WWW Wednesdays #146 – July 19th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I started with Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira yesterday since I needed a change of genre after Stillhouse Lake… Somehow I didn’t think another thriller would have been able to live up to that story right now. I’m keeping my fingers crossed the change of genre will work, because I want to continue with Girl In Snow by Danya Kukafka afterwards… And I’ve read about 30 pages of Sister by Rosamund Lupton (which I’m actually reading in Dutch) and the struggle is real haha. I’m not convinced so far and I’m not sure if it’s because of the language barrier or the story itself…

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The List by Patricia Forde (3/5 stars) REVIEW 
The List is without doubt based on a very fascinating and original concept I would easily have given the highest rating for. The language elements are very interesting as well and this was definitely my favorite element of the story. That said, it did take me way longer than expected to read this Middle Grade story and I had difficulties connecting to both the writing style and the characters. I ended up having mixed thoughts about The List, but I guess the story can go either way for you.

2. The Breakdown by B.A. Paris (4/5 stars) REVIEW
I’m aware that The Breakdown has been receiving a lot of mixed reviews, but I personally had a really positive experience reading this psychological thriller. Then again I’m a sucker for any story with an amnesia/dementia angle and I found this element very well executed in The Breakdown. I didn’t particularly like Cass or the other characters, but the character development and growing forgetfulness and paranoia was brilliantly executed. In short I would definitely recommend giving this one a chance if you like the genre.

3. Confess by Colleen Hoover (2/5 stars) REVIEW TODAY
First of all I have to say that Confess by no means is a bad read, and I’m probably partly to blame for this story and me not being a right match. The writing style is just so readable and I do love the idea of the confessions turned into art and the way confessions are incorporated into the story itself. Confess isn’t just another sappy romance story and has a few very dark themes, but in the end it was the instalove overdose and inability to tolerate the main characters that ruined the reading experience for me. Oh well, I guess we can’t like them all… And what I said before is true: Colleen Hoover is always able to provoke very strong reactions with her stories whether they are positive or negative. And that is always a good sign.

4. Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine (5/5 stars) REVIEW 20/07
Wow. Just WOW. I will need time to cool off, because this thriller has been one hell of a ride… Stillhouse Lake is hands down one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year and just so damn intense! Highly creepy serial killer: check. Intriguing plot and plot twists: check. Constant suspense and feeling something is off: check. Brilliant writing style that keeps you on the edge of your seat: check. Inability to trust any character: check. Being sure you figured it all out and finding out you’re wrong over and over again: check. Very realistic character development: check. Do I have to go on? Dark, twisted, messed up and oh so good… I’m going to keep my fingers crossed I will be able to squeeze out a somewhat more coherent review by tomorrow.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m getting closer towards my goal of finishing most of the ARCs on my Netgalley shelf, which means only one NG title on here: The Girls In The Water by Victoria Jenkins. I’ve heard lots of great things about that one! I also want to read The Secret Of Heaven by Felix Alexander, a Reading Alley ARC that will help me change genres a bit. And…. *drumroll* I’m finally going to read Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton! I’ve been posponing it for way too long now, so fingers crossed I will be able to move it to my currentlyreading pile by next week. My newest TBR jar pick is still Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard, which I’m hoping to read before the end of this month.

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ARC REVIEW: The Breakdown – by B.A. Paris @StMartinsPress

Title: The Breakdown
Author: B.A. Paris
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
First published: July 18th 2017
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Finished reading: July 15th 2017
Pages: 336

“I’m ashamed – ashamed that I’m no longer the strong person I once was, ashamed that I let the slightest thing get to me.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

!! Happy publication day !!

I’ve had an ARC copy of The Breakdown collecting dust on my kindle shelf for months now… I was initially really excited to be granted a copy, especially after hearing so many wonderful things about Behind Closed Doors, but as mixed reviews started popping up everywhere I wasn’t so sure anymore. I’ve been hesitant to pick The Breakdown up ever since because I tend to have a bad relationship with hyped books in the first place. Thankfully this one turned out to be an exception to that rule and I now wish I would have picked it up sooner! I started reading The Breakdown with caution, but I soon realized this wasn’t necessary at all. I found myself enjoying this psychological thriller right from the very first chapter and was instantly convinced by the engaging writing style. I have a weak spot for any story with amnesia, dementia or mental health/illness elements and B.A. Paris was able to develop this element exceptionally well in The Breakdown. The main character is showing signs of early-onset dementia and this plays a huge role in both the plot and plot twists throughout the story. And I personally found this angle fascinating! True, I didn’t actually like every character, but there is no doubt that the character development of Cass is more than spot on. I had my guesses about the who and why and some of it turned out to be true, but the final part of this story without doubt came as a surprise and made me want to reread The Breakdown just to see if I missed the clues the first time. And I just love whenever that happens… I guess this story can go either way, but I recommend giving it a try anyway since you might be in for a surprise!

One night Cass decides to take the shortcut home even though the weather is horrible and going down that rural road is dangerous in the middle of a storm. She is more than surprised when she sees a car in the woods, but since the woman doesn’t react and Cass is scared, she decides to drive home instead and forget about the incident… Until the next day she finds out the woman in question was killed. Cass feels guilty she didn’t do anything, but convinces herself it’s probably for the best to keep what she saw that night a secret. The murder has been affecting her terribly though and she’s been forgetting things since that dreadful night. Little things as where she left her car, what the alarm code is, meetings with their friends… And that is not the only thing that worries her. Because who can she trust, if she can’t even trust herself?

I’m aware that The Breakdown has been receiving a lot of mixed reviews, but I personally had a really positive experience reading this psychological thriller. Then again I’m a sucker for any story with an amnesia/dementia angle and I found this element very well executed in The Breakdown. I didn’t particularly like Cass or the other characters, but the character development and growing forgetfulness and paranoia was brilliantly executed. In short I would definitely recommend giving this one a chance if you like the genre.

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WWW Wednesdays #145 – July 12th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I only started reading The List by Patricia Forde yesterday… Just look at that gorgeous cover! It’s one of my first middle grade reads this year and I’m having a feeling I will be able to finish it very soon. I’m picking up The Breakdown by B.A. Paris straight after since the deadline is only 6 days away; I’ve been putting it off since I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews, but we’ll see how it goes I guess. And I’m actually going to read Sister by Rosamund Lupton in Dutch! Yes, I’m finally going to keep the promise I made in January and try to read a book in Dutch… Fingers crossed it won’t take me too long since my Dutch is preeeeetty rusty. xD

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Court Of Lions by Jane Johnson (3/5 stars) REVIEW 
I was looking forward to read Court Of Lions as soon as I read the blurb. This novel seemed to combine two of my favorite things: historical fiction and Spain. I have wonderful memories of the city of Granada and this story without doubt triggered them. I enjoyed reading the many descriptions of the city and I loved the historical storyline and its characters. I probably would have given Court Of Lions a much higher rating if it would have been just that storyline… Because I wasn’t as charmed by the contemporary chapters. I couldn’t connect to Kate or the other characters, had a negative reaction to the adult content and wasn’t sure about the cliches either. Her history is without doubt both frightening and intriguing, but reading about it just didn’t work for me. Such a shame!

2. Jeopardy In July by Barbara Venkataraman (4/5 stars) REVIEW
I normally prefer my mysteries to be a little more ‘thrilling’, but every once in a while I like to endulge myself with a cozy mystery. Jeopardy In July turned out to be just the highly entertaining, fast and easy read I was craving and I had a lot of fun reading this story. The writing style is very enjoyable and the case in Jeopardy In July is quite interesting. I’m enjoying to see Jamie Quinn’s character evolve over time and the ending definitely made me wonder what’s next in store for her!

3. Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe (4/5 stars) REVIEW
I know it took me way to long to finally read this book, but I’m definitely glad I did. Although I didn’t LOVE love it myself and some parts were a bit slow, I can’t deny that both the characters and writing style are wonderful. Things only got better in the second half ofAristotle And Dante and I really loved to see their characters develop. The ending was exactly what I wished for while reading this story, although it did feel abrupt and I will be keeping my fingers crossed we will be able to read more about these characters in a sequel soon.

4. Slip by David Estes (3/5 stars) REVIEW TODAY
There is no doubt the concept behind Slip is very interesting even though I’m not sure if the story is actually all that original. With so many storylines and characters the plot feels a bit chaotic at points and it can get a bit confusing, but I guess it does add some dept to the story. The tone was a little off for me as well, but in general this was still a solid dystopian read. Plus, not having to deal with a huge dose of sappy romance was an added bonus!

5. Reported Missing by Sarah Wray (2/5 stars) REVIEW 13/07
I was really looking forward to Reported Missing, but unfortunately I ended up having a completely different reading experience. While the concept sounded really promising, there wasn’t much happening during the story and the pace is considerably slow. This psychological thriller is mostly focused on the character development, but I found myself unable to connect to the main character and this made it really hard to keep interested in the story. In short unfortunately not what I was expecting at all.

6. Little Monsters by Kara Thomas (?/5 stars) REVIEW 16/07
After hearing raving feedback I couldn’t wait any longer and decided to pick up Little Monsters before going back to my regular ARC schedule. And I completely agree this is a highly entertaining and superfast read! I’m still getting my thoughts in order so no rating yet, but I guess you might have already guessed it’s going to be a high one. 😉

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m slowly trying to get rid of my NG ARC mountain so I have three more ARCs coming up next: The Lost Book Of The Grail by Charlie Lovett, Girl In Snow by Danya Kukafka and Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine. I have high hopes for all three so fingers crossed they will be good! And my newest TBR jar pick is still Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard, which I’m hoping to read before the end of this month.

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WWW Wednesdays #144 – July 5th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m actually almost done with Court Of Lions by Jane Johnson, which is probably a good thing since the publish date is tomorrow and I should have finished my review by then. Oops? It’s a historical fiction read partly set in the 15th century and partly in the present and takes place in Granada. I really like the historical chapters and the many descriptions of the Spanish city, but the contemporary storyline isn’t convincing me for various reasons. I’ve also finally picked up book 5 in the Jamie Quinn series: Jeopardy In July by Barbara Venkataraman. It’s a cozy mystery and has all the promise of being a fast and entertaining read!

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Quirky Essays For Quirky People by Barbara Venkataraman (4/5 stars) REVIEW 
Last year the author pointed out her collection of essays was available for free on Amazon I decided to add it to my collection, especially since I enjoyed her writing style in her cozy mystery series. The title and cover spoke to me and it sounded like a fun read, and Quirky Essays For Quirky People was just that. This bundle is packed with short humorous essays about quirky situations that will make you smile. They are very easy to read and perfect for whenever you feel like a light read

2. Final Girls by Riley Sager (3/5 stars) REVIEW
I had high hopes for Final Girls, but I guess I should have known to stay away from hyped books. This story wasn’t bad and I was impressed when I found out it was a debut, but that doesn’t mean I was blown away with it either. There were parts I loved (the Pine Cottage flashbacks, how dark, intense and twisted the horror parts were, the surprises), but in general I had my doubts about the credibility and I couldn’t connect to the characters. I’ve seen others who loved Final Girls though, so this could be just another case of me being allergic to hyped books resulting in an ‘unpopular opinion’ review…

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (2,5/5 stars) REVIEW
I feel actually quite bad I wasn’t able to enjoy Little Women better. I had really high hopes for this classic, but I found myself struggling to continue instead. This is definitely me and not the story, because I could see Little Women was well written as well as its appeal to many readers. I guess I just wasn’t one of them in the end. I don’t think I will ever read the second part, but I’m glad I at least now know what everybody is talking about when they mention this classic.

4. Devastation Road by Jason Hewitt (2/5 stars) REVIEW
I really wanted to enjoy Devastation Road, especially since it is a combination of two topics that fascinate me: WWII and amnesia. Unfortunately I found it extremely hard to connect to the writing style, characters AND plot… And honestly I think I would probably have opted for a DNF if this weren’t an ARC. I seem to be in the minority though since most reviews have been really positive, so give this one a chance if this sounds like your cup of tea!

5. The Stolen Girls by Patricia Gibney (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 06/07
There is no doubt that The Stolen Girls is just as strong as the first book and one hell of a ride. The books of this series are a bit longer than average, but besides the fact that the stories are very well written they have the added bonus of having a complex, rich and intriguing plot and different storylines without slowing down the pace. Some of the themes might be potentially shocking/intense, so a little warning if you aren’t up for that, but I personally had a great time reading The Stolen Girls. I just loved the complexity of the different storylines, how everything connected in the end and the Kosovo flashbacks in general!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m picking up Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz as soon as I finish my current reads; no more excuses! Right afterwards I’ll be reading Reported Missing by Sarah Wray since the publish date is coming up soon… And the same goes for The Breakdown by B.A. Paris. And after months of collecting dust (because it took me THAT long to read Little Women), my TBR jar is back in action! My newest TBR jar pick is Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard, which I’m hoping to read before the end of this month. The cover sure is stunning!

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WWW Wednesdays #139 – May 31st

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m currently almost done with the Reading Alley ARC Sherlock Holmes And The Nine-Dragon Sigil by Tim Symonds, a Sherlock Holmes retelling set in China which is proving to be an interesting read and just the romance-free story I needed right now. I’ve also started with the ARC The Gypsy Moth Summer by Julia Fierro, but the beginning felt a bit chaotic and I wasn’t in the mood for it… Hopefully I will like it better after having had a short break from it, especially since it’s due soon. I’ve also made progress with the classic Little Women by Louisa May Alcott; I actually think I would have finished it already by now but I had to read a few pending ARCs first.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Last Valentine by Felix Alexander (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 
The Last Valentine isn’t just another historical romance novel. The 1930s setting in Puerto Rico is without doubt well executed and helped set the right atmosphere, but it is the whole mystery around the Labyrinth of Love Letters and other secrets and conspiracies that will keep you intrigued until the very end. The dose of (sappy) romance cliches was a bit too high for me, but I did appreciate the many quotable references to romance in general. Romance fans will most likely love this story!

2. Feel Me Fall by James Morris (4/5 stars) REVIEW
Feel Me Fall is without doubt a superfast and entertaining read. I really liked the mix of Amazon survival/adventure chapters with contemporary high school flashbacks and those set in the hospital after Emily is rescued. It’s just the right balance and makes this story that much more interesting to read. I could have done without the cliches and love triangles, but overall this is definitely a great read. The writing style is very engaging!

3. Heartborn by Terry Maggert (2,5/5 stars)  REVIEW
I can’t deny there is a lot of potential in this story, and it’s a shame the fantasy world has been described only so briefly. An extra 100 pages or so would have helped develop their world better and that would probably help enjoying this story a lot better. I also had problems with the credibility of it all, mostly due to Livvy’s reactions to so many (for her) shocking details. The final part of the story also felt a bit rushed and the ending abrupt. All in all a lot of potential, but in the end it just didn’t work for me.

4. The Serial Killer’s Daughter by Lesley Welsh (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW UP TODAY!!
Although the title The Serial Killer’s Daughter is actually sort of a spoiler of what is to come, there is no doubt that this story is a well written character-driven psychological thriller with a sublime character development. The pace is a bit slow and there might not be as much action as you would suspect there to be in a serial killer thriller, but the story is full of twists and the characters more than make up for it. You will be able to meet one for the most twisted and creepy serial killers I’ve encountered with to this date and get to know him (almost too) intimately; definitely the stuff nightmares are made from.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I was actually going to pick up Love, & You, a poetry bundle written by fellow book blogger (ChicNerdReads) Gretchen Gomez, last weekend but I had to read some ARCs first and didn’t want to rush it. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it and I can’t wait to finally read it myself! I want to read And I Darken by Kiersten White soon since I have the ARC sequel coming up… And the historical fiction ARC The Merchant’s Pearl by Amie O’Brien is also on my list, as well as the ARC The Breakdown by B.A. Paris which I have been neglecting for way too long.

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WWW Wednesdays #138 – May 24th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m currently still reading the Reading Alley ARC The Last Valentine by Felix Alexander, which is turning out to be another interesting read. I don’t have much left, so I will most likely finish it today… And as soon as I do, I will continue with another ARC: Feel Me Fall by James Morris. I’ve read a few of his stories in the past and enjoyed them, so I’m definitely looking forward to this one! The blurb sounds just too good. I’ve also finally picked up my copy of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott again, and this time I’m going to stop procrastinating and just finish this classic. Maybe the cold weather will set the right atmosphere?

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Be My Killer by Richard Parker (4/5 stars) REVIEW 
As soon as I read the blurb I just knew I had to read this story. I have a weak spot for serial killer thrillers and the one described in Be My Killer sounded like a true ‘beauty’. And I was right, because the murders were both gruesome, twisted and disturbing in general. Suspense and plot twists are stacked up to dangerous heights until you find yourself unable to stop reading until you reach the last page… I didn’t like every character and had some minor problems with the credibility, but that didn’t stop me from reaching the last page in record time. And what a ride!

2. One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW
One Of Us Is Lying ended up being even better than I thought it would be. Sure, the characters started out as cliches, but they were really easy to connect to and ended up growing into something so much more… The writing style is highly enjoyable and only adds to the fast pace of this story. The plot twists are excellent as well and all in all I had a great time reading it. More than recommended!

3. Secrets Of The Dead by Carol Wyer (4,5/5 stars)  REVIEW
Those who follow my blog probably know I’m a big fan of the mystery/thriller genre, and this sequel is without doubt another winner. From the enjoyable writing style, fast pace and misleading plot twists to the fact that Secrets Of The Dead has a serial killer; this book just ticked all the right boxes for me. I love it when a psychological thriller is actually able to surprise me! Because I was definitely in the dark about the ‘who’ until the moment it was all revealed.

4. Words In Deep Blue by Cath Crowley (4/5 stars)
I’ve actually just realized this is book number 600! since I started this blog! I still can’t wrap my head around that number… And such a wonderful story to reach that mark with as well. Words In Deep Blue has the most gorgeous cover and is a YA contemporary romance story that partly takes place in a book shop. I love the idea behind the Letter Library and all those letters being included in between chapters were a really nice touch. I literally flew through the pages and finished it in less than a day and really enjoyed it, although the love triangle did become a bit annoying.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

The first title I’m going to pick up as soon as I finish my current ARCs is Love, & You, a poetry bundle written by fellow book blogger (ChicNerdReads) Gretchen Gomez. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it and I can’t wait to finally read it myself! I also need to read both The Gypsy Moth Summer by Julia Fierro and The Breakdown by B.A. Paris as their publish dates are coming closer. I’m looking forward to both! And the fantasy ARC Heartborn by Terry Maggert is also still on my list.

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