THE TOP 10 BOOKS I READ IN 2023

Good morning, folks! It’s time again for my annual list of the 10 best books that I read. This year was my most prolific yet. I’ve finished 84 books as of the time I’m writing this post. It could increase slightly, but I’m pretty much done for the year. And though I read so many books, there weren’t that many to choose from to pick my top 10. It seems the…likability of the books I read this year wasn’t as high as usual. Despite that, there were still plenty of books that I greatly enjoyed.

One of my picks this year was a huge surprise. This book was so good I added it to this list at the very last minute. Usually, December is a wind-down month for me; I either read less books or pick only books that I’ve read before. But this last-minute book is part of a series I didn’t want to postpone until next year. And boy, was that a good choice. The book is Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. It was absolutely earth-shattering in my opinion. I liked it so much I couldn’t not include it in this list. And it damn near beat all my other picks. Here’s the full list:

STATUS UPDATE: END OF YEAR HIATUS AND NEW PROJECT

Good morning, everyone! I just wanted to pop in after going two consecutive weeks without any new posts. This isn’t the first time I take a break from my blog. I usually wait at least until late November, though. I admit I’ve been writing less book reviews than I used to, but I haven’t yet run out of new ones to post. I simply have been busy these past few weeks. There’s a project I decided to start, and it has all but consumed me.

Considering that I’m a very avid reader, it likely isn’t hard to guess what my project is. Yep, I’m writing a novel (or will be doing it soon). I guess what they say about “read enough books, eventually you'll want to write one” is true. I had what I think is an amazing idea recently, and I couldn’t stop the desire to develop it. I won’t say what it is yet, but I hope that I will sometime next year. I’ve already come up with a bunch of characters, and the protagonist has me completely invested. At the moment, I’m working on a plot outline. This means I can’t finish in time for NaNoWriMo, but I wasn’t aiming for that anyway. The event did give me the impetus to start now, though. I would like to have a completed first draft by year’s end. Even as I write this, ideas are cropping up in my head.

There are only a few weeks left in the year, so I’ll post no more book reviews while I work on my project. The exception is my annual “Top Ten Reads” list, which I’m already preparing. On another subject, I am still debating where to restart my social media presence. Twitter’s a no-go, of course, so I’ve pretty much abandoned that account. I’ll leave it as is instead of deleting it. Maybe I’ll move to Threads by Meta. Now that it’s possible to have more than one account (and to open one without needing Instagram), I may create a Threads profile soon. I’ll update my About Page when I do. For now, this is all. I’ll be back the second week of December with the ten best books I read this year.

BOOK REVIEW: THE STAR THIEF BY JAMIE GRAY

Title: The Star Thief

Author: Jamie Grey

Genre: Science Fiction, romance

Published on: December 29, 2013

Experience the romance and adventure of the best selling futuristic romance.

Stealing another galactic secret will get her arrested, but playing by the rules might just get her killed.

At twenty-three, Renna Carrizal is the most notorious thief in the galaxy. There's just one problem - all she wants is to get out of the business.

But after Renna rescues an injured boy on her final job, she finds herself on the run from the mob instead of enjoying retirement. She unwittingly becomes ensnared by MYTH, the empire's top-secret galactic protection agency, who offer her a choice - either help them on their latest mission, or spend the rest of her life on a prison ship.

Forced to work under the watchful eye of handsome but arrogant Captain Finn, Renna learns the former mercenary-turned-space marine has a few dirty secrets himself. As Renna works to discover the truth about Finn's past and keep the tantalizing man at arm's length, she unearths a plot to create an unstoppable army. The target? The human star fleet.

Now Renna must pull off the biggest job of her career - saving the galaxy. And maybe even herself.

I haven’t read many space opera novels. They’re a fascinating sci-fi subgenre for me, especially when done right like Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. After I came across The Star Thief, I thought it sounded cool. The protagonist is 23-year-old Renna Carrizal, and she’s perhaps the best thief in the galaxy. The novel doesn’t specify how far into the future the story is set, only that it’s several centuries after our time. Renna is introduced while she’s in the middle of an assignment. Someone hired her to steal some tech prototype. Renna is able to find it, of course. When she’s about to leave, Renna gets into a snag. She is forced to outrun the building’s guards with extra cargo that she hadn’t anticipated.

Just when Renna thinks she’s made it away, an unknown group shows up. They’re not the goons Renna just stole from. These newcomers seem to be some sort of paramilitary unit. Renna can’t help but think of them as ninjas, especially as they use swords. She tells the reader that swords went out of fashion eons ago. They’re highly effective in the hands of these guys, though. The squad make short work of the goons and take Renna hostage. Of course, Renna tries to escape and almost manages it...until she sees who sent the ninja soldiers after her.

BOOK REVIEW: SHADOW AND BONE BY LEIGH BARDUGO

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published on: May 7, 2013 by Square Fish

Discover the adventure that started it all and meet Alina, Mal, and the Darkling in Shadow and Bone from #1 bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo.

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

I’ve come across this book a few times, yet hadn’t got around to reading it. I didn’t think I was missing much. Boy, was I wrong. Shadow and Bone turned out to be a lot more entertaining than I expected. It’s part of the Grishaverse, which is about as popular as Harry Potter or the Twilight novels. The protagonist is Alina Starkov, a mapmaker who lives in the fictional kingdom of Ravka. She’s seventeen and has been working for the Army for about a year. Alina’s childhood best friend, Malyen “Mal” Oretsev, is also in the Army. He’s a tracker rather than a mapmaker.

There’s something that has afflicted the land of Ravka for generations. It’s called the Shadow Fold, a sort of dark magical sea infested with monsters. One day, Alina and her regiment must cross the Fold and get to the other side. They use skiffs for this purpose. Among the crew are several Grisha, the elite members of the Second Army. The Grisha have special powers. Some of them have control over wind, which is how they propel the skiffs. Others have control over fire, which provides light and protection.

