Blood Highway-Gina Wohlsdorf

I was nervous about requesting Gina Wohlsdorf’s newest book because I wasn’t a big fan of her previous book, Security. But I’m SOOOO glad I did!

17 year old Rainy has always known her father to be dead. But when she finds her mother dead she quickly discovers that her father has recently escaped prison to kidnap her. She befriended a local police man who tells her this shocking news. Her highly dangerous father believes Rainey’s mother hid a significant amount of money they had stolen together. Although Rainy is scared of her father, she wants to learn as much as she can about him. When he shows up and threatens her new friend, she leaves with him willingly. But will she make their road trip out alive?

Blood Highway is 307 pages long and took me three days to read.

I loved this book so much and I’m giving it a 4 out of 5! The story itself was so addicting and I was completely hooked throughout the story. It was pretty gritty and I loved every minute!

Highly recommend this book!

Thank you Algonquin for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

After Nightfall-A.J. Banner

I was lucky enough to review The Twilight Wife when it came out so I was overjoyed to see that A.J. Banner had written a new book for me to devour!

Marissa has finally found the man of her dreams. She is thrilled to announce their engagement to their neighbors (Lauren and Jenson, previously her best friends) and her fiancé’s brother and sister in law. After an engagement party full of tension, not the good kind, Marissa is relieved for her old friends to leave. The morning after she discovers Lauren dead on the beach near their home. Even though they had a strained relationship Lauren becomes fixated on finding out who murdered her old friend.

After Nightfall is 272 pages long and took me four days to read.

Im giving this book a 3.5 out of 5! I truly love A.J.’s writing style and the complexity of her characters while I sink into the plot.

This is a fantastic summer read!

Thank you Lake Union for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Girls’ Night Out- Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

When I was in high school my three best friends and I called ourselves “the clique”. Lol yep, that really happened. I’ve always been fascinated with girl friend groups and their dynamics. Especially friend groups that are on the rocks! Girls’ Night Out is just that.

Three best friends from college decide to take a girl’s trip to, hopefully, rekindle their friendship and make amends after a horrible fight that took place the year before. When the groups “leader”, Ashley, goes missing, Natalie and Lauren do everything they can to find her while trying to keep their own secrets buried.

Girls’ Night Out is 318 pages long and took me 4 days to read.

I love these suspenseful friend stories!!! I’m giving this book a 3 out of 5 for keeping me thoroughly entertained and making me have a love/hate relationship with Ashley.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Hangman-Daniel Cole

When I read Ragdoll last year, I couldn’t stop talking about it. I was truly enthralled with the story and the ending held so much promise for a second novel. Enter Hangman.

Detective Emily Baxter still has the Ragdoll murders fresh in her mind, even 18 months later. Baxter is approached by two American FBI/CIA agents that want her opinion of their case where a man was strung up with the word “BAIT” carved into his chest. The man’s name was William Fawkes which was the name of her former colleague and friend. But this is not the William “Wolf” Fawkes she knows. The death toll of patrons with the word “BAIT” starts to rise, along with the “BAIT” murderers who have “PUPPET” carved into their own chest. Is this a message specifically for Baxter or is this a very horrible coincidence?

Hangman is 384 pages long and took me three days to read.

I loved this book so much. I’m giving it a 4 out of 5 because I love the character Emily Baxter for her untrusting, somewhat prickly personality and the storyline is so suspenseful it is difficult to put down. HIGHLY recommend!

Thank you ECCO for sending me a copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

The Wild Dead- Carrie Vaughn

The second book in the Bannerless series, The Wild Dead follows investigator Enid as she seemingly becomes the post-fall worlds leading murder detective. When Enid and her new partner, Teeg, set off on a simple case the town they are visiting stumbles across a young woman who had been brutally murdered. It is clear this girl has come from the wild and is not part of their society. Enid is determined not to leave this young woman’s death unsolved and will put her own life at risk to get justice for the victim.

The Wild Dead is 264 pages and took me five days to read.

I’m giving this story a 3 out of 5. I really enjoy reading about the world the author has built and love Enid determination to see that justice is met.

Thank you to Mariner for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

In The Vines-Shannon Kirk

Mop hasn’t spoken to her favorite aunt, Liv, since her mom disappeared in a horrific accident two years ago. The time has come for Mop to face Liv after feeling wholly abandoned by the one person she thought would always be there for her. But when Mop arrives at Liv’s beloved house, very strange things start to happen and aren’t quite adding up. Why hasn’t Liv spoken yo Mop in two years and what in the world is she hiding?

In The Vines is 268 pages long and took me three days to read.

I’m giving this book a 4 out of 5! The twists and turns in this book!! Omg! I just loved every minute of this creepy story and had the hardest time putting it down at night. I HIGHLY recommend this book, especially if you’re a fan of super suspenseful thrillers!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Bannerless-Carrie Vaughn

Post apocalyptic crime solving?!? Yesssssss!

Enid has only known life after The Fall, when the entire world lost technology as we know it. Those whose survived rebuilt the best they could but it now resembles something along the 1800s (with the exception of solar cars!!!). There are many new rules in this new world including earning the right to reproduce. Due to these new rules there is much less crime but Enid is an investigator which is their version of police. When Enid and her partner Thomas are called to investigate a mysterious death, they will encounter much more than hostility from the town they were called to.

Bannerless is 272 pages long and took me three days to read.

I really enjoyed reading this book and am giving it a 3 out of 5! The world Vaughn has built is a lovely reflection of our world. But I mostly loved Enid and her curiosity for the world around her.

Thank you Mariner Books for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

The Anomaly-Michael Rutger

A cross between Indiana Jones and X-Files?!? Count me in!

When a group of myth busters that have a very popular YouTube channel go on an expedition to find a possibly fictitious cave in the Grand Canyon, chaos ensues. Caves are creepy enough on their own but when you see what these characters see….

The Anomaly is 338 pages long and took me three days to read.

I’m giving this book a 4 out of 5. It was super creepy and scared me but it completely kept me hooked and I had to know how it ended. I will absolutely be recommending this book to others especially if they are fans of adventure and aren’t scared of a little gore.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for sending me a copy of this book!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey