Review: The Invited by Jennifer McMahon

"Some people move into a haunted house, but you, you want to build a haunted house, Helen."

Review: Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer

In the interest of full disclosure, I have been a fan of Jeffrey Archer's since I found Kane and Abel in the clearance bin at my local used book store. I was urged by my insanely smart brother to pick a book by its cover and so... that's what I chose. Suffice it to say, I was hooked to Archer's uncomplicated style of writing. His delivery can be described as hearing a story from that human fixture in your local bar or fellow commuter. He writes as if he's telling a story that might be a tad predictable at times, but is entertaining all the time.

Review: Her Pretty Face by Robyn Harding

When I began reading Robyn Harding's Her Pretty Face I was between books and wasn't ready to commit. I knew I wanted to read an easy title by an author I wasn't familiar with but, at the same time, I didn't want to waste my last few summer reads on a read that really added nothing new to the mystery thriller genre. My 2-star rating of Her Pretty Face is quite generous and here's why.

Review:Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

I'm somewhere between a 3 and a 4 star rating with B.A. Paris' Bring Me Back. Bring Me Back is the story of a man who's seeming to rapidly descend into madness after discovering that his girlfriend, who he thinks may have died 12 years earlier, is back. The idea that she might be back is what clinches on to readers, but the fast moving pace of this read keeps the attention of readers, even when things start to go a little quirky.

Review: What Truth Sounds Like by Michael Eric Dyson

What the truth sounds like, and is for me as I sit here and write this review is that I don't know how to review books such as this. Part of me wants to offer a review that strictly focuses on the writing. That (cowardly) part wants to remain neutral in all works that are social hot topics such as politics and race. I don't want to take a side. As reviewer, I feel it's a duty of sorts not to take a side. But another part, a bigger part of me knows I can't be honest and not share my opinions on the subject matter. The issues Michael Eric Dyson addresses in What Truth Sounds Like are happening all around whether or not I pick a side or engage in the conversation.

Review: The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer's The Escape Artist has been on my to-read list for quite some time. I've enjoyed reading his Culper Ring series and expected this title to be a thrilling, high energy read with a nugget of American history that makes the reader wonder what other conspiracies our government could be hiding. The Escape Artist did not disappoint.

Review: The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat

The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat was captivating from page one. We're introduced to our narrator whose story begins on an undisclosed island where it's clear she and her father might be outcasts of sorts. This unnamed island has become home to the narrator and her father along with other Ethiopians that believed in Ayale.