until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest of friendships and families.

Nineteen Minutes is New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult's most raw, honest, and important novel yet. Told with the straightforward style for which she has become known, it asks simple questions that have no easy answers: Can your own child become a mystery to you? What does it mean to be different in our society? Is it ever okay for a victim to strike back? And who -- if anyone -- has the right to judge someone else?

Hardcover, 440 pages

Published March 5, 2007

 by Atria

4.5/5 stars

there are so many things you can do in 19 minutes …

This book has been on my shelf for a while, I’ve been hesitant to read it because of the subject matter but recently Mistress Mood put it front and centre and I’m glad she did. This was a gripping story that put me in a reading slump for a couple days when I finished.

With Jodi Picoult I knew it would be an emotional read, that it would have controversy and maybe a few unexpected things jumping off the pages. It comes in at 440 pages, which isn’t a small read, and at times I felt maybe it could’ve been a tad shorter. Were there times I set it aside until the next day?  Yes there were.

Nineteen Minutes is a story of a school shooting. It is seen from many angles - the shooter‘s mom, the shooter’s himself, his lawyer, the judge, investigating detective and a few more. It was a vivid insight into what they were thinking, what led up to what happened and the fallout. It tackles subjects of bullying, PTSD and friendships. It would make a great book club read though I can imagine all the different discussions which could get intense. It is realistic, which makes it all the more heartbreaking. 

I am glad that I finally read this, though I had to read something happy and sweet for a bit, talk about a book hangover.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge and is book # 22.