Audiobook Review: The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden
The Housemaid is Watching
Series: The Housemaid #3
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrators:
Lauryn Allman
Ina Marie Smith
Published: June 11, 2024
Audiobook: 11 hours 42 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 1-17, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Audiobook Description:
“You must be our new neighbors!” Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter’s hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a promise. We finally have a family home. My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way…
I used to clean other people’s houses—now, I can’t believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve.
Even though I’m wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes.
But her cold stare gives me chills…
The Lowells’ maid isn’t the only strange thing on our street. I’m sure I see a shadowy figure watching us. My husband leaves the house late at night. And when I meet a woman who lives across the way, her words chill me to the bone: Be careful of your neighbors.
Did I make a terrible mistake moving my family here?
I thought I’d left my darkest secrets behind. But could this quiet suburban street be the most dangerous place of all?
Jessica’s Review:
This is the final book in The Housemaid series and I have enjoyed getting to know Millie over the course of the three novels. This final book is unlike the other two. The focus is Millie’s family. It is also a bit slower paced, but still enjoyable with of course: twists that only McFadden can deliver.
We had a good ending to the series and I liked seeing a character from book one return all these years later! In some way this character helped to move along the story and bring back the first novel.
This final book wasn’t as strong as the other two and was it really needed? No, it wasn’t. Am I glad I read it? Yes. I adore Millie and Enzo and enjoyed saying goodbye to these characters that you grew to love over these three novels.
I started out reading it on kindle but then saw that Lauryn Allman was a narrator again! I was excited for that as she really is Millie for me. Her narration is just brilliant. We also had a second narrator: Ina Marie Smith. I won’t say who her character is as it might be a bit of a spoiler, but she also brought it on 1000% with her narration!
McFadden is one I will keep on reading! Eventually, I will get a copy of this one to add to my library!
Audiobook Review: Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell
Love Letters to a Serial Killer
Author: Tasha Coryell
Narrator: Andi Arndt
Published: June 25, 2024
Audiobook: 8 hours 59 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 9-16, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Audiobook Description:
An aimless young woman starts writing to an accused serial killer while he awaits trial and then, once he’s acquitted, decides to move in with him and take the investigation into her own hands in this dark and irresistibly compelling debut thriller.
Recently ghosted and sick of watching her friends fade into the suburbs, thirty-something Hannah finds community in a true-crime forum that’s on a mission to solve the murders of four women in Atlanta. After William, a handsome lawyer, is arrested for the killings, Hannah begins writing him letters. It’s the perfect outlet for her pent-up frustration and rage. The exercise empowers her, and even feels healthy at first.
Until William writes back.
Hannah’s interest in the case goes from curiosity to obsession, leaving space for nothing else as her life implodes around her. After she loses her job, she heads to Georgia to attend the trial and befriends other true-crime junkies like herself. When a fifth woman is discovered, the jury has no choice but to find William not guilty, and Hannah is the first person he calls upon his release. The two of them quickly fall into a routine of domestic bliss.
Well, as blissful as one can feel while secretly investigating their partner for serial murder…
Jessica’s Review:
This was an intriguing one! It is a twisty and creepy novel with a very messed up main character. I did not like Hannah at all or agree with the decisions she made, but I found myself not being able to stop listening to this one. It was such a popcorn type thriller; a really bad car accident: You know you shouldn’t look, but can’t help it and do!
Love Letters was an addicting and ‘fun’ read. Hannah writes to William in jail as he awaits trial as a killer. He’s not just a killer but an accused serial killer of women! But Hannah keeps writing and getting caught up in the case and forming a ‘relationship’ with William without having even met him yet! She becomes so caught up in the case that she makes her way to Georgia to watch it and even becomes connected with William’s family.
I just wanted to see where it was going to go. Will Hannah become another victim? Is William a serial killer or not? You’ll have to read this one to find out.
The narrator Andi Arndt did a very good job with her portrayal or Hannah. The audiobook was a good one!
This is another book where I love the cover. Even though this cover is pretty and pink, the novel itself isn’t!
I will be looking to see what else Ms. Coryell writes!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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Release Day Review: Fated by Sarah Ready
Fated
Series: Ghosted #3
Author: Sarah Ready
Narrator: Shakira Shute
Published: Today, July 16, 2024
Audiobook: 13 hours 36 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: May 30, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
She meets the man of her dreams in her dreams.
Fiona Abry excels at keeping busy, running her family’s Swiss watch company, and guarding her heart. She’s so busy she doesn’t have time for a vacation much less a love life.
But then she’s given a family heirloom rumored to let you dream your greatest desire.
Suddenly, Fiona is spending her nights on a tiny tropical island in a completely different life.
She’s married. She has two kids. She lives in a colorful cottage on the beach.
This dream life is so different from her hectic, busy life in the city that Fiona decides to live her dreams to the fullest.
Swimming in the turquoise sea. Picnics under palms. Star-gazing on the beach. It’s a slow, seductive dream life that conveniently stays in her dreams.
But after kisses and confessions and long nights on the beach, Fiona starts to fall hard for her dream husband and her dream life.
But what happens when opening yourself to love means falling for a life that isn’t real and a man who doesn’t exist?
Because in the end, it’s not fate, it’s just a dream.
Jessica’s Review:
This series: I am really enjoying it and I haven’t really been much of a romance reader! I am also becoming a Sarah Ready fan.
Now Ready brings us the third in the Ghosted series: Fated. Even though this is a series the books can be read as standalones. The connection for Fated to the others is that Fiona is the sister to Daniel, who was a focus in book one. It does seem like possibly that this story occurs before book one.
I did struggle with this one, but I wanted to continue it. Once it got to about 80% the direction of the story changed and I became fully and 1000% invested! It even makes me want to start the novel again at some point, because… well…. Spoilers, so I can’t say! Part of my issue may have been the narrator with her accent. I did check and there have been different narrators for each book in the series.
I really have enjoyed this series and was very excited to see that there is a fourth book coming out October 1: Titled Wished and I hope it lives up to the others in the series. Ms. Ready, it seems like you are trying to turn me into a romance reader, which is something since I have just gone through a divorce!
And I have to say: I REALLY LOVE these covers!!!
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me an alc to listen to and review! I’m hoping to be able to get a listen in on Wished!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK