The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Title: The Sun Down Motel
Author: Simone St. James
Publisher: Berkley
Rating: 4/5

The Sun Down Motel is one heck of a ride! This ghost story crossed with a murder mystery leaves the reader not knowing what direction to go in next. The book is told in two different times, in two different points of view and I actually didn't mind it. Usually I hate when this happens because there is one side of the story I just honestly don't want to read about. However, both Viv and Carly's were intriguing and kept me engaged in the story. I couldn't put it down, reading about 2/3 of the book over the span of 24 hours. And it has a few good twists and turns that were A+.

Please read this book if you're into thrillers, mysteries and/or ghost stories.

#books #reading #thriller #ghoststory #murdermystery #thesundownmotel #simonestjames #botm #bookofthemonth #mrsmadonnareads #bibliophile #bookworm #berkley

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Title: The Family Upstairs

Author: Lisa Jewell

Publisher: Atria Books

Rating: 4.5 /5

I just want to state that I read the last 130 pages in one sitting...

AND I COULDN'T PUT THE BOOK DOWN!

For the first book read in 2020, I made a good choice. The Family Upstairs is a constant game of Twister for the reader. I haven't read a lot of books recently that did a twist well but I'm thoroughly satisfied with this recent Jewell book. She may have moved to my top authors list. The differing points of view in the story definitely added to the experience in the past and the future. And man-oh-man does it really play with your mind.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller.

#books #reading #botm #bookofthemonth #bibliophile #bookworm #lisajewell #thefamilyupstairs #thriller #mrsmadonnareads #reading2020 #pageturner

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Title: Stepsister

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Rating: 📖📖📖.5 / 5

This alternative telling of the Cinderella story was a decent twist on the old tale. We are presented the story of Isabelle, one of the ugly step sisters, and her family in the aftermath of Cinderella (Ella) becoming queen and leaving her family behind. We learn that Isabelle has cut off her toes to fit in the glass slipper and has become a pariah in her town as a result of her deceit. Forces work for and against Isabelle (Chance and Fate, respectably) as she tries to mend her broken heart and become a better person. To make matters worse, there is a threat by the name of Volkmar that wants to destroy everything and everyone in his path. 

This isn't a love story. Not in the regular sense anyway. There is a love aspect, but it is more a story of redemption with the darkness that is missing from the typical Cinderella story. And I really, really appreciated that. There's nothing I hate more than reading the same story over and over when promised something different. While different, however, I felt like Donnelly's retelling was missing something. It just wasn't different enough to set it apart. In the end it felt like just the Cinderella story but with a different, less girly character. I felt like I liked Isabelle's sister, Octavia more than Isabelle. But that's just me.

Overall, Stepsister is an interesting take on the Cinderella tale and is a welcome twist at that. I do recommend it to those who want the hints of a familiar story but with a different, darker point of view. 

#books #bookstagram #currentlyreading

#librarybook #library #jenniferdonnelly #scholasticpress #yabooks #accordingtomrsmadonna #reading

The Whisper Man by Alex North

Title: The Whisper Man
Author: Alex North
Publisher: Celadon Books
Rating: 📖📖📖/ 5

This score is probably rounded up. I don't even know what I want to give it because I was so thoroughly unimpressed and bored. And I really, really wanted to like this book. 

I'm going to keep this short because I hate writing thoroughly negative reviews. Overall, it was a decent book. The writing was run of the mill, but not terrible. I can hardly call it a thriller as there was almost no thrill in the story at all. It is more of a study about father-son relationships than a murder mystery. There were a few spots where I found myself quickly reading to find out what happened next, but those moments were shadowed by moments where I just wanted it to end. And I wanted a gripping story...but I didn't get it! Sigh. 

It took forever to read this book but I'm glad I finished it. 

Pick it up if you want a book with some creepy elements and a story of the bond between son and father, but don't go into it expecting wonders. At least in my opinion.

