Book Review: The Boy From the Woods (Wilde, #1) by Harlan Coben

Posted on 06/02/2023 by Lenn

Title: The Boy From the Woods (Wilde, #1)

Author: Harlan Coben

Publication Date: March 1, 2020

Number of Pages: 384

Format: Paperback
Publisher: Century

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime

Synopsis:

Thirty years ago, a child was found in the woods. He had been living a feral existence, with no memory of how he got there or even who he is. Everyone just calls him Wilde.

Now another child has gone missing – Naomi Pine – who may be playing some sort of disappearing game. No one seems concerned about her whereabouts, not even her father.

No one – except criminal attorney Hester Crimstein, whose grandson knows Naomi is being bullied badly at school and is concerned for her safety. Hester is determined to find Naomi so she calls Wilde – now ex-military and an expert in security issues – and asks him to track her down.

But even Wilde can’t find Naomi. One day passes, then another, then a third.

Four days later a finger shows up in the mail.

And Wilde knows that what may have started as a game has now spiralled into something far, far darker… Continue reading →

Book Review: The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

Posted on 06/01/2023 by Lenn

Title: The Mother-in-Law

Author: Sally Hepworth

Publication Date: January 29, 2019

Number of Pages: 352

Format: Paperback
Publisher: Macmillan Australia

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Synopsis:

From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they’ll never have the closeness she’d been hoping for.

But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something…

From the bestselling author of The Family Next Door comes a new page-turner about that trickiest of relationships. Continue reading →

Bangkok Book Haul

Posted on 02/26/2023 by Lenn

Of course, our trip wouldn’t be complete if I don’t drop by bookstores and shop for books. I knew that they have one of my favorite bookstores when travelling in Asia (I haven’t travelled outside of Asia yet, but you get my point), Books Kinokuniya, so it was instantly on our itinerary! But we also dropped by Open House at Central Embassy Mall which I learned from Kathryn Bernardo’s Instagram post when she went to Thailand last year. Ever since I saw her post about this beautiful bookstore, I knew that I wanted to visit it and that’s why I convinced my husband to spend our first anniversary in Thailand.

Open House is located at the 6th floor of Central Embassy mall. Take note, they occupy the WHOLE floor. They sell different kinds of books from educational, cultural, memoirs, and fiction. They also have cafe’s and restaurant’s inside the bookstore! It was really a cool place to visit if you’re a bookworm like me. Oh, and they also offer art materials for painting, drawing, etc. Continue reading →

Stuff I’ve Been Reading Lately #30

Posted on 02/10/2023 by Lenn

BOOKS READ:

Melvina’s Therapy by A. Rasen
I’m a Therapist and My Patient is in Love with a Pedophile: 6 Patient Files From Prison (Dr. Harper Therapy, #2)
Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke
The New Year’s Party by Daniel Hurst
The Ex by Alafair Burke
The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World by Jenn Granneman
Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez
Woom by Duncan Ralston
American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower
A Boy Possessed by Jon Athan

ONGOING:

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton

BOOKS BOUGHT:

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Better Together by Christine Riccio
The Defence by Steve Cavanagh
Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
We Told Six Lies by Victoria Scott
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Continue reading →

Book Review: Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke

Posted on 01/23/2023 by Lenn

Title: Sour Candy

Author: Kealan Patrick Burke

Publication Date: November 13, 2015

Number of Pages: 107

Publisher: Independent

Format: Ebook

Genre: Horror, ThrillerBoo

Synopsis:

At first glance, Phil Pendleton and his son Adam are just an ordinary father and son, no different from any other. They take walks in the park together, visit county fairs, museums, and zoos, and eat together overlooking the lake. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to set his own bedtimes and eat candy whenever he wants. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined.

What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life.

But you’ll also learn about me — and the worst thing I’ve ever done.
Continue reading →

Book Review: I’m a Therapist and My Patient is In Love With a Pedophile

Posted on 01/21/2023 by Lenn

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Title: I’m a Therapist and My Patient is In Love With a Pedophile

Publication Date: July 15, 2019

Number of Pages: 177

Publisher: –

Format: Ebook

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Psychology

Synopsis:

The highly anticipated sequel to I’m a Therapist, and My Patient is Going to be the Next School Shooter

I’ve counseled the most chilling criminals… A young inmate who fell in love with a pedophile. A man who intentionally infected strangers with HIV. A patient with an extremely unusual addiction. A sociopath who wanted to have a conscience. A conspiracy theorist who harassed victims of a terrorist attack.

