Tag Archive for: 4 Stars

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When I’m Dead

When I’m DeadTitle: When I'm Dead
Author(s): Hannah Morrissey
Series: Black Harbor #3
Genre(s): Thriller
Format(s): Audio
Pages: 308
Length: 10h 37m
Narrator(s): Xe Sands, Andrew Eiden, Caitlyn Kelly, Gary Tiedemann
Source: Owned
Reason(s): Book of the Month
Rating:
Spice: 2 Flames

My Thoughts

As with THE WIDOWMAKER, WHEN I’M DEAD isn’t really a sequel because it focuses on other characters. There are a few secondary characters that are in each book, but the main commonality between the three stories is the setting–Black Harbor, Wisconsin. I do love the Easter eggs that unite the stories as a series.

WHEN I’M DEAD is a very dark thriller that kept me guessing until the end. It’s thought-provoking and deals with subjects like bullying, suicide, and parent / child relationships. There was so much more emotion in this story than the previous two. I thought the story was captivating, emotional, and suspenseful. I love Morrissey’s prose. It’s so descriptive and beautiful. (Although, if I heard “shadow of a doubt” one more time, I might have screamed.) I really liked that the story’s told from multiple POVs that provided a different look into what was going on. I also really liked the characters, especially Rowan and Axel because of their need to find their daughter, Chloe.

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The Widowmaker

The WidowmakerTitle: The Widowmaker
Author(s): Hannah Morrissey
Series: Black Harbor #2
Genre(s): Thriller
Format(s): Audio
Pages: 293
Length: 10h 39m
Narrator(s): Xe Sands, Adam Verner
Source: Library
Reason(s): None
Rating:
Spice: 1.5 Flames

My Thoughts

Even though THE WIDOWMAKER is the second book in the Black Harbor series, it’s not really sequel to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER. Investigator Kole, now Sgt. Kole, does return as a secondary character, but the commonality between the two stories is the setting–Black Harbor, Wisconsin–the most crime-ridden city in the state.

THE WIDOWMAKER is a very dark, thought-provoking thriller that deals with hard subjects like child abandonment, abuse, and sexual assault. It’s captivating, suspenseful, and told in a dual POV. It kept me guessing until the very end. I love Morrissey’s beautifully descriptive prose. I liked both of the main characters, Morgan and Hudson, and the narrators did a great job bringing them to life. I thought some of the secondary characters were a bit flat and could’ve been fleshed out more. I also liked the little Easter eggs pointing to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER when Hudson was interacting with and talking about Sgt. Kole.

Hello, Transcriber

Hello, TranscriberTitle: Hello, Transcriber
Author(s): Hannah Morrissey
Series: Black Harbor #1
Genre(s): Thriller
Format(s): Audio
Pages: 296
Length: 9h 1m
Narrator(s): Angela Dawe
Source: Library
Reason(s): None
Rating:
Spice: 3.5 Flames

I’m glad I decided to read HELLO, TRANSCRIBER. It was a captivating and thought-provoking romantic thriller that deals with hard subjects like spousal abuse, depression and suicidal ideation, homo- and transphobia, and drug use in minors. Thanks to Morrissey’s beautifully descriptive prose, I zipped right through it by staying up all night listening to the audiobook. It hooked me right from the beginning and has left me thinking about the characters and their relationships.

Beartown

BeartownTitle: Beartown
Author(s): Fredrik Backman
Series: Beartown #1
Genre(s): Contemporary
Format(s): Kindle
Pages: 496
Source: Library
Reason(s): Book Club
Rating:
Spice: 0.5 Flames

My Thoughts

BEARTOWN is an emotionally thought-provoking story that deals with hard subjects like toxic masculinity, winning at all costs, and consent. The story’s sad but hopeful, and extremely maddening. At times, it was difficult to keep reading. Even though my heart hurts, it was worth the pain and sorrow. I absolutely had no idea that a book about hockey (but not really) would make me feel the way I did.

Backman’s books are as good as they are because of his characters. Not only is he a master at writing emotionally charged stories, he’s also a master at writing a whole cast of round, complicated characters that are easy to connect with because they feel like real people with real lives.

Dating Dr. Dil

Dating Dr. DilTitle: Dating Dr. Dil
Author(s): Nisha Sharma
Series: If Shakespeare Were an Aunty #1
Genre(s): Romance
Format(s): Hard Cover
Pages: 358
Source: Owned
Reason(s): Book of the Month
Rating:
Spice: 4 Flames

My Thoughts

DATING DR. DIL is a hot steamy enemies-to-lovers romance and a retelling of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW by William Shakespeare. I loved the double POV and being in both Kareena’s and Prem’s heads. They had so much chemistry together with awesome bantering and amazing sexual tension. (The only thing I disliked was the descriptions of Perm’s manhood. Calling his penis Charlie is one thing, but acting like “Charlie” was a sentient being was just too much for me. I rolled my eyes every time he thought that way.)

I really enjoyed being a part of Kareena’s and Prem’s culture. I honestly didn’t know much about the American desi culture. I loved all the descriptions of the clothing, parties, and food. Oh the food! I’m now craving Indian from my favorite local restaurant. The strong familial influence, sometimes to the detriment of the characters mental health, and the pressure for Indian women to be married and having kids before 30 really resonated with me.