BOOK REVIEW: A GOOD KILLING BY ALLISON LEOTTA

Title: A Good Killing

Author: Allison Leotta

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: May 12, 2015 by Gallery Books

Former federal prosecutor and critically acclaimed author Allison Leotta’s spellbinding thriller follows prosecutor Anna Curtis as she heads home to Michigan to defend her sister in a case that will bring her to her knees.

How far would you go to save your sister?

Anna Curtis is back in her hometown just outside of Detroit. Newly single after calling off her wedding, Anna isn’t home to lick her wounds. She’s returned to support her sister, Jody, who has been wrongfully accused of murder after their old high school coach, a local hero, dies in a suspicious car crash.

But maybe Jody isn’t so innocent after all. The police are convinced that Jody was having an affair with the married coach and killed him out of jealousy. As Anna investigates with the help of her childhood friend Cooper Bolden, an Afghan War veteran with a secret of his own, she slowly peels back the facade of her all-American town and discovers that no one is telling the truth about the coach, not even the people she thought she knew best. When the town rallies against them, threatening not just Jody’s liberty but both sisters’ lives, Anna resolves to do everything she can to save her sister and defend the only family she has left.

In her best book yet, Leotta, “the female John Grisham” (The Providence Journal), explores the limits of vigilante justice, the bonds of sisterhood, and the price of the truth.

Everything has changed in the fourth book of the Anna Curtis series. She's the main protagonist, an Assistant U.S. Attorney from D.C. Speak of the Devil had a shocking development that completely altered Anna's life. It left me rather bummed. For almost three books, the series had been building a romance between Anna and Jack Bailey. The latter is the head of the Homicide Unit at the USAO. The two were an inch away from getting married. It turns out that Jack's deceased wife, Nina Flores, was alive after all. She faked her death to protect her family and bring down an extremely dangerous criminal. Nina still loves Jack, so with her back in the picture, Anna felt she couldn't go forward with the wedding.

A call from a high school friend gives Anna an excuse to get away from D.C. for a bit. She returns to Holly Grove, her hometown. Anna has no idea what awaits her, though. She soon learns that Jody, her younger sister, is in trouble. Jody has played a small role in the two books she's appeared in so far. Now, Jody shares protagonist status with Anna. Things start with a local tragedy. Owen Fowler, a beloved high school coach and pillar of the community, is found dead. He was inside his car when it crashed into the school gym. The police find the circumstances suspicious. Knowing of Jody's relationship with the coach, they want to bring her in for questioning.

BOOK REVIEW: MORE THAN HER BY JAY MCLEAN

Title: More than Her

Author: Jay McLean

Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: November 18, 2013, self-published

Please note that this is the second book in the series and should not be read prior to reading More Than This.

"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
For every choice you make there are rewards, or there are consequences.
It was my choice to walk away the first time. And my choice to chase her the second.
But sometimes you don't get a choice, and all you get are the consequences.
Unless that someone is Logan Matthews.

Because loving him didn't give me the strength to walk away.
It didn't give me the courage to fight for him.
And when it was over, all it gave me was a broken heart.
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

Despite having liked More than This and More than Forever so much, I’ve hesitated to read this book. It’s part of a romance series, and each book focuses on a particular couple. Jake and Micky were great, just like Cameron and Lucy. More than Her focuses on the character of Logan Matthews. He was introduced in the previous book, as one of Jake’s best friends. Part of the reason I put this book off for so long is that Logan’s, well, a bit of a jerk. He loves girls, but isn’t as good at treating them well as Jake and Cameron are. I also confess that Logan seemed so much like high school me, except with the jerkiness dialed down two or three notches.

Like me, Logan absolutely worships women. He is very eager to meet the girl who’ll sweep him off his feet, like Micky did Jake. Actually, Logan happened to have met Micky first (by a few minutes). He had a big crush on her, but backed off as soon as Jake showed interest in her. It didn’t help that Logan made a very poor first impression on Micky. Things turned out more than fine in the end. Logan eventually meets another girl who gets way deeper under his skin than even Micky did. Pity that he once again had bad luck when it comes to how they met. It started out okay, but Logan seriously misread the situation and royally screwed things up.

BOOK REVIEW: THE THOUGHT READERS BY DIMA ZALES

Title: The Thought Readers (Les Lecteurs de Pensée)

Author: Dima Zales

Genre: Science Fiction

Published on: July 27, 2015

Une nouvelle série sur les mediums par un auteur de best-sellers (classements du New York Times et de USA Today) 
Tout le monde pense que je suis un génie.

Tout le monde a tort. 

Oui, je suis sorti de Harvard à dix-huit ans et je me remplis les poches dans un fonds spéculatif. Mais ce n’est pas parce que je suis extraordinairement intelligent ou travailleur. 

C’est parce que je triche.

J’ai un talent unique, voyez-vous. Je peux sortir du temps pour entrer dans ma version personnelle de la réalité — un endroit que je nomme ‘le Calme’ — où je peux explorer mon environnement pendant que le reste du monde est immobile. 

Je pensais être le seul à pouvoir le faire — jusqu’à ce que je la rencontre.

Je m’appelle Darren et voici comment j’ai appris que j’étais un Lecteur.

 

After teaching myself French, I searched for novels in that language in the Kindle store. It ended up being harder than I expected, as there aren’t that many. Les Lecteurs de Pensée is one of the first I came across. It’s part of a series centering on the character of Darren Goldberg. He’s a guy in his early twenties who has an unusual ability. Darren first discovered it when he was a kid. He can stop time, in a way: Darren can phase out of his body, a la Doctor Strange, and the world around him freezes. He calls this “drifting into the Calm”. Darren has used this power to his advantage a myriad times once he learned how to control it. For instance, freezing time allows Darren to cheat at casinos without being caught. The book introduces him during a game of poker.

Unbeknownst to Darren, his life is about to change irrevocably. A new challenger comes to the table to play. All of a sudden, the world freezes around Darren. Only this time, Darren didn’t willingly drift into the Calm. Then he sees the challenger, a woman around his age, who has phased out of her body and inadvertently brought Darren with her. This is significant because his whole life, Darren has believed he was the only person who could “freeze time”. He goes to regular therapy sessions because of this. Before Darren can question the woman, though, she bolts out of the place and vanishes.

