Carries Book Reviews

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Title: Long Time Gone

Author:  Charlie Donlea

Publisher: Kensington Books 

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

Page Count:  379

My rating: 5 stars

About the book:

When DNA results reveal a disturbing connection to the mysterious disappearance of a famous baby nearly three decades ago, a woman’s search for answers draws her to an ominous small town in Nevada and a dangerous web of corruption, power, and lies in this engrossing, propulsive new novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later.

For fans of Alice Feeney, Stacy Willingham, Riley Sager, and Megan Goldin.

THIRTY YEARS AGO, BABY CHARLOTTE VANISHED.
TODAY, SHE WANTS ANSWERS.
 
On the first day of an elite two-year fellowship under the renowned Chief Medical Officer Dr. Livia Cutty, Sloan Hastings receives a research assignment in the emerging field of forensic genealogy. It’s the exciting, rapidly evolving science behind the recent breaks in high-profile cold cases from the Golden State Killer to the Cameron Young murder, and Sloan enthusiastically begins her research by submitting her own DNA to an online genealogy site. Her goal is to better understand the treasure trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites, but the results she receives are shocking.
 
Raised by loving, supportive parents, Sloan has always known she was adopted. But her DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka “Baby Charlotte,” who captured the nation’s attention when she and her affluent parents mysteriously vanished in July 1995. Despite a large-scale investigation and months of broad media coverage, there were never any suspects in the family’s disappearance and the case has been cold for decades.
 
Racing to stay ahead of the media and true crime junkies ravenous to know what really happened to Baby Charlotte, Sloan’s search for answers leads her to Cedar Creek, Nevada, a small town north of Lake Tahoe. There, the Margolis family’s power and influence permeate every corner of the county, and while Sloan’s birth relatives are initially welcoming, they’re also mysterious and tight-lipped. Not everyone seems happy about Sloan’s return, or the questions she’s asking.
 
The more she learns, the more apparent it becomes that the answers Sloan seeks are buried in a graveyard of Margolis family secrets. And someone will do anything to keep them hidden . . . 
 
Do YOU hold the secrets in your blood?
To find out, text “CHARLOTTE” to 775-239-0320.

Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea is a decades old murder mystery coming to a thrilling conclusion in the present. The story in Long Time Gone of course is one that takes place in dual timelines of the past and present and with some changes of the point of view.

Dr. Sloan Hastings is still in the process of studying for the career she has always wanted in forensic pathology. During her studies Sloan is asked to look into how DNA and ancestry websites have helped solve crimes so she contacts a specialist to help answer questions on the subject. Sloan is told the best way to study is to submit her own DNA for analysis so she does with some shocking results.

Sloan finds the ancestry website matches her to the Margolis family in Cedar Creek, Nevada where thirty years ago Sloan was known as “Baby Charlotte”, the daughter of two of the Margolis family who had gone missing along with their infant daughter. Once it becomes known of her match Sloan meets Sheriff Eric Stamos who’s father originally was investigating the Margolis family and let’s her in on a few secrets hoping the two can help one another find answers.

Charlie Donlea is an author that certainly knows how to weave a tail that keeps the pages turning. The story in Long Time Gone quickly became an addicting one with both the past and present pulling me in and not wanting to let go. I really did fly through this book faster than any others I have read in probably a few months. The characters were interesting and held my attention and I enjoyed navigating the twists and turns until the very end. Definitely an author to check out for the thriller fans!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Charlie Donlea is the USA Today and #1 International bestselling author of propulsive, female-driven thrillers including The Girl Who Was Taken, Don’t Believe It, Twenty Years Later, and Those Empty Eyes. His eighth thriller, LONG TIME GONE, explores the science of forensic genealogy.

A late bloomer, he was twenty years old when he read his first novel–THE FIRM by John Grisham–and knew he would someday write thrillers. Published in forty countries and translated into nearly twenty languages, his books have sold more than 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone and have been optioned for film and television.

Praised for his “soaring pace, teasing plot twists” (BookPage) and talent for writing an ending that “makes your jaw drop” (The New York Times Book Review), Donlea has been called a “bold new writer…on his way to becoming a major figure in the world of suspense” (Publishers Weekly).

He was born and raised in Chicago, where he continues to live with his wife and two children. Learn more at his interactive website at CharlieDonlea dot com.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Wild About You

Author:  Kaitlyn Hill

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

Page Count:  363

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

Two total opposites. One race through the Great Outdoors. In this grumpy-sunshine teen romance from the author of Love from Scratch and Not Here to Stay Friends, the trail to true love doesn’t always come with a map.

