The Wayward Prince

Author: Leonard Goldberg

Series: Daughter of Sherlock Holmes #7

Publisher: Minotaur

Release Date: July 11, 2023

As always, Joanna Watson dives into another great mystery!

In the midst of the Great War, Prince Harry, the more troublesome prince of the crown, is kidnapped while riding in Hyde Park. Thought to be the work of German agents, the Watson trio are brought into help Scotland Yard investigate the matter, but quietly as word does not need to spread that Germany has successfully infiltrated the royal family. But of course, things are not always what they seem, and Joanna remains at the top of her game, but this could be her last mystery if not careful.

I always look forward to the next mystery in this series, just to see if I can solve it before Joanna. As usual, I did not, but I still had a blast trying. The way Goldberg writes keep readers intrigued through the full story and with ties back to several of the original Sherlock Holmes novels, its easy to see why. I read through these books every year and am looking forward to adding this one to my shelf. Another great installment of the Daughter of Sherlock Holmes.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

What a Wave Must Be

Author: Angela Hunt

Publisher: Focus on the Family

Release Date: November 1, 2023

A heavy novel tackling a topic that is uncomfortable, unsettling, and unfortunately all too real.

Maddie is a sixteen-year-old girl living with her parents in Atlanta. Her mother is a workaholic lawyer who throws herself into her cases and her father is a pharmaceutical sales rep who does well. She is a typical teenager dealing with usual stuff, but after her dad commits suicide the day after Christmas, everything changes. Her mother grieves by working harder and Maddie is sent to live with her paternal grandparents, who are also grieving the death of their only son. Maddie makes new friends at St. Petersberg high school, but when unexpected turmoil falls on the group, suicide comes back into the picture. Maddie doesn’t know what to do, but feels like she starts to understand why people turn to this option.

This book dives into the difficulties loved ones face after someone they know commits suicide. It also hits close to home because when I was young, I had a friend that took his own life without any explanation left behind and sent a bunch of us reeling. So, I understand some of what Maddie is experiencing, but she gets multiple doses of it throughout the pages of this story. I think this book would be good for young adults and parents/grandparents, etc. to read to find some talking points about this. It is a real issue and I’m glad that Hunt is bringing it to light by pen and paper.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Housemaid’s Secret

Author: Freida McFadden

Series: The Housemaid #2

Publisher: Bookoture

Release Date: February 15, 2023

A fantastic follow up to one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a very long time.

Millie finds it hard to get a new job after what happened with her last and her past. When she can find an employer who doesn’t look into her past too much, she jumps at the chance. When the Garricks’ hire her to clean their expensive penthouse, she gets to work but quickly realizes things are not what they seem when she isn’t allowed in the guest bedroom and hears crying behind the closed door. When she does meet Mrs. Garrick, she knows that this job will be like the ones she has previously done that she uses a particular set of skills to help those in need.

The Housemaid hooked my from page one and when I saw there was a second book with Millie I decided I had to get my hands on it. Freida McFadden is becoming a new favorite thriller writer for me. The way she can craft a story with such twists and turns that kept surprising me was amazing. So many books I read now-a-days are predictable and somewhat boring, that was not the case with these books. I loved the suspense, twists and turns and all the surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is the best kind of thriller book, so intense, engaging, and full of great writing. I did not connect with all the characters as well as I did with the first book but still loved Millie and her spunk. I recommend this book for readers that love suspense thrillers with a good psychological twist.

2023 Top Suspense/Thriller Reads

With one more day until the end of the year, it seems that suspense should be the next category to tackle before we got to the best of the year! Here are the picks for 2023!

Top Pick: Broker of Likes by Steven James

It has been far too long since I have had a new Steven James novel in my hands. He is one of my very favorite thriller writers for so many reasons. He has a way of crafting characters that are amazing, relatable, and so fun to read about. The plot of this book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning; so much tension on each page making it hard to put down until I knew if these characters were going to come out alright by the final pages.

Read the final review here.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni

Robert Dugoni is one of the best thriller writers around and this newest addition is further evidence of that. The characters and storyline flow freely with great tension that kept the pages flying and my attention until the last page.

Read the full review here.

The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden

Read the full review here.

The Coworker by Fried McFadden

Read the full review here.

One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni

Fans of the Crosswhite series will enjoy the back and forth banter between the two detectives and how they go about solving this cold case. I would highly recommend reading this series in order to get the most out of it. I will absolutely be reading as many Tracy Crosswhite stories as Dugoni will write.

Read the full review here.

White House Clubhouse

Author: Sean O’Brien

Publisher: Norton Young Readers

Release Date: October 3, 2023

A fun and witty historical tale that young readers will fly through!

As daughters of the newly elected President of the United States, Marissa and Clara have been under the watchful eye of just about everyone. One day while exploring the White House, they find a secret tunnel that takes them to an underground clubhouse visited by previous White House kids. Once they sign a pledge left on the table, the lights go out and they find themselves in 1903. They meet Quentin, Ethel, Archie and Alice, the kids of President Theodore Roosevelt. In order to get back to their own time, they have to work with the other White House kids to get President Roosevelt to make a difference that will tie into their own timeline.

What I loved the way this story kept me guessing as to what their mission was and how they were going to accomplish it. I recommend this book to young readers looking for a mystery with quirky characters and a look into history.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

2023 Top Young Adult Fiction

Taking it to a completely different direction, lets look at what YA Fiction had in store for readers this year. Some great picks for YA and up!

Top Pick: The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I found author Jennifer Lynn Barnes this year and have devoured her books. The way she writes mysteries that are so intricate kept me turning the pages almost faster than I could devour the words on them. The Inheritance Games was so fun, and The Brothers Hawthorne is a fantastic addition to the series. This one focused less on the love interest aspect than the other three and more on the games the brothers found themselves in, which was fun.

Read the full review here.

White House Clubhouse by Sean O’Brien

The White House Clubhouse was a fantastic and fun book that I can’t wait to share with my young readers. This is fun, witty and full of history that will make kids want to learn more about Roosevelt and his time as president. Sean O’Brien was a former White House speechwriter with fun insight into the famous house and a mystery that will keep readers turning the pages.

Read the full review here.

Lightlark by Alex Aster

A new fantasy full of twists and turns with an ending that will leave readers aching for more!

Read the full review here.

The Inheritance Games Series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I am kicking myself for not reading this series sooner! I discovered Barnes this year and have been reading everything I can get my hands on!

Read the full review here.

2023 Top Contemporary Fiction

Another day, another group of great reads! Today’s picks are for contemporary fiction and any of these will be great additions on your shelf!

Top Pick: He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox

He Should Have Told the Bees is the newest by Amanda Cox, her third book, and amazingly her third 5 star read from me. Each time I pick up a book by Cox I find myself in for a treat, her writing is some of the best I have read for a newer author that doesn’t have a long catalog of books and has written for many years. Lately I have found contemporary novels to be some of the most moving for me with characters that grab you by the heartstrings and don’t let go.

Read the full review here.

No More Secrets by Kerry Lonsdale

I have loved each book in this series, but this one really takes the cake. I fell in love with Lucas’s story. In the first two books, he is so standoffish that you can’t really take him seriously as a character, but now readers get to see his true self. This is a story of redemption and love, though not romantic.

Read the full review here.

With Every Memory by Janine Rosche

I picked this book up fully expecting to skim through it and not enjoy or remember much about it, to my surprise I couldn’t put it down and it has stuck with me for a while now. I read this in a single day and by the time I turned the last page I was enthralled with this story! I have got to stop doubting contemporary novels; they turn out to be some of the best written ones I have read in a very long time.

Read the full review here.

Everything is Just Beginning by Erin Bartels

As with most of her novels, the emotion is raw and laid out bare for all readers to see. It deals with some heavy things that people deal with today, not just 30 years ago. It is so easy to connect with her characters and have them draw you into their story so that you feel more like a participant than an outsider. This will easily be one of my favorite books of 2023!

Read the full review here.

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner

Katie Powner has written a powerful story with heart, emotion, and pure enjoyment. Every character in this story had just the right moments and just the right pull on the heartstrings.

Read the full review here.

The Coworker

Author: Freida McFadden

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Release Date: August 29, 2023

Another fantastic thriller from an author who is quickly becoming a favorite in our house.

Dawn Schiff is different and she is ok with that. Everyone at the office she works at keeps their distance even as Dawn works to get along with others. She is very structured in her routine, so when she doesn’t show up to work one morning her coworker, Natalie knows something is off. Natalie is top of the company in sales and has secrets of her own she would like to keep hidden. As she investigates the disappearance of Dawn, things get more and more complicated. It quickly turns into a game of cat and mouse that finds Natalie in the crosshairs as well.

I discovered Freida McFadden this year and have been grabbing all her books to go through. The Coworker is her traditional style of mystery and psychological suspense that readers will love. It doesn’t take long to get into these stories and once you are hooked there is no putting it down until the very last page. I absolutely loved the twists and turns throughout this one. McFadden goes about making these twists occur in such a natural manner. I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good thriller with lots of twists and turns.

The Fall of Crazy House

Author: James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

Series: Crazy House #2

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson

Release Date: March 17, 2020

Lots of action but still misses the mark for me.

Becca and Cassie thought they had endured the worst ever at the Crazy House and made it out alive somehow. Now they learn that all the training they had while there is about to be put to good use as they are now part of a group trying to take over the United. It is going to take everything they have in order to succeed, and even then, it might not be enough.

This series was slated as the next great Hunger Games books, I can see the potential it had to get there, unfortunately it fell far short of reaching that. So much was crammed into these two novels that there was no way to actually make sense of it all and flesh it out into what it could have been. Along with that is the fact that you have a book marketed to teenagers and it is filled with harsh language, not a fan of that in books for kids. Overall, I would pass on this one unless you are a die-hard Patterson fan and intend on reading all his works.

Crazy House

Authors: James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

Series: Crazy House #1

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson

Release Date: May 15, 2018

Tries way too hard to be the next Hunger Games and falls short.

Sometime in the future, the United States is known as the United and the population is regulated with strict rules and crime supposedly nonexistent. Cassie is 17 and lives with her twin sister Becca, but when Becca disappears, Cassie knows something is going on and goes looking for her twin. Becca isn’t the first kid to go missing and so far, none of them have been found. While Cassie is looking for her sister, Becca finds herself in a Crazy House, a prison with many other kids and no way out. Her only hope is that Cassie will find her before it’s too late.

James Patterson is a very popular author, and he can be a very good author at times. With Crazy House I felt like it tried far too hard to be the next Hunger Games novel and fell far short of reaching that mark. Overall, the story was ok but I had no connection with the characters and the story itself was rushed. Had the story been fleshed out over several more books it might have been salvageable. My other issue with these books is how they are marketed as YA and still have so much language.