Audiobook Review: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

Blurb:

Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller by New York Timesbestselling author Lisa Unger.

What could be more restful, more restorative, than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, complete with spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s loving and generous tech-mogul brother found the listing online. The reviews are stellar. It’s his birthday gift to Hannah and includes their spouses and another couple. The six friends need this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R, far from the chatter and pressures of modern life.

But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare. A deadly storm is brewing. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep. How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? And who is the new boyfriend, crashing their party? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?

My Review:

The first time I tried to read this book I wasn’t thrilled by it but I’ve found sometimes that rereading in a different format helps so I gave it a go in audiobook.

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six is about 3 couples that plan a vacation in a remote luxury rental in the Georgia mountains.

First up is Hannah and her husband Bruce. Hannah is nervous about leaving their baby with Bruce’s mom for their first getaway since Gigi was born.

Then there is Hannah’s tech mogul brother Makko and his yoga influencer wife, Liza. Dark allegations have been swirling around about Makko’s company and Makko himself and he and Liza have been struggling to conceive. They definitely need a getaway.

Finally there is Hannah’s best friend and Makko’s ex-girlfriend, Cricket and her new beau Joshua. What better to bring them closer together than a steamy getaway?

But once they arrive at their luxury rental things begin to go sideways. Their host hovers, the chef tells a chilling story of murder and ghosts, a storm is bearing down… and then the power goes out.

I love locked door mysteries and listening to this one in audiobook definitely did the trick for me. There are a lot of POVs to keep track of and one of them I kept guessing how that character was going to fit in at the end, but it worked. This story dives deep into family bonds, DNA ancestry testing, and children of sperm donors. The DNA ancestry part definitely hit home for me, as I have firsthand knowledge that you can find out things you wish you’d never known doing those tests.

I really enjoyed this one the second go-round and I’m glad I gave it another try! It was tense, atmospheric, and the way the characters blended together kept you guessing.

My Rating:

4 of 5 Knives!

Book Review: Last on the List by Amy Daws

Last on the List (Wait With Me #5) by Amy Daws

Blurb:

CEO millionaire, Max Fletcher is a single dad in desperate need of a nanny.

Cozy Barlow is in the middle of her self-appointed “gap year” and doing everything she can to detach from her past.

But when her sister begs her to interview for the nanny position of a high maintenance client, she doesn’t have a good enough reason to say no.

And when Max locks eyes on the twenty-something in a tie-dye sweatsuit who pitches the idea of daydreaming all summer—he prepares to give this bad nanny the boot.

One problem: Max’s little girl thinks this plus-sized in body and spirit nanny might be her new bestie, so she hires her on the spot.

Now Max is stuck with this bizarre woman who hates everything he represents—corporate greed, money, status, power.

But one stormy night when the power goes out, he discovers Cozy doesn’t hate him. In fact, he’s the leading role in her fantasies.
Fantasies, he would very much like to make a reality.

My Review:

After binging Wyatt and Trista’s story, Nine Month Contract, I figured since Max and Cozy were an established couple they had to have had their own story somewhere, right? And I was lucky they did with Last on the List!

Max is an uptight CEO/single dad who has sworn off relationships. What he is in need of is a nanny for his 11-year-old daughter Everly while his ex-wife and her new wife go out of the country for the summer for work.

Cozy Barlow left the corporate world behind after a devastating health crisis seven months ago and is taking a “gap year.” Her new motto? Why do more when you can do less. So when her sister puts her up for a nanny gig she shows up in a tie-dyed sweatsuit and immediately wins over the precocious Everly, much to buttoned-up Max’s dismay.

But as the two spend more time together they begin to peel back the layers and realize there is more to the other than their first impressions – including their scorching hot chemistry.

This book was a lot of fun. I love that this author creates heroines that are plus size, which is refreshing. Max was so devoted to his daughter and I loved that Cozy bonded with her right away too. Max seems a little uptight in Nine Month Contract so it was nice to see him in a different light in this book and I can’t wait to discover the rest of his friends in the previous books!

My Rating:

5 of 5 Knives!

Book Review: Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws

Blurb:

A brand new spicy small town romance by Amazon #1 Bestselling author, Amy Daws. 

This book is the start of a mountain man spinoff series based on the three Fletcher brothers featured in her previous release, Last on the List.

Help Wanted: Grumpy Mountain Man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting in the form of communication and nosey brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.
I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.
But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands on my lap.
Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.
Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect.
She’s wild, she’s opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her…
She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.
And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby making dance…when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing, and the home insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter…
I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.
I want to make her mine.

My Review:

I first learned about this book when I saw an ad on Facebook. It sounded fun so I clicked through since I was looking for a vacation read anyway.

Guys, I’ve found a new auto-buy author! I devoured this book! It was hilarious, it was spicy, and it was so addictive!

Wyatt is a grumpy mountain man who shares a mountain with his two younger brothers, Calder and Luke. After they were all burned by the same woman ten years ago they promised to never let a woman get between them again – and Wyatt has sworn off relationships altogether. But he wants more than anything to be a father. So he’s looking for a surrogate…

Enter Trista. Animal lover and burned from her broken childhood she doesn’t want love or children. But she could use the money to open her own animal sanctuary so she decides to be a surrogate… except the agency says she’s too fat. When she meets Wyatt’s niece Everly by chance outside the agency, Everly decides Trista would be perfect for her uncle.

What follows is a funny, sexy rom-com that was perfect for a beach read or any other stolen moment. I knew immediately that I had to read more by this author.

Read if you like: grumpy/sunshine, plus size heroines, cute animals, meddling families you wish you were a part of, and laugh out loud moments!

My Rating:

5 of 5 Knives!

Audiobook Review: Peril at End House by Agatha Christie

Peril at End House (Hercule Poirot #8) by Agatha Christie

Blurb:

Hercule Poirot is vacationing on the Cornish coast when he meets Nick Buckley. Nick is the young and reckless mistress of End House, an imposing structure perched on the rocky cliffs of St. Loo.

Poirot quickly takes a particular interest in the young woman. Recently, she has narrowly escaped a series of life-threatening accidents. Something tells the Belgian sleuth that these so-called accidents are more than just mere coincidences or a spate of bad luck. Something like a bullet! It seems all too clear to him that someone is trying to do away with poor Nick, but who? And, what is the motive? In his quest for answers, Poirot must delve into the dark history of End House. The deeper he gets into his investigation, the more certain he is that the killer will soon strike again. And, this time, Nick may not escape with her life.

My Review:

This one was one of my more recent Hercule Poirot favorites. Here we find Poirot and Hastings as they meet a charming young woman who has been the unfortunate victim of a series of accidents meant to kill her – or are they?

Hercule Poirot is on the case as her gets to know the people in Nick Buckley’s life. The house Nick inherited is a money pit. Her cousin and only living relative has no particular use for the house. And one of her closest friends thinks she’s making everything up. But Hercule is determined to get to the bottom of things – especially when a body turns up while everyone else at End House was watching fireworks.

Who has been trying to kill Nick Buckley? And why?

Through a series of twists an even darker agenda is uncovered. I really enjoyed the twist at the end of this one. I suspected, but it was still an enjoyable ending.

My Rating:

4 of 5 Knives!

Time Travel Thursday – 18 April 2024

Time Travel Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog where readers take a look back at what they were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and compare it to what you are reading now.

18 April 2024

One year ago today I was reading this fantastic historical fiction novel about the doomed SS Morro Castle.

Currently Reading:

Today I’m finishing up this hilarious rom-com! So glad I checked it out after seeing a Facebook ad.

Comparison:

One book is historical fiction and the other is a fluffy rom-com. They have virtually nothing in common, although The Cuban Heiress does have a romantic subplot as well. One is set in the past, the other presumably fairly recently as the author mentions Taylor Swift’s eras tour. One is about a tragedy, the other is about a man who falls in love with the woman he hired to be his surrogate.

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Have you read either of these books?

WWW Wednesday: 17 April

WWW Wednesday was created by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and was taken over by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. To participate answer the 3 W’s:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

I started this one on the plane to Charleston yesterday and I’m about 25% into it right now. To be honestly I wasn’t following it too well, it’s not one of my favorites by Alice Feeney. We’ll see if that changes.

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws

I’m about 75% through this one and loving it! It’s hilarious and steamy! I can’t wait for the next book already.

Recently Finished:

Mind Games by Nora Roberts

I finished this one last week and I loved it! It comes out on May 21st so be sure to check it out!

Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie

This was an alright read. I feel like Agatha kind of fakes us out in this one. The killer is obvious but Poirot claims it can’t be so only for… *spoiler* it to be so.

Reading Next:

Murder Road by Simone St. James

This one is next up on my audiobook TBR and I’m excited to start listening!

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Have you read any of these? What are you reading this week? What books would you bring on vacation?

The Sunday Post: Explained Absence, Catching Up, and Packing

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Explained Absence, Catching Up, and Packing

Hey Book Blogger Friends! I’ve been a bit absent lately and I’ll get to that in a minute. How is your month going so far? Do you have anything exciting coming up?

I haven’t been posting regularly lately. I’ve been tired from trying to balance work, editing my next book, and life. I also spent most of March sick on and off. I had a terrible pain in my right side and wasn’t keeping food down well. I went to the doctor at the beginning of the month and as I expected, it’s an issue with my gallbladder. I’ve changed my eating habits and things seem to be improving. I had an ultrasound done on my gallbladder on Wednesday and I have 2 gallstones so I have an appointment later this month to see a surgeon to find out next steps. I’m just thankful it didn’t require emergency surgery.

I finally caught up on some reviews, which I posted over the last few days and I’ll be posting a few next week since I’ll be on vacation.

Yes, even though I’ve been having gallbladder issues I’m not cancelling my vacation. I’m heading to Charleston on Tuesday for a few days of relaxation. I really need it and have been looking forward to it. I’m just getting the last few things packed.

Last Week on the Blog:

🔪 ARC Review: Mind Games by Nora Roberts

🔪 ARC Review: Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack

🔪 Audiobook Review: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

This Week on the Blog:

🔪 Audiobook Review: Impact Winter Season 2 by Travis Beacham

🔪 Audiobook Review: The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

🔪 WWW Wednesday: 17 April 2024

🔪 Time Travel Thursday – 18 April 2024

🔪 Audiobook Review: Peril at End House by Agatha Christie

New Book Mail on My Shelves:

Physical:

This week I got my preorder of Wild Love by Elsie Silver. I’m trying to decide if I want to take it on vacation with me.

I also got my special edition of Corrupt Shadows by Rebecca L Garcia and CM Hutton from the Kickstarter it’s a stunning edition!

Around the Book Blogging World:

🔪 (Caffeinated Reviewer) Death At The Drive In By Angie Fox

🔪(Sara’s Reading Nook) CATATHON READATHON ANNOUNCEMENT!

🔪 (Novel Suspects) Mysteries & Thrillers We’re Reading This April

ARC Review: Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies (Vacation Mysteries Book 1) by Catherine Mack

Adult, Cozy Mystery, Thriller, The Vacation Mysteries #1)

eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 352 Pages

April 30, 2024 by Minotaur Books

Blurb:

Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies . . . one trip to die for.

