The Blog

Two Can Keep a Secret – YA Novel

May 8, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

I’ve not been quiet about the fact that my passion (after reading) is writing. Recently I signed up for a writing workshop. It was supposed to be an in person conference, but ended up needing to be online because of Covid-19. Not only was that workshop great, but it reaffirmed the genre I wanted to write. Young Adult. I just finished Two Can Keep a Secret, a YA novel by Karen M. McManus. Fun fact for you…while YA novels are typically targeted to young adults, 55% of the people reading YA are adults!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

One of Us Is Lying Two Can Keep a Secret One of Us Is Next: The Sequel to One of Us Is Lying

About Two Can Keep a Secret

From Amazon –

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone has declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

My Thoughts

I’ve read other books by Karen M. McManus and enjoyed them. Two Can Keep a Secret is no different. I enjoy books that are written by multiple points of view. It allows us to have more insight into the characters and plot. From a plot standpoint, I think this book was spot on. It moved along nicely and held my attention. I did have a little trouble with a few of the characters. They got a little jumbled up and I wasn’t sure who a few of them were at one point. I eventually figured it out, but that was really my only “complaint” with the book. And lets face it, we have been stuck in our house for the last couple months, so it is quite possible that my focus wasn’t what it normally is when I am reading! I can admit that!

Other Books by Karen M. McManus

I mentioned that I have read other books by this author. The book that stands out to me, and one I would definitely recommend, is One of Us is Lying. There is a sequel to that book, that I have not had a chance to read yet, and I am itching to do so. One of Us is Lying reminded me of the Breakfast Club combined with the game/movie Clue! Pick up a copy of the book and let me know what you think! While you’re reading, try this delicious Andes Mint brownies I recently made!

The Woods by Harlan Coben

April 14, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

One of my favorite authors is Harlan Coben. He has this way of drawing you into a book and then you are unable to put the book down. Since we are supposed to stay home right now, due to Covid-19, I have been doing a lot of reading. For the last two days, I was reading, The Woods by Harlan Coben. Like past books I have read by this author, I literally couldn’t put it down. I would wake up, workout, shower, and then start reading. Breaks were only taken when I needed to eat or make dinner. The rest of the time, I was reading.

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Home The Woods: A Suspense Thriller The Stranger

The Woods by Harlan Coben

From Amazon –

Paul Copeland, a New Jersey county prosecutor, is still grieving the loss of his sister twenty years ago—the night she walked into the woods, never to be seen again. But now, a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to the disappearance. The victim could be the boy who vanished along with Paul’s sister. And, as hope rises that his sister could still be alive, dangerous secrets from his family’s past threaten to tear apart everything Paul has been trying to hold together…

My Thoughts

To be 100% honest, I almost did not read this book. The description didn’t really “grab me”. Not to mention, the book is over 500 pages. However, I had finished my last book I was reading (The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides) and I had spent FOREVER trying to find another book I felt like reading. I have literally loved every Harlan Coben novel I’ve read so I decided to give it a shot. Boy was I glad I did. Like most books I read, I like to try and guess what the ending will be. This book was no different.

So like I said, I like to figure things out before the end of the book. When I read actual books, as opposed to on my Kindle, I was the person that flipped to the last page and read it first. I know. I know. It’s horrible, but I couldn’t help it. With the Kindle, it’s not that easy (and if it is easy, don’t tell me)! I thought I had the general idea. And then something happened to make me question exactly what I thought. The way the book ended was nothing like what I thought in the beginning, and I love that! I love being surprised, and believe it or not, I love being wrong!

Why Kindle?

Several years ago, my husband got me the BEST birthday present ever. The Kindle Paperwhite. Since my kids are involved in sports and I pick them up from school and have to sit in the dreaded car line, I love having my Kindle Paperwhite because it allows me to have my book with me wherever I am! My favorite is during spring soccer (that Covid-19 has totally ruined this year – boo) when I would take my daughter to practice and sit in the pavilion, enjoy the spring air, and read on my Kindle. I never needed to worry about having a book with me since I could store more books than I could ever read in my lifetime, on my Kindle Paperwhite at one time! Amazing! Plus, my new Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, so if it starts to rain, I won’t ruin my book!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

April 7, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

I love when people recommend books to me. Back in December, it was recommended that I read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I had to place a hold on it through the library and wait until it was my turn to download it onto my Kindle Paperwhite. It took three months to get to my turn, but the wait to read The Silent Patient was more than worth it. Imagine reading a book that has you literally holding your breath as you read it, all while having your mind running every which way to figure it out. That was me. The entire time.