#books #bookstagram #botm #bookofthemonth #bookreview #alexnorth #thewhisperman #thriller #reading #celadonbooks

No Exit by Taylor Adams

Title: No Exit

Author: Taylor Adams

Publisher: William Morrow and Company

Rating: 4 / 5

This one is a bit of a doozy. No Exit is a slow burn in the beginning as we learn more about Darby and how and why she ends up at the rest stop with a bunch of weirdos in the middle of a blizzard. I mean, Darby really is an idiot. Who doesn't bring an extra phone charger? Or have one in their car?? Sorry folks but she just doesn't make good decisions throughout this book and it's infuriating. Sometimes I wonder if if the characters in books ever watch horror or thriller movies haha.

But Adams does a great job with building the characters and invoking strong emotions when it comes to each character. I mean, I REALLY hated the villains and felt sorry for the victims. In many other books I don't feel attached to the characters, but Adams got me with this one. Bravo to you sir. While some of the writing was weird in that it made the characters sound childish, I actually believed it given the types of people the characters were.

Overall, the bad guys are pretty obvious and the ending wasn't that big of a surprise, but I still recommend it for thriller lovers. It was actually nice to read a book that was pretty straight forward but not totally devoid of any plot and character development. So if you just want a good little thriller without any crazy frills or deep plot, pick this up!

#books #bookstagram #currentlyreading #accordingtomrsmadonna #noexit #tayloradams
#williammorrowandcompany #thriller #bookreview #reading #bookworm #booklovers #goodreads

Lock Every Door (Audiobook) by Riley Sager

Title: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Read by: Dylan Moore

Rating: 3.5/5

Ok so I'm a bit torn about this one. I listened to Lock Every Door on Audible because we were going on a long road trip and I really wanted to read this book.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

"No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent."

So yeah. Makes good for a good thriller, right? Mmm...yeah? Ok, the book was pretty good. Especially the last part where we really figure out what is going on at the Bartholomew. But MAN does Sager really drag this one out. I felt like there was just so much description and minutia and not enough to forward the plot. This was made especially evident when put in Audible form. I honestly fell asleep a few times from the mixture of description and the narrator's lulling voice. 

And then I just...didn't...like...Jules. She's so naive and literally must have no common sense if she got herself into this situation. It's pretty clear that this apartment-sitter job is shady. Why would anyone agree to such rules? But, despite its flaws, Lock Every Door is a pretty good thriller and I'm glad I finished it. Riley Sager is a talented author and I've loved his books thus far. But this one just isn't my favorite. Oh well! I'll read the next one for sure!

#books #audiobook #penguinaudio #rileysager #thriller #lockeverydoor #currentlyreading #audible #reading #bookworm #accordingtomrsmadonna

Recursion by Blake Crouch

Title: Recursion
Author: Blake Crouch
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Rating: 4.5/5

--Thank you to NetGalley and Crown for this ARC to review!--

Wow. Just wow. I knew I was going to like this book because I thoroughly enjoyed <i>Dark Matter</i>, but I wasn't expecting this. From synopsis: "Memory makes reality. That’s what New York City cop Barry Sutton is learning as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived." How could you not want to know what happens next?

<i>Recursion</i> follows main characters Barry Sutton, a NYC cop, and scientist Helena Smith who both find themselves intertwined in the mystery of FMS in ways that will change them forever. Helena has good intentions for her machine that can preserve memories, especially for people like her mother suffering from Alzheimer's. But, like the fears many have of new technology, Helena's science goes haywire and thus we have the story. I won't say much more because basically anything I could say could be a spoiler.

You HAVE to check out this book. It is both relatable and sci-fy-trippy and I challenge you to not wish you had some of this technology in your own life for one reason or another. The writing is thorough and paints a vivid picture of what the characters are going through. Nothing in this book is really too far-fetched. Even the acknowledgements mention that this science isn't too far off.  Crouch has done it again! There is even a deal with Netflix to bring this story to the screen! Can't wait!

#crownpublishing #netgalley #blakecrouch #recursion #books #currentlyreading #accordingtomrsmadonna #sciencefiction #pageturner