Killer Review: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

*The Killer Review is part of my 'A Killer Season' feature where I review psychological thrillers on which much fuss has been made to judge them worth a read (or not)*

Purchase|Goodreads 

My Synopsis 

Imagine This: On one rainy morning you are about to board the train, then you see one lonely girl standing in the pouring rain. Clutching a baby to her chest.

You think about this girl all day. From her rag clothes to how she stared on defiantly in the rain, not willing to put her and her baby out of their misery.

It's all you can think about all night when you get home. There's this pang in your chest intensifying along with thoughts that she may not be so older than your daughter who's only twelve. 

There's no one to tell, even your husband because he wouldn't care. Your best friend is too black-and-white to think adopting her is the best solution. 

Ha! Adopting her! Of course, you are not really taking things that seriously. Yes, as a worker to a charitable org that sees to poor people, you are bound to have some compassion. But still, taking her in would just be too strange/weird a thing to do. It's not like she's your niece or something. 

Then one morning, upon walking by her in the pouring rain again, you can't help but proffer your card.

Of course, this rare little act of kindness would come at a price you never expected.

Heidi's life about to implode summarized for your delight. 

MY REVIEW. 

I loved this book.

Brilliant storyline. It's a thought most of us, the few ones with hearts, battle with on a daily basis: allowing that bum outside your apartment building spend one night or two, with hopes of allowing them experience a hot shower and perhaps a three-square meal. But of course, we are always cautious who we want to invite in our home. Even if they are not killers, would they wipe your house of all its furniture before morning? A star. Always beautiful when a psychological thriller allows for a storyline we can all relate to.—★

Great job with the main characters! This novel is narrated by three characters with peculiar traits that are depicted through their narrative voices. There's our main lead, Heidi, who's compassionate to a fault. There's Chris, her husband who's contemplating on a little adultery because it's hard to be loyal when you return from work and gaze at your wife looking a mess. There's also the immature Willow, the girl who's picked up from the streets with her baby.—★★ 

You should love the plot complications in this title. It's one of those novels you are not to trust any of the main characters because they might surprise you!—★★★

Psychological Thriller authors love to tease! Mary Kubica is one of these league of authors, withholding information that would make you guess how everything unravels, providing snippets of information when she deems it important, and penning each sentence wrought with so much suspense you are uncomfortably bothered throughout the novel. A star.—★★★★

I didn't jump up on board for Kubica's debut. So I can't tell if this is an improvement or not. But judging it as a standalone, I assure you it's worth all the praise!

My Rating: Four-point-Five out of Five stars!

Mary Kubica's Pretty Baby is available on Amazon along with her debut. 

I recommend this read to anyone who wants a thriller with a Killer—because all the best killers are unsuspecting. Anyone who wants a title dark, and twisty enough to hold their attention and enough to keep them from nodding off at night, should go grab this. Not that you want to miss out on important hours of sleep if you want to age neatly.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads as well as Amazon.  

Killer Review: Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton

*The Killer Reviews are reviews for my 'A Killer Season' feature where I review psychological thrillers on which much fuss has been made declaring them worth the read (or not)*

Purchase• Goodreads 

MY Synopsis 

Imagine This: She used to be your best friend. That was until she killed your two sons in a reckless accident.

She took the life of your sons and yours with theirs. Now you have no life. Nothing to live for. A husband who's walked out. A livelihood that has been reduced to plotting to inflict the same pain you went through—and still go through now—on her.

For three years, you've set the Day you are going to make your best friend suffer, then kill her.

Now the Day is drawing near, and you are still set on her demise. Nothing can stop you. Not even the law.

Catrin Quinn's intricate murder plot summarized for your delight.

My Review. 

I loved, loved this book!

A powerful storyline that's chilling right from reading the blurb. What's the worst thing you can do to your best friend? Beautiful! A star to the storyline.—

Catrin Quinn is just deadly! You'd love her for that, you'd love her so much you'd even support her cause.  (And probably go kill some old best friends of your own). Sharon Bolton cuts her open and reveals her pain, suffering and grief so brazenly you feel you have to explode from all the emotion oozing out of our lead and reeling you in. A star to her.

Other main characters such as Callum, the man who can't understand Catrin has crossed over to the dark side, and Rachel, the best friend who's about to SUFFER, will just make you love this title more.

And the supporting cast! There's Skye, the gangly LONG cop who keeps banging into everything in her way. There's also BOB-Cat, the owner of the Island's most regularized coffee shop who won't take shit from none of her customers who want their coffee a bit warm and not turbid and cold. There's Queenie, Catrin's adorable dog who understands her loss. You'd also love Bee, Rachel's horse who keeps butting into her internal monologues. The whole setting of Falkland Islands was an amazing character on its own. A star.—★

I put daily reading limits on this novel. That's how distracting it can be. The suspense felt like disembodied hands reaching out to me, waiting to yank me to wherever they are creeping from. But I wouldn't let myself succumb, because I had work to do. Though apportioning my time became fruitless because when I wasn't reading, my brain was wherever I left off twitching disturbingly to connect the dots of the tale. A star to the suspense!—★★ 

I love a well-researched novel. A novel that shines with informative detail weaved beautifully into the story. Sharon, clearly is not the kind of sloppy thriller author, struggling to make their work seem intellectual—especially when their stories and the info they are relaying do not correlate. A star!—★★★

And the OMG moments!!!  Too much of it right down to its last line (even in the epilogue). A star.—★★★★

The writing... BEAUTIFUL.—★★★★★

I have a little confession though: when this book popped up in my mail last year, I 'back'-listed it because it sounded too interesting a read. I knew if I read it, it would have set the bar high for all the other subsequent titles. I'm regretting I put it off for so long, then I would have stopped reading titles that gave me so much headaches and made me want to weep so much I couldn't put up a review.——★★★★★★ 

My rating:  six out of Five stars!

Sharon Bolton's Little Black Lies is available on Amazon. Go purchase now! Now!

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a psychological thriller that doesn't have one of those sorry, anti-climatic things most authors of the genre reserve for an ending. If you love your thriller with writing that glows so bright you can hold it up so a moving truck can hit the brakes before you are made into some sort of gymnastic star, go grab this. I envy all you who haven't read this, because you'll never have THAT BOOK that will make you reconsider your current rating system!

My review not done here. Off to post my review on Amazon as well as goodreads.

Killer Review: The Other Child by Lucy Atkins

*The Killer Reviews are reviews from our feature 'A Killer Season'. To show our love for psychological thrillers we are reviewing psychological thrillers of which much fuss has been made about*

PURCHASE |Goodreads. 

My Synopsis 

Imagine This: You've been swept in a whirlwind romance. And suddenly you are moving from England to the states, with your son from another relationship, carrying a new baby as a sign of your new budding relationship with this hot-shot doctor.

But things in the Boston suburbs are not as they seem. For starters all the other kids hate your son for being having an accent. There are also creepy sounds of someone breaking and entering your new home. You are sure of this. Even though your husband who's mostly away doesn't believe you. Then soon you begin receiving threatening notes and you really feel someone is around every corner watching you.

But of course, you have no idea what the main threat is.

Tess Gallo's life summed up for your delight. 

My Review  

I liked this book.

The storyline is good. It really gives this novel a domestic thriller feel being set in a suburb and all. And who doesn't love a storyline they can all relate to?——★

You'd sympathize with the main character. Her choices are questionable. Because who'd leave dreary London for sweltering Boston (with a man well into his forties who has never married). She's quite a nag though really. Always worrying and going on and on about the same things. But you'd get used to this character flaw. She's only seeking answers to puzzling questions even you can't wrap your head around. A star.——★★

Other characters you'd possibly fall in love with are the deranged, obsessed neighbour next-door Helena, and the best friend Nell back in London who can't help but give our lead more headaches with her persistent habit of going to Google for everything.——★★★ 

As I said, I liked this book. But heck, there were so many twists—it got so much I couldn't wrap my head around it. The blurb says, 'Then she makes a jaw-dropping discovery...' but frankly Tess makes too many jaw-dropping discoveries (that do not change the course of the story) its hard to tell which the writer means. I expected dark, and chilling but this title was nowhere intense as the Atkins' debut.

My rating:  A 3.5 stars.

The Other Child is available on Amazon. 

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a psychological thriller that shares close boundaries with a domestic thriller. Anyone who's in for a book in which they can't figure anything out—highly unpredictable—should go get this

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads and Amazon. 

Killer Review: Little Gone Girl by Alexandra Burt

*The Killer Review are reviews featured in my 'A Killer Season' feature, where I will be reviewing psychological thrillers on which much fuss has been made about, declaring if they are worth the buy (or not)* Stay tuned for more posts.

PURCHASE~~~GOODREADS

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: In your heart you know you are not cut-out for having a baby. But then you have her, and the moment she's in your arms you know you'd do everything to protect her.

But you never thought once that She may never give you the chance to protect her. She's crying Day and Night. She's screaming at the top of her lungs. Doctors say it's colic, a few months tops and it will be gone.

But seven months later, she's still yelling more than ever. And now it turns out it's you she doesn't want, because your husband picks her up and she's OK.

You'll do anything to calm this baby. God, knows you do your best. She's just not into you.