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

All-new Kindle Paperwhite Water-Safe Fabric Cover (10th Generation-2018), Charcoal Black Kindle Paperwhite – Now Waterproof with 2x the Storage – Includes Special Offers Amazon 5W USB Official OEM Charger and Power Adapter for Fire Tablets and Kindle eReaders – Black

About The Silent Patient

From Amazon –

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

My Thoughts on the Alex Michaelides Psychological Thriller

First off, since I read ALL of my books on Kindle, I have to either get books using my Kindle Unlimited membership or through my library. With this particular book, I put a hold on it through the library. Like I mentioned earlier, it took me nearly three months until it was my turn to read it. It took me about the first 50 pages to get into the book. I’m not one to quit a book when I start one, so I pushed on. Boy was I glad I did! The twists and turns this book took were amazing. At one point, I was pretty certain I knew “who done it”. Boy was I wrong! The genius way Alex Michaelides tied of the ending and showed us what really happened, took my breath away. I truly hope this book becomes a movie. In fact, it should be directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Seriously.

The Silent Patient Spare Room: “The scariest, creepiest and best psychological suspense you’ll read this year” – Lee Child The Perfect Family: An unputdownable psychological thriller with a heartstopping twist

Other Books You May Enjoy

I tend to read a lot of psychological thrillers, like this book written by Alex Michaelides. Besides psychological thrillers, I like to read series books, some romance (more sappy, happy ending type), and any other book that is recommended to me. Some books I’ve read recently that I really enjoyed are:

Jack Stratton series

A Killers Wife

The Family Journal

As always, if you have a book that you just read, that you really enjoyed and think I should read it, let me know! I am always looking for new books to read! Especially now that we are stuck inside and reading is all I do right now!

Jack Stratton Series by Christopher Greyson

March 31, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

This Covid-19 quarantine has given me some much needed time to read. Sure I could be organizing closets and whatnot, but I can’t say I’ve done much of that. I’ve read more than anything. And taken naps. Guilt-free naps are the best! Like I’ve mentioned probably a dozen times, I love series books. The Jack Stratton series by Christopher Greyson is one of my favorites. I actually didn’t realize his next book, Jack of Diamonds, had come out. So imagine how happy I was to see it available on Kindle Unlimited AND also having the time to read it!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Why Series Books?

Um…why not? No, seriously, why not? For me, reading a series book is much like watching your favorite television series. You get comfortable with the characters. Some of the characters you like and you are rooting for, while others you can’t stand and you can’t wait to see them taken down. The same holds true for series books. The longest series I’ve read is the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. Like the Alex Cross series, the Jack Stratton series by Christopher Greyson sucked me in immediately. Continue reading to find out more about the series!

About the Jack Stratton Series

Early on in the series, we found out that as a very young child, Jack grew up in a whorehouse with his prostitute mother. Entering into the foster care system, Jack was lucky enough to have great foster parents and foster siblings. However, after a bomb nearly killed him when he was deployed, Jack comes back with demons he must fight every single day.

Jack of Diamond Synopsis from Amazon

‘Til death do us part…

All Jack Stratton wants to do is get married to the woman he loves—and make it through the wedding. It seems like he is finally getting his wish until he responds to a police distress call and discovers his old partner unconscious in an abandoned house. Investigators insist it was just an accident, but Jack fears there may be more to it. Sketches of women cover the walls, and among them is one sketch that makes Jack’s blood run cold—a sketch of Alice, pinned up beside an invitation to a very special wedding—his own.

Locking horns with law enforcement, Jack digs deeper. What did his old police partner see in the house? Who’s been creating these sketches? More importantly, what do they want with Jack’s bride-to-be?

When he identifies two of the women in the sketches, only to discover that they are both missing, Jack finds himself thrown into one of the deadliest cases he’s ever worked. Jack comes to a terrifying conclusion—there’s a serial killer on the loose… and Alice is his next target.
As their wedding day looms closer, Jack and Alice must work together to solve the murders and put an end to the killer. Will they catch the psychopath in time, or will their loved ones attend a funeral instead of a wedding?

Jack of Diamonds is a riveting thriller that takes murder mysteries to a whole other level. Filled with intrigue and suspense, this book delivers compelling twists and crafty schemes along with some laugh-out-loud wedding antics. As Jack and Alice fight a deadly killer, their long, happy future together seems like it’s just inches from slipping away.

This time, “till death do us part” might just be a bit too accurate.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this Jack Stratton book. With previous books in this series, I have often figured things out before I got to the end. However, with Jack of Diamonds, I thought I figured it out and I was WAY wrong! The ending was surprising to me in a way that I really enjoyed! I actually could see this book being a movie or an episode of a show like Criminal Minds or something!

The nice thing about every single book in the Jack Stratton series is that they can be found on Kindle Unlimited! If you don’t know about Kindle Unlimited, then check out the Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans. Your first month is completely FREE!

If you are like me and you like to nibble on delicious goodies while you are reading, then you need to try these yummy brownies with white chocolate chips that I made the other day! They are from scratch and so so easy to make!