Natalie Hart has always been loud, unfiltered, and unapologetically herself. But then comes her freshman year of college, when she loses her merit scholarship and gains one pesky little anxiety diagnosis.

Hesitant to take out more student loans, Natalie decides to shoot her shot and applies to Wild Adventures, a popular outdoorsy reality show. Sure, Natalie prefers her twelve-step skincare routine to roughing it on the Appalachian Trail while competing in challenges against other college kids, but that scholarship prize money is calling her name. High risk, high reward, right?

Enter Finn Markum, her randomly assigned, capital-O Outdoorsy teammate whose growl could rival a black bear. These partners have more friction than a pair of new hiking boots. Or is it flirtation? Turns out falling in love might be the wildest adventure of all…

Wild About You by Kaitlyn Hill is a young adult contemporary romance novel with a side of adventure to it. The story in Wild About You is one that involves the old opposites attract and a grumpy/sunshine romance.

Natalie Hart has hit a rough patch in her freshman year of college while mourning the loss of her grandmother who she always felt closest to. Stress has caused anxiety and losing her scholarship has caused more stress so Natalie needs a way out without a lifetime of debt.

The popular reality television show Wild Adventures is filming near to Natalie and with a chance at a huge scholarship Natalie thinks why not sign up. Being tossed directly into the wilderness isn’t exactly Natalie’s strength but she’ll do whatever she can to win this competition and that includes thawing out Finn Markum, her randomly assigned partner’s icy exterior.

It’s no secret that I enjoy a good virtual travel adventure here and there and I also consider myself a reality TV addict so how could I pass by Wild About You by Kaitlyn Hill? This one takes place along the Appalachian Trail which made for a fun setting and with the characters jumping through reality tv hoops in the competitions it had plenty of fun antics to enjoy. The story does get a little heavier with the lead suffering from anxiety and both characters dealing with loss but it kept a good balance of the light heartedness and the deeper material and when finished it’s definitely one I’d recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Kaitlyn Hill is a writer who lives to tell love stories and make people laugh. While books make up most of her personality, Kaitlyn also enjoys messy reality TV, has never met a tea she didn’t like, and thrives on overly ambitious home improvement projects. She resides in Kentucky with her real life romance hero.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Love at First Book

Author:  Jenn McKinlay

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: May 14, 2024

Page Count:  366

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.

Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.

Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around.

Emily persists, and spending her days bantering with the annoyingly handsome mercurial Irishman only makes her fall more deeply in love with the new life she’s built – and for the man who seems to soften toward her with every quip she throws at him. But when she discovers the reason for Kieran’s initial resistance, Em finds herself torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her now undeniable feelings for Kier. As Siobhan’s novel progresses, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay is a new contemporary romance novel with some humor but also some heartbreak. The story is one of a grumpy/sunshine or enemies to lovers romance set in the Emerald Isle, Ireland.

Emily Allen is feeling a bit stuck in her life where she works as a librarian in Martha’s Vineyard and decides to finally make a change. Answering an ad for a job as an assistant and part time book shop work Emily finds the one placing the ad is one of her favorite authors, Siobhan Riordan, so of course Emily jumps at the opportunity.

After arriving in Ireland though Emily gets a bit panicky about her big move and matters don’t get any better when she finds she’ll actually be working a lot of the time with Siobhan’s testy son. Determined to make the most of it though Emily settles in and does whatever is asked of her by both mother and son.

Starting off Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay I really thought this was going to be a run of the mill rom com but boy was I wrong. The story gets much deeper with cancer being at the center of one of the characters motivation so it really really pulled at my heart strings having just dealt with my own family member cancer scare. There was a good balance of the light and darker topics in the book and while i may have passed this by knowing the deeper topic was to come I’m certainly not sorry I read it and got to know and enjoy these characters and their stories.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Jenn McKinlay is the award-winning New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars. 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: A Pose Before Dying

Author: Alex Erickson

Publisher: Kensington Cozies

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

Page Count: 269

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

Fledgling entrepreneur Ashley Branson is thrilled to open her dream business—a cat yoga studio. But helping clients find balance and felines find homes soon becomes one unhealthy exercise in murder . . .

Ashley Branson has a lot to prove with her new cat yoga studio, A Purrfect Pose. It’s a place for humans to find inner wellness—and adopt adorable cats from the local shelter. It’s also a chance for Ash to run her own life, out from under her overbearing mother and a stifling relationship. So far, so successful. Until she discovers one of her new clients, a much-disliked college professor, dead in her studio, locked in child’s pose . . .

To make matters worse, Ash’s hapless always-in-trouble brother, Hunter, instantly becomes the cops’ prime suspect. Determined to clear his name and save her business, Ash does a deep lunge into the surprising—and strange—connections the victim had with her other clients. But countless suspects, contradictory leads, not to mention people desperate to see her studio shut down, mean Ash will have to stretch to the max to outthink a clever killer who’s ready to strike her red in tooth and claw . . .

A Pose Before Dying by Alex Erickson is the first book in the new cozy A Cat Yoga Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series this first book of the series does contain it’s own fully solved mystery so it could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. Of course there will be character development that will carry over into the next book for those that want to continue the series.

Ashley Branson had done her best to get her over bearing mother to believe in her and her own dreams instead of those her mother wants for her. The family business just doesn’t interest Ashley and now she has the chance to make her own dream a reality and success as she opens up her own yoga studio with a twist, you see A Purrfect Pose will also house shelter cats up for adoption and the patrons will be able to enjoy these cuddly companions during their classes.

No sooner than Ashley gets A Purrfect Pose up and running though her alarm system alerts her to her studio and upon arrival Ashley find the body of a local college professor murdered right there in her new business. Once the police are on the scene Ashley realizes that her always in trouble brother, Hunter, is their prime suspect having been one of the last people seen with the professor but Ashley soon finds plenty of suspects as the professor wasn’t very well liked in town.

So being a kitty lover myself how could I possibly resist checking out a new cozy with lotsa cute kitties when I saw A Pose Before Dying by Alex Erickson? Thankfully with the cuteness pulling me in I did find this to be a really good opener of the new series. There’s of course plenty of humor to go with murder that I love in cozies and the mystery did grab my attention too. Another series that I’ll have to return to in the future!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Alex Erickson is the author of the Bookstore Cafe Mystery Series, the Furever Pets Mysteries, and the Cat Yoga Mystery Series. He lives in Ohio with his family and resident felines, who provide endless amounts of inspiration. When he’s not writing, he enjoys spending his time gaming or playing music. Visit him online at AlexEricksonBooks.com.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: You’re Invited

Author:  Amanda Jayatissa

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: August 9, 2022

Page Count:  384

My rating: 3 1/2 stars

About the book:

What could be worse than your ex-boyfriend marrying your childhood best friend? Getting accused of her murder… From the award-winning author of My Sweet Girl comes a dangerously addictive thriller about a lavish Sri Lankan wedding celebration that not everyone will survive.

When Amaya is invited to Kaavi’s over-the-top wedding in Sri Lanka, she is surprised and a little hurt to hear from her former best friend after so many years of radio silence. But when Amaya learns that the groom is her very own ex-boyfriend, she is consumed by a single thought: She must stop the wedding from happening, no matter the cost. 

But as the week of wedding celebrations begin and rumors about Amaya’s past start to swirl, she can’t help but feel like she also has a target on her back. When Kaavi goes missing and is presumed dead, all evidence points to Amaya. 

However, nothing is as it seems as Jayatissa expertly reveals that each wedding guest has their own dark secret and agenda, and Amaya may not be the only one with a plan to keep the bride from getting her happily ever after…

You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa is a thriller novel. The story in You’re Invited is one that changes the point of view between a couple of the characters but also has transcripts of interviews in the story. This one also switches back and forth from the current timeline to one a few months earlier.

Amaya and Kaavi were once best friends but it has been several years of not speaking to one another so Amaya is a little shocked to receive a wedding invitation from Kaavi. Even more shocking to Amaya is the fact that the groom is going to be non other than her own ex-boyfriend.

Amaya becomes determined to stop the wedding before it begins and decides to head to Colombo, Sri Lanka where the wedding is being held. After arriving though rumors begin to surface about Amaya and before she knows it Kaavi goes missing and of course all eyes are on Amaya as a suspect.

You’re Invited is the first book I’ve read from Amanda Jayatissa and of course a good old thriller is always enticing I was also looking forward to spending the time in a culture and place I’m not familiar with myself. Reading this one I found the characters weren’t particularly likable as I find sometimes in thrillers with unreliable narrators but it did have the good old fashion twists and turns one would expect. The format felt a little choppy but overall when finished I would rate this thriller at three and a half stars and would perhaps read another from this author someday.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

When she isn’t recovering from a self induced book hangover, Amanda runs corporate trainings on Communication Skills Development, and works tirelessly as the Chief Taste Tester at the cookie shop she co-owns. She grew up in Sri Lanka and has lived in the California bay area and British countryside, before relocating back to her sunny island, where she lives with her husband and two Tasmanian-devil-reincarnate huskies.