ChaosHappinessBookMama

These books have finally been published in the US and Canada today! I can't wait to dig in! #georgemckenzieseseries #thrillerseries #marnierichesauthor #bookseries #bookouture

The Stars Among Us Sanja S Jungic #thestarsamongus #sanjasjungic #booktour #bookrelease My day for this book tour - the cover makes me SWOON!!!  Based on the author's experience as an extra on the Game of Thrones - Nora leaves her job to fulfill her dream of being an extra when her favorite book becomes a movie. Though she knows no one and moves to town near the ser, Nora manages to not only make friends but find herself the famously sexy Lucas' focus.  

What She Did Carla Kovach ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #whatshedid #carlakovach #bookouture #BookReview #booksontour #instensesuspense #bookreviewer #bookreview If you are looking for intense suspense, Carla Kovach does not disappoint.  This book opens with a young child hiding under her bed, shivering in fear while her mother is brutally murdered. Marissa is a young woman who lives alone. Due to social awkwardness as well as understandable fear of trusting,  Marissa enjoys her quiet apartment,  helping people obtain insurance and mortgages.  Until Dan moves in next door. And brings strangers, loud parties and anger to her door. Desperate for help, Marissa attends a building meeting. Glen offers to help, lending her support and friendship.  The plot also tells us what happened to Marissa after her mother's death - living with her mother's sister and her husband. The cruelty and abuse.  This story just drew me in. Marissa is a very realistic character- you can't help but ...

The Farmhouse L B Stimson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booktour #thefarmhouse #gothichorror #creepyhousestory #lbstimson #creepybook Slow build gothic ghost story. 1972 - Jenny and Kyle leave behind the city to rebuild their marriage. Kyle works with a realtor to be granted a lease for the Farmhouse - an old house well over a century old, holding onto the memories of its occupants. In agreement to do minor repairs to help sell the house, Kyle has more than enough to keep his days busy while Jenny writes her book. A romance suspense is what the publisher demanded. As Jenny enjoys the library atmosphere, her novel unfolds - as though the spirits in the house are sharing their story. A story of a blizzard. A family destroyed by death. So much tragedy and loss. I love stories about old, creepy houses - the history, the family, a romantic tragedy. I was granted an ebook and audiobook - I enjoyed the ebook much more than the audio. The narrator did a great job telling the story - though this is one of ...

Her Rival Emma Tallon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #bookouture #BooksOnTour #booktour #herrival #emmatallon #mustread Whoa! What an ending! A great slow build to amazing climax! Scarlet is settling in the family business - and ready to start her own venture. A hair salon to help launder money - Scarlet hires her best friend to manage and be lead stylist.  After Ray grabs Ruby from the streets, forcing her to get clean,  Ruby joins the salon, determined to put her cousin in her place. I definitely enjoyed this second book more than the first.  Looking forward to the next!

His Loving Wife  Miranda Smith  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #bookouture #hislovingwife #mirandasmithauthor #bookreview #netgalley  I often find myself wondering what I would do in various emergency situations - including a home invasion. Will I freeze? Will I fight? Sacrifice myself for my family? Am I strong enough to win the battle?  A year ago, Willow and Andrew experienced a home invasion. Willow told her children to get out of the house to safety while catching the intruder off guard. This decision not only ensure the safety of her children, but also Willow was able to scare the intruder into leaving.  Months later they learn the intruder's identity - Paul, Willow's ex from college. Willow takes on the guilt of starting the chain of events - Paul and Willow ran into each other weeks before the invasion. Andrew deals with the guilt of freezing - seeking an online community to cope. The family goes on a beach vacation - yet Willow can't help feeling something weird is going on....

Accidentally Engaged  Farah Heron  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #accidentallyengaged  #farahheron #romcombooks #romcomreads #mustread  I loved this book - arranged marriage by parents, fathers working together to make decisions for their children, family secrets, family and friends.  This quick read is exactly what a rom com should be - two main characters fighting against their attraction, desperate to not prove their parents right. Realistic life struggles - moving to a new town without knowing anyone, losing a job you didn't really like but need to pay the bills. Likeable characters - not just the main couple but also their friends and families.  Overall very enjoyable.

How To Kill Your Best Friend Lexie Eilliot ⭐⭐⭐ #netgalley #berkleypublishing #howtokillyourbestfriend Georgie and her University friends come together to lay their long time friend, Lissa, to rest. It's a memorial - her body was never found. Lissa drowned at Kanu Cove - according to local legend, Kanu takes who wants to be taken. Georgie refuses to believe Lissa would suicide - let alone swimming. Their group has swam together for decades - each an assigned position per their strength/ability. I appreciated this metaphor - as it played into the group's dynamics. Georgie pushes her friends to investigate what really happened to Lissa. Bron provides insight into Lissa and Georgie's relationship as well as movement for the mystery surrounding Lissa's death. I felt this book moved too slow. I skimmed some areas detailing their swimming history, the suspense build. I did enjoy the ending - though one portion was setup nicely, the second was a great surprise. ...

The New Home Chris Merritt ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booktour #thenewhome #bookouture #BookReview #mustread #chrismerritt Freya and Jack move after he lands his dream job as a cardiac surgeon. Freya leaves behind her friends, struggling to fill her day. While trying to occupy her time by pitching documentary film, Freya becomes friends with her neighbors, Emily and her daughter, Thea.   Though Emily's husband, Michael, is distant and not a warm person. Life seems good - until a knock on the door. Freya is notified by a local detective of Emily and Thea's disappearance. While desperately trying to search for any hints, Freya feels as though she is dreaming. Michael appears to be quite guilty in Freya's opinion, yet the police don't seem to be pursuing any leads. Forced into the therapy to cope with her miscarriage, Freya attempts to put together her life, her relationship with Jack while quickly becoming obsessed with Emily's life. Fast paced, quick read with a great twi...

