Mini Reviews – May 2022

Sneaking in my last few reviews for the month of May!

Thanks to the publishers and authors for any gifted copies in exchange for my honest reviews.

IT COULD BE ANYONE – Jamie Lynn Hendricks (Released May 31st, 2022 – Thanks to Penzler Publishing for the gifted copy)

Book Description:

Murder motives abound when the groom dies at a destination wedding in this new novel by the author of Finding Tessa

To anyone on their flight out of New York, they appear to be five best friends excited for a destination wedding in Miami. No one would guess that each of them has a reason to want the groom dead.

Trevor Vaughn, the groom in question, wooed his bride-to-be by first becoming close with her friends—which is to say that he learned all of the five’s darkest, most dangerous secrets and blackmailed them into convincing Fiona to say “I do.” The friends were forced to convince a doubting Fiona to go through with the wedding, no matter what, and now the charade is set to continue all the way to the altar.

Trevor has his own reasons for wanting to marry into Fiona’s family, and he’ll stop at nothing to make his plan a reality. But when he dies of an apparent allergic reaction at the wedding, surrounded by such close enemies, the possibility of murder isn’t far behind. And for the authorities investigating the case, anyone present could be a suspect…

A suspenseful tale of a deadly destination wedding, It Could Be Anyone is a twisty domestic thriller that will appeal to readers of Liane Moriarty, May Cobb, and Lisa Jewell; its unforgettable characters and unpredictable plot will stay with you long after the last page.

Mini Review – 4/5 stars

Getting ready for a wedding is stressful enough but having the groom die? That’s definitely gonna ruin the celebration. Everyone had motive but who would have actually killed Trevor? I loved how this all played out and how the author revealed more and more with the different timelines leading back up to the wedding. Super fast read and loved all the drama. Highly recommend!

THE COUNSELORS – Jessica Goodman (Released May 31st, 2022 – Thanks to Penguin Teen for the copy)

Book Description:

From bestselling author Jessica Goodman comes a twisty new thriller about three best friends, one elite summer camp, and the dark secrets that lead to a body in the lake.

Sisters by choice.

That’s how Goldie and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, define their friendship, which formed years ago at Camp Alpine Lake.

This year, Goldie is back at camp as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and for Ava and Imo to arrive. With the dark secret Goldie’s been keeping, she’s more in need of their comfort than ever. When the boy who broke Goldie’s heart, turns up dead in the lake, this last summer before college is completely upended—and Goldie learns that she’s not the only person at camp who has been lying. Asking questions offers Goldie no answers, only danger and betrayals deeper than she ever imagined.

Mini Review – 5/5 stars

I have been a counselor at two different camps – a week long sleep away camp with the martial arts studio I worked at (did for 6 years and miss it so much) and then the summer camp (day camp) at Lifetime Fitness where I then tore my ACL – still had a great time though with those kids. I can completely relate to how close you get to your fellow counselors and campers, so that was very relatable for me and I think Goodman illustrated that bond perfectly. This was the exact thriller I needed right now. So quick, so fun, loved the timelines, friendships, secrets, a solid ending I wasn’t entirely expecting. I have yet to be disappointed by Jessica Goodman.

AT THE QUIET EDGE – Victoria Helen Stone (Released May 1st, 2022 – Thanks to Amazon Publishing for the gifted copy)

Book Description:

A young mother has done everything possible to put the past behind her, but it might not be enough in a gripping novel of suspense by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Jane Doe novels.

Abandoned by her fugitive ex-husband, Lily Brown is rebuilding her life on the edge of a Kansas town that still feels the sting of his crimes. Lily lies low, managing the isolated storage facility where she lives with her twelve-year-old son, Everett, and planning a better future for them both. That requires keeping secrets. Everett has them too.

After breaking into a storage unit, Everett finds photographs and news clippings of five girls missing for decades. For Everett, it’s an adventure and a tempting mystery to solve. But digging further into a stranger’s obsession is putting Everett and his mother in the crosshairs of a killer.

Then Lily’s ex resurfaces from the shadows. Just as suddenly, an attentive new man enters Lily’s life. And a suspicious detective, responding to reports of a prowler, watches every move Lily makes. It’s getting harder for Lily to know who to trust—or whose secrets pose the most frightening threat of all.

Mini Review – 3.5/5 stars

I love Victoria Helen Stone and her Jane Doe series. I love her writing style, the pacing of her books, the characters, the atmosphere, just always a great reading experience. That being said, this is probably my least favorite so far of her books (and being at 3.5 stars is still a great review in my eyes, so that should tell you how much I love her other books!). I’ve seen so many 5 star reviews for this and I think it may have been a case of wrong book wrong time for me. There felt like a lull in the middle and I couldn’t shake it but the ending was SO worth continuing on. Still plan on picking up her books and I still highly recommend this one, because I’m definitely in the minority being less than 4 stars.