September was full of fun and football and four reads. I read a book I know will end up in my top three this month, too!
None of This is True, Lisa Jewell ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
Alix and Josie are birthday twins. Same birth date, year and all. When they meet while out celebrating their 45th birthdays, neither know that two complete strangers are about to become tied together in life and death. Alix is somewhat of a celebrity, hosting a podcast focused on championing women. Josie has an average life, two estranged daughters and a below-average marriage. When Josie decides it’s to drastically change her life, having Alix guide and chronicling as a series on her podcast sounds like a great idea. However, Alix had no idea of the woman Josie actually was or, more dangerously, if she could believe anything she said. This book is a fast read that makes you feel like you know what’s going on when you actually don’t. It’s an excellent BORROW.
Under the Influence, Noelle Crooks ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I heard about his debut novel on the Big Boo Cast and immediately added it to my TBR list. Then, I couldn’t wait to read it, so I bumped the next-in-line title and grabbed it on Audible. I’m so glad I did because this book is definitely in my top five for 2023. This is the story of Harper Cruz, who after going nowhere in the publishing world, takes a job working for an influencer she’s never heard of. The salary, job description, and millions of adoring followers of Charlotte Green make Harper believe this must be a dream job. However, she very quickly learns not all that glitters on an influencer is gold, and there’s more fakery than truth in building up and promoting a relatable, real-life influencer. The storytelling is engaging, and the characters feel personal. Also, while this novel is a work of fiction, knowing that the author once worked for Rachel Hollis makes it hard for the reader not to believe there aren’t a few personal stories included…with the names changed for privacy, of course. This book is a BUY!
The Senator’s Wife, Liv Constantine ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I recently lamented to a fellow book-loving friend how I was so over all suspense books being so predictable lately. Enter The Senator’s Wife…the book that scored a 10 for difficulty because of all the twists. After losing their respective spouses tragically (and suspiciously) at the same time, Sloane Chase marries Senator Whit Montgomery. Outwardly they seem the perfect pair, with Whit doting on and caring for Sloane’s every need, including her struggle with lupus. The couple brings on Athena for a short time, a home health aid, to assist Sloane during recovery from surgery. When Sloane suffers a flare from her lupus that threatens to debilitate her, Athena remains. However, Sloane doesn’t trust Athena with her health or her husband. Seemingly predictable, you are not ready for the turn followed by the double-turn as this story unfolds. It’s the long-lost twist we’ve all been waiting for and a BORROW!
Dead on Deadline, Lara Bricker ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Lara Bricker entered my world a few years ago as one of the Crime Writers On podcast hosts. And, as much as I missed a suspenseful book with an expected twist, I had also been missing a cozy mystery. Knowing Lara’s background in journalism, as a private investigator and true crime podcast host, I knew I could trust her as an author, and she didn’t let me down. Piper Greene is a reporter for her small hometown paper, The Exeter Independent. When her editor, Charlotte, is murdered and hung from the town hall during a festival, Piper knows she needs to put her investigatory skills to work to find Charlotte’s murderer. However, as Piper discovers, Charlotte had her share of enemies in Exeter and, in the life she left behind. This book made me not only want to visit Exeter, NH, but also read the next in the Piper Greene series. Jessica Fletcher would be proud. This book is a BORROW or a BUY.