Author: missylynnreads

Posted in Romantic Suspense

Don’t Miss: That Cowboy of Mine

Posted on by missylynnreads

Is the handsome stranger too good to be true?

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the complimentary digital copy for review.

Cal Bennett wakes to a shotgun pointed at his face. He’s on the property of Dillon Young and does not know how he got there. Strange things have been happening on Dillon’s ranch, all designed to get her to sell her property. Makes sense that she’s immediately suspicious of Cal. Until someone shoots at Dillion and Cal rescues her. Is he in on it or is he someone she can trust?

Just the right amount of suspenseful, I enjoyed the story. As readers we knew right away who was behind all of Dillon’s troubles, but we didn’t know who was helping them or if Cal was on that list.Dillon was a strong woman who made it easy to cheer her on. I wanted her to overcome all the obstacles thrown her way and come out of it with love, if possible.

This was my first book by Donna Grant and I anticipate I’ll be seeking others out in the future!

Posted in Middle Grade

Don’t Miss: Sisterhood of the Sleuths

Posted on by missylynnreads

Books from your childhood are like a warm hug.

Thank you Hachette Audio and @librofm for the complimentary audiobook!

When a box of original Nancy Drew books shows up at the vintage shop Maizy’s mom owns, she is intrigued. There is a photo on the top of her grandmother and two other women when they were young. When Maizy asks her grandmother about it, she denies that it’s her. Determined to find out the secret behind the photo and who left the books, Maizy and her friends Nell and Cam start their own mysterious adventure!

💭 I loved this story! Not only is it a story of discovery for Maizy herself; learning about her own friendships and that it’s okay to be exactly who are, it’s a story of past friendships. 

The nostalgia surrounding the Nancy Drew books was like a warm hug. I remember reading those when I was Maziy’s age. Some of the references to all the things Nancy could flawlessly do, made me wonder if a reread of them would hold up for me.

The characters and the narration were perfect and fun! I would recommend this to any middle grade reader and to those who loved Nancy Drew as a child themselves!

Posted in Contemporary Young Adult

Don’t Miss: When You Get the Chance

Posted on by missylynnreads

What happens when fiction is better than reality?

Thank you to Wednesday Books and @netgalley for the complimentary digital copy for review.

In a twist on the Mamma Mia! story, Millie has big dreams for her future. She wants to star on Broadway, but when her dad refuses to let her skip her senior year in order to attend an acting school on the other side of the country, Millie decides to take matters into her own hands. She never knew her mother, but using some careful sleuthing, she narrows it down to three options. She is determined to find her mother and get her to allow her to attend the school of her dreams. The only thing standing in her way is her rival, Oliver. When they both apply for the same internship, things get a little tense.

This is a charming novel with great characters. Although Millie can be a little self-centered and selfish, being prone to her “Millie moods” it is easy to root for her. She has some big lows but also some soaring highs! Oliver is a great rival for Millie. He’s just the right amount of sarcastic. The witty banter between the two is engaging and fun! 

As the search for her mother plays out, we get to know all of the side characters pretty well and it is a great group. I kind of wish I had all these people in my real life. While the ending was not a full surprise, it was satisfying and brought Millie’s whole experience full circle!

Posted in Horror, Supernatural

Don’t Miss: Bad Dolls

Posted on by missylynnreads

Their eyes are watching you from their spot on the shelf.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary audiobook.

This is a fun, spooky collection of short stories perfect for this holiday! Each of the stories is unique, but all have one thing in common… a doll or goblin that comes alive. Read at your own risk!

Posted in Suspense, Thriller

Don’t Miss: Ghost 19

Posted on by missylynnreads

What might you see if you looked out your window?

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary audiobook!

When Ginette’s doctors tell her she needs an environment with less excitement, she moves to a sleepy suburban New York town.

She manages to find her own enjoyment watching neighbors through the window and making up names and stories for them.

It doesn’t take long though for the enjoyment to turn to terror. She begins hearing noises in the basement and her agoraphobia causes her to be trapped with whatever is down there. Or is she just going crazy?

💭 This was my first book by this author. I enjoyed the writing style. Ginette came to life for me even with the shortness of the book.

This trope has been done before in the way of Hitchcock’s Rear Window and Finn’s The Woman in the Window. However I enjoyed the twist of having the house as a character of its own.

I definitely plan to read more by this author!

Posted in Literary Fiction

Don’t Miss: Mad Honey

Posted on by missylynnreads

True love is loving someone for who they are, not what they are. — Mad Honey

Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook!

Olivia and her son Asher love a quiet life as beekeepers after Olivia leaves her abusive husband, Asher’s father.
Meanwhile, Lily and her mother land in the same town after running from something in their past.

Asher and Lily find solace in each other until Lily ends up dead and Asher is arrested for her murder. Olivia can’t help but wonder if her son is more like his father than she realized. Or is the secret from Lily’s past the clue to her death?

