Little Confessions: Two Book Reviews

I read two really good books this week, so I wanted to take the time to write up a couple of quick reviews for both of them. They are two very different books, one an urban fantasy and the other a mystery/thriller, but both were books that I had a really hard time putting down. Their titles are linked to their Goodreads pages.

Love Will Tear Us Apart by C.K. McDonnell

Publication Date: February 9, 2023

Confession:

This is the third book in the witty and entertaining urban fantasy series, Stranger Times. The series centers around a group of reporters for a weekly newspaper of supernatural and paranormal activity in Britain, The Stranger Times. The characters are as eccentric and crazy as some of the articles they write. They have learned over the course of the series that most of what they write about is true and they spend much of their time chasing and being chased by vampires, ghosts and and other things as well as the group of people called The Founders, who want to control everything. Crazy hijinks ensue and the ensemble cast will keep you in giggles for most of the book.

This book was just as crazy as the previous two, but there was also a sad note to it. My two favorite characters, Banecroft and Hannah have their work cut out for them as they try to understand the predicaments that they find themselves in. Hannah has gone off to possibly repair a broken marriage, (or has she?) and Banecroft is driven crazy by the thought and hope that his dead wife is still alive and needs help. Both are helped, or perhaps hindered by the rest of the crew, and many amusing scenes devolve into very comedic moments.

If you are looking for a fun read, especially something that doesn’t take itself too seriously, then this is a series you should set your eyes on. The fourth book is coming out in the early part of 2024 and I can’t wait to see what this fun group gets up to next.

Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin

Publication Date: June 8, 2023

Confession:

This thriller was a bit different than others you will come across. It features a psychic who is also a scientist, an astrophysicist, and a very smart one too. Vivvy Bouchet is a remarkable young women who struggles with accepting her gift even while she tries to help the police solve cold cases. I liked how she often used science facts to soothe herself in times of emotional struggles and in awkward social situations. She is often haunted by the ghosts of the crimes she is asked to solve and even those she stumbles upon. There is a bit of a romance tied up in this one as well. I wasn’t totally sure about the love interest’s good intentions toward her, but he ended up being a stand up guy (maybe) in the end.

The writing was superb, and even though the pacing was a little slow for a thriller, it was the drawn out but intense mystery that kept you coming back for more. All of the characters Vivvy meets have secrets that they are hiding, which will keep you guessing as to who was involved with the disappearance of Lizzie, a toddler, ten years ago. There were some nicely done twists that I didn’t see coming and the ending was quite dramatic. I especially liked all of the conspiracy theories that were strewn throughout the book. Most of them were just plain crazy, and there were a few I had not heard of before. Vivvy’s run ins with that crowd added a nice level of tension to the story as well.

If you are looking for a slow burn thriller, with some very interesting twists and a very smart scientist/psychic main character then this is the book that you have been looking for. This is an author that I will be reading again soon.