BOOK REVIEW: SNAP JUDGMENT BY MARCIA CLARK

Title: Snap Judgment

Author: Marcia Clark

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: August 29, 2017 by Thomas & Mercer

In the third installment of Marcia Clark’s bestselling series, attorney Samantha Brinkman’s investigation into a family’s deadly secrets is compromised by a threat from her past.

When the daughter of prominent civil litigator Graham Hutchins is found with her throat slashed, the woman’s spurned ex-boyfriend seems the likely suspect. But only days later, the young man dies in what appears to be a suicide. Or was it? Now authorities are faced with a possible new crime. And their person of interest is Hutchins. After all, avenging the death of his daughter is the perfect reason to kill. If he’s as innocent as he claims, only one lawyer has what it takes to prove it: his friend and colleague Samantha Brinkman.

It’s Sam’s obligation to trust her new client. Yet the deeper she digs on his behalf, the more entangled she becomes in a thicket of family secrets, past betrayals, and multiple motives for murder. To win her case, she’s prepared to bend any law and cross any boundary that stands in her way. Sam has always played by her own rules, and it’s always worked…so far. But this case cuts so deep and so personal that one false move could cost her everything.

Defense attorney Samantha Brinkman is back with her newest high-profile case. She and her associates (Michelle Jones and Alex Medrano) first find out about it through the news. Alicia, a college freshman, was found dead in her bathtub. As usual, the primary suspect is her ex-boyfriend Roan. There are…issues that point to his guilt. The case against Roan takes a wild turn when he turns up dead too. While the police investigate the circumstances, Alicia’s father Graham Hutchins stops by Samantha’s office. He feels like he may need an attorney soon.

Samantha first gives Graham condolences for the loss of his daughter. He’s a lawyer too, so Graham and Samantha are acquainted with each other. When Roan’s case becomes more pressing, Samantha officially takes on Graham as a client. She and Alex, her investigator, begin looking into Alicia’s life. They interview her friends seeking to find out who killed Alicia. Samantha’s goal is to discover if someone may have wanted both Alicia and Roan dead.

BOOK REVIEW: NEMESIS BY BRENDAN REICHS

Title: Nemesis

Author: Brendan Reichs

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Published on: March 21, 2017 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Orphan Black meets Lord of the Flies in this riveting new thriller from the co-author of the Virals series. 

 

It's been happening since Min was eight. Every two years, on her birthday, a strange man finds her and murders her in cold blood. But hours later, she wakes up in a clearing just outside her tiny Idaho hometown—alone, unhurt, and with all evidence of the horrifying crime erased.

 

Across the valley, Noah just wants to be like everyone else. But he’s not. Nightmares of murder and death plague him, though he does his best to hide the signs. But when the world around him begins to spiral toward panic and destruction, Noah discovers that people have been lying to him his whole life. Everything changes in an eye blink.

 

For the planet has a bigger problem. The Anvil, an enormous asteroid threatening all life on Earth, leaves little room for two troubled teens. Yet on her sixteenth birthday, as she cowers in her bedroom, hoping not to die for the fifth time, Min has had enough. She vows to discover what is happening in Fire Lake and uncovers a lifetime of lies: a vast conspiracy involving the sixty-four students of her sophomore class, one that may be even more sinister than the murders.

After reading book series like In The Company of Killers, I’m used to a tad of darkness in fiction. The synopsis for Nemesis is unquestionably dark. Some suit-clad guy kills the same girl every two years on her birthday. Yes, you read right: he murders her more than once. Evidently, the girl comes back to life somehow. This is as compelling a synopsis as it gets. What could possibly be the reason behind these murders? That’s what drew me to Nemesis. I wanted to find out what was going on.

The girl in question is Melinda “Min” Wilder, the protagonist. She’s sixteen when the book starts. It’s an odd-numbered birthday, so the man in a suit shows up as expected. Whoever he is, he kills Min yet again. And like before, she comes back completely unharmed. Min lets the reader know more about her murders. The man in the suit always succeeds, no matter what Min does. Why doesn’t anyone (like her mother) know about this? Well, the first two times Min told people about her deaths, they dismissed it, even the sheriff. Then a shrink told Min the experiences weren’t real. She’s been seeing the doctor ever since, and kept quiet about the murders.

Min has a best friend, Tack. They’re the inseparable kind of friends, akin to Harry and Hermione or Clary and Simon. The two are sophomores and live in a tiny Idaho town called Fire Lake. Min and Tack lead pretty normal teen lives (apart from the murders, which Tack has no idea about). They have to put up with the requisite school bully, Ethan. Min has a short fuse, which leads her to make a reckless decision at one point. It was quite shocking to me. Tack covers it up, which shows how faithful he is to Min. There doesn’t seem to be any romance brewing between them, though. I doubt it’d improve the story if Min and Tack became an item.

Shortly after Tack is introduced, Nemesis reveals another strange plot point. There’s an asteroid nicknamed The Anvil, and it’s seemingly on a collision course with Earth. This Anvil is a potential planet-killer. Everyone is anxiously waiting for a NASA live announcement that will answer whether the Anvil is striking Earth or not. Min’s mind is so busy wrapping itself around her murders that she barely even cares about the potential end of the world. But what does an asteroid have to do with a suited man who kills the same girl over and over? That’s one of the biggest questions in Nemesis.

The second protagonist is Noah. He is also a sophomore but doesn’t run in Min’s and Tack’s circles. Also, whereas Min lives in a trailer park, Noah is from one of the wealthiest families in Fire Lake. Min and Noah have something in common, though. Min’s investigation into what’s behind her murders (and resurrections) leads her to Noah. It seems he’s involved, but Min has no idea how. She’s relentless, so she eventually uncovers more truths about a mysterious government program. By this point I was still trying to guess what Nemesis is about. I had a few ideas in mind, but still.

When Min and Noah discover the truth about Nemesis, it surprised me. I did not see that coming. I made a few correct guesses, but the big picture? Nope. I’d never even dreamed about the…astronomical idea behind Nemesis. The truth (as well as the fates of the characters) raised more questions, though. The grand plan also has a few eyebrow-raising aspects. Why Fire Lake? And why are kids involved? I wouldn’t say the ending was underwhelming, though. The betrayal was particularly shocking. I’m definitely reading the next books to find out what happens next.

