Always With a Book

k2reader January 13, 2022

Review: Once a Liar by A.F. Brady

Publisher: Park Row Books Published: January 19, 2019 Source: Publisher Summary: From the author of The Blind comes an electrifying story of deception, duplicity and suspense Peter Caine, a cutthroat Manhattan defense attorney, is extremely adept at his job. On the surface, he is charming and handsome, but inside he is cold and heartless. A sociopath practically incapable of human emotions, he has no remorse when he fights to acquit murderers,…

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k2reader January 12, 2022

Audiobook Roundup

I’m a huge audiobook fan…I always have one on the go. And today I’m featuring three that all involve a protagonist who faces something completely unexpected while traveling. Thanks @Booksforwardpr for putting these on my radar! THE LIGHTHOUSE by Christopher Parker, narrated by Braden Wright Pub Date: October 21, 2021, Audio Publisher – Christopher Parker Summary: Enchanting, mysterious, and deeply romantic, The Lighthouse follows a young woman’s breathtaking journey…

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k2reader January 12, 2022

Review: The Last to Die by Kelly Garrett (audio)

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire / Tantor Audio Published: Print – December 5, 2019 / Audio – March 17, 2020 Source: Print via Publisher / Audio via Library Summary: It all started out as a game. Just a way to have fun. We figured as long as we had rules, it wouldn’t be a problem. RULE #1: Only break into one another’s houses. RULE #2: Only take stuff that can be…

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k2reader January 11, 2022

Review: The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo

Publisher: Berkley Books Published: September 28, 2021 Source: Personal copy Summary: When a woman travels to Nigeria to attend the funeral of the father she never knew, she meets her extravagant family for the first time, a new and inspiring love interest, and discovers parts of herself she didn’t know were missing, from Jane Igharo, the acclaimed author of Ties That Tether. Hannah Bailey has never known her father, the…

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k2reader January 11, 2022

Blog Tour & Spotlight: Legends of the North Cascades by Jonathan Evison

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for Legends of the North Cascades by Jonathan Evison . This is out in paperback today and I’m happy to help the publisher get the word out. Read about the book and see what everyone has to say about it. Publisher: Algonquin Books Published: January 11, 2022 (Paperback Release) Summary: “A beautifully rendered and cinematic portrait of…

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k2reader January 10, 2022

Most Anticipated Releases: January 2022

Happy New Year…a little late. One of these months, I will have this feature up right at the beginning of the month, but…in my defense, I was waiting on one book to arrive so that I could include. I try to only include books I have in these posts. With that being said, here are the 5 books I am most excited for this month…that I have either read…

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k2reader January 10, 2022

Blog Tour & Excerpt: The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan – I have an excerpt for you to read thanks to MIRA books. Publisher: MIRA Published: December 28, 2021 Source: Netgalley via Publisher Summary: A popular sorority girl. An unsolved murder. A campus podcast with chilling repercussions. Lucas Vega is obsessed with the death of Candace Swain, who left a…

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k2reader January 9, 2022

Review: These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Publisher: Minotaur Books Published: November 16, 2021 Source: Personal copy Summary: A father and daughter living in the remote Appalachian mountains must reckon with the ghosts of their past in Kimi Cunningham Grant’s These Silent Woods, a mesmerizing novel of suspense. No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world. For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the…

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k2reader January 8, 2022

Review: A Million Things by Emily Spurr

Publisher: Berkley Published: August 24, 2021 Source: Personal copy Summary: A bursting, heartfelt, debut following fifty-five days in the life of ten-year-old Rae, who must look after herself and her dog when her mother disappears. For as long as Rae can remember, it’s been her and Mum, and their dog, Splinter; a small, deliberately unremarkable, family. They have their walks, their cooking routines, their home. Sometimes Mum disappears for…

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k2reader January 8, 2022

Blog Tour & Book Spotlight: Honor by Thrity Umrigar

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for Honor by Thrity Umrigar. Thank you Algonquin Books for inviting me to participate. *** Reese Witherspoon has selected Thrity Umrigar’s HONOR as her January Book Club Pick! I’ve really come to enjoy Reese’s picks and will definitely be reading along this month! Publisher: Algonquin Books Published: January 4, 2022 Summary: In this riveting and immersive novel, bestselling author Thrity…

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k2reader January 7, 2022

Blog Tour & Review: The Tenderest of Strings by Steven Schwartz

Publisher: Regal House Publishing Published: January 4, 2022 Source: ARC Paperback via Over the River PR Summary: In search of a new life, Reuben and Ardith Rosenfeld and their two children move from Chicago to the small town of Welton, Colorado, looking for all the hope that the burgeoning West has to offer—its abundance of jobs, space, sunshine, prosperity, and the promise of reinvention. Reuben, a former copyeditor at…

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k2reader January 6, 2022

Review: Somebody’s Home by Kaira Rouda (audio)

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer / Brilliance Audio Published: January 18, 2022 Source: Netgalley via GetRedPR / Audio via Brilliance Audio Summary: A quiet neighborhood. A lovely home. A promising new beginning. In a heartbeat everything can change in this propulsive novel of suspense by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda. Julie Jones has left her suffocating marriage. With her teenage daughter, Jess, she’s starting over. Their new house in Oceanside is…

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k2reader January 5, 2022

Review: The Maid by Nita Prose

Publisher: Ballantine Books Published: January 4, 2022 Source: Netgalley via Publisher Summary: “The Maid is a masterful, charming mystery that will touch your heart in ways you could never expect. . . . This is the smart, quirky, uplifting read we need.” –Ashley Audrain, #1 bestselling author of The Push A dead body is one mess she can’t clean up on her own. Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles…

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k2reader January 5, 2022

Review: A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver

Publisher: Minotaur Books Published: May 25, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher Summary: The first in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, set in England during World War II, A Peculiar Combination is a delightful mystery filled with spies, murder, romance, and the author’s signature wit. Electra McDonnell has always known that the way she and her family earn their living is slightly outside of the law. Breaking…

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k2reader January 4, 2022

Review: The Removed by Brandon Hobson

Publisher: Ecco Published: February 2, 2021 Source: Personal copy Summary: Steeped in Cherokee myths and history, a novel about a fractured family reckoning with the tragic death of their son long ago—from National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson In the fifteen years since their teenage son, Ray-Ray, was killed in a police shooting, the Echota family has been suspended in private grief. The mother, Maria, increasingly struggles to manage…

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k2reader January 3, 2022

Review: Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins (audio)

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio Published: January 4, 2022 Source: Netgalley via the Publisher Summary: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific,…

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k2reader January 3, 2022

Review: The Last Debutantes by Georgie Blalock

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks Published: August 24, 2021 Source: Publisher Summary: Fans of The Kennedy Debutante and Last Year in Havana will love Georgie Blalock’s new novel of a world on the cusp of change…set on the eve of World War II in the glittering world of English society and one of the last debutante seasons. They danced the night away, knowing their world was about to change forever. They were the debutantes…

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k2reader January 2, 2022

Review: Dark Night by Paige Shelton

Publisher: Minotaur Books Published: December 7, 2021 Source: Netgalley via Publisher Summary: Dark Night is the third book in the gripping, atmospheric Alaska Wild series by beloved cozy author Paige Shelton, in which Beth is met with an unexpected visitor: her mom… Winter is falling in the remote town of Benedict, Alaska, and with the cold comes an uninvited guest. The dreaded “census man,” seemingly innocuous, is an unwelcome…

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k2reader January 1, 2022

First Book of the Year 2022

Each year, Sheila over at Book Journey makes a big deal over what the first book she’ll read will be for the new year and once again she’s asked us to join her. I have joined in for the last 7 years and it’s always a lot of fun seeing what book everyone selects. Be sure to stop by Sheila’s post to see the collage she makes of everyone participating! For…

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k2reader January 1, 2022

Month in Review: December 2021

I cannot believe the year is over! December flew by…even faster than I thought it would and yet, I managed to read more than I have in a while. So strange how that happens. This year we were spoiled by all the incredible books that were published and even still, I was able to read quite a few backlist books and even some of my own. I am going…

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k2reader December 31, 2021

Review: The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Published: December 7, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher Summary: Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School. Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives…

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k2reader December 30, 2021

Blog Tour & Review: The Good Son by Jacqueline Mitchard

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for The Good Son by Jacqueline Mitchard. Thank you Mira Books for inviting me to participate. Publisher: MIRA Books Published: January 18, 2022 Source: ARC E-copy via Netgalley Summary: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes the gripping, emotionally charged novel of a mother who must help her son after he is…

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k2reader December 28, 2021

Blog Tour & Review: My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle. Thank you Park Row Books for inviting me to participate. ***Please note that this book is being released today, December 28th in e-book and audio format. The paperback original format will be published on March 8th, 2022. Publisher: Park Row Books Published: December 28, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via…

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k2reader December 28, 2021

Review: The Distant Dead by Heather Young

Publisher: Custom House Published: August 4, 2021 Source: Paperback via Publisher Summary: A BookPage Best Book of 2020 * A People Magazine Best Book of Summer * A Parade Best Book of Summer * A Crime Reads Most Anticipated Book of Summer “[A] second stunning piece of redemptive fiction… An ideal recommendation for fans of Kate Atkinson and Jodi Picoult.” – Booklist, Starred Review A body burns in the high desert hills. A boy walks into…

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k2reader December 27, 2021

Review: A Man of Honor by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Published: December 28, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher Summary: The prequel to Barbara Taylor Bradford’s New York Times bestselling and dazzling saga A Woman of Substance. Opening five years before the start of A Woman of Substance, A Man of Honor begins with 13-year-old Blackie O’Neill facing an uncertain future in rural County Kerry. Orphaned and alone, he has just buried his sister, Bronagh, and must leave his home to…

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k2reader December 27, 2021

Blog Tour & Excerpt: Cry Wolf by Hans Rosenfeldt

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for Cry Wolf by Hans Rosenfeldt – I have an excerpt for you to read thanks to Hanover Square Press. Publisher: Hanover Square Press Published: December 28, 2021 Source: Netgalley via Publisher Summary: A DEAD WOLF A DRUG DEAL GONE WRONG A LETHAL FEMALE ASSASSIN The first book in a new series by Hans Rosenfeldt, creator of the TV…

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k2reader December 26, 2021

Review: The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli (audio)

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks / Harper Audio Published: September 8, 2020 Source: ARC Paperback via William Morrow / Audio via library Summary: An exciting, dual-timeline historical novel about the creation of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings, Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine, and the woman who fought to save it from Nazi destruction during World War II. Milan, 1492: When a 16-year old beauty becomes the mistress…

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k2reader December 26, 2021

Review: The Return by Nicholas Sparks (audio)

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing / Hachette Audio Published: September 29, 2020 Source: Print – Hardcover via Grand Central Publishing / Audio via Library Summary: In the romantic tradition of Dear John and The Lucky One, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with the story of an injured Navy doctor — and two women whose secrets will change the course of his life. Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New…

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k2reader December 23, 2021

Review: The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman

Publisher: Graydon House Published: October 26, 2021 Source: Paperback via Kathleeen Carter Communications Summary: As comforting and familiar as a favorite sweater, Viola Shipman’s first holiday novel is a promise of heartfelt family traditions, humorously real experience, and the enduring power of love and friendship. Sonny Dunes, a SoCal meteorologist who knows only sunshine and seventy-two-degree days, is being replaced by an AI meteorologist, which the youthful station manager reasons “will…

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k2reader December 23, 2021

Review: The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Published: October 5, 2021 Source: Personal copy Summary: The International Bestseller–A feel-good, holiday rom com about identical twins who swap lives twelve days before Christmas–perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December All they want for Christmas is a different life. When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she…

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k2reader December 23, 2021

Review: Darkness Falls by Robert Bryndza

***There are different covers for the UK & US books. The first cover shown is the US cover, and at the bottom of the post, the UK cover is show. Publisher: Sphere Books (UK) / Thomas & Mercer (US) Published: December 7, 2021 Source: Netgalley via Sphere Books Summary: THE UNMISSABLE NEW THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GIRL IN THE ICE, NINE ELMS AND SHADOW…