Book Lovers Easter Basket Ideas

March 17, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

Since most of us are stuck inside right now (hello, Coronavirus 2020), I can’t help but think about Easter. Easter basket ideas are always difficult for me to come up with, now that my kids are teenagers. On one hand, I sort of miss the days when I would put flip flops and some bubbles in their baskets. However, when they were younger, I feel like I bought a bunch of small, junky stuff. I would much rather put together a themed basket for them. This year, I will be putting together a book lovers Easter basket for each of my kids.

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Photo by Alena Koval from Pexels

If there is one thing I would love to make sure my kids get from me, it’s my love for reading. I feel like reading is one of those things that is a life long thing. You don’t just learn how to read in school and do it until you are done for school. To me, it’s one of those things that you should be doing every day of your life. Reading stimulates different parts of your brain and protects your memory as you age. Check out these book lovers Easter basket ideas for kids of all ages!

Book Lovers Easter Baskets for Toddlers

Kids are never too young to get excited about books. Making an Easter basket for toddlers with age appropriate books and toys can be a lot of fun! These are really fun books for toddlers.

Giraffes Can’t Dance Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Board Book)Press Here Grumpy Monkey

Next, throw in a couple Easter basket fillers like bubbles, a plush that relates to one of the books, and a piece of candy and you have a super cute basket for your toddler that centers around books!

Large Foldable Pail Bucket Collapsible Buckets Multi Purpose for Beach, Camping Gear Water and Food Jug, Dog Bowls, Cats, Dogs and Puppys, Camping and Fishing Tub (1.5 Gallons)YIHONG 10.5oz (300g) Easter Grass Recyclable Shred Paper for Easter Gift Basket Filler Easter Party Decoration,Green,Pink and Yellow 3 Colors Playmaker Toys Flingshot Flying Monkey Plush Toy, Brown Peeps Sugar Free Marshmallow Chicks, 3 Chicks per Package, Set of 5 Packages Toddler Infant Baby Girls Boys Long Sleeve Hip Hop Letters Easter Bunny Tees Shirt Blouse Tops (110(3T), Pink)

Book Baskets for Kids

I love kids picture books and mini-chapter books. If I had all the space in the world, I would buy them and hang on to them so when I have grandchildren one day, they can come check out grandma’s library! Here are a few of my favorites…

The Book with No Pictures Because Dragons Love Tacos Junie B. Jones’s First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4)Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon The Boxcar Children Books 1-4 ( Cover may Vary )I Survived: Ten Thrilling Stories (Boxed Set)

With the size of picture books and the little box sets, you will want a slightly larger Easter basket. I like these little mini tubs. They work well as a book lovers Easter basket, and then, after Easter, your kids can use it to store books next to their bed!

Plastic Storage Tub (Top Rim 12.5 330g (12 oz.) Easter Grass Recyclable Paper Shred (Pink, Yellow and Green) Easter Theme Party Decoration for Easter Basket Grass Filler/Stuffers Easter Eggstravaganza Mad Libs Kelloggs Froot Loops White Chocolate Easter Bunny Pack of 2 Frankford Limited Edition Favide 4 Pack 0.7mm 4-in-1 Multicolor Ballpoint Pen，4-Color Retractable Ballpoint Pens for Office School Supplies Students Children Gift

Book Lover Easter Baskets for Tweens and Teens

My approach for a book themed Easter basket for tweens and teens is slightly different and slightly more expensive, but hear me out. With a tween and teen basket, I would be more apt to lean towards splurging on a Kindle Paperwhite. I know that both of my teens are required to have a reading book with them at all times. Have you felt their backpacks these days? They are incredibly heavy and adding another book seems so silly. The Kindle Paperwhite is lightweight and can store many books on it at one time, which will make it so they are never without a book (and then won’t get in trouble).

Kindle Paperwhite – Now Waterproof with 2x the Storage – Includes Special Offers Ayotu Water-Safe Case for Kindle Paperwhite 2018 – PU Leather Smart Cover with Auto Wake/Sleep – Only Fit Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 10th 2018（ Waterproof with 2X The Storage）, K10 The Library Behrens B325 Galvanized Steel Paint Pail, 2.5 Quart, Silver 330g (12 oz.) Easter Grass Recyclable Paper Shred (Pink, Yellow and Green) Easter Theme Party Decoration for Easter Basket Grass Filler/Stuffers Frankford Froot Loops White Chocolate Easter Bunny, 2 Ounces Per Bunny Limited Edition – 2 Pack

If you have a Speedway gas station rewards card, you can also trade in your points for an Amazon giftcard to add to the basket!

What Book would You add?

So what do you think of these book lovers Easter basket ideas? What books would you add to them? Be sure to check out some of my personal favorite books for kids here.