I definitely fell behind in June when it came to writing reviews and I didn’t read as much as I usually would. So here’s some catch up on a few reviews I shared over on Instagram.
Thanks to the publishers for any gifted copies
DEEP WATER – Emma Bamford (Released May 31st, 2022 – Thanks to Scout Press for the gifted copy)
The dark side of paradise is exposed when a terrified couple reveals their daunting experience on a remote island to their rescuers—only to realize they’re still in the grips of the island’s secrets—in this intense and startling debut in the tradition of Into the Jungle and The Ruins.
When a Navy vessel comes across a yacht in distress in the middle of the vast Indian Ocean, Captain Danial Tengku orders his ship to rush to its aid. On board the yacht is a British couple: a horribly injured man, Jake, and his traumatized wife, Virginie, who breathlessly confesses, “It’s all my fault. I killed them.”
Trembling with fear, she reveals their shocking story to Danial. Months earlier, the couple had spent all their savings on a yacht, full of excitement for exploring the high seas and exotic lands together. They start at the busy harbors of Malaysia and, through word of mouth, Jake and Virginie learn about a tiny, isolated island full of unspoiled beaches. When they arrive, they discover they are not the only visitors and quickly become entangled with a motley crew of expat sailors. Soon, Jake and Virginie’s adventurous dream turns into a terrifying nightmare.
Now, it’s up to Danial to determine just how much truth there is in Virginie’s alarming tale. But when his crew make a shocking discovery, he realizes that if he doesn’t act soon, they could all fall under the dark spell of the island.
Mini Review: 3/5 stars
The synopsis makes this sound like it would be more of a thriller and have plenty of action, right? Well, sadly that wasn’t the case here. There was some action but it there were quite a few lulls for me and I was waiting for more to happen. I liked the premise but I just didn’t feel completely absorbed. I would definitely try this author again though! I’ve seen some great reviews so it could definitely just be me and how busy my brain has been these days.
NEVER COMING HOME – Hannah Mary McKinnon (Released May 24th, 2022 – Thanks to HTP Books for the gifted copy)
First comes love. Then comes murder.
Lucas Forester didn’t hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant, sophisticated and beautiful. Sure, she had extravagant spending habits and that petty attitude, a total disregard for anyone below her status. But she also had a lot to offer. Most notably, wealth that only the one percent could comprehend.
For years, Lucas had been honing a flawless plan to inherit Michelle’s fortune.
Unfortunately, it involved taking a hit out on her.
Every track was covered, no trace left behind, and now Lucas plays the grieving husband so well he deserves an award. But when a shocking photo and cryptic note show up on his doorstep, Lucas goes from hunter to prey.
Someone is onto him. And they’re closing in.
Told with dark wit and a sharply feminist sensibility, Never Coming Home is a terrifying tale of duplicity that will have you side-eyeing your spouse as you dash to the breathtaking end.
Mini Review: 5/5 stars
Another win for me from McKinnon! I knew I would fly through this book and I did. I love her books and I haven’t been disappointed yet. Lucas is just an awful person from start to finish but I loved his POV in this book – who doesn’t want the perspective of the evil, calculating, self-proclaimed con artist that is trying to steal millions from his wife? Once again, the pacing was perfect, the short chapters kept me going, and there’s always something that McKinnon throws at us that you’re never expecting!
A MIRROR MENDED – Alix E. Harrow (Released June 14th, 2022 – Thanks
A Mirror Mended is the next installment in USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow’s Fractured Fables series.
Zinnia Gray, professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty, is over rescuing snoring princesses. Once you’ve rescued a dozen damsels and burned fifty spindles, once you’ve gotten drunk with twenty good fairies and made out with one too many members of the royal family, you start to wish some of these girls would just get a grip and try solving their own narrative issues.
Just when Zinnia’s beginning to think she can’t handle one more princess, she glances into a mirror and sees another face looking back at her: the shockingly gorgeous face of evil, asking for her help. Because there’s more than one person trapped in a story they didn’t choose. Snow White’s Evil Queen has found out how her story ends, and she’s desperate for a better ending. She wants Zinnia to help her before it’s too late for everyone. Will Zinnia accept the Queen’s poisonous request and save them both from the hot-iron shoes that wait for them, or will she try another path?
Mini Review: 4/5 stars
This is book two in the Fractured Fables series and while I was really middle of the road with the first book, I ended up liking this one more. This one kept my interest better than the first book and I love the Evil Queen in Snow White. I enjoyed the villain side as opposed to helping the princesses find their happily ever afters and Zinnia is wanting a new challenge. I recommend reading the first book to the series before picking this one up!
OUR CROOKED HEARTS – Melissa Albert (Released June 28th, 2022 – Thanks to Flatiron Books for the gifted copy)
THE SUBURBS, RIGHT NOW . . .
Seventeen-year-old Ivy’s summer break kicks off with an accident, a punishment, and a mystery: a stranger whose appearance in the middle of the road, in the middle of the night, heralds a string of increasingly unsettling events. As the days pass, Ivy grapples with eerie offerings, corroded memories, and a secret she’s always known—that there’s more to her mother than meets the eye.
THE CITY, BACK THEN . . .
Dana has always been perceptive. And the summer she turns sixteen, with the help of her best friend and an ambitious older girl, her gifts bloom into a heady fling with the supernatural, set in a city of magical possibilities and secret mystics. As the trio’s aspirations darken, they find themselves speeding toward a violent breaking point.Years after it began, Ivy and Dana’s shared story will come down to a reckoning among a daughter, a mother, and the dark forces they never should’ve messed with.
Mini Review: 5/5 stars
I loved The Hazel Wood and the synopsis for this intrigued me, and I’m a big fan of this cover 😍 this has everything you would want from a book about witches and black magic. I loved the dual timelines, it was dark, creepy, and I was skeptical when I heard people comparing it to The Craft, but I definitely got those vibes at times. This was exactly what I needed and I really enjoyed it from start to finish. A quick read and I’ll be picking up the rest of the Hazel Wood series here soon.
Jessicamap Reviews 