You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto

When cracks start forming in an influencer’s curated life, she finds out that jealousy is just as viral as a video in this riveting suspense novel by bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Influencer Meredith Lee didn't teach Aspen Palmer how to blossom on social media just to be ditched as soon as Aspen became big. So can anyone really blame Mer for doing a little stalking? Nothing serious, more like Stalking Lite.

Then Mer gets lucky; she finds one of Aspen's kids' iPads and swipes it. Now she has access to the family calendar and Aspen's social media accounts. Would anyone else be able to resist tweaking things a little here and there, showing up in Aspen's place for meetings with potential sponsors? Mer's only taking back what she deserves—what should have been hers.

Meanwhile, Aspen doesn't understand why her perfectly filtered life is falling apart. Sponsors are dropping her, fellow influencers are ghosting her, and even her own husband seems to find her repulsive. If she doesn't find out who's behind everything, she might just lose it all. But what everyone seems to forget is that Aspen didn't become one of TikTok's biggest momfluencers by being naive.

When Meredith suddenly goes missing, Aspen's world is upended and mysterious threats begin to arrive—but she won’t let anything get in the way of her perfect life again.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published August 20, 2024

 by Berkley

3/5 stars

Going into You Will Never Be Me I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’ve had my fill of influencer-driven stories and wasn’t convinced there was much new to say. Still, I picked up the audiobook and ended up doing a hybrid read—and I’m glad I did.

The story follows Meredith Lee and Aspen Palmer - two former best friends whose relationship shattered six months ago. Now they’re more like bitter rivals. Told from alternating perspectives the book dives deep into the glossy, curated world of social media. It shows the pressure to maintain a perfect image and the unraveling that happens when real life doesn’t match the feed.

This was a twisty, suspenseful read. As Aspen’s carefully constructed online persona starts to fall apart, the tension steadily builds until a major twist completely caught me off guard. From that point on, I couldn’t stop reading.

The book doesn’t just explore the online drama but also reveals how the influencer lifestyle affects their personal lives, families and especially mental health. Some scenes felt a little over the top or cringe-worthy (was that intentional). Overall it did heightened the drama. The conclusion was satisfying and wrapped things up well.

You Will Never Be Me is a compelling, dark take on the influencer world. 

This book was part of my 2025 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge (#33)

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

Nola Strate, a late night radio host in Portland, Oregon, listens to stories of hauntings and cryptic sightings for a living. But one foggy evening, a caller describes an eerie scene that triggers memories of Nola’s childhood escape from a serial killer, and she fears he’s back to finish what he started.

Nola Strate is being watched, again.

After an encounter with a notorious serial killer in the Pacific Northwest as a child, Nola has grown up and tried her best to forget her traumatizing night with the Hiding Man. She installed security cameras outside her Oregon home, never spoke of her experience, and now hosts Night Watch, a popular radio call-in show her semi‑famous father used to run. When coincidences lead Nola to believe that she is being stalked, and a caller on Night Watch has a live incident with an intruder in the caller's home—the description of whom is chillingly familiar—Nola is convinced that the Hiding Man has resurfaced and is coming for her.

With a mysterious next‑door neighbor lurking in the shadows, more people getting hurt, the police not taking her concerns seriously, and evidence pointing towards her own father, Nola decides to become, like her listeners, a Night Watcher herself, and uncover the monster behind the Hiding Man's mask.

Kindle Edition, 332 pages

Audiobook, 9 hours, 7 minutes

Expected publication July 8, 2025

 by Grand Central Publishing

3/5 stars

This was my first time reading anything by Daphne Woolsoncroft.

The story follows Nola Strate, a late-night radio host whose world gets shaken when a caller brings up something that drags her straight back to a traumatic night in her past, the night her babysitter was brutally murdered. As new crimes start popping up around the city, Nola can’t shake the feeling that history might be repeating itself and 'The Hiding Man' is back.

There’s a good mix of mystery and some tension here. The story of the past slowly unraveled and showed parallel similarities. I read this one in a mix of audio and Kindle,  both formats worked really well. The audiobook narrator added some emotional weight to the tense moments. That being said, something felt just a little off,  it was intriguing, but not fully immersive for me. I wanted a bit more punch or surprise from the ending. Still, it was a satisfying read overall.