These Toxic Things Rachel Howzell Hall ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #mustread #books #bookrecommendations #bookreview #thesetoxicthings #rachelhowzellhall Finished in a day - fast paced, well written, captured my attention and held in like an obsession. Mickie creates memory boxes - as a digital archeologist, Mickie archives a client's memories, providing a detailed history of the item as well as the story of acquisition/importance/etc. Little old ladies have the best secrets - and Mickie cannot wait to unlock Nadia's. Nadia has owned a curiosity shop for decades - she carefully selected a few items for her memory box, wrote quick notes. And then she died. Her death is suspicious, gossip swirling around the little strip mall. Mickie works on Nadia's box while becoming immersed in the small community of shop owners. What really happened to the shop's original owner? Is the local developer knocking off shop owners to buy up the land? Why do the women referenced in Nadia's notes cont...

The Trapped Wife Same Hayes ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #thetrappedwife #netgalley #booktour #booksontour #greatread  A wife struggling with her husband's sudden death.  Jennifer returns to work after taking weeks to help her 16 yo son adjust and grieve. Though Jennifer loved her husband, she had suspected he was having an affair for quite some time.  And of course the positive pregnancy test - a result of a drunken, hazy night while at conference.  Flashbacks add mystery to the plot - Evan a young boy from an abusive home, Mac also desperate for a friend.   Lots of great twists,  well done ending.  Great read.

For Your Own Good Samantha Downing ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #foryourowngood #samanthadowning Fast paced plot, short chapters and multiple points of view help flush out the characters. Belmont has an amazing reputation - the best teachers, wealthy students who go on to become leaders, doctors, etc. Until people start dying. During a teacher's ten year celebration, a student's mom drops dead. Teddy - long time English teacher and Teacher of the Year recipient, accidently poisoned the wrong person. He meant to only cause Sonia - Mrs B, a revered teacher and former pupil of Belmont, some discomfort. During her ten year celebration. In front of the entire school and staff. No worries. Zach, a wealthy yet loved by all his other teachers, can't seem to catch a break with Mr Crutcher, aka Teddy. Fallon loathes Mr Crutcher - he ruined her life by sending in a letter of reference with her college applications accusing her of plagiarism, stating Fallon is clearly not capable of producing high qu...

I LOVED this book - creepy, Celtic history and legend, serial killers grooming killers. Just WOW for me. Bring Her Home S A Dunphy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booktour #bringherhome #bookouture #fivestarreview #mustread #sadunphy Chilling. Creepy. I had to take breaks, savor each word. Kessie returns to Ireland after the devastating loss of her long time partner and lover. Ireland's Commissioner cashes in a favor - dragging Jessie into a kidnapping case. Penny,  daughter of previous Ireland leader, is kidnapped on her way back to her hotel. Joined by Seamus and Terry,  Jessie pushes to solve before the deadline of Halloween. Not to mention serial killer mentors,  Celtic legends. What a great book!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Missing Hours Julia Dahl ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #themissinghours #netgalley #mustread #greatbook A critical plot in today's media obsessed, revenge porn world. Claidia stays at her NYU dorm for spring break- celebrating with friends, massively drunk. She wakes the next day - facial bruising. No memory of what happened.  And knowing she did not consent to sex. Claudia ends up at the health center - given antibiotics,  tender advice regarding victim services including a rape kit. With the help of the sincerely nice young man on her floor, Claudia attempts to recover.  Until she receives the video. Told from seveal POV, this story moves while lending critical thought to the events. Attraction complicates situations,  alters personalities or maybe simply exposes people as the monsters they are. Great read.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A wife struggling with her husband's sudden death.  Jennifer returns to work after taking weeks to help her 16 yo son adjust and grieve. Though Jennifer loved her husband, she had suspected he was having an affair for quite some time.  And of course the positive pregnancy test - a result of a drunken, hazy night while at conference.  Flashbacks add mystery to the plot - Evan a young boy from an abusive home, Mac also desperate for a friend.   Lots of great twists,  well done ending.  Great read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I wanted to hear more - this would make a great inspirational series for child and families.   Many of us are aware of Ruth as an immortal hero of human,  race, equality,  women rights.   I enjoyed learning about her life growing up, meeting her husband, starting her own family.   I want to know more.  My daughter enjoyed the amazing illustrations- lots of color, great representation of the text.   Well done.

33 Women Isabel Ashdown ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #netgalley #33women #isabelashdown Excellent audiobook- held my attention.  I enjoyed this multi-narrated slow build suspense plot. I did not see the twist at the end. Slightly predictable- still enjoyed learning about these women. 

My tour date for this great read!  The New Friend  Alex Kane ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #booktour #thenewfriend #mustread  Some mistakes are just like dominoes - one can take it all down. Arabella had a  rough start - social services removed her from her mother's care at an early age, bouncing from homes, harsh treatment at school. She struggles with many issues resulting from trauma - including the desperate need to impress those around her.  One night out results her arrest and sentencing to 10 months. Her roommate, Roxanne, helps her through the months - lending her support and encouragement. Upon release, Arabella vows to work on her triggers.  Until Roxanne is released - and Arabella finds herself in a difficult situation.