And the patient who still haunts my dreams: A boy sold into human trafficking.

In these files, you’ll learn about the the psychology behind the world’s most dangerous criminals.

But you’ll also learn about me — and the worst thing I’ve ever done.
Continue reading →

Book Review: The Ex by Alafair Burke

Posted on 01/20/2023 by Lenn

Title: The Ex

Author: Alafair Burke

Publication Date: January 26, 2016

Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: Faber Faber

Format: Paperback

Genre: Crime, Legal Thriller

Synopsis:

Twenty years ago she ruined his life. Now she has the chance to save it.

Widower Jack Harris has resisted the dating scene ever since the shooting of his wife Molly by a fifteen-year-old boy three years ago. An early morning run along the Hudson River changes that when he spots a woman in last night’s party dress, barefoot, enjoying a champagne picnic alone, reading his favorite novel. Everything about her reminds him of what he used to have with Molly. Eager to help Jack find love again, his best friend posts a message on a popular website after he mentions the encounter. Days later, that same beautiful stranger responds and invites Jack to meet her in person at the waterfront. That’s when Jack’s world falls apart.

Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the victims was connected to his wife’s murder—there is no doubt in her mind as to his innocence. The only question is who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why?

For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets, to absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him?
Continue reading →

Book Review: Melvina’s Therapy by A. Rasen

Posted on 01/19/2023 by Lenn

Title: Melvina’s Therapy

Author: A. Rasen

Publication Date: May 4, 2017

Number of Pages: 81

Publisher: LINE Webtoon

Format: Ebook

Genre: Horror, Manhwa, Webtoon

Synopsis:

Anxiety, loneliness, depression… with a regular therapy you can deal with these issues, but Melvina’s Therapy is about something deeper: creepy secrets remaining in the darkest space of your mind, waiting for you…
Continue reading →

Book Review: The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World by Jenn Granneman

Posted on 01/11/2023 by Lenn

Title: The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World

Author: Jenn Granneman

Publication Date: August 1, 2017

Number of Pages: 320

Publisher: Skyhorse

Format: Paperback

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help

Synopsis:

An introvert guide and manifesto for all the quiet ones—and the people who love them.

Is there a hidden part of you that no one else sees? Do you have a vivid inner world of thoughts and emotions that your peers and loved ones can’t seem to access? Have you ever been told you’re too “quiet,” “shy,” “boring,” or “awkward”? Are your habits and comfort zones questioned by a society that doesn’t seem to get the real you? If so, you might be an introvert.

On behalf of those who have long been misunderstood, rejected, or ignored, fellow introvert Jenn Granneman writes a compassionate vindication—exploring, discovering, and celebrating the secret inner world of introverts that, only until recently, has begun to peek out and emerge into the larger social narrative. Drawing from scientific research, in-depth interviews with experts and other introverts, and her personal story, Granneman reveals the clockwork behind the introvert’s mind—and why so many people get it wrong initially.

Whether you are a bona fide introvert, an extrovert anxious to learn how we tick, or a curious ambivert, these revelations will answer the questions you’ve always had:
• What’s going on when introverts go quiet?
• What do introvert lovers need to flourish in a relationship?
• How can introverts find their own brand of fulfillment in the workplace?
• Do introverts really have a lot to say—and how do we draw it out?
• How can introverts mine their rich inner worlds of creativity and insight?
• Why might introverts party on a Friday night but stay home alone all Saturday?
• How can introverts speak out to defend their needs?

With other myths debunked and truths revealed, The Secret Lives of Introverts is an empowering manifesto that guides you toward owning your introversion by working with your nature, rather than against it, in a world where you deserve to be heard.
Continue reading →

Book Review: Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez

Posted on 01/09/2023 by Lenn

Title: Chef’s Kiss

Author: Jarrett Melendez

Publication Date: April 12, 2022

Number of Pages: 160

Publisher: Oni Press

Format: Ebook

Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, LGBTQ+

Synopsis:

Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something…anything…related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won’t be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn’t even have enough experience to be a garbage collector!

But when Ben stumbles upon a “Now Hiring—No Experience Necessary” sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He’s actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he’s got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it’s only temporary…right?

When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.
Continue reading →