Evie Porter has her next assignment – Ryan Somner. The name and location have been delivered by her boss Mr. Smith -who she has never met… only communicated by phone and delivered packages and then a deposit into her bank account.
This new job, however, is a little trickier… Ryan is kind and fun to be with and easy on the eyes. Despite herself, Evie likes him and she knows, he likes her too. For the first time… Evie allows herself to envision a different life that does not include lying, deceit, theft, and betrayal. Something that some may call – normal.
But so many things need to happen for that to ever be a reality – first, there is no way out from Mr Smith’s watchful eye… Second, there is a reason that she was assigned to Ryan and there is something shady there… and third – well. Evie Porter is not even her name. Nor were the many names she has called herself that came before that.
I have had a nice streak lately of books that grab me immediately. First Lie Wins was no exception. Not only was this a good thriller – it was different than anything I have read before (also a plus). Often when an author creates as many paths as Ashley Elston does here, there is usually a path that is left unfinished – which can weigh on me like a loose thread… but not here – while there are many moving pieces – in the end, they all fit and you can find how each part, leads to the satisfying hard-earned finish.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with the one exception that has nothing to do with the storyline or author… just as it was digging in and things were starting to fall into place – there were 17 pages in my copy (pictured above). While I could not wait to get a new copy to move on I trudged forward with the gap and pieced together what I could of what must have happened in the “in-between” of page 278 and page 295.
While a new author to me, I nosed around her website and there are a couple of back titles that caught my eye… if you check it out I am sure you can know which would be right up my alley 🙂
Rated: 4.5 out of 5 Read Author Before: No Read Author Again: I think I would Where Read: Fort Myers Florida
James is a slave. His wife and daughter are also slaves. He works hard and talks with some of the local boys like Huckleberry (Huck) Finn and Tom Sawyer.
When James finds out that he is going to be sold and taken away from his family he has no choice. He runs. He runs in hopes that he can have time to think and to plan a way to get back to his family. In the nearby woods, he finds Huck who is also on the run. Huck has faked his own death to escape the beatings of his father. This unlikely pair decide to run together, James wanting to protect Huck if he can, and Huck being white, may be able to help James as well.
With a little luck, they can build a raft, find a fish line, and their adventures begin… dodging the bounty on James’ head, running into sketchy characters, and near misses all build into this wild retelling of Huckleberry Finn from James’ perspective.
Honestly, this one surprised me as to how much I enjoyed this book. I have had a little run lately of books that grab me right away and this book was no exception. I mean when you start a book with “Those little Bastards…” you certainly have to be intrigued! 😀
And the book continues with the way with a delightful, thoughtful, and occasionally hard look at this retelling of Huckleberry Finn from James’ perspective. Sadly – I have not read Huckleberry Finn (yet) so other than what I know from hearing about the book, I did not have that perspective going into this read however IMP – I don’t think you need it. James is refreshingly a stand-alone and while I don’t know how close it sticks to the Huckleberry story – I am ok with wherever it landed.
There are several fun play-on words in the book that I really enjoyed:
“And you can read? I knew It. Aint we been freinds forever? And you never trusted me enough to tell me that? So you can write? I cain’t hardly write. What else can you do? Can you fly? What ain’t you told me, Jim?”
There were so many funny moments and I wish I would have captured the pages to share a couple more.
picked this book up on Sunday and finished it on Wednesday. I read it every chance I could and thankfully being in Florida at this time, I had a little more time to read than I usually do.
Highly recommended – a Barnes and Noble Book Of The Year Good Reads Choice Award Winner National Fiction Book Award Winner 2024 One of the New York Times Best Books Of The Year
Read this book. I believe you will be glad you did.
Rated: 5 out of 5 Read Author Before: no Read Author Again: I would Where Read: while in Fort Myers Florida
Essence of McFadden… but also, a little Steven King. ~Sheila
Author Grady Green is having the best day of his life. He just received wonderful news from his publicist regarding his newest book. The only thing that would have made this moment better is if his wife had been there to celebrate with him. But she is on her way—he just spoke with her, and she is so close to home. But as the minutes tick by, Grady begins to worry. Where is Abby? When he runs up the road, what he finds will haunt his dreams forever. Abby’s car is on the side of the road with the door open, her phone and car remain in the seat, and Abby is nowhere to be found.
A year later, Grady still does not have the answers. Abby was never found. Grady can no longer write. His finances have dwindled to nothing and he has moved into a cheap hotel with his dog. When his Editor offers him a three-month stay in a cabin she inherited on a remote island to clear his head and maybe start writing again – Grady has no choice but to humbly accept.
