Stone Cold Fox

 Fiction by Rachel Koller Croft

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This story is about a beautiful and manipulative young woman who is determined to get what she wants, and what she wants is to marry rich. Still, she doesn't want anyone mean, controlling, or violent. She's been looking, and now she's finally found The One. It's Collin Case, a super-rich, trust-fund mama's boy. There's only one obstacle: his family. And she knows how to handle them...

Or so she thinks. But it turns out there more than one thing blocking her path to a life of security with Collin, and there's the not-insignificant problem of her own past demons that may come back to haunt her.

This was a really good story, with a fun and gossipy feel to it. I liked it a lot.

This Time Tomorrow

 Fiction by Emma Straub

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

The story is about Alice, a single woman in New York City in 2021. She's about to turn forty, and she has a good job and a nice apartment and even a boyfriend, but she's not sure if she's really living her "best life," whatever that is. Plus her beloved father is dying, and she doesn't feel like she has had enough time to show him how much she loves him. 

Then Alice gets a chance to go back in time and possibly change things; but what is it that she really wants to change?

According to an article I read, the author called this book "an autobiographical time travel novel," so I assume Alice is (sort of) Emma, and Emma is exploring her own ideas about what her "best life" is, and what relationships really matter to her.

So this is more a character story than a time-travel story, but it does have one important time-travel-story element: the time-travel follows a set of rules that fits inside the parameters of the book and does not fluctuate. (I don't care for the no-rules kind of time travel; see also If I Could Turn Back Time.)

This was a good story with believable characters that gives you something to think about.

The Case of the Damaged Detective

 Audible Original Fiction by Drew Hayes.

https://www.audible.com

At the beginning of this story the police discover a mass murder site with stacks of corpses and one  survivor. Someone has been testing a mind-altering intelligence-enhancement drug on unsuspecting rave partiers. This lone survivor becomes important government property; inside his head could be all the secrets to making a new super-intelligent human race.

But the survivor has not come through unscathed; to call him "eccentric" would be understating things. Now it's up to Agent 221, a disgraced spy, to perform bodyguard/babysitting duty for this fragile-minded man.

That sounds serious, but it's actually a light-hearted and very funny story.

This was a fun little audiobook with great writing enhanced by a fabulous voice performance. 

I also read recently by this author: Super Powereds Year Three

I also listened to recently by Audible Originals: The Accidental Alchemist

The Stranger in the Mirror

 Fiction by Liv Constantine.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Addison is a young woman about to marry the man of her dreams, a guys she's only known for six months. That's not the real problem though; the problem is that she's only known HERSELF for two years because she lost her memory.

That's right, it's the AMNESIA TROPE!

Okay, I almost stopped reading at the beginning because I think amnesia as a plot device is generally lame; however, I decided to give this book a chance since I have really liked some of this author's books (and disliked some, unfortunately; see below).

I'll say the plot did resolve itself well eventually, and justified the memory loss as a real medical possibility for the character after everything was revealed. And there were a couple of big surprises! But it took longer than I would have preferred to get past the lame part.

So.... it was a good but not great thriller.

I also read by this author: The Wife Stalker (UGH), Misconception (meh), The Last Mrs. Parrish (great!), The Last Time We Met (good)

Bookworm

 Fiction by Robin Yeatman

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

I went into this book cold; that is, I didn't read the synopsis first. Here's how it went:

The story began with Victoria reading in a Montreal cafe, lost in a book as the world bustled around her. "A relatable character," I thought. "That's good." (I read in public all the time, of course.) Then she sees Him --the man of her dreams!-- getting coffee at the counter. He leaves without speaking to her but she KNOWS they will met again. It is DESTINY! "Okay," I thought. "It's a straight romance then."

But then Victoria goes home to her HUSBAND. Wait, she's married? He's kind of controlling. "Okay, maybe," I thought. "He's terrible and she needs to get away from him." But it turns out, it is VICTORIA who is terrible. I mean, yes her husband is bad and her in-laws are awful and her parents are worse. Indeed, the only character I liked was the best friend, who is apparently doomed to permanent unhappiness. But Victoria herself is truly terrible.

I gave her a chance to improve. I read over a third of the book. I began to truly hate Victoria. So I skipped to the end to see what happened. Maybe things got better? Did she learn a lesson, turn over a new leaf, any of that? NO.

The ending was also terrible. I do not recommend.

Super Powereds Year 3

 Fiction by Drew Hayes

https://www.audible.com

The universe where the Super Powereds live just got a lot more exciting. Also it's way more complicated! This books clocks in at FORTY-ONE hours, and every bit is worth listening to!

