Sunday, March 13, 2022

Nine Lives by Peter Swanson




Publication date:  March 15, 2022

SYNOPSIS: 

If you’re on the list, someone wants you dead. 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Eight Perfect Murders comes the heart-pounding story of nine strangers who receive a cryptic list with their names on it—and then begin to die in highly unusual circumstances.

Nine strangers receive a list with their names on it in the mail. Nothing else, just a list of names on a single sheet of paper. None of the nine people know or have ever met the others on the list. They dismiss it as junk mail, a fluke—until very, very bad things begin happening to people on the list.

First, a well-liked old man is drowned on a beach in the small town of Kennewick, Maine. Then, a father is shot in the back while running through his quiet neighborhood in suburban Massachusetts. A frightening pattern is emerging, but what do these nine people have in common? Their professions range from oncology nurse to aspiring actor, and they’re located all over the country. So why are they all on the list, and who sent it?

FBI agent Jessica Winslow, who is on the list herself, is determined to find out. Could there be some dark secret that binds them all together? Or is this the work of a murderous madman? As the mysterious sender stalks these nine strangers, they find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders, wondering who will be crossed off next…


My Thoughts

And then there was........a new thriller by Peter Swanson!! Yes please! I can't thank my partner @ bibliolifestyle and @willammorrowbooks enough for having me along on this book tour. 

First off- anyone that knows me...will know that Peter Swanson is in fact my favorite author. There is something almost magical about getting lost in his books. They are always fast, twisted and oh so entertaining. His latest being Nine Lives is no different. Perfection! Oh so clever!

Nine names on a list....your name is one...the FBI assures you there is nothing to worry about...yet there is...you see.... you are marked for dead...except you don't know it....yet...until people on the list...start dying...

I loved that we are provided a list of the characters....and the list is updated as each name drops off... I made my own list and checked them off ...one by one....I had so many questions!!! What did these people do to get on this list??? Why does it seem so random?? What is going on???

In typical Peter Swanson fashion- he put in one heck of a twist. Actually.... a couple...that I never saw coming. He kept me guessing all the way until the end! Again! I actually was so floored at the one twist that I was like...What?!  Why did I not see that coming?

If you have not picked up a Peter Swanson book, I can't recommend them enough! He is the master of thrillers in my personal opinion. Fast, action packed and always an amazing twist! 

This book is out March 15th so the wait is almost over! Again thank you so very much to bibliolifestyle and WillamMorrow for my gorgeous gifted copy! 







Peter is the Sunday Times and New York Times best selling author of eight novels, including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, Her Every Fear, an NPR book of the year; and his most recent, Nine Lives. His books have been translated into over 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.

A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with his wife and cat.







