Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger’s novel, Christmas Presents, is the perfect blend of cozy holiday charm and chilling suspense. Set against the backdrop of a quaint bookshop in a snow-dusted small town, the novel invites readers to unravel a decade-old mystery alongside Madeline Martin, the sole survivor of a brutal attack. 

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is an excellent holiday gift choice for the thriller reader on your shopping list!

The story begins when Harley Granger, a notorious true crime podcaster, arrives in Madeline’s bookstore just days before Christmas. Known as much for his fame and wealth as for his controversial tactics, Granger is on a mission to reexamine the horrific events that forever altered Madeline’s life. 

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth’s Darling Girls is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of sisterhood, trauma, and the haunting shadows of a past that refuses to stay buried. At the heart of the story are Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—three women whose childhoods were marred by tragedy and shaped by the unpredictable and controlling presence of their foster mother, Miss Fairchild.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

A Story of Secrets and Survival

From the outside, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia had everything a child in foster care could wish for—a safe, idyllic home on a sprawling estate, and the promise of a second chance at happiness. Miss Fairchild, their foster mother, was seen as a saint by the outside world, offering them a haven in the wake of their traumatic pasts. However, the truth of their upbringing was far from idyllic. Miss Fairchild’s “love” was superficial and performed only for others to see.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

Kate Alice Marshall’s No One Can Know is a hauntingly suspenseful psychological thriller that explores the powerful yet precarious bonds of family, wrapped within a storyline that unearths long-buried secrets and painful truths. The Palmer sisters—Emma, Juliette, and Daphne—are central to this dark narrative. After years away from their family home in Arden Hills, they’re reluctantly reunited in the house they all share ownership of, a place shadowed by the traumatic murder of their parents years ago.

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
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Book Reviews, Poetry

Guest post: This poetry reading and author discussion panel at LBF made my friend cry

Today I bring you a guest post from my good friend and author, Erika Berglund. Erika is the author of two novels, Winking at Pomona and Mountain Grove Monarch, both of which I highly recommend! Erika joins us today to discuss her experience attending a poetry reading and author discussion at the Louisville Book Festival a few weeks ago. Welcome, Erika!

Guest post

I hate poetry.

Or at least I thought I did. Turns out I was just scared of it—scared of the intimacy, scared of the power, and scared of the empathy it invokes that can lead to so much pain.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Book Review: Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe – A Witty, Thought-Provoking Delight

I recently had the pleasure of reading Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe, and let me tell you—it’s an absolute gem! The novel strikes the perfect balance between being a fun and lighthearted read, while also digging into deeper themes about modern life, ambition, and how we all navigate the pressures of financial stability.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
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Events

Meet me at the Midwest Holiday Market to get signed book copies for the reader on your shopping list!

Join me this Friday and Saturday, November 1st and 2nd at the Village Square Mall in Effingham, Illinois for the Midwest Holiday Market! If you have book nerds on your holiday shopping list, then you HAVE to stop by my booth and check out my books and other bookish gift ideas.

The 2024 Midwest Market Holiday Show takes place this Friday and Saturday, November 1-2 at the Village Square Mall!
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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Spooktober Book Review: So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

Rachel Harrison’s vampire novel So Thirsty is by far my most favorite horror(ish) read this #Spooktober! It is a thrilling exploration of female empowerment, friendship, and the darker sides of human nature, wrapped in a vampire tale that is both bloody and thought-provoking. The story centers around Sloane Parker, a woman dissatisfied with her life, including her failing marriage and stagnant sense of self. When a birthday getaway with her impulsive best friend Naomi takes a wild turn, the two women are transformed—literally and metaphorically—into vampires. This transformation forces them to confront their dissatisfaction with life, their friendship, and their buried desires.

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison is so far my favorite #Spooktober read of 2024!
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Conventions & Conferences, Events

Meet the author at Nightmare on 2nd Street in Chillicothe, IL!

Join me this Saturday, October 26th for Nightmare on Second Street at Chillicothe City Park (Chillicothe, IL) in support of brain tumor awareness. I’ll be selling and signing my books along with lots of other bookish and spooky gifts at my vendor booth.

The 2024 Nightmare on Second Street takes place this Saturday, October 26, at Chillicothe City Park.
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Conventions & Conferences, Events

Come see me today or tomorrow at the 2024 Louisville Book Festival!

I’ve been excitedly awaiting this event for WEEKS! If you’re in the Louisville, Kentucky area today and tomorrow, I hope you’ll stop by to see me and around 100 other authors at the 2024 Louisville Book Festival!

The 2024 Louisville Book Festival will take place at the Kentucky International Convention Center Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19!

This event takes place at the Kentucky International Convention Center, and admission is FREE! I’ll have copies of my two latest novels, It Had to Happen and One Bad Cat to sell and sign. I am also scheduled to present at a “Speed Dating with a Book” session at 3:00 p.m. today!

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Conventions & Conferences, Events

Come see me at the 2024 Louisville Book Festival October 18-19!

I’m excited to announce that I will be at the 2024 Louisville Book Festival – with about 100 other authors – Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19 at the Kentucky International Convention Center! I’ll have copies of my two latest novels, It Had to Happen and One Bad Cat to sell and sign. I am also scheduled to present at a “Speed Dating with a Book” session at 3:00 p.m. on the 18th!

The 2024 Louisville Book Festival will take place at the Kentucky International Convention Center Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19!

You can follow the event using the following social media hashtags: #LouisvilleBookFestival #WeBringBooksToLife. To watch my personal festival journey, follow me on Instagram @Mandy_Raine!

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