Robyn Reads

  Marika’s Best Laid Plan made me feel all the emotions, in the best possible way. I admired her courage and determination. Marika is a social worker and her passion for helping people was remarkable. What stood out to me were the relationships in the book. Heartfelt and engaging are two words that come to mind when I think of this book.  

  The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf was a terrifying read. Isolation is one of my biggest fears and Gudenkauf plays into that with her chilling descriptions. At first, Wylie annoyed me but as I read further, I began to understand who she was. The ending was shocking and I really enjoyed the direction the story went in. This was my first book by Gudenkauf and I will be looking up her other ones.  Synopsis: True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.  As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for war...

Well, Well. And another well. What a freaking book, people. I pretty much read it in one sitting, with only a break to ask my kids to leave mommy alone. The Amendment, follow up to the The Arrangement is non-stop suspense. You think you know what might be coming or who to trust but you’re never right. One of my favorite things about this book is the character development. The first book was all about the how and who but this sequel covered all of the why. Peter was not someone who came across as evil all the time. In fact, I compared him to Dexter in my head a few times. The Amendment was a truly enjoyable and crazy reading experience, something that KMod is famous for.     

  I am having a hard time writing a review for The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard. As I was reading, I kept hoping to get to know the characters better but so much time was spent in Thea’s head, I never got to know any other character, other than the surface view. I felt Thea’s thoughts were very disjointed and there were times that I wasn’t sure what time period she was thinking about. The mystery at the core of the story is what kept me reading and that part of the book was satisfying.   Synopsis:  What do you do when the person you love best becomes unrecognizable to you? For Thea Demetriou, the answer is both simple and agonizing: you keep loving him somehow.   Stefan was just seventeen when he went to prison for the drug-fueled murder of his girlfriend, Belinda. Three years later, he’s released to a world that refuses to let him move on. Belinda’s mother, once Thea’s good friend, galvanizes the community to rally against him to...

  Good Rich People by Eliza Jean Brazier is a really powerful book. The writing is compelling, lyrical and extremely thought provoking. Lyla, Demi and Graham are not good people yet I couldn’t stop reading about them. I would have loved to hear more about Graham’s past but even without that, Good Rich People has good substance and the satire is hilarious.  

  Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins is a really fun read. Dani and Wyatt’s chemistry jumps off the page from the very beginning. Although I wish Dani had gotten over her revenge plot sooner, I loved seeing how she progressed as a character. The banter was witty and each secondary character found a way into my heart, especially Iris.   Synopsis:  They say living well is the best revenge. But sometimes, spreading the misery seems a whole lot more satisfying. That’s interior designer Dani Porter’s justification for buying the vacant lot next to her ex-fiancé’s house...the house they were supposed to live in together, before he cheated on her with their realtor. Dani plans to build a vacation rental that will a) mess with his view and his peace of mind and b) prove that Dani is not someone to be stepped on. Welcome to project Spite House. That plan quickly becomes complicated when Dani is forced to team up with Wyatt Montego, the handsome, haughty architect at her firm, ...

  I have been so lucky this year, reading so many five star reads. I just finished another one and I’m here to gush. Maid by Nita Prose is engaging, heartwarming and completely memorable. As I first stared reading about Molly the Maid, she reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant (another one of my favorite characters). The deeper I got into the book, it became clear that Molly is wholly her own person with idiosyncrasies and traits that would melt the coldest heart. The mystery itself completely had me fooled. I was convinced it was one person and didn’t suss out the real culprit. That doesn’t happen often and it was super fun. I really loved The Maid.