💭 I went into this one knowing very little. I knew it would be twisty because that is what I have come to expect from Picoult books.

Told in alternating chapters, The story is revealed in pieces. Olivia’s chapters tell present day and also weave in the parts of her past that explain her relation with Asher’s father. Lily’s chapters are told in reverse and slowly reveal the secret that she has been hiding.

This is one that I can’t review without giving away major plot points. However I will say, as always, current, relevant and timely topics are addressed.

Plus, I can give props to any book that makes bees interested since they are a terror of mine!

Mad Honey should not be missed!

Posted in Domestic Fiction, Mystery

Don’t Miss: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Posted on by missylynnreads

When an animal is your most trusted confidante, all your secrets are safe.

Needing something to keep her busy after her husband died, Tova Sullivan took a job working the night shift at Sowell Bay Aquarium. One night while cleaning, she encounters Marcellus, a Pacific Octupus. Only he’s not in his tank. Instead, he’s tangled in cords in the staff break room. This begins an unlikely friendship between the two, and Marcellus is determined to help Tova learn what happened the night her son disappeared.

💭 This was 1000% a Bookstagram Made Me Do It and I am so happy I was influenced. I was so charmed by both Tova and Marcellus from the very beginning.

When we meet Cameron and start learning his story, it took me awhile to adapt to his voice and how he ties in with the rest of the story. Quite frankly, at first I resented the time away from Marcellus that I had to spend reading about Cameron.

However, as we learned more of Cameron’s story, I began to run theories on how he was connected. It kept me reading and guessing!

My only real complaint is there wasn’t enough Marcellus! I can’t wait to read more from this author if all the stories are as charming as this one.

Posted in Psychological Thriller, Suspense

Don’t Miss: The Last Housewife

Posted on by missylynnreads

To control or be controlled… that is the question.

When Shay hears about the death of her college roommate on her favorite true crime podcast, she is suspicious. Laurel’s death was ruled a suicide, but Shay thinks there is more to the story. Facing the sins of her past, and with the help of Jamie, the podcast host and friend, Shay is determined to find out the truth.

💭 Ashley Winstead… check. True crime podcast… check. Cults… check. Going into this book, I was convinced that I was going to love it. Initially, the story drew me right in. However, it wasn’t long before the subject matter took a turn to the… weird. From that point on, I waffled between cringing through and stopping altogether. I did finish because I needed to see it through. It was tough. I’m not ready to give up on Winstead though!

If you plan to read this, you should check out the trigger warnings. Feel free to message me for more details. There are some very sensitive topics covered in this one.

Posted in Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA+

Don’t Miss: Love & Other Disasters

Posted on by missylynnreads

Can you cook your way into someone’s heart?

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and @netgalley for the complimentary digital copy for review.

Dahlia is looking to reinvent herself as a contestant on the popular cooking competition show, Chef’s Special. But she meets London, who is also a competitor and like no one she’s ever met before. When they announce their pronouns on national TV, London’s focus is pulled while trying to manage their family and the internet trolls that feel the need to comment. Dahlia and London grow closer and become support for each other as well as competitors.

Cooking competition shows are a favorite of mine, so it was fun to hear about the recipes and the fails/successes with the food and judging.

This is the first novel I’ve read with a nonbinary character and I loved it. I hope it becomes more commonplace. While there is transphobia and misgendering as a content warning, I love the way it was addressed in the story. Neither Dahlia and London were heteronormative and it was a refreshing take to see the interaction as the main story. The diversity in the cast of characters was phenomenal.

Posted in Domestic Suspense

Don’t Miss: The Favor

Posted on by missylynnreads

How far would you go to protect a friend?

Thank you to Minotaur Books and @netgalley for the complimentary digital book for review.

Leah and McKenna are leading parallel lives. While they have never met each other, Leah recognizes the signs when she sees Makenna in a liquor store. Leah decides to follow McKenna to see if she’s correct and when her suspicions are confirmed she decides to do something to protect her. After all, if she can’t help herself, she can at least try to help McKenna. 

In this gripping debut, Nora Murphy introduces us to two flawed women who are living a life of torture. In the public eye, these women were successful in careers, living in a beautiful community, and had everything they could ever want. Slowly, their husbands isolated and took from them the things that meant most in order to completely control their wives. It was difficult to read about, but it was a reminder that we never know what is happening behind closed doors. 

Told in the alternating voices of Leah, McKenna, and Detective Harrison, and flipping between past and present, there is a lot going on and it takes focus to keep track of it all. The emotion of the characters and the storyline made me want to keep reading. I needed to know if there was going to be a good outcome for the women. 

I think this book would lead to a lot of discussions of “What would you do?” and would be a great choice for book clubs. 

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence