Miranda RijksCríticas

Daisy McKenzie is a journalist who works for a London magazine. She isn’t doing very well because of her chronic insomnia. Her boss gives her an assignment to go to The Serenity Spa (which is also a sleep clinic). The spa offered an invitation for a week’s stay, expenses paid, in return for a review of the spa. Daisy arrives at the spa and meets the owner, Amity Augustiago, who comes up with a program she is sure will cure Daisy of her insomnia. Daisy is worried about using hypnosis because of a secret in her past. But Amity insists it will help. Or does Amity have a sinister agenda of her own?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I found it hard to put down. I liked the setting of the spa and the secrets that were revealed as the book progressed. The characters were interesting and I was curious to see how everything was going to turn out. An intriguing read by Miranda Rijks.

Leonie runs a successful real estate business that keeps her busy and unavailable to most men, just the way she likes it. She doesn't drink because she never wants to lose control, and she never wants to lose control because she has a dark secret she can't let out. She was responsible for the death of another driver when she was sixteen years old with no license and no insurance. Her father has covered this up for her to protect her but at a price. He and her mother run Leonie's life. And then Leonie meets a handsome man named Markus and she falls head over heels for him, they are soon engaged. But as the wedding approaches problems with the wedding planning pop up. Leonie thinks it might be her interfering parents but when these problems escalate she wonders if someone knows her secret and if out for revenge. Leonie is afraid. This is a twisty plot that I thoroughly enjoyed. Fast paced and full of surprises it was a lot of fun to read. Recommended for fun.

The story goes back and forth between Helen's and Paul's past and present, with the present occasionally referring back to the previous chapter. The story is not as psychological as I had anticipated and I struggled to connect with the characters. I am also a bit confused about the outcome. Nonetheless, the story is well written.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Anna and Joel go to a safari lodge for Joel's interview and Anna encounters her ex. The story predominantly follows Anna's first-person perspective as her gut instinct is the encounter is not a coincidence. Anna speaks to the readers, providing her thought process as well as background information whenever relevant, making for an informative read. Both the present and the past are written in the present tense and readers read the narrative in real-time. A personal pleasant way to read since nothing in the future can be foreseen and readers learn what happens at the same time as the characters.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Merged review:

Anna and Joel go to a safari lodge for Joel's interview and Anna encounters her ex. The story predominantly follows Anna's first-person perspective as her gut instinct is the encounter is not a coincidence. Anna speaks to the readers, providing her thought process as well as background information whenever relevant, making for an informative read. Both the present and the past are written in the present tense and readers read the narrative in real-time. A personal pleasant way to read since nothing in the future can be foreseen and readers learn what happens at the same time as the characters.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

rounded up from 3.75.
Could have been at least 4.5 if Lydia (main character) was not such an idiot. OMG how can one person make so many poor decisions? Lots of little annoying inconsistencies but it was fun reading anyway. I'm trying hard to just read and enjoy rather than acting like a Monday morning editor. Will follow-up with more of this author's works.

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I tried, but couldn't get into this one. This sounded like it would be a great story, but I couldn't get into it much for some reason.
I had the audiobook, and it was well done. It was a quality audiobook production with good narrators. Danielle Cohen and Chris Devon did well with their narration of the characters.
While the story didn't click for me, the audiobook quality and narration were very well done. If you've read and enjoyed other books by this same author or are curious/interested, then try it and see if it works for you. A lot of others enjoyed it so you might too, it just wasn't for me.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for letting me listen to and review this ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I tried, but couldn't get into this one. This sounded like it would be a great story, but I couldn't get into it much for some reason.
I had the audiobook, and it was well done. It was a quality audiobook production with good narrators. Danielle Cohen and Chris Devon did well with their narration of the characters.
While the story didn't click for me, the audiobook quality and narration were very well done. If you've read and enjoyed other books by this same author or are curious/interested, then try it and see if it works for you. A lot of others enjoyed it so you might too, it just wasn't for me.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for letting me listen to and review this ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story goes back and forth between Helen's and Paul's past and present, with the present occasionally referring back to the previous chapter. The story is not as psychological as I had anticipated and I struggled to connect with the characters. I am also a bit confused about the outcome. Nonetheless, the story is well written.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank You NetGalley Publisher and Author for this gifted e-arc.

How well do you know your daughter?

Grace is living through every mother’s worst nightmare. Her student daughter Abi went away on a dream vacation to South Africa - and was murdered.

Murder, lies & secrets! What's not to love?
This was a good book. I kind of wished there was more to the ending.
I enjoyed the characters in this book.
The plot was good.
The ending lacked something.... wished it kind of ended a little differently.

Overall.... Good Book

Isabel loves her home. It is a quiet road with a few large homes on the English countryside. But when there is a mysterious death of a young boy by a hit and run, it changes the whole feel of the neighborhood. So, when the new neighbor, Linette, moves in, Isobel decides to try and bring the neighbors back together. However, Linette is not who she says she is and secrets start to emerge.

This is a good read, but it really didn’t take off till toward the end of the book. I did enjoy the hunt for the killer but intensity is just not there till the end. I guess you can call this a slow burn novel. The characters and the mystery really keep you guessing. I figured it out at first, then changed my mind then went back to the original guess. I enjoy a book which does this!

I also love when there is a team of narrators. These two, Danielle Cohen and Chris Devon did an excellent job! I have always thought two narrators are much better than one. Just makes the story more real!

Need a guessing game…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

"But Adam Palmer is just an animal, as we all are. A creature of habit. He may think he holds all the cards, but he doesn't.

I do.

Because I know him as well as, if not better, than he knows himself."

Roses Are Red
by Miranda Rijks

My review:

Roses are Red is a dark and nasty, ominous and deadly little Noir book, filled with loathsome people, strange events and secrets. It is a luscious read if you are seeking something where you do not have to think to much. This book will take you on a fun and dastardly ride. I read it in one sitting.

Adam has died. In his own swimming pool. What has happened to him? Was it an accident? Or..was..it..MURDER!!!???

Cue scary movie music.

Lydia, his wife, stands to inherit alot of money. So it stands to reason the cops would be interested in her..but not just her.

This is not however, your standard "wife did it" book. That is not the focus. See, Lydia and Adam were going to get a divorce anyway. So Lydia decides to start looking for love again! On the internet.

Nooww.. you get where this is going?

She meets someone almost to fast..Patrick..the perfect guy..or is he?

The internet dating coupled with the investigation into who killed Adam coupled with the strange things that are happening to Lydia AND her estrangement from her daughter makes this a heck of a read. I enjoyed it.
]

Many maybe wondering why a 3. Well..I had some issues. Much of what happens is over the top. Without spoilers..the end had me groaning..very cliche. I also did not feel like I knew many of the characters. Some were not developed as deeply as they could have been and were rather cookie cutter. I almost wish this book had been a bit longer and had not gone so over the top in certain aspects.

What WAS realistic is the internet dating which was scary as hell and poignant too. And frightening. I would sort of call this a who done it but not in the traditional sense. From the first moment, you are wondering who killed Adam but that would seem to be unrelated to a few of the other story lines..I stress "seem to be" but cannot really say anymore.

Although I did like it, it is not one that will linger or that I felt was unforgettable so 3.5 is my rating. It is a great book to read if you are tried and want something that plays with your mind a bit but not in a complicated way.

I think this is the first book I’ve read where I equally enjoyed both the present story being told as well as the flashback chapters. Always love this author and The Influencer is another great psychological thriller! Can’t wait for her next book.

Although I found the protagonist to be unbelievably naive at times, I still loved this book. It was face paced, exciting and suspenseful. Another hit by Rijks! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Published: April 25, 2021
Inkubator Books
I received a copy of this book for free and leave my review voluntarily.

Miranda Rijks is possibly the most fascinating woman alive. She studied handwriting analysis and published a self-help book shortly after. She writes about what she knows and infused everything she creates with tidbits of her personal history. She enjoyed creating works of fiction about the things that fascinate her the most, and after surviving a rare form of cancer, she embraces her life and enjoys every moment.

“But at the same time, I feel as if I’ve just walked straight into the sticky fibres of a glittery web.”

Nathan is a widower with two teenage daughters who is about to marry the second love of his life. He founded a charity in his beloved wife's name and has dedicated his life to building a better world for those who struggle. Skye is a social media superstar. She is the hottest influencer, and when she shows interest in working with Sacha’s Sanctuary, everyone starts talking about how great it will be until it isn’t.

Holy. Buckets. This was a ride from start to finish. I loved how this story was told. The character development and buildup was so brilliantly done. Something I enjoy about Miranda’s writing style is the story gets more intense the closer you get to the end.

The characters in this novel were excellent. Everything unfolds so dramatically, and the twists are insane. I loved the aspect of using social media influencers as the center of this story. Especially compared to the charity aspect with Nathan’s angle.

While I had ideas about how the twist would play out, I was only partially correct. You will never see the ending coming. Wowza. Miranda knows how to slap you in the face then kick you in the shins.

