The Lost by Natasha Preston, 304 pages

Anytime that I want to read something in the thriller genre that doesn't require a lot of thought, I always go to Natasha Preston's books. Everything I've read by Preston has been in the YA thriller/horror genre and they've all been super fast paced and jam-packed with tons of twist and turns. I flew through this in a couple of hours which doesn't necessarily make it a great book but it was a nice break from what I've been reading recently. 

The Lost follows best friends Piper and Luna, who take it upon themselves to investigate the recent disappearances of teens in their town. During the investigation, the girls meet three handsome guys who are in college somewhere near where they live. They're quickly horrified to realize that the guys were not who they seemed to originally be, and have kidnapped both of the girls. To make matters worse, it doesn't seem like the kidnapper's first time abducting someone. The girls are taken and left in a building with other kidnapped teens, forced to fight for their lives.

None of the characters were great by any means and I found a lot of them to be annoying, but I let a lot of that slide when it comes to YA, especially YA thrillers. The ending was disappointing but overall, this was a fun one!

Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay, 446 pages

Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay takes place in New York City. The entire city is in a full-blown panic due to elevator accidents happening in random buildings throughout the city. I found this book actually pretty scary because it was relatively realistic and felt like something that could happen. I was disappointed in the ending because it was so intense and built up to what I thought was going to be some dramatic twist, and after it happened I had more of a "Oh, that's it?" reaction. Overall, this was another solid read from Barclay and if you normally like his novels, you'll enjoy this one. Elevator Pitch is scheduled to be published September 17, 2019

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena, 304 pages

I received an advanced copy of Shari Lapena's newest domestic thriller, Someone We Know. This book is scheduled to be published on July 30, 2019. I overall enjoyed this book and found it to be fast paced, although I do get the "been there, done that" feeling from a lot of Lapena's latest work. I wish she would branch out of the domestic thriller genre but I also understand sticking to what you're good at! This wasn't my favorite Lapena novel, but I did enjoy it and recommend it to anyone who likes a good quick and drama-filled read. I'm sure this will be another hit for Lapena.

The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis, 481 Pages

Before reading The Murder House, I had never read anything by Patterson. He is obviously one of the most popular authors that we have in circulation so I figured I should eventually give one of his books a try. I came across The Murder House and it seemed like something I would generally read and thought this was a perfect opportunity. The book definitely held my interest and I was able to easily finish it but I didn't particularly love it and found most of the characters unlikable. I guess I expected more from Mr. Patterson from all the hype I've heard from everyone!

Love You More by Lisa Gardner, 418 pages

Love You More was the 5th book in the Detective D.D. Warren series. I'm really enjoying this series and it's just the right amount of suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. This book also introduced Tessa who later becomes a frequent character.

Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner, 449 pages

Live to Tell was the 4th book in the Detective D.D. Warren series and thankfully, I liked it better than the last one. This book had a really creepy feel to it, which I love. I've really started to like main character D.D. and like the little hints of humor in the writing which breaks up the heavy topics that Gardner seems to include in this series.

The Neigbor by Lisa Gardner, 434 pages

The Neighbor is the 3rd book in Lisa Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren series. So far, this has been my least favorite of the series. I found it to be a little too unrealistic and something about the plot just didn't do it for me. I'm hoping the rest of the series holds up like the first two did.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 288 pages

My favorite nerdy-librarian genre is books about books and this book delivers.  It's a fast-paced, upbeat, witty, slightly wacky mystery and adventure.  I loved it!

We don't have this book at the library. . . yet.  I borrowed the audiobook via interlibrary loan but we will be adding a print copy soon.

In the meantime, check out Robin Sloan's second book "Sourdough."  We have that book in print and audio already and that's what lead me to Penumbra. 

Fallout by Sara Paretsky, 304 pages

I have no good excuse as to why it took me so long to read "Fallout."  This is book #18 in Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski mystery series.  V.I. is a tough and smart female private investigator based in Chicago.  In this outing she travels to Lawrence, KS to find an aging actress and her young biographer who have disappeared from Chicago.

As usual Paretsky delivers smart writing, an engaging fast-paced story and plenty (but not too much) grit.  Happily, in the time it took me to get around to reading this one Sara Paretsky has published another V.I. Warshawski novel.  "Shell Game" is on deck to be read darned soon!

The Drowning by J.P. Smith, 336 pages

This book was so creepy! I think this would be a great summer read, as it's based around a creepy old summer camp that has a dark, sinister history surrounding it. I really liked this book and haven't been able to put it down for the last two days. The main character, Alex, was horrible, but that's intentional on the author's part. I do wish that the ending gave more closure, but that's my only complaint! There were lots of twists in the story that made me think I was on the right path, and then another twist would come in and completely throw me off.

The Better Sister by Alafair Burke, 336 pages

Alafair Burke is an author that I've intended to read for a while now, but never got around to it. I was given an advanced copy of her newest book, The Better Sister, in exchange for an honest review, so I thought this was the perfect time to give her books a try. I was thoroughly impressed with this book, and loved the fact that I wasn't able to figure out the ending early on. This book is also a great read during the times we're in, as it deals a lot with the "Me Too" movement and things of that nature. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading her others soon! The Better Sister is expected to be published on April 16, 2019.

