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Showing posts with label Paula Hawkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paula Hawkins. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: Bright, New Up-and-Comers (Part Two)
It's no secret that I have a ton (literally 1000+) of unread books sitting on my bookshelves. (We're not even going to talk about the line-up on my Kindle.) The first question on everyone's lips when they enter my home is, "Have you read all these?" Sadly, that answer is a big, ole NO. In spite of my already impossible TBR "pile," my head still gets turned by the shiny and new. What's that about? Evidence: this list is Part Two of the one I started last week for this week's topic—Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2024. What can I say? When it comes to books, I'm hopeless! You can check out Part One here. Part Two has less variety, focusing mostly on contemporary mysteries/thrillers.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
1. On the Surface by Rachel McGuire (available July 9)—Sawyer and Dani are a couple who cruise all over the world in their sailboat, documenting their adventures on their popular YouTube channel. They're having a great time living it up in the Bahamas when Dani goes missing. As the search for her is launched, dark secrets start to come to light about Sawyer. He's not as perfect as he seems; is he a murderer too?
2. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn (available July 9)—I still haven't managed to read anything by Quinn. Maybe I'll start with this one. It's about a group of women who live together in an all-female boarding house in 1950s Washington, D.C. They're drawn together by a mysterious widow who has just moved in. As they bond, they find friendship, healing, and...secrets. When a violent act tears the house apart, they will have to decide which housemates can be trusted and which can't.
3. Peking Duck and Cover by Vivien Chien (available July 23)—In this tenth installment of the Noodle Shop cozy mystery series, the shop owners in Asia Village are throwing a blowout party to celebrate Chinese New Year. The party, designed to bring in business as well as positivity and prosperity, is marred when a lion dancer is found dead. Lana Lee is, once again, looking for a killer.
4. The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins (available October 10)—The plot summary for Hawkins' newest is kind of skimpy, but it revolves around a remote Scottish island that is only occasionally accessible to the mainland, a reclusive artist, and the murder of her notoriously unfaithful husband.
5. Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger (available October 29)—This novel features three generations of women in one family. Their different lives and ambitions cause heartache, tension, and conflict between them. When the youngest realizes how little she really knows about the women who came before her, she goes on an eye-opening quest to uncover the secrets they've kept over the decades.
6. The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene (available November 5)—Twenty-four years ago, female students started going missing from a North Carolina University, including a struggling freshman. Jessica was never found. Almost three decades later, Jessica's sister is hunting for answers when bodies start turning up in a local lake. Will Jessica's fate finally be known? Who is responsible for the bodies in the lake?
7. In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price (available November 12)—I'm always up for a new historical mystery series and this one sounds fun. In this opener, the irrepressible Lizzie Bennett has become London's first female solicitor. With the help of the enigmatic Fitzwilliam Darcy, she investigates all manner of crimes. Hired to look into a mysterious warehouse fire, Lizzie soon finds herself trying to solve a murder when the prime suspect in the arson is killed.
8. If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner (available November 19)—This YA mystery/thriller seems to be getting mixed reviews, but it sounds intriguing to me. It's about a group of misfit high schoolers who come together to solve the mystery of their beloved teacher, Mrs. Moses.
9. Trouble Island by Sharon Short (available December 3)—Trouble Island is a remote piece of land in the middle of Lake Erie, halfway between America and Canada. Its placement makes it a convenient rallying point for gangsters. In fact, it's inhabited only by two women: Rosita, a gangster's wife, and her maid, Aurelia, who is actually a gangster's wife who is in hiding after committing a murder five years ago. When Rosita is murdered shortly after the arrival of her husband and a group of his confederates on Trouble Island, Rosita finds herself hopelessly trapped in very dangerous company. An oncoming storm makes the possibility of escape impossible. What is she going to do?
10. Pretty Dead Things by Lilian West (available December 10)—In this dual-timeline mystery, a bride-to-be is exploring her new town when she comes across an alluring estate sale. She buys a jar of pretty baubles, at the bottom of which she discovers two rings. As she tries to find the owners, she unwittingly stumbles upon an old mystery involving a missing woman and dark town secrets.
There you are, ten more up-and-coming titles I'm excited to read. Which are your most anticipated reads releasing in the second half of the year? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, June 01, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: Up-and-Comers I Want to Read
Sometimes I have real trouble coming up with books to fit the Top Ten Tuesday topic du jour. Then, a freebie comes along and I blank on that too! Yikes. Since I don't want to tax my summer brain too much, I'm going to highlight more upcoming releases I'm eager to read. I did a two-part TTT list on this topic back in March (here's Part One, here's Part Two) that focused on up-and-comers for the first part of the year. Today's list will feature releases for the second half, although most of these titles come out this summer.
If you want to join in the TTT fun, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Top Ten Upcoming Releases I'm Looking Forward to Reading
(in order of release date)
1. The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman (coming June 8, 2021)—I enjoyed Steadman's two previous thrillers, so I'm excited for her newest effort. It concerns Mia Eliot, a British actress who comes to Hollywood for pilot season, hoping to land a lucrative, career-making job. When a fellow actress, whom Mia met only briefly, disappears, Mia is questioned as the last person to see her. Then, the missing woman reappears, but Mia's almost positive the two women are not the same. Sounds intriguing!
2. Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos (coming June 29, 2021)—deVos is another author whose books I enjoy and the plot summary of her newest just makes me laugh. It's a body-positive YA novel about a group of teens who are forced under mysterious circumstances to attend a weight-loss camp in Flagstaff, Arizona. Nothing about the situation makes sense, especially not the other campers who seem...not quite alive. As the teens try to uncover the camp's secrets, they find themselves in a surprising and desperate fight against rabid zombies.
3. A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe (coming July 20, 2021)—It's 1954 and Katharina Edgeworth is a wealthy, bored New York City housewife. When she's recruited by the FBI to be an informant with the job of infiltrating the private world of a man from her past who has become a Soviet spy, it presents a tantalizing chance for Katharina to break free from her gilded cage and do something both exciting and important.
4. Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (coming July 27, 2021)—Two estranged sisters set out on a trip across Europe to fulfill their grandmother's dying wish of delivering goodbye letters to people she once knew. The duo must deal with their own strained relationship, confront family secrets, and travel in a time and place that feels increasingly dangerous.
5. The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong (coming August 10, 2021)—This historical novel revolves around a nurse who helps treat premature infants in 1937. When she hears about Martin Couney's exhibit of the tiny babies at Coney Island, it changes her perspective, putting her in conflict with the doctors for whom she works. As the mother of two babies born at 29 weeks gestation, I'm definitely interested in reading this dual-timeline novel, which sounds super interesting.
6. The Family Plot by Megan Collins (coming August 17, 2021)—Dahlia Lighthouse was raised on an isolated island under the strict guard of her true crime-obsessed parents. Still haunted by the disappearance of her twin brother ten years ago, Dahlia returns to her childhood home where a gruesome discovery has been made: her brother's body has been buried in her father's plot. How did his body end up there? What really happened to Dahlia's brother? Was he murdered by a serial killer or someone a lot closer to home?
7. A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins (coming August 31, 2021)—When a man is found dead on a houseboat, three women who were close to him are investigated for murder. There's not much of a plot summary for this one, but I like Hawkins so I'm in.
8. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty (coming September 14, 2021)—Not gonna lie, I haven't been impressed with Moriarty's last couple novels. I'm hoping her newest is as compelling as the older titles that I have loved by her. Her latest is another family drama about a complicated family with some very intriguing secrets.
9. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan (coming October 19, 2021)—This historical novel is about a young woman who is grief-stricken over the impending death of her beloved younger brother. George, who is captivated by a newly-published book called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is desperate to know from whence Narnia came. Despite her timidity about approaching C.S. Lewis, George's sister does it anyway. The answer to George's question will change her life, even if it won't save her brother's.
10. The Pilot's Daughter by Meredith Jaeger (coming November 2, 2021)—Inspired by a real murder, this one revolves around a would-be reporter who is desperate to find her father, a pilot who goes missing during the waning days of World War II. When she discovers love letters from a woman who is not her mother among her father's things, she's shocked—and even more desperate to find out where he is. Can she figure out what happened to the father she loves, but apparently doesn't really know?
There you go, ten upcoming releases I'm excited to read. Do any catch your eye as well? What new releases are you looking forward to bingeing on during the rest of 2021? I'd truly love to know. Leave a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Monday, November 13, 2017
Eerie Gothic Overtones Make Hawkins' Newest An Atmospheric Psychological Thriller
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
For hundreds of years, the women of Beckford have been dying in a part of the local river that's become known as the "Drowning Pool." Whether the dead chose a watery grave for themselves or were forced off the craggy cliffs surrounding the spot is part of its mystery. Nel Abbott has always been obsessed with the Drowning Pool, so much so that she's crafting a coffee table book about its history. When Nel becomes the latest in a long string of difficult women to die in the Drowning Pool, no one's overly surprised. After all, the photographer spent lots of time on the cliffs, trying to capture the perfect photo. She could easily have lost her footing, accidentally plunging to her death. The more evidence that mounts, however, the more it appears that something much more sinister happened to Nel Abbott ...
Nel's younger sister, Jules, arrives in Beckford—the town to which she swore she would never return—to try to understand Nel's death. She's also charged with the care of her newly orphaned niece. Already haunted by the recent suicide of her best friend, who killed herself in the Drowning Pool, 15-year-old Lena grows even more surly and withdrawn in the wake of Nel's death. Jules, a lonely, childless social worker, has no idea how to comfort Lena, let alone herself.
Jules is desperate to know what really happened to her sister; her inquiries, however, produce more questions than answers. Someone in tiny Beckford knows the truth. Everyone is hiding something, but no one's talking. Can Jules figure out how Nel died? Or will her pointed questions lead to her own corpse being dragged out of the murky depths of the Drowning Pool?
