“Things don‘t just happen. They happen just.”

Everyone 👏🏼 should 👏🏼 read 👏🏼 this 👏🏼 book.

Cicely Tyson was a daughter, a mother, a believer, an actress and a woman who made sure who work counted!

Having lived 96 years, Cicely Tyson embraced life and shared with us an unforgettable message.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book, and only hope to spread the word for more to read it as well!

Can you think of a better way to spend your Sunday? Watching snow and finishing The Maid was absolutely perfect for me!

Molly the Maid takes her job seriously. As she struggles with social skills, cleaning is one task she definitely understands.

One day, after entering a guest‘s room at the hotel where she works, she finds him dead.

Charles Black was not a nice person, but Molly would never harm anybody, so who is responsible for his murder?

All the Stages is 100% FREE TO OWN for Kindle for a limited time!! Who doesn‘t like a free book deal??

A romance that will make you believe in love!

Writing this book brought tears to my eyes more than once, and it is my hope it evokes emotions from my readers as well.

Be sure to check out All the Stages and follow Alaina and Billy as their relationship develops over the years.

Alice and Leo have just moved into their new home in an exclusive gated community known as The Circle.

As Alice is getting to know her neighbors, she learns a horrible secret about her beautiful home: the previous owner, Nina, was murdered. Presumably by her husband.

Why would Leo have kept this from her?

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of thrillers and is looking for an easy read! Had some fun twists and turns!

Even though Without Merit is advertised as another romance work, it is much more a family drama. While there is certainly a love story at play, the bigger topic faced is mental illness.

Merit Voss lives with her unorthodox (to say the least) family in a repurposed church. Her main hobby is collecting trophies, which ultimately leads her to finding Sagan, the potential love interest of the story.

Always a CoHo fan, I will say not my favorite.

A Head Full of Ghosts is told by alternating timelines of past, when the younger sister, Merry witnessed firsthand the terror her older sister Marjorie had to endure, and also present, as Merry verifies the story with an author willing to write a book about the family.

Readers are consistently questioning if the story we are being told is real or embellished. Was Marjorie really possessed or schizophrenic?

Couldn‘t put this one down! That end😳

I have officially passed 60,000 as my Litfluence score! 🎉

I love being a part of this community - both sharing my book reviews AND getting so many for my TBR list!

Since joining Litsy, I have read literally hundreds of books and published eight of my own!

Thanks for all the likes and follows 👏🏼

A man believes he is a messenger from God and his calling is to collect beautiful women to be God‘s brides. How does he prepare them for God?

He murders them.

Agent Brad Raines is determined to stop this killer, and along with his partner, Nikki, seek assistance from residents in a facility for the highly intelligent mentally ill.

This was an amazing thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat!

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced readers copy to read this book exchange for an honest review!

How soon is too soon to marry someone?

This book was entertaining and kept me guessing with all of those twists! I loved how the characters were believable.

Couldn‘t put it down!

My newest romance novella is officially available today!!

My fellow Littens have always been so supportive and it would mean THE WORLD to me if you would check out my newest book, All the Stages.

A love story that shows a relationship through the “six stages of a romantic relationship.”

You don‘t want to miss out on this one!!

Perfect for fellow Colleen Hoover fans.

Unputdownable!

Twenty years ago, the Sinclair sisters were taken, prompting almost instant media attention. After they were returned to their parents, they went on to live as normal of lives as possible.

Full of twists, including a surprise that shocked me! Definitely worth the read! I liked how it was told from alternating timelines as well as points of view. Readers were able to truly grasp the full picture of both past and present events!

Newly married Lauren is found dead in her country home, and it doesn‘t take long before police have their eyes on her husband Sam.

A huge fan of psychological thrillers - just when I thought I had the killer figured out, that twist came in and I was wrong! Always love a book that can surprise me and it gave me an ending I did NOT see coming.

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a great job.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Later is one of King‘s shorter works but reflects the true essence of any King story and definitely leaves its reader feeling unsettled more than once!

Jamie is a child with a secret: he can see dead people… but this is not just another imitation of The Sixth Sense. Jamie‘s mom, who learns of his ability, Is the one who tells him it is best kept as a secret.

Listened to the audiobook - the narrator did an A+ job which added to the creepiness!

Myron Bolitar is the sports agent representing rookie quarterback, Christian Steele. Everyone thought Christian‘s ex-girlfriend was dead, but those opinions change fast when he gets a phone call from his presumed-deceased ex.

Myron begins the journey into discovering the truth, and it is certainly a dark twisty road.

I love that Win was referenced in this book, as I recently finished the first book in the new Windsor Horne Lockwood III series!

Honestly if I did not know the author before reading this book, I never would have guessed Stephen King!

Former marine sniper, Billy Summers is a hit man who “kills bad men.” He finally decides to take on his so-called last hit.

But of course things do not go as planned.

I appreciated reading some King that was out of the horror genre and more suspense, and I was able to finish most of it in just one night because I needed to know the ending!

Two young girls go missing from a shopping mall, and with the police department being overworked, the family recruits bounty hunter Alice Vega to help track down the girls. She then solicits the help of Max Caplin, a former officer to assist in the search.

A wide assortment of characters and lots of dark twists in this suspense novel, it was one that kept me guessing!

An enjoyable read!

Sara and Cece are identical twins, alike in every way except Cece is an Instagram phenomenon seen as beautiful and Sara… is currently focused on her dog with special needs.

Shortly after Sara meets the attractive wealthy Bradley in the park, Cece goes missing. Why had she kept Cece a secret from him?

What else is she hiding?

I liked how this author was able to use both first and third person but even more important is there was a GREAT TWIST!

Emily and Kristen are best friends who would do anything for each other. Even help hide a dead body.

Literally.

This story was a shining example of gaslighting and had a very strong opening. Certainly an easy read but the ending left me wanting something…different. I just was not completely satisfied - probably because I felt like the build up was worth something more!

Loved the “ride or die” friendship mentality the girls had with each other.

Painters Mill, Ohio is a rural town where the Amish and English live side by side. Sixteen years ago, Kate Burkholder was one of the Amish, but now is an English police officer trying to catch a killer.

A young woman‘s body is found mutilated in a field, and this is only the start.

The thing I appreciated most about this book was the author‘s portrayal of the clash of cultures. I already can‘t wait to start the next book in this series!

Rachel is expecting her first child and is determined to do everything perfectly - including hiring the perfect mother‘s helper.

As a popular influencer on social media, Rachel is used to showcasing everything in the best light. But are there more secrets hidden than just Rachel‘s bad side in a photo?

The author kept me glued with every twist!

Perfect for those of you who were fans of Single White Female.

This book is so interesting and by the end, I was in both sad and happy tears!

A little fantasy, a little romance and a little sci fi, this book forced me to explore beyond and appreciate the essence of something I typically would not read but am interested in! Natalie receives visits from an “apparition” (Ghost? God?) she refers to as simply “Grandmother,” and on this one day in particular she warns Natalie she has three months to save “him.”

Emory Charbonneau is kidnapped in the mountains while out training for a marathon run, but is her captor really as dangerous as he seems?

Having just argued with her husband, he is late to report her missing, and most are quick to jump to assuming his involvement.

Some fun twists and, yes I did see the ending coming, but I still enjoyed it. Some of the depicted romance scenes were worthy of rewinding the audiobook to hear a 2nd time!

Don‘t miss out on this deal!

My suspense thriller novella is 100% FREE to own for Kindle to celebrate this spooky month!

There‘s a reason your mom always warned you not to talk to strangers…

Why can‘t Stefanie Simons remember anything from the night before?

This is most certainly not your typical nanny book! You may think if you‘ve heard one story, you‘ve heard them all, but trust me : this one is different!

That final twist shocked me!

Sarah is making more money than before, only has to work about five hours per day, and in a beautiful home, but why has it already been two days and she has yet to meet the child..?

Don‘t miss out on this new release!

Takes you on the full roller coaster ride of emotions!

Emory is a teenager who is the center of gossip in her high school. She and her brother, Joey, now preparing to return home from rehab for drug use, were involved in the car crash that killed Candy MontClaire. Now being the good one, Emory‘s parents expect her to look out for Joey.

But you have to want to be helped to BE helped, right?

A book filled with love, struggles and ultimately hope.

Unarmed, Khalil is shot and murdered by a police officer, and his friend Starr was there to witness it from start to finish.

The shooting sparks controversy and protests across the nation, and Starr is thrust into the spotlight as she makes the decision to go public with her account of what truthfully happened.