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda, 336 pages

The Last House Guest is Megan Miranda's most recent, due to be published on May 2, 2019. This was more of the Megan Miranda I like, as opposed to her other new one, Come Find Me, that I didn't like very much. This book was very chilling, and definitely kept me thinking, but I did see the direction the book was going fairly early on.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, 384 pages

Riley Sager is a favorite author of mine. Everything he writes keeps me guessing until the very end, and usually creeps it's way onto my list of all-time favorite thriller's. I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of his newest book, Lock Every Door, in exchange for an honest review. I really loved this book. It was creepy, and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire thing. The last 100 or so pages are so anxiety-inducing and shocking. Sager didn't let me down with this one. Lock Every Door is expected to be published on July 2, 2019.

Come Find Me by Megan Miranda, 336 pages

I normally love anything and everything that Megan Miranda writes, so I was a little disappointed that I didn't love this book. At the same time, I didn't dislike it, I just think it unfortunately falls flat to the rest of her collection. I think this is intended to be a Young Adult novel, so that may have been why it felt different to her regular fiction. I still would recommend this to patron's, but would definitely recommend her other work before this one!

The Underdog by Agatha Christie page count unknown

I listened to this Hercule Poirot mystery for the first time.  I can't even find it as a stand alone book in print, but I would guess it is only around 100 pages.  For one of the shorter Poirot stories, it certainly packs a wallop.  Someone has done a murder and the lady of the house is convinced she knows who.  The problem is that the only thing she's going on is her intuition.  Poirot is the only one who does not scoff, but decides to see why she is so resolute in her conviction.  Read by David Suchet, the best Poirot ever. 

24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling 260 pages

I saw that this book was being compared to Holes by Louis Sachar.  How could I not read it?  Nowhere is a tiny town that most people dream of fleeing.  A group of kids form an unlikely alliance to satisfy a demand from the local bully and enter into the most dangerous local, condemned mine.  Their search for gold yields more than they ever thought possible.  It also often made me think of The Goonies, which is one of my all time favorite movies.  For 4th graders and up who love realistic fiction with a bit of adventure and mystery thrown in, you can't miss with this one. 

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge, 384 Pages

I received an advanced copy of She Lies in Wait via Netgalley, and although it had a ton of potential, I had a hard time finishing the book and there was just too much going on for me to keep track and enjoy the read. I felt like the book was extremely predictable, and after starting out extremely fast paced, it fizzled out and dragged on. There were a few times that I had to go back and reread parts to figure out which character was who, and how they played into the story. I was overall disappointed by this, but extremely thankful I was given the chance to read it in exchange for an honest review! She Lies in Wait is set to be published in January 2019.

A group of teens go camping in the forest, and after a night fueled by alcohol and drugs, they realize that the youngest, Aurora, is missing. Thirty years later, remains are found in the forest, and are identified as Aurora's. The case is reopened, and the original group of friends is brought together under the circumstances, and everyone is under suspicion.

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia, 336 Pages

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia had so much potential for me, but fell flat. I was SO annoyed with the main character that the life choices that she decided to make after meeting Lucas. There also were a lot of moments where I found myself thinking, "There is no way that this would ever, ever happen in real life". (I get that it's fiction but COME ON. I need it to be a little realistic!!) I feel bad for disliking it so much because the ratings on Goodreads and similar websites were mostly positive, but I had a hard time finishing this book.

Maya Stark, a speech pathologist, finds herself in over her head when she is assigned to the case of Lucas Blackthorn. Lucas was last seen as a 9-year-old boy, camping in Boundary Waters with his father, Josiah. The two men went missing, and all that was left behind was a ravaged campsite. The authorities assumed the two were dead until Lucas was caught stealing items from a sporting/outfitters store. Lucas was sent the psychiatric ward where Maya works, where he was extremely violent and refused to communicate with anyone. After some time together, Lucas opens up to Maya, begging him for help in saving his father. Maya decides to put everything on the line in hopes of finding a happy ending for Lucas.

Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford 456 pages

This is the sequel to Greenglass House.  It's one year later and Milo is not in a great mood.  It's not snowing, his teacher makes unfair assumptions because of Milo's race, and worst of all, his parents' hotel has a guest that just won't leave and it's almost Christmas.  It certainly doesn't help that his friend, Meddy, who happens to be a ghost, hasn't appeared for nearly a full year and Milo doesn't understand why.  Milford is exceptional at describing settings and having completely character-driven plots.  Her dialogue between characters is so believable, you can actually hear the voices.  I love these books with their quiet, but intriguing stories unfolding within the pages.  I wouldn't recommend this for a reluctant reader, but if you have a kid who loves to read and get wrapped up in a story, this is an excellent choice. 

The Three Beths by Jeff Abbott, 400 pages

I listened to the audiobook edition of this. I thought the book was a good thriller, with plenty of twists to keep me engaged. It was very close to having too many twists for me, and there were a couple parts of the story that seemed like they'd be huge pieces of the final puzzle, that were just dropped and never brought up again. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book!

Mariah Dunning and her father, Craig, are still reeling from her mother's disappearance. Beth's case ran cold, and there have been no signs of her since the day she left. The local police and community have mostly assumed that Craig is to blame, but Mariah stands by her father. Mariah is positive about one thing- she knows her mom would never just abandon her. Taking matters into her own hands, Mariah begins investigating Beth's disappearance, much to her dad's dismay. Mariah is tipped off by a friend that runs a true-crime blog that another Beth disappeared in eerily similar circumstances, and her location is very close to the Dunning's. She begins to put everything at risk in order to figure out what happened to her mom, and now, the other Beth.