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k2reader December 23, 2021

Review: The Fiancee by Kate White

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks Published: June 29, 2021 Source: Publisher Summary: The New York Times bestselling author returns with an unsettling but riveting psychological thriller about a captivating woman who joins a family and threatens to upend their picture-perfect lives. They had everything they needed for a perfect family vacation: close-knit relatives, a bucolic setting . . . and a murderer in their midst? Summer’s looking forward to a break from hustling…

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k2reader December 22, 2021

Review: Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda (audio)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Published: July 13, 2021 Source: ALC via Simon & Schuster Audio Summary: Welcome to Hollow’s Edge, where you can find secrets, scandal, and a suspected killer – all on one street. Hollow’s Edge use to be a quiet place. A private and idyllic neighborhood where neighbors dropped in on neighbors, celebrated graduation and holiday parties together, and looked out for one another. But then…

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k2reader December 20, 2021

Review: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (audio)

Publisher: Random House Audio Published: June 1, 2021 Source: ALC via Libro.fm Summary: Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of 24 hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives will change forever. Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas:…

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k2reader December 18, 2021

Review: Suddenly Last Summer by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Harlequin HQN Published: June 24, 2014 Source: Netgalley Summary: Bestselling author Sarah Morgan delivers another irresistible hero in her O’Neil Brothers series who’s more tempting than dessert and twice as sinful! Fiery French chef Élise Philippe is having a seriously bad day. Not only have the opening day plans for her beloved café fallen apart, but Sean O’Neil is back in town, and looking more delectable than ever.…

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k2reader December 17, 2021

Review: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks Published: October 26, 2021 (First published December 1938) Source: Publisher Summary: In this official edition featuring exclusive content from the Queen of Mystery, the holidays are anything but merry when a family reunion is marred by murder—and the brilliant Belgian investigator is quickly on the case. On Christmas Eve at Gorston Hall, the Lee family’s festivities are shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing…

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k2reader December 16, 2021

Review: Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks Published: June 1, 2021 (First published July 2020) Source: Saichek Publicity Summary: Over the course of one summer that begins with a shocking tragedy, three generations of the Adler family grapple with heartbreak, romance, and the weight of family secrets in this stunning debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Manhattan Beach and The Dollhouse. Atlantic City, 1934. Every summer, Esther and Joseph Adler rent their house…

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k2reader December 16, 2021

Review: The Collective by Alison Gaylin

Publisher: William Morrow Published: November 2, 2021 Source: Netgalley via Publisher Summary: The USA Today bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of Never Look Back and If I Die Tonight plumbs the dark side of justice and the depths of diabolical revenge in this propulsive novel of psychological suspense that melds the driving narrative of Then She Was Gone with the breathtaking twists of The Chain and the violent fury of Kill Bill. Just how far will a grieving mother go…

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k2reader December 15, 2021

Review: Five Strangers by E.V. Adamson

Publisher: Scarlet Suspense Published: October 5, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher Summary: With its grassy hills and breathtaking city views, London’s Hampstead Heath is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with friends and loved ones—and on an unseasonably warm Valentine’s Day, the lawns are especially full. So when an aggressive lovers’ quarrel breaks out, there’s an audience of park goers nearby to hear the shouts traded back…

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k2reader December 14, 2021

Review: The Good Lie by A.R. Torre

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer Published: July 20, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher Summary: Six teens murdered. A suspect behind bars. A desperate father. In a case this shadowy, the truth is easy to hide. Six teenagers dead. Finally, the killer behind bars. But are the games just beginning? Psychiatrist Dr. Gwen Moore is an expert on killers. She’s spent a decade treating California’s most depraved predators and unlocking their…

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k2reader December 13, 2021

Blog Tour & Review: The Women of Pearl Island by Polly Crosby

Today, I’m so happy to be a tour stop on the blog tour for The Women of Pearl Island by Polly Crosby. Thank you Park Row Books for inviting me to participate. Publisher: Park Row Books Published: December 7, 2021 Source: Netgalley via Publisher Summary: “A luminous and beautiful novel that gently lures the reader into a captivating story with a mystery at its heart.” – Jennifer Saint, bestselling…

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k2reader December 12, 2021

Review: Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Ballantine Books Published: November 30, 2021 Source: ARC E-copy via Publisher/Netgalley Summary: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a deeply moving novel about the resilience of the human spirit in a moment of crisis. Diana O’Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional…

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k2reader December 9, 2021

Cover Reveal: NEVER COMING HOME by Hannah Mary McKinnon

⁣ I’m thrilled to be part of this cover reveal for 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 by @hannahmarymckinnon…I’m such a big fan of this author!!! This book pubs on May 24th & I can’t wait for this twisted, darkly humorous thriller.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 ⁣ First comes love. Then comes murder.⁣ ⁣ Lucas Foster didn’t hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant, sophisticated & beautiful. Sure, she had extravagant spending habits, that petty…

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k2reader December 9, 2021

Review: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (audio)

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co / Macmillan Audio Published: March 16, 2021 Source: Print – Personal Copy / Audio – ALC via Macmillan Audio Summary: For fans of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange, Angeline Boulley’s debut novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter, is a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community. Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and…

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k2reader December 8, 2021

Review: True Crime Story by Joseph Knox (audio)

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark / Recorded Books Published: December 7, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Sourcebooks / ALC via Librofm Summary: What happens to all the girls who go missing? The thrilling story of a university student’s sudden disappearance, the woman who became obsessed with her case, and the crime writer who uncovered the chilling truth about what happened… In 2011, Zoe Nolan walked out of her dormitory in Manchester…

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k2reader December 7, 2021

Review: Last One Out Shut Off the Lights by Stephanie Soileau

Publisher: Little Brown and Company Published: July 7, 2020 Source: Personal copy Summary: This “outstanding” debut story collection from a rising star reveals Louisiana and its characters with stark honesty and empathy as they grapple with homesickness, desperation, and desire (Peter Orner). Last One Out Shut Off the Lights is a vivid portrait of the last-chance towns of southwest Louisiana, where oil development, industrial pollution, dying wetlands, and the ever-present…

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k2reader December 6, 2021

Most Anticipated Releases: December 2021

Back again with my five most anticipated releases coming out this month. Publishing slows down as we near the end of the year, but I still managed to find 5 releases that I am excited for…releases that I hope you will be excited to read as well! Some of these are from beloved favorite authors – including a prequel to a most beloved series!!! – and some are new-to-me…

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k2reader December 6, 2021

Blog Tour & Review: Into the Sound by Cara Reinard (audio)

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer / Brilliance Audio Published: December 1, 2021 Source: ARC Paperback via Publisher via TLC Booktours / Audio via Brilliance Audio Summary: A terrified voice on the phone. The line goes dead. The mystery begins. During a superstorm, Holly Boswell receives a panicked call from her sister, Vivian: Come get me…There’s somebody coming. But when Holly arrives at a Long Island marina, there’s only her sister’s abandoned car.…

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k2reader December 5, 2021

Review: And the Bridge is Love by David Biro

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing Published: October 12, 2021 Source: TLC Booktours Summary: Three friends, two secrets, one love—and the journey of a lifetime. Every week for twenty years, three friends meet in a leafy enclosure under the Verrazzano Bridge: Gertie, a feisty Norwegian divorcée and former athlete; Maria, a family-obsessed Italian American widow; and Corinna, a book-loving, hash-smoking eccentric. Together they sit and watch the sea as the ships—and…

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k2reader December 3, 2021

Book Feature & Review: Amazon Original Stories – Holiday Reads

Amazon Original Stories, an imprint of Amazon Publishing, is back with a brand new collection of short stories to kick off your holiday reading. There are four short stories by best-selling authors and all are available now. These stories are not available in print – only in digital or audio format. They are available on Amazon and if you are a Prime member – they are free! Click here…

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