 @bibliolifestyle

TOUR SCHEDULE

Sunday, March 13th: @milesofpages    
Sunday, March 13th: @itsallaboutthethrill   
Sunday, March 13th: @bookscallmyheart   
Sunday, March 13th: @latestbookcrush   
Monday, March 14th: @onemused   
Monday, March 14th: @rachellelovesbooks   
Monday, March 14th: @the.caffeinated.reader   
Monday, March 14th: @readingwithbecks   
Tuesday, March 15th: @sweethoneyandbrei   
Tuesday, March 15th: @thrillbythepage_   
Tuesday, March 15th: @mamas_top_shelf   
Tuesday, March 15th: @bubblebathbookworm   
Wednesday, March 16th: @girl_loves_dogs_books_wine   
Wednesday, March 16th: @thegrowinglibrary   
Wednesday, March 16th: @a_stylish_bookworm   
Wednesday, March 16th: @whatlizziereads   
Thursday, March 17th: @books_and_biceps9155   
Thursday, March 17th: @novelsandjava   
Thursday, March 17th: @angelas.book.shelf   
Thursday, March 17th: @biancabuysbooks   
Friday, March 18th: @buildingourbookshelves   
Friday, March 18th: @the_boozy_baking_bibliophile   
Friday, March 18th: @bostonbookworm_   
Friday, March 18th: @bookclubfor1   
Saturday, March 19th: @brandy_reads   
Saturday, March 19th: @read.with.rach   
Saturday, March 19th: @emmylouwho.reads   
Saturday, March 19th: @apaperbacklife   
Sunday, March 20th: @bookishwithwine  
Sunday, March 20th: @randi_reads  
Sunday, March 20th: @drink.read.repeat  
Monday, March 21st: @tangledintext  
Monday, March 21st: @thisreadingnurse  
Monday, March 21st: @bamabookgal  
Tuesday, March 22nd: @tammyreads62  
Tuesday, March 22nd: @megan.the.book.worm.elf  
Tuesday, March 22nd: @kb.reads19  
Wednesday, March 23rd: @rwmb_bookclub   
Wednesday, March 23rd: @acericolalife   
Wednesday, March 23rd: @kraysbookclub   
Thursday, March 24th: @girlsatthebookstore  
Thursday, March 24th: @geauxgetlit  
Thursday, March 24th: @bloommagic_  
Friday, March 25th: @bostonbookfanatic  
Friday, March 25th: @pinot.and.prose  
Friday, March 25th: @me_myshelfandi  
Saturday, March 26th: @purrfectpages  
Saturday, March 26th: @bookmarked.by.becky  
Saturday, March 26th: @sand_between_pages  
Sunday, March 27th: @ahomelibrary   
Sunday, March 27th: @enw_reads   
Sunday, March 27th: @the_reading_bee   
Monday, March 28th: @readingwithmarlow  
Monday, March 28th: @letstalkaboutbooksbaybee  
Monday, March 28th: @lauralovestoread 
Tuesday, March 29th: @erinescapingreality  
Tuesday, March 29th: @readresa  
Tuesday, March 29th: @jess_reads_books  
Wednesday, March 30th: @sweettea_and_a_book  
Wednesday, March 30th: @smashley.reads  
Wednesday, March 30th: @readerofthewrittenword  
Thursday, March 31st: @momfluenster  
Thursday, March 31st: @booked.and.loving.it  
Thursday, March 31st: @readit.shareit  
Friday, April 1st: @nature.books.and.coffee  
Friday, April 1st: @read_with_steph 
Friday, April 1st: @reading.is.my.happy.place  
Saturday, April 2nd: @booksandcoffeemx  
Saturday, April 2nd: @montana_reads  
Saturday, April 2nd: @booknerdkat  








Sunday, March 6, 2022

The Lobotomist's Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff



Release Date: February 1, 2022

About The Book:

An enthralling historical novel of a compassionate and relentless woman, a cutting-edge breakthrough in psychiatry, and a nightmare in the making.

Since her brother took his life after WWI, Ruth Emeraldine has had one goal: to help those suffering from mental illness. Then she falls in love with charismatic Robert Apter—a brilliant doctor championing a radical new treatment, the lobotomy. Ruth believes in it as a miracle treatment and in Robert as its genius pioneer. But as her husband spirals into deluded megalomania, Ruth can’t ignore her growing suspicions. Robert is operating on patients recklessly, often with horrific results. And a vulnerable young mother, Margaret Baxter, is poised to be his next victim.

Margaret can barely get out of bed, let alone care for her infant. When Dr. Apter diagnoses her with the baby blues and proposes a lobotomy, she believes the procedure is her only hope. Only Ruth can save her—and scores of others—from the harrowing consequences of Robert’s ambitions.

Inspired by a shocking chapter in medical history, The Lobotomist’s Wife is a galvanizing novel of a woman fighting against the most grievous odds, of ego, and of the best intentions gone horribly awry.


MY THOUGHTS 


 This book was sooo good! This is seriously one of the most interesting books I have read. It was absolutely fascinating. Can you even imagine being married to a man that performs lobotomies?? Yeah me neither!


Let's just put this out there first...we all know that HF is based around real historical events. However, after reading the author's notes...I was shocked at the amount of this book that was based on real events.

