The Sister by Louise Jensen

The Sister by Louise Jensen revolves around two girls that met in school when they were 9 years old. Grace and Charlotte (aka Charlie) became besties when Charlie took Grace, the new girl, under her wing. Neither had a sister and they latched onto each other and formed a brilliant friendship. Their friendship outlasted all others as they grew older and moved into a house together. Sharing everything and I mean everything.

Unfortunately Charlie is the girl that will be forever 24 years old. Her untimely death remains a mystery to us through most of the book. We know that Grace blames herself, but Grace also is someone with little self confidence that believes the worst in herself. We see several people around her take advantage of this and use it to their best ability to benefit themselves.

We watch Grace's life fall apart slowly as she spirals downward in a sea of guilt and grieving. It doesn't help that someone is stalking her every move. Or are they? Grace is the first to admit that she does medicate herself for anxiety and sometimes she adds alcohol to it. Is she just paranoid?

After reading The Date by Louise Jensen, I knew I had to read The Sister. The Date was a solid 5 star kind of book for me. It kept me turning the pages as quick as I could. This book was a slower burn for me. It was still good, but you had to wait a bit for things to pick up. There was alot going on in the last couple of chapters and all your questions will be answered. Even questions you didn't know you had. I have to add that I LOVE the cover of this book. Not only is it appealing, you will grasp the significance of it once you start reading the book. I enjoyed reading my second book by Louise Jensen and will definitely look forward to reading more from her.

4 stars from me!!

Thank you so much to Louise Jensen, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review.

Snap by Belinda Bauer

Three young children are left in a car on the side of the road in the blazing heat. Their pregnant mother makes her way on foot in search for help after their car has broken down. She is never to be seen or heard from again. Eventually the family is informed that she has been murdered. It appears she had accepted a ride from a stranger. Doesn't everyone know you don't accept rides from strangers? It's the perfect way to end up dead.

Life begins to quickly unravel for the Bright family after Eileen Bright is murdered. Jack Bright, the eldest at a whopping eleven years old is forced to provide for the family. A little boy who has no choice but to grow up fast and learn a quick and dirty lifestyle. 

Fast forward three years. We meet Catherine and Adam.  Catherine is pregnant, expecting their first child. Many interesting events unfold in their home, such as death threats. Yet, they never report it to the authorities. A bit odd one would think. What do they have to hide? What does one need a four thousand pound knife for? A hefty price for a knife that you misplace or have lying around the house. So many unanswered questions.

Whew! Oh Snap! I know, but I couldn't resist, I had to say Oh Snap at least once. It was just there, I had to do it. This was one good book! I will be the first to admit that this book freaked me out a little in the beginning.  The first couple of chapters had me checking my door locks and feeling a bit uneasy. Creeped out would probably be an accurate description. The author is so precise with her descriptions that she transforms you into that place. I could feel the heat that those kids were experiencing while waiting in the hot car  for their mom. You could imagine your bare legs sticking to the hot seats. Not to mention I had to look over my shoulder while in my own house. Bravo to Belinda Bauer for making it real for me.

This was a suspense filled thriller that I didn't want to put down. It also tugs at your heart strings. Jack Bright deserved a better life. He would probably have gone down a much different path, if not for another persons disregard for human life. He appeared grown up but he was still yearning for a childhood as demonstrated with his Goldilocks lifestyle.

This is the first Belinda Bauer book I have read. I will defiantly be looking forward to reading more by her.

4 stars from me!

Three Little Lies by Laura Marshall

Three little lies can change everything....

This story alternates between events that took place in 2006 and 2017, revolving around a group of teenagers/young adults who are neighbors.

Meet the new neighbors-the Monktons. You have Olivia, the opera singer who is famous in her own right. Her husband Tony who is a struggling musician, their sons Daniel and Nicholas and their god daughter Sasha. They live an unconventional lifestyle filled with glamorous parties and operas. Or is this just how it appears to an outsider? Or perhaps to a teenage girl wanting desperately to be a part of their life?

Meet Ellen and Karina. Two teenage girls completely and utterly obsessed with the new neighbors and their lifestyle. They are especially intrigued by the beautiful Sasha who seems to charm everyone in her presence without a bit of effort.

2007
Everything changes. One of the Monktons are accused of rape and the glamorous image is shattered. The accused is found guilty and sentenced to prison.

2017
Ellen and Sasha are best friends. Nobody knows them better than each other. Are we sure that is really the case? Lies are starting to surface from the past and even more from the present. Sasha suddenly goes missing. Is this revenge for the rape accusations? Is it just a coincidence that the convicted rapist is now free? Who has been lying all these years?

I enjoyed Laura Marshall's previous book Friend Request, so I was looking forward to reading her latest and greatest. I am glad I did, it was a good entertaining read.

The title says it all, but there were certainly more than three LITTLE lies going on here. There was jealously, competitiveness and the grass is also greener on the other side syndrome going on. It kept me guessing until the end. Be forewarned, be careful who you trust!

4 stars from me!

Thank you to Laura Marshall, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review Three Little Lies.

Fun with Barbara Copperwaite

Who gets a blurb written by Barbara Copperwaite? This lucky girl did! I had only written a couple reviews and  I had just started my blog. So  imagine my surprise when this talented author did this write up on my review! 

‘A whole bunch of lying & a whole lot of surprises!’

The first blog posted their review of THE PERFECT FRIEND. What did they have to say? Well, I’m very relieved to report that they loved it – giving it a fabulous FIVE STARS!

‘A whole bunch of lying and a whole lot of surprises in this book!’ writes It’s All About The Thrill.

I love that, as an emergency nurse, she appreciated how accurate my depiction of certain characters was.

She reveals: ‘Being an Emergency Room nurse myself, I deal with people going through major life events and I get to see how they cope with it. I felt the author really captured how people that are so consumed with anorexia function. Alex had to lie to cover up more lies. It was a way of life for her.’

Hurray!

So just who is behind It’s All About The Thrill. In the ‘About’ section of her blog, reviewer Kim reveals she ‘loves to read a good thriller. Just a little something to keep the adrenaline going while I am not at work.’

She adds: ‘I have been writing reviews on Goodreads and NetGalley for a while now and creating a blog seemed liked the natural progression. My goal is to connect with other readers that share my love of books. I want to share with others my thoughts on my favorite books and authors.’

So what makes the perfect read for Kim (although there’s a pretty obvious clue in the name of her blog!).

‘My favorite type of author is able to pull you into their story and then throw a twist in that leaves you shocked and wanting more!’

I’m so proud that THE PERFECT FRIEND has achieved just that. To read the review in full on It’s All About The Thrill, click here.

THE PERFECT FRIEND is published on 5 July

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