So, one Day you wake up in a hospital after an accident. Your baby's missing. You are not like the mother screaming bloody murder, "Where the heck is my baby girl?" The police are doubting your story. Your husband is doubting your story. It doesn't take long for you to stop believing in you. And you are suddenly worrying, "What the heck have I done to my baby girl?"

The puzzling story of Estelle Paradise's baby's disappearance summarized for your delight.

My Review.

Beautiful storyline. Mother's baby goes missing. And she has no idea what happens to her child. How can anybody sneak into a locked house and steal your baby? Why the hell is this Mother having visions of herself scrubbing blood off every surface? A star!——★

Normally when you read a psychological thriller, you know whose side to take. Obviously the grieving mother. But in this case, we can't trust our lead. We can only judge her because all evidence points against her. Which makes her a very unlikable heroine from the start. And don't we all love judging! A star to a lead who you can't figure out whether to love or hate!——★★

Like all psychological thrillers this book pays attention to detail. The writing is beautiful. All through the novel you are on the edge of your seat trying to untie the knots before the writer begins unraveling the plot, but you give up after all attempts and just sit through the unnerving suspense.——★★★

From the above, you can deduce this novel is unpredictable——★ and also highly suspenseful——★.

I've read a few psychological thrillers, and most—bordering on all—of them have the biggest anti-climax that put me off them completely. Oh, this title is nothing like that. Expected danger comes. The treacherous circumstances you expect are fulfilled and you feel like the whole story wasn't a sham so as to build intensity for a very shallow resolution.——★★★★

That said, this book has an amazing denouement—★ which made for a Great ending—★

So my rating:  Five/Five stars!

Little Gone Girl is available on Amazon with more raving reviews than mine to prove it's worth a buy.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to start their new year reading something highly thrilling and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. Anyone who wants a psychological thriller that would keep them guessing and worrying and hating the lead right through the end should go grab this. If you want a novel, that bears a high resemblance to real life and all the chilling moments it describes can actually happen—because most psychological thrillers don't have this resemblance—to any mother, you should get this. 

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Amazon and Goodreads! 

Festive Book Review: A Merry Mistletoe Wedding by Judy Astley

PURCHASE / GOODREADS

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: You are in a relationship that's been ongoing for almost a year. You love him. You find his surfer-boy charm irresistible. Though you wish you guys lived in the same vicinity and you didn't have to journey miles for quick, blissful shags over the weekend.

Then he proposes. And you are thrown in a whirlwind of wedding preparations. A wedding that's happening on Christmas!

Your whole family is excited for you. Except your sister—who would have been your maid-of-honour—decides she's not going to put her family through the potential snowstorm risk they might be facing at the decided venue.

You want simple. But your fiance's mum wants extreme—"I'm not traveling miles so I could have some hot-dogs on a bench and return." And suddenly a wedding that's supposed to be quick and easy is looking difficult and stressful.

Hopefully, this year the mistletoe would work its magic again and you are going to have an amazing wedding without breaking-down...

Then your ex who jilted you weeks before your wedding comes back into the scene—precisely a few houses away—with his adorable dog... Uh-oh.

Thea's chaotic, Christmas wedding summed up for your delight.

My Review.

Great storyline. Not, really unique, but enjoyable all the same. What with Thea's parents contemplating on moving out into a low-maintenance home, fearing the prospect they might get old and get put in homes? And also, Thea's sister Emily who's going through post-partum depression. A star!── ★

The main characters are Great. It's told in the point of view of mother and two daughters who have funny voices and different, likable personalities. There's Anna, the mum, who's fearing the prospect of becoming an oldie cliche complete with a home and a giant ball of crocheting thread to knit. There's Emily, worried London is no more a safe place to live because someone stole her pram. You'd also love Thea, who has to scream how much She loves her fiance into the phone so her ex snooping in through the back-gate wouldn't miss a word. A star!── ★★

You'd also love the funny cast of characters! There's Mike, Anna's husband who won't take being called old because he's only in his early seventies. There's also Charlotte, Mike's younger ex who's popping in and out of Emily's home without invitation helping out with the kids and helping herself with all their bottles of wine. There's also Rich, Thea's ex who thinks he can win her back by flashing by with his dog. Star to all these characters and more.── ★★★

A very funny festive read. So I give it a star too.── ★★★★

Though a sequel, it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel. (Not following the stereotype perception about sequels, this sequel is even more enjoying than its prequel.)

My rating:  Four out of Five stars!

A Merry Mistletoe Wedding is available on Amazon.

I recommend this read to anyone who loves their festive titles full of humour, miracles the festive season brings and lots of adorable characters!

My last review of 2015, so a Happy New Year!

Ground-breaking Titles of 2015

Last year, we didn't disappoint revealing the best titles of 2014 that changed chick-lit/women's fiction forever! These books with unique storylines and amazing storytelling would stick on the mind of the reader and just absolutely set his or her standards high on very, quality women's literature! So here's 2015's list:

Two Fridays in April by Roisine Meaney. 

This book focuses on the essence of detailing! Written in a span of just two days and told from the point of view of four amazing women dealing with loss, the writing glows with details that connects all the dots and mysteries from start to finish. 

Good Girl by Fiona Neill 

This book is perfect literature for readers who place more importance on informative titles as it sheds more light on the workings of  the brain and how little secrets can have devastating effects on the happiest of families! Stunning writing with dense themes (objectification of women, deviant teenage behaviour, popularity of sex sites featuring illegal sex with minors) that would shock any reader with an interest in parenting.

Before I Go by Colleen Oakley. 

A sensational debut featuring one quirky lead's battle with cancer and how she must find a wife for her hopeless husband before she passes on. Beautiful writing that inserts the reader into the lead's pain, her joys and her suffering. I was very uncomfortable reading this book, because every emotion was elevated and depicted so three-dimensionally it cut deep. Beautiful! 

The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes by Anna McPartlin. 

A more Funny cancer book featuring a more quirky lead and her large unpredictable Irish family and how they are coming to terms with her slow deterioration. Though this book is not as deep as the previous mentioned title, it has amazing features such as it's humor, heavy reliance on backstory and symbols, and an inclusion of the family as a whole featuring point-of-views from other members. So, yeah, It's worth mentioning. 

A Question of Betrayal by Zoe Miller. 

Fraught with mystery, this is a chilling account of a past marriage that gave one blind man his life's essence and led to a woman disappearance forever. You'd love this book if you are a fan of amazing twists in good storytelling. 

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson. 

This book has such a fresh, funny writing you wouldn't expect the dark twist till it hits you like a punch in the stomach. Although no one would actually want a punch to their stomach, this book is worth the read. Also named one of 2015s funniest titles, featuring lasting themes I can't give away lest would ruin the twist. 

TechBitch by Jo Piazza and Lucy Sykes. 

It's co-written! It's deeper than its blurb suggests! Portrayed as a fashion book, but it's more than that! Speaks about issues of millenials swooping in for all the boss roles of 21st century jobs, and how technology is creating a huge gap (and lots of benefits) for 20 somethings and the older generations. Lovely. You would enjoy it immensely! 

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. 

Oh, you have never read a book with a most powerful twist till you have picked this. The writing is so good, laden with deep quotes you could keep for your tweets and Facebook statuses. Plus unconventional characters for women's fiction you would adore! Also if you love, your titles highly informative, this book talks of the main character's research on elephant grief (that is not fiction at all) and touches on the protection of these amazing wildlife. A book that supports a Great cause!

Dietland by Sarai Walker. 

Literary fiction at its finest! Documents the journey of one fat girl from self-inflicted abuse (mostly) to acceptance. Also speaks hard on the world's view of what entails beauty and is capable of sparking a revolution on female sexual objectification in the media. Beautiful book.


By these titles, chicklit/women's fiction would never, ever be the same! Hope for greater works by these women in the next years. 

ChickLOL Awards 2015: Funniest Books of 2015

Last year we brought you this fantastic feature deciding your top Five funniest chick-lit titles of the year! We are back again this year, so scroll through the list to see if you've got any on your TBRs or your Read-shelf.

Funniest Book K:

Double Mint by Gretchen Archer.

It's hard for Gretchen Archer to disappoint in her funny, women sleuth series featuring the hilarious Davis Way and cast who'd thrill you with humor along with mystery from start to finish!

Funniest book C

The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood.

As funny as it was entertaining. Get into the world of Jessica Beam and Matilda Beam, granddaughter and grandmother who mix up both modern rules and very archaic ones to secure them the hottest playboy in town.

Funniest Book I

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson. 

This book! Not only funny but has an amazing twist that would leave you dropping the book in shock! Follow the life of two friends running from their disastrous lives.

Funniest Book H

All Together Now by Gill Hornby.

A town with no sense-of-togetherness and nothing to their name, reunite by forming a community choir that would change the life of all its members, and the community as a whole. Very heart-warming and incredibly funny!

Funniest Book C

I Followed The Rules by Joanna Bolouri 

Besides the author being a professional comedian, She writes irresistible funny books with amazing heroines and lots of "punchlines". A newspaper columnist decides to take on a shitty dating advice book written by a cocky asshat and follows all his rules just breaking a few! A thrilling laugh-out-loud read! Funniest book of the year!

I Hope you Get them all because they are actually titles, shortlisted from many to get you laughing and laughing even when whoever you are sitting with on the train is a loud and smelly fatter!