My rating: ★★★★★

5 stars - Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!

BOOK REVIEW: A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES BY SARAH J. MAAS

Title: A Court of Silver Flames

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy, romance

Published on: February 16, 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing

Sarah J. Maas's sexy, richly imagined series continues with the journey of Feyre's fiery sister, Nesta.

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.

 

After three books with Feyre and Rhysand as protagonists (the “bridge” novel not included), A Court of Silver Flames puts the spotlight on two former supporting characters. One is Nesta Archeron, Feyre’s older sister. She used to be human, until the King of Hybern forcibly turned her into High Fae. Nesta is the kind of person you don’t want to cross, and she got her revenge in the end. But the war had a considerable toll on Nesta. Everyone suffered heavy losses, though Nesta took hers really hard. She now spends her days drowning her sorrows and ignoring the pain that threatens to consume her.

When Nesta goes too far one night, Feyre and Rhysand decide they’ve had enough. The two inform Nesta that she will either train with Cassian--the general of Rhysand’s Illyrian army-- or be exiled to the human lands. The latter would not be a pleasant option. Humans still aren’t on good terms with the Fae even though Prythian was on their side in the war against Hybern. If Nesta returned to the human lands, she’d have nowhere to stay because no one would want her. In the end, Nesta has no choice but to move to the House of Wind. There’s one detail: only those who can fly or winnow can easily access it. Anyone else has to walk ten thousand steps up and down the mountain.

BOOK REVIEW: THE THINNEST AIR BY MINKA KENT

Title: The Thinnest Air

Author: Minka Kent

Genre: Thriller, mystery

Published on: July 1, 2018 by Thomas & Mercer

A woman’s disappearance exposes a life of secrets in a twisting novel of psychological suspense from the author of The Memory Watcher.

Meredith Price is the luckiest woman alive. Her husband, Andrew, is a charming and successful financial broker. She has two lovely stepchildren and is living in affluence in a mountain resort town. After three years of marriage, Meredith’s life has become predictable. Until the day she disappears.

Her car has been discovered in a grocery store parking lot—purse and phone undisturbed on the passenger seat, keys in the ignition, no sign of struggle, and no evidence of foul play. It’s as if she vanished into thin air.

It’s not like Meredith to simply abandon her loved ones. And no one in this town would have reason to harm her. When her desperate sister, Greer, arrives, she must face a disturbing question: What if no one really knows Meredith at all? For Greer, finding her sister isn’t going to be easy—because where she’s looking is going to get very, very dark.

 

Despite the intriguing synopsis, I started reading The Thinnest Air with moderate expectations. This is a thriller novel set in a small ski town in Utah. The protagonist is Meredith Price, one of the town’s newest residents. Though she’s in her early twenties, Meredith is already married. Her husband is Andrew Price, the extremely rich son of a beloved police officer. Andrew’s decision to go into finance instead of law enforcement clearly paid off. Meredith’s friends weren’t too warm about the idea of her marrying Andrew, though. They tied the knot after less than a year of knowing each other. Meredith claims not to have married Andrew for his money. She honestly fell head over heels for him.

During the story’s present time, it’s been three years since Meredith and Andrew got married. Their bond seems to be as strong as it was at the start. One day, Meredith goes missing without warning. Her older sister, Greer, flies to Utah right away to find out what happened. Greer lives in Manhattan, managing a small chain of cafes with her best friend/romantic interest, Harris. That she dropped everything and traveled halfway across the country tells you how close the sisters are. Greer is prepared to move heaven and earth to find Meredith.

BOOK REVIEW: THE GIRL WITH A SECRET BY JUDITH BERENS

Title: The Girl With A Secret

Author: Judith Berens

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published on: June 26, 2019 by LMBPN Publishing

Vickie’s a 400-year-old teenage vampire in a suburban public school. Combine that with vampire strength and speed, mix in typical teenage impulse control and trouble follows.

Her new dad, Craig and adopted sister, Alexis are having trouble helping Vickie keep her identity under wraps – especially as classmates realize there’s something different about her.

Is time running out? Reports of a Last Vampire are getting back to the centuries old Circle. Dedicated to hunting down vampires, they are getting closer to tracking her down.

Her vampire senses are on high alert and she senses the impending danger to her family, if she doesn’t get distracted...

Can Vickie handle dating, homework, boys, and hanging out like an average teen, and protect her new family?

Will she be able to deal with the threat by herself or will it take a family effort? Will everyone survive… this time?

 

The books in this series are rather short, so I’m going through them quickly. This is the third entry in the Last Vampire series. The main character is Victoria “Vickie” Hewitt. She’s a fourteen-year-old vampire from Austria. Craig and Alexis, a small American family, found Vickie there and decided to bring her with them. She had no one else left in the world after sleeping for centuries. Vickie and Alexis are now almost as close as sisters. They attend the same private school, Clear Lake. It’s been a few weeks since Vickie enrolled. She’s made a few new friends so far.

Despite being at Clear Lake for a short time, Vickie’s already made an impression. She has her first-ever crush on a boy, Eric. Vickie has no experience dating, but she wants to see where things could go between her and Eric. He’s a cross country runner, so Vickie decides to join the girls’ team. She figures it’ll allow them to spend more time together. Vickie will have to control her powers, though. She’s much faster than anyone. Given Vickie’s struggle to rein in her nature, I was surprised Craig and Alexis let her join cross country. At least Alexis is there for most of the meets to keep an eye on Vickie.

BOOK REVIEW: IN FIVE YEARS BY REBECCA SERLE

Title: In Five Years

Author: Rebecca Serle

Genre: Romance

Published on: March 10, 2020 by Atria Books

 A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A Good Morning America, FabFitFun, and Marie Claire Book Club Pick

“In Five Years is as clever as it is moving, the rare read-in-one-sitting novel you won’t forget.” —Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists

​Perfect for fans of Me Before You and One Day—a striking, powerful, and moving love story following an ambitious lawyer who experiences an astonishing vision that could change her life forever.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Dannie Kohan lives her life by the numbers.

