Month: July 2020

The Same Deep Water As You by Chad Lutzke

The Same Deep Water As You
Author: Chad Lutzke

Published: January 6, 2019
120 Pages

Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars

Book Description:

Music, beer, skateboarding, and tragedy star in this coming-of-age lesson on love and lust and the line that divides them, as 19-year-old Jex experiences a life that meets River’s Edge and Kids with Dazed & Confused––a parentless indie yarn with the dark heart Lutzke is known for.

Kim’s Review:

Ok let’s start with the missing star. It’s as simple as me not knowing anything about punk rock or heavy metal. I’m too sheltered so most of that just went right over my head! But aside from that, I really liked this book! The story was beautiful and the characters were real and emotional. I found myself tearing up several times while reading.

I liked how Lutzke seemed to both confirm and break stereotypes, depending on the character. Jex grew up. He embraced his individuality, yet he matured and tried to adapt to what he wanted his future to be. And I loved his working his way through the difference between love and lust! I would almost say that mature teens should read this book, but very mature. There are great lessons in this book and I can think of several people I know who would benefit from, or even just enjoy this book! Lutzke has a list of other books and I definitely want to read them!

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

The Safe Place

The Safe Place
Author: Anna Downes

Published:  July 14, 2020
352 Pages

Reviewed By: Jessica
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Dates Read: July 5-July 20, 2020

Book Description:

Emily is a mess.

Emily Proudman just lost her acting agent, her job, and her apartment in one miserable day.

Emily is desperate.

Scott Denny, a successful and charismatic CEO, has a problem that neither his business acumen nor vast wealth can fix. Until he meets Emily.

Emily is perfect.

Scott offers Emily a summer job as a housekeeper on his remote, beautiful French estate. Enchanted by his lovely wife Nina, and his eccentric young daughter, Aurelia, Emily falls headlong into this oasis of wine-soaked days by the pool. But soon Emily realizes that Scott and Nina are hiding dangerous secrets, and if she doesn’t play along, the consequences could be deadly.

Superbly tense and oozing with atmosphere, Anna Downs’s debut is the perfect summer suspense, with the modern gothic feel of Ruth Ware and the morally complex family dynamics of Lisa Jewell.

Welcome to paradise…will you ever be able to leave?

Jessica’s Review:

This one was an average read for me. We had multiple points of view (both Emily and Scott with Nina thrown in from time to time) which I always enjoy. 

From the beginning we see Emily have a really bad day which starts with losing her temporary job and agent.  Then we have a chapter with Scott’s POV and we know from then that something is not right, we know he has something planned and that plan involves Emily.

Needing a job and now her former boss comes to’ her rescue’ with another job offer  (The warning bells should have been going off right there Emily!) Emily takes it. She ends up in a secluded home with Scott’s wife Nina and their child Aurelia.  But they are in the middle of nowhere with no phone reception or internet, and Nina will not let Emily into the family home.  Emily is cut off from everything/everyone. Once Emily realizes things are amiss, it might already be too late. 

I did not figure out the twist, but I should have as the signs were there. . It would be a bit of a predictable novel and the ending did not totally deliver. This is a first novel for Anna Downes and I would give her another try.

**Many thanks to the publisher Minotaur Books for sending me a copy to read and review**

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

[Top]

The Cabin

The Cabin
Author: Natasha Preston
Published: September 6, 2016
327 Pages

Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 3 stars

Book Description:

There may only be one killer, but no one is innocent.

When Mackenzie treks to a secluded cabin in the woods with six friends, she expects a fun weekend of partying, drinking, and hookups. But when they wake to find two of their own dead and covered in blood, it’s clear there’s a killer among them.

As the police try to unravel the case, Mackenzie launches her own investigation. Before long secrets start to emerge, revealing a sinister web of sins among the original seven friends. The killer is still free. Every one of them is a suspect. And Mackenzie starts to realize that no one is innocent…

Kim’s Review:

Preston does such a great job of writing an interesting story, while making it so easy to read. This book is more of a simple murder mystery. While the cover is one of my favorites, the story is my least favorite and I didn’t have that figured out until the end. Everything was going pretty well, until I hit the last page, when it went from a fascinating murder investigation to a typical teenager dramatic production. I’m glad I read it. I enjoyed reading most of it and I even liked most of the characters. But that ending just did it in for me! If you like Natasha Preston, then I definitely suggest reading this book to round out her works, but this isn’t the first one I’d recommend to someone who has never read her books.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

[Top]