Ruth comes from a prestigious family in NYC. Her family has created a hospital to help treat patients with psychological issues. A caring family hoping to help others.

When Ruth hires on an ambitious psychiatrist named Robert...things change drastically ...first she marries him...next he created the "ice pick procedure." This was a quickie lobotomy that he could do with an ice pick anywhere...in 10 minutes...in through your eye socket and done!

Does nobody think this is a bad idea?! Well this went on for DECADES...with people from all over...letting it happen...Rose Kennedy being one.

The most alarming thing is...this is based on Walter Freeman - creator of the transorbital lobotomy...traveling in his stationwagon on " Operation Ice Pick"...only 10 minutes out of your day and you can be fixed with an ice pick to your brain.

I can't even tell you how many times I gasped while reading the author's notes at the end! The writing is absolutely wonderful. The research that she put into this is so impressive. I loved it and I can't recommend it enough!





About The Author:

Samantha Greene Woodruff has a BA in history from Wesleyan University and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. She spent most of her career telling stories to executives at MTV Networks as the senior vice president of strategy and business development and, subsequently, audience research for the Nickelodeon Kids & Family Group. After leaving corporate life, she pursued her varied passions, teaching yoga, cooking, and taking classes at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. It was here that she combined her multifaceted background with her wild imagination and passion for history, reading, and writing. The Lobotomist’s Wife is her first historical fiction novel, and she is already at work on her next book. Sam lives in southern Connecticut with her husband, two children, and two dogs.


Social Media: 

Website: https://www.samanthawoodruff.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/samgwoodruffauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.woodruff.129










Links to Suzy’s Tours across Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzyapprovedbooktours/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/suzyapprovedbooktours

Twitter https://twitter.com/SuzyAPBookTours


Bloggers On Tour:


Jan. 4th - Cassie’s Book Reviews https://instagram.com/cassies_books_reviews  


Jan. 5th - Bookishly Becky https://instagram.com/bookishlybecky


Jan. 7th- Mrs Boom Reads https://instagram.com/mrsboomreads 


Jan. 7th- She Just Loves Books https://instagram.com/shejustlovesbooks


Jan. 10th- Bookworm Struggles  https://instagram.com/bookworm.struggles


Jan. 12th -The Page Ladies https://instagram.com/jacleomik33


Jan. 13th- Reading With Remy https://instagram.com/readingwithremy


Jan. 14th-Rozier Reads and Wine https://instagram.com/rozierreadsandwine


Jan. 17th-Reader Mama https://instagram.com/reader_mama


Jan. 18th- Bookoholic Cafe https://instagram.com/bookoholiccafe


Jan. 21st- Gwendalyn Books https://instagram.com/gwendalyn_books_


Jan. 23rd - Reading Is My Remedy https://instagram.com/reading_is_my_remedy


Jan. 24th - Bookish Heidi https://instagram.com/bookish.heidi


Jan. 27th- Laura’s Next Chapter https://instagram.com/laurasnextchapter


Jan. 28th - Bryant Park Books https://instagram.com/bryantparkbooks


Jan. 31st- Books And Beabulls https://instagram.com/books_and_beabulls


Feb. 1st-  Love My Books 2020 https://instagram.com/lovemybooks2020


Feb. 2nd- Reading With Nicole https://instagram.com/reading_with_nicole


Feb. 3rd-Books Love And Understanding https://instagram.com/booksloveandunderstanding


Feb. 3rd - Jennifer Tar Heel Reader – http://www.jennifertarheelreader.com


https://instagram.com/tarheelreader


Feb. 4th- We Break For Books https://instagram.com/webreakforbooks


Feb. 9th- Subakka Bookstuff https://instagram.com/subakka.bookstuff


Feb. 11th- Smashley Reads-  https://instagram.com/smashley.reads


Feb. 12th- Texacali Books https://instagram.com/texacalibooks 


Feb. 15th- Shooks Books https://instagram.com/shook_sbooks


Feb. 17th- ML Book Love https://instagram.com/mlbooklove


Feb. 20th- Novels and Latte Book Club –https://www.facebook.com/groups/357651988042629


Feb. 26th- Its All About The Thrill https://instagram.com/itsallaboutthethrill


Feb. 28th- Books and Coffee MX https://instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx








Friday, February 11, 2022

American Girl by Wendy Walker

 


About The Book:

A pulse-pounding novel about a small-town business owner found dead and the teenage girl caught in the crosshairs, American Girl is the latest thriller from international best-selling author Wendy Walker. 

Charlie Hudson, an autistic 17-year-old, is determined to leave Sawyer, PA, as soon as she graduates high school - in the meantime, she works as many hours as she can at a sandwich shop called The Triple S to save money for college. But when shop owner Clay Cooper - a man who is both respected and feared by many in this economically depressed community - is found dead, each member of his staff becomes a suspect in the perplexing case. Charlie must work to protect herself and her friends and uncover the danger that may still be at large in their tightknit community.

Best-selling author Wendy Walker returns with another riveting thriller, told through the eyes of an unforgettable protagonist. 

Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised.

Wendy Walker recently curated a “Chapter and Verse” playlist for Pandora. 


My Thoughts


Oh yeah....all right...take it easy baby- make it last all night...she was an American Girl....I mean how great is this title? Good thing I love Tom Petty because I can't get this song out of my head now!

I am so excited today to be on tour for this fantastic audiobook! Guys...it was so good. First off- the title is perfection. Charlie is...an American girl...she is a small town girl...working at the sandwich shop...saving up money for college....because she wants out. 

Lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles...that is her mantra....that is what she chants in her head, to calm herself. Charlie is a normal girl- that just happens to be autistic. We can all relate to Charlie- well except maybe for the night she came home smelling of bleach, sandwiches and fear...at 4am...the night...her boss died...

The audio is amazing for this book! Wow! Not only did Paige Layle knock this out of the park...I really felt she was Charlie. She was the 17 year old girl telling us her story. We were in Charlie's mind. Another remarkable thing that made this audio stand out from the rest was.............the sound effects! I have never heard an audiobook that had sound effects like this - footsteps, cars. It really added to the atmosphere. 

In typical Wendy Walker fashion, she kept me guessing all the way until the end! Loved it! 


Thank you so much to Suzy Approved Tours and Wendy Walker for having me along on this tour! 





About the Creator: 


Wendy Walker is the bestselling author of All is Not Forgotten, Emma In the Night, The Night Before, Don’t Look for Me, and the Audible Originals Hold Your Breath and American Girl, with rights sold in twenty-three foreign languages as well as options in film and television.https://www.wendywalkerbooks.com/


Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyWalkerAuthor/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/wendywalkerauthor

Twitter: @Wendy_Walker 

TikTok: @wendywalkkerbooks





About the Performer:

Paige Layle is a 21 year old actor born and raised in a small town in southern Ontario, Canada (she/they). They have been acting for 15 years, taking part in local plays, musical theatre productions and professional commercials all throughout her life—with favourite roles including Timon in The Lion King, Sarah from Company and now, Charlie from American Girl! Aside from acting, Layle also runs her own business being a lash and eyebrow technician, and has a large social media presence educating others about autism, Layle being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at 15. Layle has massed 3 million followers across social media platforms with her engaging and entertaining ways of portraying how autism affects her life. She captures others with her honest and raw portrayal of autism, while also being educational, factual and helpful to the 3 million people interested in learning more about autism and issues surrounding ableism.

Layle is thankful that American Girl features an actually autistic actor portraying an autistic character, as they believe accurate autism portrayal in the media is important for autistic people everywhere, and for the general public to understand what autism can really look like.

As an avid routine-lover, Layle enjoys journaling and scheduling in their spare time. She also likes training and spending personal time with her 2 year old service dog, a German Shepherd named Macey.


Social Media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/paigelayle

Twitter: @paigelayle

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paigelayle