She is nothing like her lifelong best friend—the wild, whimsical, believes-in-fate Bella. Her meticulous planning seems to have paid off after she nails the most important job interview of her career and accepts her boyfriend’s marriage proposal in one fell swoop, falling asleep completely content.

But when she awakens, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. Dannie spends one hour exactly five years in the future before she wakes again in her own home on the brink of midnight—but it is one hour she cannot shake. In Five Years is an unforgettable love story, but it is not the one you’re expecting.

 

When I came across this book in the Kindle Store, I thought the title was so intriguing. And the synopsis made it even more compelling. How many of us can be certain where we’ll be five years in the future? In Five Years is the story of Dannie Cohan, a lawyer from Manhattan. When she’s introduced, Dannie is about to go to the job interview she’s worked so many years for. Dannie dreams of working at Wachtell, which she believes is the best place for a corporate lawyer. After the interview, Dannie feels confident that she’ll get the job. Her boyfriend, David Rosen, takes her on a date where he proposes. Dannie accepts, feeling all the pieces of her five-year plan falling into place.

What happens next is something extraordinary and unexpected. Dannie wakes up in a strange bed, in an apartment she’s not familiar with. And there’s a man she doesn’t know. Did Dannie have a one-night stand? Of course not, she’d never cheat on David, much less on the same night he proposed. The stranger seems friendly enough, but Dannie is still cautious. She eventually discovers that she’s somehow moved forward five years into the future. Things are so different that Dannie doesn’t know what to make of it. She’s a woman with plans, and she can’t fathom how those plans will lead her to the new apartment with a different man.

BOOK REVIEW: THE SECRET CHILD BY CAROLINE MITCHELL

Title: The Secret Child

Author: Caroline Mitchell

Genre: Thriller, police procedural

Published on: March 7, 2019 by Thomas & Mercer

DI Amy Winter knows evil. She's lived through it

Four-year-old Ellen is snatched by a stranger in the dead of night. Her devastated mother, Nicole, receives four identical phials and a threatening note in a familiar scrawl that chills her to the bone. But she always knew this would happen. She’s been expecting it for years . . .

According to the note, one of the phials is poisoned. Nicole is given a deadly challenge: if she drinks one, the sadistic kidnapper will notify the police of Ellen’s location. The sender claims to be Luka Volkov but Luka is supposed to be dead, killed long ago in a fire that haunts all those involved.

DI Amy Winter is still reeling from the discovery that she is the daughter of a serial killer, and her childhood trauma only makes her more determined to bring Ellen home. When another child is taken, Amy finds herself in a race against time. To rescue the children, must she seek help from the one person she wants to forget?

 

This is the second novel in the DI Amy Winter series. I enjoyed the first book enough to continue with the next ones. The main character is Amy, a Detective Inspector. She works for the Notting Hill station. Amy heads a special unit that handles high-profile cases. After years in the force, she’s proved herself as one of the best investigators in the English police. Recently, Amy found out about a reason why she may be so good at her work. Amy happens to be the daughter of Jack and Lillian Grimes, a pair of serial killers known as the Beasts of Brentwood.

Since Jack is dead, Lillian took it upon herself to reveal the truth to Amy. She seems to be as wicked as you’d imagine. Now that Lillian has given up the burial sites of her and Jack’s victims, Amy expects she’s done with her. Unfortunately, Amy brought evidence to light that might set Lillian free. Amy hopes that won’t happen. At least one good thing came out of the experience. Amy reunited with Sally-Ann, the older sister she thought was dead. Sally-Ann is in a relationship with Paddy Byrne, an officer under Amy’s command. He's one of her most trusted colleagues.

BOOK REVIEW: EMPIRE RISING BY CHEYANNE YOUNG

Title: Empire Rising

Author: Cheyanne Young

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Published on: January 1, 2016 (first edition); February 8, 2022 by Quinova Press (latest edition)

Eighteen years ago, Maci Knight’s family was destroyed when Aurora Falcon killed her mother. Now Aurora’s partner, Felix, has kidnapped Maci’s brother. For five long months, there’s been no sign of Max. His Codex is offline and she can’t feel even the slightest trace of his power. Maci refuses to give up hope, but when a new threat on King City emerges, Maci is ordered to abandon her search.

Somehow Felix has managed to do the unthinkable: repower all the villains that Central has depowered over the years. Now they’ve banded together to get revenge on the Supers who wronged them. What feels like an arduous mission becomes an opportunity when Maci realizes that if she can stop the villains, she can get them to lead her to Felix—and her brother.

In the action-packed conclusion of the City of Legends trilogy, Maci vows to save her city and bring her family back together—no matter the cost.

Previously published by Amazon Publishing and Alloy Entertainment, LLC

 

Five months have passed in-story since the ending of The Valiant. This final entry in the trilogy sees protagonist Maci Knight handling her most important mission yet. The previous book ended with main antagonist Felix running away with Max (Maci's older brother) in tow. The entire Hero Brigade has been searching for him this whole time. They're starting to give up, though, which disappoints Maci. She feels that the Elders may even think Max dead, considering how long he's been missing. At least Maci has support in the form of her twin sister, Nova. The latter recently gained the trust of the Super community after she helped save a bunch of them from Felix.

Nova starts the book as a newly-minted member of the Hero Brigade. This means she can go on official missions and have her own Codex (a bracelet gadget only Heroes get that's kind of a glorified smartphone). Nova has a supersuit now as well. It's identical to Maci's but with reversed colors: white instead of black. I thought this was fitting, and not only because they’re twins. Black suits Maci because, whether she had the potential to turn villain or not, she still has a short temper and a fierce protective instinct for her loved ones. Nova’s white suit is likely a sign her loyalties have completely shifted to the Hero Brigade, as she was raised by villains.