At first, the Island seems to be just the answer. It’s small, remote, and beautiful. Every shop is locally owned, and while admittedly, the folks seem a little odd, Grady thinks he can make this work. But things are more than a little off on this small island and in short time strange things start happening that Grady can not ignore… and when he sees a woman in a red coat who looks just like Abby… things get even stranger yet.
I read this in two days in the RV on our way to Florida. (Yes you read that right – that may be the norm for many people – but not for me…I don’t have a lot of reading time usually so it takes a bit longer to finish a book) – this is a little bit of WOW for me 🙂
It’s a little hard to describe this book without giving anything away. While it held my attention all the way through, when the reveal came – I was…. admittedly confused – not that the reveal did not work… I’m just not sure if (IMO) it worked well. For me to fully grasp what just happened – I would need to go back and reread certain chapters and honestly – I just didn’t want to. If I were to describe how the reveal felt – it didn’t give me the “Ahhhhhhhh!” moment I think it was going for. It was more like a “huh.”
That said – the book is not bad- its good and I really enjoyed it except for that part. It feels a little like McFadden and oddly, I picked up vibes on Stephen King – especially on the small Island. I think if you think about it, you will too 🙂
I would love to hear other thoughts on this one.
Rated: 3.5 out of 5 Read Author Before: I do not believe so Read Author Again: I would give her another try Where Read: Traveling to Florida in the RV – between Georgia and Florida 🙂
It’s fun to revisit the characters you enjoy – and Millie is definitely one to have on your side. ~Sheila
Millie has a reputation as being “a fixer”. As word got out that Millie had a way to take care of the bad husbands, she had a little stint with the help of a friend cleaning up some messy marriages.
Those days, however – are in the past. Millie still with a record of her jail time, just wants a nice easy job to pay the bills and keep her moving forward. When Douglas Garrick calls about her working for him and his wife – a little housekeeping, a little errand running, a little cooking – Millie says yes. The Garricks seem easy to work for, their house is never dirty and Mr Garrick is pleasant in their encounters. The only thing that makes Millie wonder is Mrs. Garrick, who keeps to herself in her room with some assorted health issues. And the longer she works for the Garrick’s the more mysterious it seems that Mr Garrick does not want Millie to talk to his wife…
What could possibly be going on?
I’m a little proud of myself with this one. I feel like I finally have a bit of a grasp on McFadden’s style and even predicted a couple of things in this one. (Go Me!!!) But – don’t get me wrong… when this story begins to fully unfold – there is the usual McFadden Origami style here that once again – in the end… had me fooled.
I enjoyed this one as a sequel but probably not as much as the first one – still a strong read and I am glad I did 🙂
Rated: 3.5 out of 5 Read Author Before: Yes Read Author Again: Of Course 🙂 Where Read: Listened to audio – finished right before leaving on our RV trip
Millie thought she had found the answer to her prayers when Nina Winchester said, “Welcome to the family – and please, call me Nina.”
After time in prison, Millie is just trying to get on her feet and the job cleaning and a little light cooking for the Winchesters seems to be just the ticket to setting herself back on track. Sure the house is an absolute mess, and their daughter Cecelia is awful, yet Millie is up for the challenge. It doesn’t help that Mr. Winchester is kind and well.. easy on the eyes.
Yet as days turn into weeks, Millie senses something is very very wrong. Nina, or Mrs. Winchester as she has told Millie more than once since her date of hire that they are not friends so not to call her Nina, seems to be… well… a little crazy. She tells Millie to do something and then screams at her that she never said that. She talks down to her every chance she has and often threatens to fire her. Millie knows she is so lucky that she has the job with her record and just needs to keep saving but it gets harder and harder – and the creepy attic bedroom she stays in with the lock outside the door is a bit much…
Do they not understand what she is capable of?
Somehow… in all the books I have read by McFadden, I missed this one, the one, by all accounts it seems, made Frieda McFadden an author to keep an eye on. It was Jenny who does my hair who mentioned it a few months ago and with all the other books I was reading it didn’t stick to add it to my list. Then, this past week Jenny asked if I had read it as she is now reading the third book, The Housemaid Is Watching. Well… I knew I was behind so got right on it!
The Housemaid is definitely good. As mentioned before, I am finding this pattern with me and the McFadden books. At some point – something usually makes me mad or feels like she is being too predictable – yet, I have discovered that IMO, she does this intentionally. I believe McFadden loves to throw the reader off – loves to make them think “Oh Frieda, really? That’s a little obvy isn’t it?” And then – she slams on the breaks – puts you in a tailspin and suddenly the book is upside down… what you thought was true was nothing but a bucket of red herrings and in the end…. Your hair is mussed, you are smoking a cigarette (you don’t smoke..) and you have a goofy look on your face. Yeah… it be like that.
The Housemaid, in all of its glory, has rightfully earned the reputation of readers suddenly taking a closer look at what McFadeen is doing and she continues to create Psychological Thrillers that amaze. I was once again taken in and better for it. The Housemaid, while not perfect, is a book to add to your TBR list – and soon.