Thanks to Hachette Audio for the audiobook and Grand Central Publishing for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

Kristin Harmel,  returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.

But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.

Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.

Paperback, 384 pages

Published June 17, 2025

 by Gallery Books

4/5 stars

Kristin Harmel’s The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau (just released last week) is dual-timeline novel that blends historical fiction with emotional depth. Told from Colette’s perspective in both 1942 and 2018, the story moves between occupied France during WWII and the present day efforts to preserve that history.

I’ve read a few of Harmel’s books, I think she keeps getting stronger, in terms of unique themes and emotion, with each new book. This one pulled me in right away, especially with the Robin Hood theme - those risking everything to help the France Resistance, contrasted with the modern-day work tied to doing good. It’s a compelling setup that explores how the past still echoes decades later.

Things take an emotional turn when Colette, now nearly 90, comes across something that sends her straight back to the trauma of losing her little sister during the war and the guilt associated with those events and how it shaped her life. The characters felt real - some admirable, some frustrating, but all believable. There’s a lot here about memory, family, and what it means to do the right thing even when it's complicated.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau is a moving story about guilt, resilience and the importance of preserving history without getting stuck in it. It reminded me that healing sometimes means finally facing what you’ve spent your whole life avoiding.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Curiosities by W.H. Eatons

Siblings Marlow and Zach Metzler are curious about EVERYTHING – asteroid-bound space probes, pirate ships in the woods, abandoned hotels hidden high in the mountains. Leo, a neighborhood cat, is curious about NOTHING – not pizza slices, not peacock feathers, not even laser pointers (especially not laser pointers).

But when all the neighborhood birds, insects, and even their favorite teacher vanish, the three face a mystery that neither can solve alone. Racing to find all the missing creatures and stop a possible alien invasion, Marlow, Zach, and Leo must lead a ragtag band of new friends and kitty commandos against zombies, monster cats, and earthquakes to save their town and maybe, THE WORLD!

Audible Audio, 6 hours, 42 minutes

Published May 19, 2025

by Southbound Films

4/5 stars

I snagged the audiobook of The Curiosities from NetGalley when it popped up as a Listen Now and I’m so glad I did, it was a fun middle grade adventure!

The story follows siblings Marlow and Zach, who are curious about literally everything. Then there’s Leo the cat, who’s the total opposite, he wants nothing to do with curiosity (you know, because of the whole 'curiosity killed the cat' thing… he takes that very seriously).

At just under seven hours, this sci-fi/fantasy mystery was a quick and entertaining listen. Nature starts acting weird, a teacher goes missing and suddenly Marlow and Zach are thrown into a wild mystery they’re determined to solve. It’s got a great mix of adventure, weird science fiction and heartwarming sibling teamwork.

The audiobook was well done, but I can imagine the print version, with illustrations would be fun to flip through also. It’s a great story about loyalty, bravery, and stepping outside your comfort zone to protect the people, wild life (and pets) you love.

My thanks to Southbound Films for the e-audio in exchange for an honest review!

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the what is the true meaning of home?

Kindle Edition, 367 pages

Published June 17, 2025

 by Berkley

3.5/5 stars

As a big Wizard of Oz fan I was excited to get an early read of Before Dorothy. The idea of exploring Aunt Em and Uncle Henry’s lives and how Dorothy ended up with them sounded intriguing, this felt like a fresh angle on a familiar story.

The book moves between Chicago in 1924 and Kansas in 1932, which gave a really clear sense of the contrast between bustling city life and the tough, gritty reality of prairie living during the Dust Bowl. It’s definitely a slower-paced read, but it shines in the way it builds Emily’s character, her relationships, her strength, and the heartbreak she endures. You can really feel the weight of the time period.

While it wasn’t the most fast-moving plot, I appreciated the emotional depth and the way it quietly asked big questions about family, resilience, and what 'home' really means. As a fan of Oz, the subtle nods to the original story were a lovely touch.

Overall I liked it. It didn’t blow me away, but it added a thoughtful layer to the Oz universe and gave some heart to characters we only see in the background.

My thanks to Berkley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review. 

False Note by David Lagercrantz

A toxic father-son relationship unleashes dark impulses and unthinkable betrayals in a riveting short story by the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl in the Spider’s Web.

William’s father is a beloved opera singer in Stockholm, charismatic and unpredictable. Raised in the shadow of his father’s addictions—women, drink, and cruelty—he knows the man’s dark side. William believes he’s found the light when he falls in love with a fellow university student, a young woman named Ebba. But his father’s hold on his life is not so easily broken. Even in death.

David Lagercrantz’s False Note is part of Alibis, a collection of stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.

Audiobook, 1 hour, 9 minutes

Kindle Edition, 41 pages

Published June 2, 2025

 by Amazon Original Stories

2.5/5 stars

False Note is part of the Alibis Short Story collection recently released through Amazon Original Stories. Each story is written by a different author and they’re all standalone, so you can jump in wherever. This is book 3 and my first time reading David Lagercrantz.

One thing I like about these short story collections is discovering new writers - sometimes it leads me to explore more of their work. 

False Note follows William and his strained relationship with his father, it is set in Stockholm. It’s clear early on that things between them aren’t great and that tension is the main focus throughout the 41 pages. There's a theme of deception and while there’s definitely a lot packed into such a short read, it was an okay story.

I listened to the audiobook version, it was mildly entertaining, the plot felt rushed, pretty predictable and honestly not very original. I couldn’t help but feel like it might’ve worked better as a full novel with more room for depth of character and plot development. But given the size it was an ok read, actually a listen since I went the audio route.

My thanks to Brillance Publishing for a e-audio copy in exchange for a honest review.

Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja

In this charming, delightfully original rom-com, a struggling writer’s muse suddenly comes to life, but can they create their own happily-ever-after?

Legal secretary by day, aspiring novelist by night, Ziya Khan pours herself into writing stories featuring the kinds of diverse characters she loves. In exchange, she’s got a growing pile of rejection letters. When yet another “thanks but no thanks” arrives on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Ziya decides to throw her novel and her dreams in the trash. End of story.

Except that when Ziya wakes up, there’s a flesh-and-blood version of her muse standing in her kitchen. His name is Aashiq, and it’s his job to inspire Ziya to write again. From singing karaoke to standing up for herself at work, he’s pushing Ziya out of the sidelines and into the world, showing her how to live and love fully.

Even more impossibly, something starts to blossom between them. But as Ziya rediscovers the joy of writing, Aashiq starts to disappear. His job is almost done. And it seems soon Ziya will have to choose: her art…or her heart?

Kindle Edition, 296 pages

Published June 10, 2025

 by MIRA

3/5 stars

Writing Mr. Right caught my eye because of its bookish theme and it's unique premise.  A struggling writer, Ziya, is ready to give up on her dream after yet another rejection. She deletes everything she’s written... only for her muse to show up the very next day. In person. And yes, he’s charming, quirky, and oddly insightful, not to mention kind of attractive.

The story kicks off with a fun and comical tone as Ziya adjusts to being followed around by this mysterious muse named Aashiq.  The banter is light and their interactions entertaining, especially as she starts to open up again creatively. It doesn't take long to know the direction these 2 are heading but the twist, of course, is that he isn't really real. Which adds an intriguing layer to the whole thing.

The author’s writing style is very descriptive, sometimes beautifully so, capturing emotions and settings with vivid detail and at other times it felt a little too much, especially when it came to describing sights, sounds and even smells. But that could just be a me thing.

Overall it’s a sweet, magical read that blends romance, creativity and self-discovery. If you enjoy books about books with a hint of magical realism and feel-good vibes, Writing Mr. Rright is worth checking out.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Three women are connected by one man in this kaleidoscopic thriller.

“Who are you? Who are you really?”

Nick Radcliffe is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. He’s just what Nina Swann needed in her life after her husband’s unexpected death. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

“Because there are things that don’t make sense, and I’ve been so patient, so very patient…”

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn't right.

“You know that’s mad, don’t you? I’m your husband. We know everything there is to know about each other.”