STATUS UPDATE: POSSIBLE SOCIAL NETWORK CHANGE & MID-YEAR REDESIGN

Good morning, people! I'm here with another status update. First, as you have no doubt noticed, I redesigned Ivan's Insights one more time. I hope the change isn't too jarring. While I am not overly concerned about page views, I still care about people visiting my blog. I don't write book reviews just to keep them to myself. Judging by its stats, I'd say the last redesign I gave Ivan's Insights didn't go over too well. I admit it wasn't its best look. I was going for a modern/futuristic-ish design, but it ended up leaving a bit to be desired. So now I've gone for a cleaner, more traditional look. Admittedly, Google's Blogger has a dearth of themes (let alone good ones), but this is the best I could manage for now. I don't normally change my blog's theme midway through the year, but it was needed.

On another subject, Twitter has been all over the news lately. Ever since Musk bought it, things have been going downhill. The latest brilliant move? To introduce rate limits, which means that the number of tweets you can view on Twitter per day is now limited. It's a preposterous change if you ask me. And if that wasn't enough, you now need to sign up for Twitter to view anything on it now. Mr. Musk's intention is to keep AI companies from having unfettered access to Twitter's data to train chatbots like ChatGPT. Whatever his claims, I'm with those that feel like Twitter is going to seed. Several months ago, I made a personal Hive Social account to see if it would be a good alternative. I was preparing to jump ship from Twitter, but Hive still isn't as popular as I expected.

Last Wednesday night, a new competitor to Twitter was launched. It's called Threads, a social network created by a veteran in the field: Meta. Yep, it's the same company that owns Instagram. That means if you have an account on that app, you can use it to log into your own Threads profile. This makes it so you can follow Threads accounts that you already follow on Instagram. Having such a vast built-in user base makes Threads perhaps the most promising Twitter alternative yet. For now it's only available as an iPhone and Android app, but that doesn't seem to be hurting it. I'll be following news updates for the meantime to see where things go. But if Threads' first day is anything to go by, it's very likely I'll open a new Ivan's Insights account there. When I do, I'm not going to write a whole post for it; I'll just tweet about it (ha!) and add the link to my About page here.

That's it for today. As usual, I'll keep posting new book reviews every Wednesday morning. My latest one was Speak of the Devil by Allison Leotta. You can read it at this link. Thank you for stopping by, and have a good day!

BOOK REVIEW: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL BY ALLISON LEOTTA

Title: Speak of the Devil

Author: Allison Leotta

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: August 6, 2013 by Gallery Books

In this gripping legal thriller by “the female John Grisham” (The Providence Journal), sex-crimes prosecutor Anna Curtis must stop a vicious street gang before it destroys more lives—and her own family.

On the very night she gets engaged to the man she loves, Assistant US Attorney Anna Curtis’s professional life takes a shocking turn that threatens everything she holds dear. A few miles away from where she’s enjoying her romantic dinner, two separate groups are gearing up to raid a brothel. A vicious killer known as Diablo—the Devil—leads one group. A few minutes later, Anna’s own investigative team heads in to search the brothel, as part of an ongoing fight against human trafficking in DC. Both groups are caught off guard, with deadly results.

As Anna investigates the bloody face-off, the boundaries between her work and home life begin to blur when she discovers a web of long-buried secrets and official lies that lead straight to her doorstep. And everything Anna counted on—the happiness she seemed so close to securing—comes into question as Diablo moves in for yet another kill.

Allison Leotta draws on her experience as a DC sex-crimes prosecutor to take you into the back rooms of the US Attorney’s Office, the hidden world of the Witness Protection Program, and the secret rituals of one of America’s most dangerous gangs. Universally praised by bestselling authors from Catherine Coulter and George Pelecanos to Lisa Scottoline and David Baldacci, Leotta weaves fact and fiction to create her best novel yet.

 

This is the third entry in a mystery/legal thriller series centering on protagonist Anna Curtis. She's an Assistant U.S. Attorney in DC. Anna has handled a couple of major cases so far. In Speak of the Devil, she'll work on her most dangerous one yet. The story picks up with Anna on a date with Jack Bailey, her fiance. He's the head of the Homicide Unit at the USAO (Anna's in Sex Crimes). Anna and Jack have had a somewhat rocky relationship so far. At least the interracial aspect of it hasn't been a big obstacle. It now seems as if Anna and Jack may soon get their happily ever after.

Several miles away, a group of MPD officers conducts a raid at a brothel. What was supposed to be a routine crackdown turns into a deadly confrontation. A couple of gang members manage to escape, but the cops are able to capture a third one. The guy's nickname turns out to be Psycho. Fitting for a dude involved with the MS, one of the most violent gangs in America. Psycho is found carrying something that causes MPD to bring Anna and Jack into the case. The former learns about it first, as she prepared a document enabling the police to conduct the raid. Detective Tavon McGee (a friend of Anna's and Jack's) is the one who brings the evidence.

BOOK REVIEW: MORE THAN THIS BY JAY MCLEAN

Title: More than This

Author: Jay McLean

Genre: Romance, Young Adult

Published on: July 21, 2014 by Skyscape

When Mikayla imagined her prom night, she envisioned a fairy-tale evening full of romance. So when betrayal and tragedy come in quick succession, Mikayla is completely destroyed. Suddenly, everything she loved and everyone she relied on are tragically, irrevocably gone.

Jake, a handsome boy she just met, happens to witness her loss. With no one to turn to, Mikayla is forced to depend on this near stranger and his family, and he in turn is determined to take care of her. But Mikayla-thrust into adulthood with no one to guide her-is desperate to contain her grief and hide what she considers to be her weakness. Mikayla and Jake both want more, but despite their growing closeness and intense chemistry, she tries to keep her distance and protect her heart. As he does everything in his power to win her trust, Mikayla must choose between remaining alone and safe or letting love in.

Revised edition: This edition of More than This includes editorial revisions.

I’m a big fan of romance novels (young adult or New Adult) where the main couple are totally devoted to each other. That’s the case in More Than This. It’s the first novel in a romance series by Jay McLean. The protagonist is Mikayla “Micky” Jones, a high school senior. We meet her on the day of her prom. Micky is supposed to attend the event with her boyfriend, James, and her best friend, Megan. Before the three can enjoy their prom, though, something happens that destroys that plan…as well as something else. I’ll just say it’s a gross betrayal.