With its eerie Gothic overtones, Into the Water by Paula Hawkins, is an atmospheric novel that's as haunting as it is compelling. It's more layered than The Girl On the Train, but somehow less original. Still, the story kept me turning pages far into the night. As engrossing as the tale is, it's also sad and depressing. Overall, I found it intriguing but not nearly as mesmerizing as Hawkins' debut. Even though I'm not bowled over by the author's sophomore effort, I'm still anxious to see what she does next.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of novels by Carol Goodman and of the Jess Tennant trilogy by Jane Casey)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, disturbing subject matter, and depictions of prescription drug abuse
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Into the Water from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
TTT: Looking Forward to 2017
I haven't done one of these since September, so I figured I should jump back into the fray for the month of December. There are some great topics coming up this month—I couldn't resist! Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme and you should definitely join in. Just click on over to The Broke and the Bookish to see what it's all about.
One of my favorite things about a new year is checking out all the sparkly books it will be bringing us. Here are ten on which I have my eye:
Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in the First Half of 2017
1. Returned by Kimberley Griffiths Little—I'm excited to see what happens in the finale of this YA Mesopotamian adventure/romance series. I enjoy everything KGL writes, so this one is naturally at the top of my list. Available February 7, 2017.
2. Caraval by Stephanie Garber—This YA novel sounds like an intriguing blend of adventure, magic, and romance. What's not to love? Available January 31, 2017.
3. Wintersong by S. Jae Jones—This Phantom of the Opera-ish story sounds magical. I want. Available February 7, 2017.
4. Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves—This YA novel about a girl who is Barren in a world of magic has intrigued me ever since I first heard about it. Available March 28, 2017.
5. In Farleigh Field by Rhys Brown—I received an ARC of this WWII novel the other day and can't wait to delve into it. Available March 1, 2017.
6. Follow Me Down by Sherri Smith—You all know I love me a good psychological thriller. This one, about a woman who returns to her North Dakota hometown after her twin brother goes missing, sounds compelling. Available March 21, 2017.
7. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins—I enjoyed The Girl on the Train, so I've been anxious to see what Hawkins will do next. I'm not sure what her newest is about, but that doesn't matter. I'll read it no matter what. Available May 2, 2017.
8. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus—YA mystery/thrillers are not exactly plentiful, so I get excited when I hear about one that sounds good. In this one, five kids walk into detention, but only four come out. How did Simon die? And why? Available May 30, 2017.
9. Proof of Lies by Diana Rodriguez Wallach—Another YA mystery, this one is about a teen who's trying to solve the mystery of her sister's disappearance. Available March 7, 2017.
10. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor—This YA novel, about a boy in search of a mythical lost city, sounds exciting and mysterious. Available March 28, 2017.
What do you think? Do any of these appeal to you? What are you looking forward to reading in the first half of 2017? I'd love to know. Comment on this post and I'll happily return the favor.
Happy Top Ten Tuesday!
Monday, April 27, 2015
The Girl on the Train A First-Rate, Couldn't-Put-It-Down Psychological Thriller
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Still grieving the death of her marriage, lonely Rachel Watson finds comfort in routine. Every weekday morning, she boards the 8:04 train that runs to London from her home in Buckinghamshire. Every evening, she returns on the 5:56. As the familiar rhythm of the ride lulls her, she sips an early drink (which will be followed later by another and another and another ...) and watches the landscape blur outside the train's window. She pays close attention as her old neighborhood rolls past, drinking in the sight of her former home, where her ex-husband lives with his new wife. It's not him who Rachel really wants to see, though—it's Jason and Jess, the golden couple that lives down his street. She's never met them, doesn't even know their real names, but she can tell just from observing them that they have a beautiful, fulfilling life together. "They're happy, I can tell," she thinks. "They're what I used to be, they're Tom and me five years ago. They're what I lost, they're everything I want to be" (10).
Rachel's spent so much time spinning a perfect life for the couple that she's shocked by what she sees one day from her seat on the train. She's even more surprised to spy a familiar face on the front page of the newspaper a few days later. It's "Jess"—really 29-year-old Megan Hipwell, who has gone missing from Rachel's old neighborhood. Worried about her "friend," especially in light of what she saw from the train, Rachel determines to find out what happened to Jess. Not an easy task when your mind is as muddled from alcohol and depression as is Rachel's. Still, she has to know. But the more she persists, the more discomfited she grows. Although she has little memory of it, Rachel was there the night Megan disappeared. In fact, she just may be the reason Megan Hipwell is missing—or worse.
I don't want to say too much about the plot of Paula Hawkins' popular psychological thriller, The Girl on the Train, for fear of ruining plot surprises. Trust me, it's best to go into this one knowing as little about the story as possible. Suffice it to say, The Girl on the Train is a mesmerizing tale of suspense, full of intriguing characters, taut narration, and didn't-see-that-one-coming plot twists. Maybe the book's a tad predictable, maybe it doesn't quite live up to all the hype it's gotten, but still, it's a riveting, first-rate mystery. I literally could not put it down.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, sexual content, violence, and depictions of excessive drinking/illegal drug use
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Girl on the Train from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
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