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The Last Mrs. Parrish

The Last Mrs. ParrishTitle: The Last Mrs. Parrish
Author: Liv Constantine
Series: Mrs. Parrish #1
Genre: Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 550
Length: 12h
Narrator: Meghan Wolfe, Suzanne Elise Freeman
Source: Library
Reason: Just Because
Rating:
Sexual Content: 1.5 Flames

My Thoughts

I decided to read THE LAST MRS. PARRISH because my book club read THE HOUSEMAID and I saw the controversy surrounding McFadden’s novels. I wanted to see for myself what all the hubbub was about. I can definitely see similarities in the two stories, but I’m not convinced that McFadden did what readers are accusing her of. Most stories, music, and other art are heavily influenced by existing media. The words, characters, and even the plot are different enough that they’re not the same.

Anyway, I really enjoyed THE LAST MRS. PARRISH. I, of course, can’t help but compare it to THE HOUSEMAID. Both kept me on the edge of my seat. Both ended fairly satisfactorily, although I liked THE LAST MRS. PARRISH’s story and ending better. While I liked both narrators in THE HOUSEMAID, I hated being in Amber’s selfish/narcissistic head in THE LAST MRS. PARRISH. But, it made the ending that much more satisfying to see her get what was coming to her. I’m glad I read this book and that the controversy lead me to it. I’ll definitely read more books written by the author duo Liv Constantine.

The Housemaid

The HousemaidTitle: The Housemaid
Author: Freida McFadden
Series: The Housemaid #1
Genre: Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 338
Length: 9h 41m
Narrator: Lauryn Allman
Source: Library
Reason: Book Club
Rating:
Sexual Content: 1 Flames

My Thoughts

That was some next-level gaslighting. Holy crap! Great twist and well executed. I tore through THE HOUSEMAID. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn’t want to put it down. I’m really excited to watch the movie now. (I’m going to read THE LAST MRS. PARRISH by Liv Constantine next to see what all the controversy is about surrounding Freida McFadden’s books.)

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The Spectacular

The SpectacularTitle: The Spectacular
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 368
Length: 12h 20m
Narrator: Kimberly Farr, Rachel L. Jacobs
Source: Owned
Reason: Book Club
Rating:
Sexual Content: 0.5 Flames

My Thoughts

I really love the historical aspects of Fiona Davis’ novels. In THE SPECTACULAR, I loved the setting of the mid 1950s and early 1990s, and I loved learning some of the history about the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall. I had no idea about the Mad Bomber (or Big Apple Bomber in the novel) and I had no idea it was the case that put criminal profiling on the map. That was all fascinating. I thought the mystery aspect of the book was a bit far-fetched, but it kept me interested and reading. The romance disappointed me as it was quite a bit lacking.

Kingdom of Claw

Kingdom of ClawTitle: Kingdom of Claw
Author: Demi Winters
Series: The Ashen #2
Genre: Romantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 548
Length: 24h 47m
Narrator: Islay Jacobs
Source: Owned
Reason: Just Because
Rating:
Sexual Content: 2.5 Flames

My Thoughts

KINGDOM OF CLAW was just as good as THE ROAD OF BONES, if not a little better. I loved learning more about the Galdra and how their galdr works. I loved seeing so many different types of galdr and watching Silla come into her own. I really loved seeing more of Ìseldur, its politics, and people. I enjoyed meeting all the new characters and I’m excited to see where the next book takes us, especially with that ending (again)!

The Road of Bones

The Road of BonesTitle: The Road of Bones
Author: Demi Winters
Series: The Ashen #1
Genre: Romantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 500
Length: 21h 15m
Narrator: Islay Jacobs
Source: Owned
Reason: BotM Backlist
Rating:
Sexual Content: 2.5 Flames

My Thoughts

This book! That ending! So many secrets, so many twists. I loved it! Even though I loved the audiobook, I kinda wish I had read-read THE ROAD OF BONES so I could see all the Nordic/Icelandic spellings. I loved the whole Vikingness of the story and I loved the subtle nod to Little Red Riding Hood. The characters, the world, and the magic system were amazing. The slow-burn romance was so much fun. I didn’t even mind the subtle love triangle. I’m really excited to read KINGDOM OF CLAW and see where this story goes.