Everything about this story was well played and carefully controlled. This book would make an excellent mini-series. It is so twisted and dark, yet dressed up and masked as anything but.

Get ready to have your face ripped off cause plan B is deadly.

This book started with a wild burst of activity when the husband of a well off couple is suddenly murdered in the family swimming pool. As the local police investigate his suspicious death, his widow Lydia meets a man named Patrick on internet dating only mere months after Adam dies and they quickly fall in love.

Of course, Patrick instantly charms his way into her world and those of her friends and family as he lavishes her with gifts and continous red roses, but this behavior quickly changes after they get married. Sinster things start happening to Lydia, mysterious phone calls, what appears to be her business partner becoming a stalker and trying to get her to sell her half of the business, vehicles being tampered with, a mysterious illness which suddenly appears for no reason, you name it, Lydia goes through it, until she's finally had enough and tries to go talk to her business partner's wife to clear him of any possible wrongdoing, this is where the book gets interesting.

Now, I am not going to ruin it for you, but in all honesty, I was able to figure out who was doing this to her and why before I got to the end of the book, so where is was a suspensful, addictive read, it also became highly predictable quite quickly. Thank you NetGalley for another sample, these are my honest opinions. I give this book a 4 due to the high predictability.

Oh this excellent book gave me the heebie jeebies; not only the scary power of social media but the way that efforts are ramped up at such a rapid speed by the person who is out to ruin Laura's life. It made the book a certain page-turner and I absolutely whizzed through it.

Although a pretty nasty thing to do, it doesn't sound like such a big deal at first when Laura's death is announced on Facebook, as when she logs on to check it the post has already been removed, but this is closely followed by an announcement in the newspaper and an official death certificate. Whoever is out to get her clearly means business and Laura lists 9 possible suspects as she tries to work out who is out to get her. I had my own suspicions, and I'm not going to say if I was right or wrong, as I was enjoying the fast pace of the story so much that I was more interested in what was going to happen next rather than trying to guess who was doing it.

This book evokes an awful lot of feelings in the reader: I felt as scared and threatened as Laura but I was also angry at what was happening to her. Through the vivid and descriptive writing of Miranda Rijks, I effortlessly immersed myself in Laura's story and felt as if I was actually seeing it through her eyes. It certainly raised my blood pressure and heart rate on more than one occasion, as the story's pace continues to ramp up and the threats become more tangible.

It's finding authors like this that makes book blogging worthwhile; with so many books to choose from you can easily miss such talented authors as Miranda Rijks, so many thanks to Emma at damppebbles for drawing my attention to an author I will definitely be adding to my watch list.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is an other excellent book from Miranda Rijks, with a story along the same lines of I Want You Gone, and being equally gripping and intriguing. It's very much a 'someone is out to get you' storyline with psychologist Pippa's photo being left on a dead body. Pippa can read people so she is the perfect choice to help the police catch a brutal murderer, especially when it appears that she could be the main target.

The victim is a lottery winner so you can imagine that there are many people in her own family who would have motive to kill her. As the police look at Leanne Smith's family for suspects, it's interesting to see how people react especially when a potential windfall could be coming their way after Leanne's death. Naturally we suspect anyone who starts spending money they don't have, but did they kill Leanne to get her money? There's definitely a bit of animosity in the family as there are those who think they should have received a bigger gift of cash after Leanne's big win.

Miranda Rijks is brilliant at lining up suspects in her books; I looked at every single character and could see motive until my sights settled on one in particular. I did find it a little too easy to guess the killer but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book at all. It's not always about the big reveal at the end when you are enjoying the literary journey you are on.

This is an author who crams so much mystery and intrigue into her books that it makes you keep turning those pages as quick as you can. I really liked the character of Pippa Durrant and the introduction to her personal story that I am sure will continue to unravel in future novels to keep us interested throughout what I'm sure will be an amazing series. I, for one, certainly can't wait to see where Pippa's story takes us next.

Fatal Fortune is a fast-paced, gripping and intriguing book with a myriad suspects when money appears to be the motive...but this story goes so much deeper than that. A very enjoyable read that scratches the surface of a shady cast of characters and shows us what lies beneath.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is a psychological thriller that from the opening chapter managed to set the stage and pull me straight into the given narrative capturing my attention and compelling me to keep heading forward.
Deserve To Die was told alternately from two POV's: Tamara and Stacey and Straight from the onset, it's understood just who the preditor here actually is, we know the who but not the why this is kept a complete mystery for us to discover alongside Stacey herself.
and as we methodically run through Tamara's to-do list alongside her as she gradually moves towards her mysterious end-game I felt completely on edge and in fear for poor Stacey and her potential fate.
I so wanted Stacey to realise just what was unfolding around her and her unsuspecting family and I was just so upset that her husband Dom had so little faith in his wife and was just such easy prey for Tamara to reel in and play with.
I get that the evidence was stacking up against Stacey and it didn't look good but I wanted him to just have a little faith in the woman he professed to love.
Dom was at heart a good man but I do think he was a weak man and very easily manipulated there is no way I could be as forgiving as his poor wife.
Yes, Tamara was good at what she did managing to systematically dismantle their life brick by brick but you can't destroy what refuses to be broken now, can you?
I enjoyed this a lot but I did find the ending a tad rushed and slightly anticlimactic after all the previous build-up things here things just withered away slightly and there was not enough closure for me.
Also, it's been several days since I finished this and I am still quietly seething away.
I know its fiction but what I ultimately need here is some bloody good grovelling from Dom to excuse his blatant disloyalty and sheer stupidity other than that I'm all grand.
This was a fast-paced easy read that wasn't incredibly complicated in terms of its plot but was still a major pageturner.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Deserve To Die.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

This is a psychological thriller that from the opening chapter managed to set the stage and pull me straight into the given narrative capturing my attention and compelling me to keep heading forward.
Deserve To Die was told alternately from two POV's: Tamara and Stacey and Straight from the onset, it's understood just who the preditor here actually is, we know the who but not the why this is kept a complete mystery for us to discover alongside Stacey herself.
and as we methodically run through Tamara's to-do list alongside her as she gradually moves towards her mysterious end-game I felt completely on edge and in fear for poor Stacey and her potential fate.
I so wanted Stacey to realise just what was unfolding around her and her unsuspecting family and I was just so upset that her husband Dom had so little faith in his wife and was just such easy prey for Tamara to reel in and play with.
I get that the evidence was stacking up against Stacey and it didn't look good but I wanted him to just have a little faith in the woman he professed to love.
Dom was at heart a good man but I do think he was a weak man and very easily manipulated there is no way I could be as forgiving as his poor wife.
Yes, Tamara was good at what she did managing to systematically dismantle their life brick by brick but you can't destroy what refuses to be broken now, can you?
I enjoyed this a lot but I did find the ending a tad rushed and slightly anticlimactic after all the previous build-up things here things just withered away slightly and there was not enough closure for me.
Also, it's been several days since I finished this and I am still quietly seething away.
I know its fiction but what I ultimately need here is some bloody good grovelling from Dom to excuse his blatant disloyalty and sheer stupidity other than that I'm all grand.
This was a fast-paced easy read that wasn't incredibly complicated in terms of its plot but was still a major pageturner.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Deserve To Die.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

This is the 2nd book in the Dr. Pippa Durrant murder mystery series. Once again the author took me on a twisted tale of financial greed, family drama and murder. Someone is sending flowers that symbolize sinister messages to people who may or may not end up the next victim of foul play. I am enjoying the budding romance of detective Joe Swain and Pippa, Joe is quite protective of Pippa and a the same time values her opinion and leans on her a lot to help solve the murders. When Pippa receives a black rose it is clear that Pippa is in danger of being the next victim. I had to look up the symbolism of receiving a Black Rose and here is what I found from Google:

Black roses, whether a dark red variety or artificially colored, generally represent death, farewells and endings. Of course, those could be negative or positive depending on the situation. … Be aware, though, that giving someone a black rose generally indicates the end of the relationship.

I had no idea that flowers also had meanings and/or symbols attached and I found that fascinating as the author includes several flowers and meanings their meanings in this book.

As with all of this authors books and this book was no exception, I binged on this late into the night. This series is very addicting and I am quickly becoming invested in the Joe/Pippa relationship.

Everything in this book hit all my high marks for mystery, suspense and complete surprise/twisted ending.

I read this book in two sittings. I was on a roller coaster ride with Laura. Who to trust, who is behind the horrible things that keep happening to Laura?
I wasn’t sure about Dr. Ben , Laura’s new love interest, was he too perfect or just who he says he is. I mean come on Laura needs a break! Dumped by her husband Ian and really struggling with finances and now someone is posting on Facebook that she is dead. For me all of her friends came under suspicion as the culprit and a few others in her life as well.

I wanted Laura to have something good happen to her but honestly this book kept me guessing the outcome right until the end.

If you like mystery/suspense then this is for you.