5 Stars - Eat, Tan, Read

Book Review – What She Left (Martina Monroe Book 1)

What She Left by H.K. Christie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Crime Thriller, Police procedural Thriller

“I gazed down at her and wondered how something so magnificent could have come from something so horrible.”

Martina Monroe is a Private Investigator who is trying to get her life back on track after a drunken car crash that nearly ruined her life. Now sober and determined to stay that way, her boss has finally entrusted her with a real case. The client, an old acquaintance from high school, found a picture in her late mother’s things of her mom and a baby she doesn’t recognize. It’s not her and her dad won’t talk about it. She wants Martina to try and find out who the baby is.

“I would do everything in my power to make sure I found this baby, even if it meant returning to my hometown, something I hadn’t ever planned to do.”

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🏅Top Shelf Tuesday🏅

Happy Tuesday everyone!

This week’s pick is:

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Millennium Series book 1
by Stieg Larsson
Mystery Crime Thriller
Paperback
Published by Vintage Crime, June 2009

Another Bora Bora vacation read that I devoured. I read this one in 2015, after the Swedish and the co-produced Swedish/American/United Kingdom movies were out. I LOVE Mara Rooney as Lisbeth! Hands down, I could not have casted better 😁.
So of course I wanted to read the book. I had no idea that I would love it and the rest of the series as much as I do. Lisbeth Salander is a character that I have never encountered before and I absolutely love her! She is the ultimate female badass.
I have not ventured on to the later books in the series written by David Lagercrantz. I’m a chicken like that. I know that I will eventually. But if you haven’t checked out these books you should!

Between Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series I’m a huge Scandinavian Crime Noir!

🏅Top Shelf Tuesday 🏅

Happy Tuesday everyone! I am not having the best day myself, feeling ill and really worn down. Busy and stressful life is just taking a little toll. But I did not want to miss my next installment of Top Shelf Tuesday, I really look forward to sharing some of my great reads with you!

This week’s pick is:

Dark Places
by Gillian Flynn
Thriller
Paperback
Published by Broadway Books, October 2014

The story behind this one began about 7 years ago, when this edition was published 🙂. A work friend had joined a book club and this was their next pick. She was not really all that interested in it and was a little miffed about having to spend $10 on the book. So I offered her a deal, I would pay half and then after she was done reading it for the book club, she would give it to me to keep. She agreed, and I am so glad because I love this book! 😁

In January 1985 the Day family was murdered in their home, all but two were killed, Libby- 7 and Ben- 15. Libby testified that it was her brother Ben that killed her mom and two sisters that night. The Kinnakee Kansas Farmhouse Massacre they called it. But had she lied?

I had already seen the movie, of course, so the cat was already out of the bag, but even still this was a great read. And of course the book is significantly better. To those that have not seen the movie, you are in for a treat, you will be guessing and kept on your toes every page. I have been recommending this book to all my thriller lover friends, even if you have already seen the movie it’s worth it. This is for adults only, includes violence, language, drug use, and sexual content.

See here for full review!

🏅Top Shelf Tuesday 🏅

Happy Tuesday everyone! Just spent most of the day getting my blog back online. 😵 Had an update issue occur and took me forever to figure it out. But I got it resolved thanks to the help of Hostgator support! Whew, back in business and on with the show.

This week’s pick is:

The Host
The Host Book 1
by Stephanie Meyer
Science Fiction, Aliens, New Adult
Paperback
Published by Little Brown and Company, May 2008

I first read this book on vacation in Bora Bora. The Pic of it in my garden is a sad substitute. Whenever I think about it, I am drawn back to that beautiful paradise.
I picked my copy up at a thrift store, I really enjoyed the movie. Seeing how thick it was I knew there had to have so much more to it than what the movie included.
As a normal rule, I like to watch the movie first then read the book. For me, this works out as I love watching movies too. I find that if I read a great book, love it, and then watch the movie, I am usually disappointed. However, if I watch the movie, love it, then read the book, it’s even better but I still love the movie. Win, win. 😁

Synopsis:
The Earth has been invaded by an alien species, they not only invaded Earth but they take over human bodies as well. Melanie Stryder won’t go without a fight when Wanderer takes over her body. As Wanderer is flooded with all Melanie’s memories she is compelled to find the family and the love that was left behind and still in hiding. However, when they find the them, Melanie’s family is not so thrilled that an alien has invaded her.
There is so much more to this story that I don’t want to give away the best parts if you haven’t read it or watched the movie. It’s a mix of Sci-Fi, Thriller, and romance.

🏅Top Shelf Tuesday 🏅

Happy Tuesday everyone!

This week’s pick is:

My Dark Vanessa
by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Paperback
Published by William Morrow, March 2020

A much anticipated read for me and I finally got to it in January. The cover is beautiful and it captivated me immediately. I will be honest and say that I first picked this up without knowing any details of the plot. I saw a quote from Stephen King, “A well constructed package of dynamite.” and felt I needed to check this out. Not Disappointed!

Definitely one of the best books I have read but also one of the hardest to read content wise. Devastatingly beautiful. Enthralled … how can something so horrible be written so beautifully. It broke my heart for the young girl who didn’t understand that she was not at fault and who just wanted to be special. It angered me, the adults that did nothing and turned their backs in silence. It left me with so many different feelings at the end, I love that the most.

See full Review here – Book Review – My Dark Vanessa

38/100 Books to read in a Lifetime

A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by Hope Davis
6:27:08 hours

Classic, Middle Grade, Science Fiction

Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin are visited by three mysterious women, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which. They have come to help the children retrieve their father who went missing. A scientist who works on classified experiments for the government was on assignment when all communications with his family stopped.
“A straight line is not the shortest distance between two points” rather a tesseract, or creating a wrinkle in the fabric of space, is. The children must tesser to another planet in order to save their father, and the universe, from The Darkness.

What a wonderfully written book for middle grade readers and adults. It is so hard to understand why this book is one of the most contested and banned books. How could you ban something so incredible? But humans are flawed and full of fear, especially when it comes to children. I however cannot wait to have my nephew read it! It had so much heart and such wonderful lessons for young minds to experience.
Hope Davis was a good choice for narrator, her voice was fitting.

View all my reviews

🏅Top Shelf Tuesday 🏅

Happy Tuesday everyone and May the 4th be with you!

This week’s pick is:

The Dragon Reborn
The Wheel of Time Book 3
by Robert Jordan
Paperback
Published by Tor Books, September 2002

This one is another that is pulling deep from the old brain box. I can’t exactly remember when I read it but I think within a couple years of the publication date. I do remember getting caught up and having to wait for the next book to come out. Oh the wait!
This was the book where the series REALLY kicked off. The band of friends that had been together from the beginning has been split up and the plot follows their separate journeys. I don’t want to get into too many details as this this book 3.
It is reminiscent of Lord of the Rings but without the period style writing. I love Tolkien but Jordan brings it to a whole new level.

I also lost my copy moving across country 15 years ago so I have been on the look out when I visit any book stores.

“The leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him—is on the run from his destiny.”

🏅Top Shelf Tuesday 🏅

The adorable Easter basket that my wonderful husband put together for me. 🥰

Happy Tuesday everyone! And Happy Easter.

This week’s pick for Top-Shelf Tuesday is:

Lawless
by Nora Roberts
Romance, Western
Paperback
Published by Harlequin

I know that I have mentioned before that Nora Roberts was my first introduction into the Romance genre. I had always thought of Romance as those cheesy books with the half naked people on the front and the whole thing was just full sex. I was young then, 🤣. I even enjoy those books from time to time now.
It was Lawless specifically that I read.

When I was in High School, I stared my first job as a barista at a drive through coffee stand and found my co-worker’s copy of Lawless. You have lots of stop and go time for reading throughout the work day. I decided to give it a shot and became so enthralled with it. I have never forgotten the feeling that it gave me and the blossomed love of Romance novels.

It’s been too long since I last read it to be able to provide a good synopsis so I will just provide the blurb instead.

To Tame a Renegade Heart

The Arizona Territory was a dangerous place, but gunslinger Jake Redman was half-Apache and all man–more than a match for the wilderness. Sarah Conway was something else again. She was every inch an Eastern lady, yet she was determined to make Lone Bluff her home.

Jake was annoyed to find himself playing guardian angel to this tantalizing innocent–even more disgusted to find he liked it. Little did he suspect that beneath Sarah’s ladylike demeanor beat the heart of a frontier woman ant that her body yearned for his hard embrace, her heart for his words of love .. . .

🏅Top Shelf Tuesday🏅

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I have decided that on Tuesdays I want to highlight the books that I have given a 5 star rating to. Calling it Top-Shelf Tuesdays (see what I did there 😄).

I have put the names of all the books in a cute little crock and will select one at random each week. Any new books I complete and rate 5 stars will be added as I go.

First on the draw:

Fraternize
Players Game book 1
by Rachel Van Dyken
Romance, New Adult
Kindle Version
Published by Skyscape

Synopsis:
Emerson, a busty, curvy, athlete has fulfilled her dream and made it as a pro cheerleader on her favorite football team. Even with breaking down barriers with body positivity, not everyone is thrilled with this choice as you can imagine. Emerson must work her ass her off to prove she belongs here. And she must follow all the rules, most importantly, No fraternizing with the players.
That is easier said than done. Just traded to the team is Emerson’s first love Miller, who still sends her over edge. Never having closure, Emerson doesn’t know how to feel about Miller being back in her life again. Then there is Grant, oozing sex appeal, with quite a reputation with the ladies. He wants Emerson and he always gets what he wants.

Why I loved it:
I actually liked this book way more than I was expecting to. I received it as a Goodreads giveaway. I am a huge romance fan to begin with. Fun fact, I also was a Cheerleader myself (high school) and who doesn’t love football players? 😉 But in all seriousness, it was a really good read! I love the body positivity, that curvy woman are still sexy and still athletic. It had more substance than just sex. Miller and Emerson need to figure out what happened with their relationship and do they want to salvage it? There is more to Grant than a pretty face and sexy body.