Eye opening, sometimes tear-jerking, always gripping book about police brutality, drug abuse and racism in America. Captivating.

Kay picked up her daughter Poppy, from school, only to find her holding hands with a little girl who looks almost identical to her. While certainly a bit freaked out by this, Kay can‘t help but wonder: what if they are related in some way?

Poppy‘s very sick and will need a kidney transplant sooner rather than later so what if this little girl is a potential match?

I really appreciated the medical aspect of this book and it kept me turning pages!

Told from two separate timelines, we follow the disappearance of Tallulah and her boyfriend, Zach. Her mom is not giving up in searching for her daughter, all while caring for Tallulah‘s baby.

Readers learn about Tallulah‘s relationship with Zach and ultimately what really happened the night she disappeared.

A writer finds a sign posted, reading, “Dig Here,” and from that moment, it‘s a nonstop ride.

Great twist with an ending you won‘t forget!

Love, love, love this book. Real and emotional, this is a coming of age story far different from ones I have read in the past. The author did a brilliant job relaying a powerful story that certainly is not always easy to read, but worth the journey to have a more in-depth view of anorexia as well as eating disorders in general.

The story centers around Cady who lost her brother to suicide. Her brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and when Cady begins hearing voices, she wonders if she is following in his footsteps.

Cady is determined to find out what happened to her brother that pushed him to make the final decision, but will hearing these voices affect her ability to get the answers she craves?

In my honest opinion, a bit too lengthy, and even confusing at times.

Such a fun young adult murder mystery that kept me entertained with all of the twists and flashbacks through the story! I was trying to guess the murderer the whole time, and I STILL did not get it right until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was an epic novel depicting the lives of three generations of Palestinian women. I just finished the audiobook and am simply blown away.

Isra married through an arranged marriage and moved to America with her husband. Cultural pressures (and her rather unsupportive mother-in-law) made her feel inadequate as she continued only giving birth to girls, four in total, when she was expected to birth a son.

So much more to the story… a must-read!

Zac and Nina have just moved into a shared two level house with neighbors (another married couple) directly above them and are hopeful they can all be friends. But Nina finds the husband a bit too intimidating toward his wife, who seems almost too scared to speak.

It‘s not long before it becomes clear Zac and Nina are not welcome in their new home, but why?

Kept me up late, wanting to read “one more chapter.” Definitely an easy, enjoyable read!

Here is the fun, light read we‘ve all been waiting for! I honestly felt like I was reading about an episode of The Bachelor in this book!

Abby writes recaps for TV‘s must-see dating show, The Stag. But this season is going to be different - producers want Abby to be a contestant on the show so she can gather all the details while undercover on set!

While “The stag” is not the man of Abby‘s dreams, one of the producers, may be a different story!

If you have not listened to the audiobook for Clap When You land yet, do yourself a favor and download it right now!

While one daughter is grieving the loss of her father after a plane crash in the Dominican Republican, another daughter is grieving in New York City. The sisters never knew of each other or their father‘s other life.

Until today.

LOVED the narrator for this and how the writing literally sucks you in. I couldn‘t get enough of it!

Another book where I am left pondering WHY did I wait so long to read it?

Dr. Montague is searching for evidence of a “haunting”. While he rents Hill House for a summer, he invites lots of people whom he has chosen to be potential guests but the only ones to come include Theodora, his assistant; Eleanor, a fragile young woman with previous experience with poltergeists; and Luke, who will go on to be the future heir of Hill House.

Must read!

I love sharing my free book promos with all my fellow Littens so here‘s a shout-out to my latest release on a special promotion for Labor Day!

For a limited time you can own this chick-lit/romance for ZERO DOLLARS!!!

Who doesn‘t love a free book?!

Available for free TODAY through this weekend ONLY!

Is it possible for Colleen Hoover to write a bad novel?

No.

Another win for the romance, Ugly Love, which just may make you “ugly cry!”

When Tate falls for Miles, she knows he feels the same way about her, so why is he keeping a wall up?

Readers soon learn of Miles‘ past. Will Tate be the girl for his future?

Loved how this book alternated between present day and flashbacks. I also feel like this shines so much insight into a character.

After a 14 year absence, Phoebe has returned home to live with her parents. Due to a tragic incident, Phoebe was forced to give her son Charlie up for adoption, and now…

She wants him back.

Charlie has basically having forgotten his birth mother from years ago. But she is here now. And Charlie is almost 18… isn‘t it his choice if he wants her in his life again?

Told from varying viewpoints and years to give clear pictures of what is happening.

All the cheerleaders are dead.

But that was five years ago.

Among the deaths is Monica‘s older sister, and she is determined to find out the full story of what has happened.

Someone in town definitely knows more than they are willing to say, and Monica is on a mission to find out the truth.

I was invested in this story, but I genuinely feel like it could have been shrunken down to a novella. Solid end and fun ride, but overall just a bit long.

In nineteen minutes… your whole world can shatter.

Peter undoubtedly shot and killed a number of his classmates one morning in a small town in New Hampshire.

This is not up for debate.

Can bullying really lead someone to murder?
What exactly happened behind the scenes? Did something happen in Peter‘s home life to drive him to this point?

Did Peter have friends?

These are the questions to which we as readers seek answers.

Gripping throughout.

Sometimes a book just exceeds you expectations, and this is one of those books!

Daisy is a homemaker with a successful husband and teenage daughter, Beatrice, in the Philadelphia suburbs.

One day, due to an incidental email mix-up, her life crosses paths with a woman named Diana, who lives anything but a simple life.

It is hard to explain this book without giving a lot away, but I can promise it is one worth reading.

Everyone has secrets, and in The Liar Next Door, you quickly get the feeling everyone is a liar.

In a neighborhood where everyone feels safe and close, there is plenty of deceit and adultery beneath the surface. Throughout the book, we follow three women, two mothers end one soon-to-be, as they grapple with the men in their lives and each of their own past decisions.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange tor an honest review.

Jee-yoon Kim, talented pianist, shares her thoughts on life and practices for becoming successful. I loved the structure of this book as it is divided into movements and intermissions, rather than chapters.

It is explained that when Kim is backstage, just before going out to perform for a concert, someone will prompt her by saying, “Whenever you‘re ready…”

Reading this book has left me feeling both calm and rejuvenated… highly recommend!

Everything Here is Beautiful is the “beautiful” story of two sisters and their unbreakable bond. Lucia begins hearing voices after her mother passes away, and Miranda stops at nothing to save her.

But what if Lucia does not want to be saved?

I particularly enjoyed the second half of this book, and I appreciated how the author told the story from multiple points of view including Manny and Yonah, who are the two men in Lucia‘s life.

So real.

Li-yan lives in a remote village with her family and is one of the few girls who is educated on the mountain. The story follows her as she slowly begins to find her own way in this life.

With time she has a baby, but because she is not married, she is forced to hand her daughter over to an orphanage.

Li-yan successfully leads her own business while her daughter is raised by loving adoptive parents. Will these two ever be able to cross paths?

Owen Michaels has disappeared, but he has also left a note behind for his wife, Hannah. “Protect her.”

In the pages that follow, Hannah does her best to keep Owen‘s teenage daughter, Bailey, (who is not Hannah‘s biggest fan these days) safe and also discover the whereabouts of her husband.

Easy to follow, gripping and extremely entertaining, I enjoyed it all the way through the final twist.

Just keep in mind more of a mystery than suspense.

A mother, a father, a daughter plus a son equals the perfect family, right? Not so much for the Adler family.

In fact, each member is far from perfect as readers begin to learn about hidden secrets that are slowly surfacing.

But whose secret is the catalyst for all of the vandalism they have recently been experiencing?

I really enjoyed the unraveling of secret lives of each of the Adler crew, and thought the ending was well done. A quick read!

The day before she is supposed to leave town, Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring writer. Due to the untimely circumstances, they agree to meet every year on November 9th, and Ben will focus on writing about their times together.

But how long will they meet for? And what happens when they don‘t want to say goodbye for November 10th?

I loved the backstory for both Fallon and Ben, and I particularly liked Hoover‘s way of developing all characters!

Sometimes we can‘t help who some of the people are around us, but we can always choose the people we keep close.

What a likable character! April is a singer/songwriter who is simply trying to find her way as she travels from one town to the next, chronicling her life and the people she meets by writing songs.

Will she ever find a place to stay and people who want to stay with her?

I loved this writing style, and an expected but satisfying end!