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Expected publication June 24, 2025

 by Atria Books

2/5 stars

Lisa Jewell has long been one of my go-to authors - an auto-read whose unique plots and unexpected twists usually has me finishing within a couple days. Naturally, I dove into her latest release, Don’t Let Him In without reading any reviews or even looking at the blurb. I was anxious to experience the story fresh, trusting in Jewell's talent to deliver a gripping story.

The novel follows a man who appears charming and confident - someone who believes he's irresistible to women - but beneath that facade lies someone far more sinister. He preys on women from various walks of life, manipulating them with ease. As suspicions grow, the truth about him begins to unravel piece by piece, like a jigsaw puzzle slowly taking shape.

While the premise had all the ingredients of a compelling psychological thriller, the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The pacing was so slow, there were many characters to keep track of and the execution - jumping between similar characters and multiple timelines - made it difficult to stay engaged. By the time the story picked up, I found myself emotionally detached from the characters and their outcomes.

Don’t Let Him In had promise, and I appreciated the clever setup of its central mystery. But overall, it didn’t captivate me the way Lisa Jewell’s previous books have. Longtime fans might still find elements to enjoy, but for me, this one fell short of the mark.

My thanks to Atria Books for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose

A wedding. A heist. A secret.

Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and recently promoted Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, good things are just around the corner, including her marriage to her beloved fiancé, Juan Manuel, only two months away.

But Molly’s entire existence is upended when a film crew descends upon the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures, starring popular art appraisers Brown and Beagle. On a whim, Molly brings in a shoebox containing a few of her gran’s old things for appraisal, and much to everyone's surprise, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless treasure. Instantly, Molly is both a multi-millionaire and a media sensation—the world’s rags-to-riches darling—until the priceless piece vanishes from the hotel in the boldest, brashest antiquities heist in recent memory.

The key to the mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about Gran’s true-to-life fairytale, a young girl to the manor born, the only child of a wealthy magnate. But when Gran falls head over heels in love with a young man her parents deem below her station, her life is thrown into turmoil. As fate would have it, the greatest love of Gran’s life is someone Molly knows quite well….

Together with her friends, Molly combs the past and the present to catch the thief before looming threats against her become real.

A spirited heist caper and an epic love story, The Maid’s Secret is a spellbinding whodunnit that will capture and warm your heart.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Audioboook, 11 hours, 3 minutes

Published April 8, 2025 

by Ballantine Books/Viking

4/5 stars

And here we have the conclusion to Molly the Maid Series, or is it really ?

This was an audio read for me and I quite enjoyed it. Again told from Molly‘s point of view, but also from her Grans as she takes us through her life story. I’ll confess that I really enjoyed Grans story more, because of its history and what takes place.

Molly‘s journey to the altar is interrupted when she discovers that one of her Grans possessions is worth millions, therefore Molly has now become a target for unsavory characters and the media. How Gran was able to possess such an item is what her past story highlights.

This was a great audiobook and an enjoyable mystery, it was a story of hope, family and love & friendship.  A fitting conclusion for Molly.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge and is booked number 32.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published April 22, 2025

 by Berkley

4.5/5 stars

This is Emily Henry’s newest release that felt unlike anything she has written before.

Told from the point of view of both Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson, they are vying for the opportunity to write Margaret Ives biography.  A recluse for the past 20 years her life have been filled with scandal, it's quite the story.

Not only do we get Alice and Hayden‘s point of view but we also get Margaret and what it was like growing up in a family with so many secrets, along with tragedy that made headlines. Suffice to say her family was very scandalous over the century.

Great Big Beautiful Life is a story of tragedy, family, and surprises. I know that not everyone enjoyed Henry’s departure from her usual signature writing, but I found this book quite enjoyable. It could be the history buff in me that enjoyed reading about Margaret’s past or rather her family's and what transpired over the years to bring her to where she is now.  Her story is one of heartache along with  twists that took me by surprise and worked perfectly here.

I alternated with the audiobook, which was read by Julie Whalen, she’s one of my favourites and knows how to transport me into the story as well as bringing the characters to life.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge (#31). The audiobook was obtained through Cloud Library.