This is where the second main character is introduced. He’s Jake, another high school senior. He doesn’t go to the same school as Micky and her group, though. Jake’s there just when Micky needs someone to save her prom night. The two take off to meet his friends, whom I found really great. They’re the kind of friends anyone would love to have. Micky enjoys her time with them. But the night can still get worse. When Jake takes Micky home, a horrible tragedy awaits them. This part of More Than This is utterly sad. Micky has lost pretty much everything. Fortunately, Jake doesn’t think twice about taking care of her. Even though they just met, Jake is adamant about being there for Micky. She’s so lucky to have found him.

BOOK REVIEW: THE FRENCH GIRL BY LEXIE ELLIOTT

Title: The French Girl

Author: Lexie Elliott

Genre: Thriller, mystery

Published on: February 20, 2018 by Berkley

I Know What You Did Last Summer meets the French countryside in this exhilarating psychological suspense novel about a woman trapped by the bonds of friendship—perfect for fans of The Widow and The Woman in Cabin 10.

One of RealSimple's and Cosmopolitan's Best Books of the Month

Everyone has a secret...

They were six university students from Oxford—friends and sometimes more than friends—spending an idyllic week together in a French farmhouse. It was supposed to be the perfect summer getaway...until they met Severine, the girl next door. 

But after a huge altercation on the last night of the holiday, Kate Channing knew nothing would ever be the same. There are some things you can't forgive. And there are some people you can't forget...like Severine, who was never seen again.

A decade later, the case is reopened when Severine's body is found behind the farmhouse. Questioned along with her friends, Kate stands to lose everything she's worked so hard to achieve as suspicion mounts all around her. Desperate to resolve her unreliable memories and fearful she will be forever bound to the memory of the woman who still haunts her, Kate finds herself entangled within layers of deception with no one to set her free...

This book caught my eye while I was browsing the mystery section of the Kindle store. After reading the synopsis, I thought I would like to read it. The French Girl is a part thriller, part mystery whodunit. It has five main characters, all of them old friends. The novel is written from the point of view of the main protagonist, Kate Channing. She is a headhunting attorney in London. The story begins ten years ago, when Kate and her friends were on a summer holiday in France.

The group were staying at a farmhouse during their trip. While there, a beguiling and enigmatic neighbor made their acquaintance. The girl is Severine, the titular French girl. Kate didn’t like her very much. As the reader, you learn more about Severine as you progress through the book. In the present day, a French detective informs Kate that they found Severine’s body. The girl went missing the very summer that Kate and her friends were on vacation. Since the six of them (one has died since) were the last to see Severine alive, the police have to question them.

BOOK REVIEW: A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN BY SARAH J. MAAS

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy, romance
Published on: May 2, 2017 by Bloomsbury Publishing

 

The epic third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything-and everyone-she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers-both magical and political-and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the fate of Feyre's world is at stake as armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy it.

The story of Feyre Archeron continues in A Court of Wings and Ruin. This is the third entry in the series. It picks up the story not long after the ending of the previous book. And it was quite an ending. Feyre and her friends had their first confrontation with the series’ main antagonist. He’s known only as the King of Hybern. Feyre saved her group just narrowly. This was thanks to her special powers. Feyre unwittingly acquired them after the seven High Lords of Prythian revived her in book one. She was human then, but now she is High Fae.

There is a change that happened “off-screen”. To recap a little, Feyre has been living in the Night Court for a while. She fell in love with Rhysand, the High Lord of Night. Feyre not only accepted his love, but became his equal: the High Lady of the Night Court. This was significant, as the continent of Prythian has never had a High Lady before. Feyre hides her new status during the beginning of this book, as she embarks on a personal mission. This involves pretending that Rhysand brainwashed her (most of Prythian thinks he’s sort of a bad guy).

BOOK REVIEW: MORAL DEFENSE BY MARCIA CLARK

Title: Moral Defense

Author: Marcia Clark

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: November 8, 2016 by Thomas & Mercer

For defense attorney Samantha Brinkman, it's not about guilt or innocence--it's about making sure her clients walk. But the case of Cassie Sonnenberg touches a raw nerve in Sam that makes it painfully personal.

A savage attack in a suburban home has left a father and son stabbed, and a mother clinging to life. And Cassie, the family's adopted teenage daughter, is accused of the bloody crime. It's a tabloid-ready case that has the nation in an uproar--and Sam facing her biggest challenge. But when she learns the murders were sparked by years of sexual abuse, she doubles down to get Cassie exonerated.

Yet, even as Sam probes the Secret past of a seemingly happy family, the dark memories of her own tormented life threaten to consume her. And as Cassie's story keeps twisting at every turn, in troubling new directions, Sam must fight all the harder to separate dangerous lies from the terrifying truth.

  

This is the second book in the Samantha Brinkman series. It takes place a few months after Blood Defense. The titular character’s kept herself busy. Apart from handling cases, Samantha and her associates now work in a different office. A bad guy set fire to their old building. They’re quite better off now, as the office isn’t in gang territory anymore. Samantha’s also become rather well-known after winning her last big case. She hopes to start earning more money. Neither Samantha nor her associates are well-to-do.

Samantha gets a new, potentially big case early on in the book. There was a shocking crime at a small town called Glendale. Someone murdered nearly an entire family. Only one of them, fifteen-year-old Cassie Sonnenberg, got away unhurt. Samantha meets with Cassie to see how she can help. The girl isn’t a suspect, but she could need legal counsel. Cassie also speaks to the police to relay what she knows. She points them toward a possible suspect. Cassie claims to have witnessed an unknown person running away the night of the murders.

FAVORITE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS FROM BOOKS, PART 2

Good morning! Today I’m publishing the second part of a post I wrote almost three years ago. In it, I listed some of my favorite characters from the books that I’ve read. I re-uploaded the post recently because the images embedded in it were lost. I didn’t alter any of the text, but it did give me the opportunity to pick better “casting choices” for some of the characters. I’m not a big movie buff, so I don’t know as many actors as some people do, but I still fancy imagining who could play certain characters.

