Category: Thriller

Science Fiction, Thriller

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

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Upgrade by Blake Crouch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blake Crouch is so incredibly talented. I’m always dying to read what he writes next because his brain works in such a fascinating way to weave a pretty incredible story.

The say I loved Dark Matter and Recursion would be an understatement, so I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to read and review Upgrade from the publisher.

Let’s start by all humming the Kanye West tune “Stronger.”

Work it, make it, do it
Makes us harder, better, faster, stronger
N-n-now that that don’t kill me
Can only make me stronger….

That’s basically the premise of this book. Guy comes into contact with a substance that essentially “upgrades” him to be better, faster, stronger. But why? And what is coming next?

This book explores human involvement in manipulating the human genome. How far is too far?

While I liked the book, there were parts that seemed a bit far fetched, even for a science fiction novel. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to Dark Matter or Recursion but it was still an enjoyable read overall.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Blake Crouch, and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the opportunity to review.



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Mystery, Thriller

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

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Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars rounded up

This one was a wild ride! Usually when I read thrillers they all kind of have the same journey. Stay Awake was different. I had entirely no idea “whodunit” or where the book was headed next. It definitely kept me turning page after page to find out.

The premise is very Memento-like circa 2000. Every time the main character falls asleep, she loses her memory of the last 2 years and has to start from scratch to figure out what’s going on in her life.

The book was a 5 star read for me until the ending. I think I was a tad underwhelmed with the villain and the way the story concluded after all the time that was invested to get there. But overall, it will still a worthwhile read.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Goldin, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review.-



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Thriller

The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller

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The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Out July 20th!

If you’re looking for a super quick read, this is a great choice! Definitely would categorize this as a good summer read for all you folks out there looking for something to read while posted up next to the pool.

This book gave me a combination of Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies, both of which I love. The main characters weren’t particularly likable (as you’ll see in other reviews) but I think it worked. I’m not sure the intention was for them to be likable, but their characters were well developed and sassy.

There were some good twists throughout the story that left me surprised, and overall it was easy to get lost in this one and flip through 100 pages in no time. Would recommend!

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Kristin Miller, and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to review.-



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Mystery, Thriller

Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker

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Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the best Wendy Walker book I’ve read so far!

The story of a woman abducted. A man deranged. A daughter determined to find her.

The way this story unfolded was really unique. I tend to read a lot of thrillers and sometimes they all run together, but I have a feeling this one will stick with me for a while. I thought the way the author introduced us to the abductor early on without telling us his name or identity was pretty unique, so we were able to see both sides of this story, the perspective of the woman in captivity and the perspective of those who were searching for her. And when the stories eventually converged in the end, there was a surprise that I never saw coming!

This book reminded me a lot of Intensity by Dean Koontz so if you were a fan of that one, I think you would really enjoy .

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Wendy Walker, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review.-



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General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller

The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer

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The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Out April 20, 2021!

I have such mixed feelings about this book. Here are a collection of my feelings:

1. I though the twist was pleasantly unexpected, which is difficult to do with today’s thrillers.
2. The middle of the story was a little bit slow, and it felt like the characters were having the exact same conversation 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 times, which got a little monotonous as the reader.
3. I typically enjoy stories told from multiple perspectives, but I struggled a bit with it here. Without titling the chapters or being clearer at the outset of each chapter, it sometimes took me a bit to figure out who’s perspective I was reading. And to be honest, the entire perspective told by Jack seemed unnecessary and misplaced.
4. I wasn’t really sure what Jack’s film had to do with anything. It was an odd detail that never really developed.
5. At times, I felt like Grace was being a little overzealous about really small discoveries that she felt might change the course of the case. But to me as the reader, those discoveries were completely insignificant and their ability to impact the case was kind of a stretch.
5. I really enjoyed the concept of multiple personalities and the philosophical question about whether or not somebody should be held accountable to something one of their other personalities did or didn’t do.

Overall, solid 3 star read. I think I’m in the minority here as others seem to have loved it so read it and decide for yourself.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, D.J. Palmer, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review.-



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