“Quick, captivating, and oh-so-much-fun! This delicious mystery is as spellbinding as Knives Out.”—Elle Cosimano, New York Times bestselling author of the Finlay Donovan series

All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series—is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life—the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life—Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary competitors, rabid fans, a stalker—and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly—theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is the irresistible and hilarious series debut from Catherine Mack, introducing bestselling fictional author Eleanor Dash on her Italian book tour that turns into a real-life murder mystery, as her life starts to imitate the world in her books.

My Review:

Look no further for your next favorite vacation read! Seriously, this is the book you’ll be sticking in your carry on, throwing in beach bags, and glued to the pages of this spring and summer!

Bestselling author Eleanor Dash is plotting a murder. The murder of her main character in her bestselling series, that is. What? Agatha Christie did it to Hercule Poirot.

Now on a book tour in Italy with her assistant/sister who always dreamed of being an author, her ex Connor – the inspiration behind her most famous character who has been blackmailing her since before the first book hit the shelves, Connor’s ex-wife (oops), Eleanor’s other ex Oliver, and a gaggle of other authors that have all risen to fame in the wake of the crime that inspired Eleanor’s first book – and did I mention a group of Eleanor’s “biggest fans” who couldn’t pick her out of a line up… things are just a wee bit complicated and crowded. Add in an attempt on Connor’s life and things are about to get a lot more interesting in Italy…

This book was so much fun! Everything you could ask for out of a fun vacation mystery. There was humor, suspense, old jealousies brought to light, and a little bit of heat. I also loved the author’s footnotes and the Poirot references.

I can’t wait for the next book to see where Eleanor will end up next! I’m just glad nobody dies when I go on vacation 😂😉

My Rating:

5 of 5 Knives!

ARC Review: Mind Games by Nora Roberts

Mind Games by Nora Roberts

Adult, Thriller, Romantic Suspense

eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 432 pages

May 21, 2024 by St. Martin’s Press

Blurb:

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Identity presents a suspenseful new novel of tragedy and trauma, love and family, and the evil that awaits.

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse―because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them―and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

My Review:

There was a space and time where Nora Roberts was one of my go-to authors but over time I’ve gotten off track. Mind Games was the perfect book to dive back into one of my all-time favorite authors.

Thea reminds me a little of Tory Bodeen from Carolina Moon with her psychic gift, I kept thinking so all the way through and since that is one of my favorites by this author I really enjoyed it.

Thea, Rem, and Grammie endure a great tragedy but thanks to Thea’s gift the police are easily able to capture the man who killed her parents. But when Thea’s gift links her to the killer who shares the same gift and has twisted it into an ugly, cruel thing, it will open a door that Thea will battle to keep closed for years to come.

I love how the author always builds up a great group of supporting characters for her main character. I also loved Thea’s bond with her grandmother. It reminds me of the bond I had with my late grandmother and I got emotional reading this one at times.

I loved Thea’s chemistry with Ty and Ty’s son’s bond with Thea’s dog, Bunk. They all fit together so well. I also loved the setting of this book. It made me want to buy a cabin in the woods of Kentucky.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written, the characters were well developed, and the setting was easy to picture. My only draw back was that the showdown at the end seemed a little rushed, but not enough to ruin the reading experience.

My Rating:

4.5 of 5 Knives!

Top Ten Tuesday: April Showers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish and currently hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Tuesday: April Showers – Books with Rain on the Cover

This week’s TTT is all about books with rain on the cover or in the title, or books with storms in them or anything to do with rain. We’ll see how many I can get… I may do a mixture of rain on the cover and storms in the story! This would be so much easier if it was snow…

1. No Strangers Here by Carlene O’Conner

2. The Search Party by Hannah Richell

3. Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas

I’m cheating… this has lightning on the cover but no rain. Close enough!

4. Summer Rental by Rektok Ross

5. Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

6. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

7. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

We’re just going to say lightning counts..😋

8. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Book with a storm in it ⬆️

9. Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Another book with a storm in it ⬆️

10. Becoming Rain by K.A. Tucker

Rain in the title.

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What books did you pick for this prompt? Did you find it hard or easy?