In the three years since I first uploaded that post, I’ve read a lot of books. Inevitably, I’ve met new characters who I ended up liking or admiring. A few are from very popular series that I hadn’t had a chance to read yet. Like with the previous post, this list is in no particular order. Here it goes:

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BOOK REVIEW: THE GIRL IN THE BACK ROW BY JUDITH BERENS

Title: The Girl In the Back Row
Author: Judith Berens
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published on: June 4, 2019 by LMBPN Publishing

High school means classes, making friends, hanging out, cutting classes… and keeping your fangs to yourself. Watch out world, this teen’s bite is worse than her bark.

Welcome to public school Vampire teen. Keep an eye out for the ones who would rather put you back in a box, but this time forever.

Vicki is getting a crash course in teenage life, if she can just keep her true nature hidden.

Her new dad is still dealing with the loss of his wife and finding a new job. Now he’s got a 400-year-old teenager who can push over a car. Good luck setting a curfew.

Fortunately, she wants to make new friends more than mayhem. Too bad others aren’t going to make that so easy.

There’s a dark force looking for the last vampire, and all those paranormal powers are going to come in handy to keep herself and her new little family safe.

But how do you master your inner vampire when there’s no one left to teach you and suburbia just isn’t ready to find out, not everybody who gets put in a box stays there?

Can Vicki blend in and be a typical teenage girl? Will she be able fight the urge to use her smarts and speed?

Join Craig, Alexis and Vicki on the next part of their adventure, as they adjust to living with each other and keeping Vicki’s true nature a secret.

After reading The Girl Behind the Wall, I thought it was good enough to continue the series. It was a bit of a short read, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t entertaining. This sequel continues the story of Victoria Brommer. She’s a fourteen-year-old vampire who was in a deep sleep for 400 years. Victoria’s parents hid her in their castle in Austria to protect her from an evil group. Four centuries later, Craig and his daughter Alexis stumbled upon Victoria. They realized what she was right away. It took a few weeks for Craig and Alexis to warm up to Victoria. The two bring her back to the United States with them.

For safety reasons, Victoria now goes by Vickie Hewitt. Craig managed to enroll her at Clear Lake, the same private high school Alexis goes to. It wasn’t hard for Vickie to pass the entrance tests. Vampires in this series can learn stuff extremely fast. Vickie also doesn’t drink blood; her diet is just like a human’s. There does exist a vampire race that sucks blood, called Sanguinaries. It appears there are none left, though. Vickie is perhaps the only survivor of a crusade that claimed her parents’ lives. The evil group, known as the Slayer Circle, sought to eradicate all vampires. They are confident their mission was accomplished…for now.

BOOK REVIEW: THE GIRLFRIEND BY MICHELLE FRANCES

Title: The Girlfriend

Author: Michelle Frances

Genre: Thriller

Published on: January 30, 2018 by Kensington Books

A mother. A son. His girlfriend. And the lie they’ll wish had never been told.
 
Laura has it all. A successful career, a long marriage to a rich husband, and a twenty-three-year-old son, Daniel, who is kind, handsome, and talented. Then Daniel meets Cherry. Cherry is young, beautiful, and smart but hasn’t led Laura’s golden life. And she wants it.
 
When tragedy strikes, a decision is made and a lie is told. A lie so terrible it changes their lives forever…
 
The Girlfriend is a taut and wickedly twisted debut psychological thriller—a novel of subtle sabotage, retaliation, jealousy and fear, which pivots on an unforgivable lie, and examines the mother–son–daughter-in-law relationship in a chilling new light.

 

Once in a while, one comes across a book that surpasses expectations. I started reading The Girlfriend not knowing how good it may be. The synopsis seemed very compelling, though. And the book was part of Kindle Unlimited, so I checked it out. The Girlfriend is a psychological thriller set in contemporary England. The main character is Cherry Laine, a young woman with big dreams for her life. Her love interest is Daniel Cavendish, the 23-year-old son of a successful TV show producer.

Ever since she was young, Cherry knew she wanted more out of life. She had the misfortune (in her opinion) of being born in Croydon, one of the poorest neighborhoods in London. Growing up in a trailer park, Cherry's father was a loser who abandoned his family. Her mother, Wendy, is content with her job at a supermarket. Cherry is determined to penetrate high society and become wealthy. She's also extremely intelligent and has near-photographic memory. Cherry really hates when rich people look down on her just because they have more money.

In contrast, Daniel had more luck in life. He has a trust fund, a promising medical career, and parents who love him. They don't love each other anymore, but that's barely detrimental to his life. It's really common for parents to fall out of love anyway. Daniel meets Cherry at the real estate company where she works. They hit it off right away; it's pretty much love at first sight. This surprises Laura, Daniel's mother. She's very interested in knowing the girl who swept her son off his feet.

When Laura and Cherry meet, it seems like they will get along. Something happens that makes it start to go downhill, though. Cherry was nervous, but she also wanted Laura not to be like other rich people. As I mentioned, Cherry is super smart and believes that makes her better than people who are richer but less intelligent than she is. Cherry wants not only status, but respect. It's also obvious to the reader from the start that Cherry is with Daniel for his money. Laura eventually starts to suspect this as well. This drives a wedge between her and Cherry. Will it get bigger, or will their relationship improve somehow?

Though Cherry could well be a villain in The Girlfriend, I couldn't help but root for her. I wanted Cherry to succeed in her endeavors. What harm did it do that she wanted Daniel because of his money? She ended up falling in love anyway. Cherry wasn't all that bad. As the book progressed, though, you start to see the lengths Cherry will go to achieve her goals. Laura isn't much better (her suspicion borders and even surpasses callousness at one point). And then Cherry shows her true colors, going really far one day. Did she lose my loyalty? I think answering that may spoil the book a little. I'll just say that The Girlfriend was a phenomenal read. It's the definition of a page-turner, keeping you wanting to find out what happens next. I strongly recommend it to fans of mystery and psychological thrillers.

 

My rating: ★★★★ 1/2

4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!