I’m already digging into The Housemaid’s Secret….book two.
Rated: 5 out of 5 Read Authro Before: Yes Read Author Again: I already am 🙂 Where Read: I listen to this on audio at home while cleaning and puzzling… its Minnesota winter after all
Nora Davis knows to keep her eyes open and alert to her surroundings. She learned this lesson as a child when she watched her parents be incarcerated for kidnapping and killing women of a certain age and look. Raised by her Grandmother, Nora, 26 years later, now a surgeon, keeps mostly to herself, living alone – well, unless you count the stray cat. Which she doesn’t… not yet. Her father remains in prison and will for the rest of his life. And thankfully, no one knows- not friends, not co-workers, about her past or her connection to the “Handyman”, the serial killer who removed his victim’s hands. At least, she thought no one knew.
When two young women turn up dead with their hands severed AND they just happen to both be women who were Nora’s patients. The Police are knocking on Nora’s door and the similarities between what happened then – and what is happening now are just too great. Is it a copycat killer looking for the notoriety of the famous Serial Killer the Handyman? Or is it something even more sinister?
It’s no secret that I am a McFadden fan. I was so excited to see a new book had been published and could not wait to be fully engaged in what new creation she has come up with – and for the most part… she did not disappoint. My only time peeve (and it is a small one) – was the repeating of the description of the women victims too often (like… make a drinking game out of how often it said often)… I get that it was making a point and a connection to the victims of the past to those in the present as well as Nora noticing similar traits in her acquaintances which, in her mind, meant they could be potential targets for whoever was doing the killing…. but – it weighed on me as it was mentioned too frequently. Other than the peeve, McFadden got me again. When you think you know that they know that you know and… well…. you are completely wrong – that’s a McFadden. The way it all wrapped up left me impressed again and of course… wanting more.
New to McFadden? If you like a good psychological thriller – take your pick:
It was a great twisty time spent in the halls of Ashby House! ~Sheila
Ruby McTavish has definitely lived an interesting and full life. She is the victim and the survivor of kidnapping as a child, and as an adult, she has been widowed 4 times and is the owner of Ashby House, her family’s estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Ruby never had children with any of her husbands, however, she did adopt a boy she named Camden who would be her sole heir. As Camden grows into a young man, there are many things he doesn’t approve of that his mother, as well as the extended McTavish, does. When Camden separates himself from the family as well as his full inheritance as Ruby’s only heir, he has no intention of ever returning to the Ashby House. Instead, he becomes a teacher in a small town in Colorado, where he meets Jules, also with a messy family past, who becomes his wife.
Ten years later, Ruby has long since passed away, and with the passing of his Uncle, Cam finds that he has to clean up some loose ties with the family and begrudgingly plans a trip back to the home and the people he closed the door to all those years ago. Jules is excited to see the magnificent home she has only seen in photos and what she has read online, but Cam has fears of what may be revealed to his wife when he reenters his past. But Cam is not the only one with secrets… secrets can come from any unsuspecting direction – even from the grave.
It’s been a while since I have read a truly can-not-put-down book and I am excited to share that I launched into 2025 with this one. Not the first book I said I would be reading (mainly because this one is paperback and easier to travel with on a plane).
This book grabbed me right from the start which is such a plus for me. The storyline was interesting and engaging, even the chapter transfers of narrator between Cam, Jules, and Ruby flowed so well that I never lost who was speaking or tried to recall what was going on when it came back to their story.
I am impressed with the book – the twists and turns made sense and I loved how many surprises there were along the way that fell right into line with the story. That sort of writing does not always work but it did here – and it worked well. HIGHLY Recommended.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Read Author Before: Yes – years ago! Hex Hall (I actually did not connect this was the same author until I looked to see if I had read here before!) Read this author again: Absolutely Where read: Started in Brainerd MN, read while traveling to Florida and on a Cruise into Cazamel, finished in Miami.
Hey all! Happy New Year! If you are wondering where the First Book post is… here it is 😀 I have had a quiet morning of reflection and COFFEE… gone are the days of my staying up past midnight to have this post in your in boxes by 6 am… I’m as devoted as ever… just not as insane about it lol.
I usually make you search for my book choice within the pics… oh I am in there, but I thought this year starting this post off with not only my book choice – but also my word of the year choice : JOY
Again – I hope to review more… get back into a rhythm here which also means writing more…. and learning how to find that balance.
With no further ado… below you will find the First Books of 2025. What a fun selection! Among these book selections, you will also find some authors – keep your eyes out for: Cary Griffith Kaira Rouda Joshilyn Jackson Heather Gudenkauf Lorna Landvik
Fun Facts – very few duplications this year! That actually excites me! While in the past years there may have a been a hot tile that several selected – I love the diversity of what you will see below. I love that first book, as well as all books you choose, are a personal preference. Books/genres speak differently to us at different times in our lives. We have everything here from some heavy hitters, comfort reads, education, historical, non fiction, memoirs, fun, heart-wrenching, a little spooky, a little romantic and MORE! We played participants!
AND – below the pics the book titles (if I was able to read them :D) and links to the books so you too can learn about them and maybe select them for future reads this year. If I missed anyone please let me know and I will post an update tomorrow. There is usually an add-on after I post and with all the ways the pics are sent between texts, emails, and Facebook messages… it is quite possible I missed something.
Every year there are a few people that are head slapping right now going “DOH! I totally forgot to send mine in!” No worries – other years there have been a few that come in later and I add them and repost tomorrow so feel free to send 🙂 Thanks all – this is a project that helps me through the New Year and brings a smile to my face as I see the selections and learn about books that were not on my list to read but now are. (I added quite a few to my TBR this year by putting together this post. Happiest of New Year and Happy Reading! Sheila
There comes a time when the twists and u-turns can simply just overwhelm the story ~Sheila
Claire Matchett is at the end of her marriage. The magic has been gone for longer than she can remember. Noah and Claire live together with their children, but they may as well be roommates. They barely talk to one another. 10 Years into what Claire thought would be a magical reunion of growing old together has turned into a desire to just be done with it all.
When a hiking/camping trip is planned with two other couples, Claire is less than thrilled. As if her marriage isn’t hard enough in private – now they would be taking it public. Yet, a break would be nice, and really – what could possibly happen in the presence of their friends? Turns out… anything and everything can happen.
It’s no secret that I have been on a McFadden kick. I like that the books are not overly long, they are engaging, and easy to follow in what is my busier than busy season. I am a big fan of a good twist and I love to be blown away by a great read with a WHOA ending – yet… there is the possibility of too many twists and turns and rerouting and sidling and … well you get it.
While I enjoyed the synopsis, the convenient settings that allowed for what to happen happen – was a bit too staged feeling. The book left you feeling anyone could be the one behind what was happening and while that can be exciting – I feel McFadden set this one up where honestly in the end – none were likable enough for me to care.
Maybe I’m jaded on the genre.
I will give credit to the alternating chapters with the anonymous narrator. This I liked and as it all played out – my rating is because of these chapters being told by an unknown author. While it didn’t save the book entirely, it certainly kept me going.
I did see a review that compared this book to Friday the 13th (full disclosure – this intrigued me…. (80’s girl who liked scary movies). I disagree with that review… while there were woods, there was no Jason Vorhees (boo!)… and if they would have had a Camp Crystal Lake, they would not have been so thirsty.
Beginnings are exciting… endings, they can be a bit harder. ~Sheila
Ed Kapanash’s experiencing his final summer as Chief of Police and is looking forward to quieter days, sleeping a little longer, and perhaps just enjoying the life he has worked so hard to build…
But – when the call comes in about Richardson’s 22 million dollar home burning to the ground and fingers are being pointed…. Ed’s plans are put on hold.
The Richardsons are new to Nantucket. Bull, a businessman, and his gorgeous and wild wife Leslee (how does one describe Leslee?) have been the talk of the town. Throwing lavish invite-only themed parties that you want to be invited to. You can say a lot about Leslee, but you can never say she does not know how to throw a party. The food, the theme, the service, the drinks – are all over the top and Nantucket residents covet the invite.
Coco, a young aspiring screenwriter, meets Bull in St John and worms her way into a summer job in Nantucket to work for Bull and his wife, looking for the right time to present her screenplay to him… all the while keeping an eye on the gorgeous and off-limits boy they hired to drive their boats…
Nantucket regulars are plenty and when it gets right down to it, there are more than a few people who would not have minded throwing a match to all that the Richardson’s own… But – in the meantime… you might as well grab a drink and enjoy the summer, after all isn’t that what Nantucket is best at?
There is so so so much more to say about this book but I honestly feel you need to dive in (swimsuit-clad or not) and enjoy the ride.
I love books like this where you have the chance to revisit characters you have come to know – much like friends. While this is the 4th book in this Nantucket setting, you do not have to read the other 3 to enjoy this one – although I have a feeling you may wish you had just to get a real feel for the land. As a long -time Hilderbrand fan, I was excited for this book and also sad knowing that this is the last of Hilderbrand’s Nantucket writing as the Author is turning towards other projects including some writing with her daughter.
Overall – I really did enjoy this book and I think if you are a fan of summer beach reads (I swear you can feel the sun as soon as you turn the page!) Pick this one up today and let me know your thoughts 🙂
Book Journey 