I loved this book, although it took me a long time to get through it. I plan to listen to the next one, but it's... ummm... over sixty and half hours long... soooo.... Check back with me next year?

Read the first two books first though! Super Powereds Year One and Super Powereds Year Two.

The Writing Retreat

 Fiction by Julia Bartz

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Alex is a writer who hasn't been able to write since she and her best friend Wren broke up. Friend breakups are brutal, and in this one Wren took all of their mutual friends with her, leaving Alex high and dry. It's been a year, and Alex still isn't over it. But then she gets a chance to go on a month-long writing retreat with her favorite author as a mentor! Maybe this will un-clog her writer's block.

Unfortunately, Wren is also going. But that won't turn out to be Alex's biggest problem on this writing retreat! There are a lot of plot twists coming...

I thought it was pretty good. Although some elements were WAY over the top, it was entertaining. This book is not for everyone, though. See below for another reviewer's poetic take that I found hilarious. It's posted at https://www.barnesandnoble.com.

Train Wreck

Angry black woman? Got it

Token other brown person? Got it

Four woke lesbians? Got it

Gratuitous lesbian sex scenes? Well yeah

Irrelevant sex with a demon scene? Sounds good

Maybe I’ll take this psychological thriller and turn it into horror halfway through? Done

Implausible forced writing during significant trauma? Why not.

Oh hey let’s try to kill everyone off! Of course!

Happy ending? Well yeah!

LDWReviews

Gulf Coast, LA

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

 Fiction by Alison Espach

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This book is (kind of) written in the second person; Sally Holt is telling the the story to her sister Kathy. What I mean is, Kathy is the “you” in the title, and indeed all throughout the story. This is interesting but also a bit awkward and clunky in my opinion.

The story begins with Sally at age thirteen and Kathy at age sixteen, the time of Kathy’s “sudden disappearance.” This terminology is not quite accurate though, and that’s another one of the things I didn’t like about this book. Kathy doesn’t actually disappear.

I don’t want to put any spoilers here, so I’m not explaining what I meant by that. Still, to be honest there aren’t many surprises in the plot at all. The story was about the characters, which were believable but not always sympathetic. 

This story was okay but not great. 

Also I don't like this cover; the copy I read had a better one. 

The Marriage Portrait

 Fiction by Maggie O’Farrell

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

You know from the beginning of the book that Duchess Lucrezia is going to die at the age of sixteen in 1561. There’s a note that explains to the reader about her, a real historical person who was rumored to have been murdered by her husband. 

So I shouldn’t have liked this book, already knowing the main character was doomed. But I loved it! 

I cannot explain how this author brings her characters to life and makes me love them so much I long to keep reading even though I know it will never end well. I should want to throw the book across the room in despair; instead I’m in love with it. The other book (see below) I read by her was literally subtitled “a novel of the plague,” and it was wonderful! I can’t explain it.

This was a really good story!!

I also read by this author: Hamnet

Not a Happy Family

 Fiction by Shari Lapena. 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

At the beginning of this book we establish these things:

1. Fred and Sheila Merton are rich.
2. Fred and Shelia Merton are dead.

The rest of the story is about what happened leading up to the murder of the Mertons --because of course they were murdered-- and then the investigation afterwards. Note: The fact that they are rich is very important, as there several potential heirs. 

This was an interesting mystery with some surprises. 

I also read by this author: The Couple Next Door

Hang the Moon

 Fiction by Jeanette Walls

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of Henry “The Duke” Kincaid, uncrowned but unquestioned ruler of his little corner of early twentieth century Virginia. He unofficially controls everything and everyone in town like a king. He’s a benevolent dictator, except for the times when he isn’t quite so benevolent. 

It’s great to be the Duke’s daughter… until it isn’t. An unfriendly stepmother and a baby half-brother cause Sallie to fall from the Duke’s favor as a child, and she ends up banished for years. Then she is finally allowed back, and things really start happening.

This was a really good story and I enjoyed it a lot. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Duke’s real name is Henry, as he strongly resembles the controlling and capricious monarch Henry XIII of England. Look for the parallels, if you’re interested.

I recommend this book!

I also read by this author: Half Broke Horses

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

 Fiction by Gabrielle Zevin

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

When I first saw this title I thought it was odd; I didn't recognize it as a Shakespearian quote. My high school English teacher would be disappointed.

Anyways, the book is not about Shakespeare, although the play Macbeth (where the quote comes from) is mentioned several times. The story is about Sam and Sadie, best friends, work partners, and sometimes mortal enemies. They design video games, and gaming is highly featured in the story. Still, I don't think not being A Gamer kept me from enjoying the book.  

I really loved the characters and the story.

I also read by this author: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry