Review: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

 

Title:  The Woman in Cabin 10  
Author: Ruth Ware (Facebook) (Website) (Twitter)
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio; Unabridged edition (April 11, 2017)
Length: Audio CD Version
Source: White Bear Lake Library

 

About the Book: (From Goodreads):
In this tightly wound story, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong…

With surprising twists and a setting that proves as uncomfortably claustrophobic as it is eerily beautiful, Ruth Ware offers up another intense read.

My Review:  I am a little late to the party as The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware came out in hard cover in the summer of 2016.  For whatever reason, I heard a lot about The Woman in Cabin 10, but didn’t pick it up.  This could be due to the fact that during that time, everything was compared to Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train.   Ruth Ware is a new to me author, with The Woman in Cabin 10 being her sophomore book. 

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware comes out of the gate strong with the main character, Laura “Lo” Blacklock, being a victim of a break in, which understandably leaves her distressed.   Lo is a travel journalist and needs to leave for a cruise on a new luxury boat called the Aurora, despite the recent break in.   Lo struggles on the boat with feeling safe, which leads to her drinking too much.

One night she is awoken by a noise, she believes she sees a body being thrown overboard.  In typical mystery fashion, a murder happens with a witness, but everyone else denies it.   So did Lo really see this or was it a dream as a result of her drinking?   All the passengers are accounted for and the cruise staff begin to think Lo is making things up.  Lo is unreliable narrator with her drinking and history of mental health issues which adds to the confusion as to what is real.

The creep factor for me in The Woman in Cabin 10 was the setting!  A cruise ship in the middle of the sea and the sense of claustrophobia was very real for me.  ARGH!  Lo is certain a murder has happened, but she is trapped on a cruise ship with no way to contact the authorities.  She is unable to get ahold of her family or boyfriend due to not having internet access while out at sea.  I hate the feeling of being TRAPPED!

I listened to the audio of The Woman in Cabin 10, I loved the pace of the book and Lo seems even more unreliable when you listen to her.  There are many characters in The Woman in Cabin 10 and they are all pretty well developed.  I loved all the accents in the audio book!  You are never sure if you can believe Lo.  The suspense builds, twists happen and things start to fall into place.  The end had me on the edge of my seat.   The very last sentence or so of the book, made for the perfect ending!   I was very satisfied with the ending.   I finished The Woman in the Cabin 10 on my road trip to Duluth and give it 4 stars. 

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware was also reviewed by Crime By The Book, Rebel Mommy, Mrs. B Book Reviews,  and Curled Up

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware was checked out from the public library.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

Review: The Girl Before by JP Delaney

Title: The Girl Before: A Novel
Author:   JP Delaney  
Genre:   Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
Publisher: Ballantine Books (January 24, 2017)
Length:  352 pages
Source: Netgalley.com

 

 

About Book: (From Good Reads) 

Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.
The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
Emma
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.
Jane
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.

My Review/Rating: One Folgate Street was designed by a architect with a strong focus on perfection and technology.  The architect, Edward, has a very long questionnaire to be answered before you can be considered as a tenant of One Folgate Street.  You will become a better person just by living at One Folgate Street.  The Girl Before by JP Delaney is told in alternating storylines of Then and Now.  Then – Emma lived at One Folgate Street and dies under suspicious circumstances.  Now – Jane is the current tenant of One Folgate Street and has questions about the strange circumstances surrounding her new home.

Are you ready to be swept away by a faced paced read that will keep you guessing?  Anytime someone asks for a book recommendation, The Girl Before pops into my mind first.  It is spring break and snowing here in Minnesota.  What better time to get swept away by the suspense of The Girl Before by JP Delaney.  Many have compared The Girl Before to The Girl on the Train.   Honestly, for me The Girl Before is on a totally different level for me.  The story unravels at the perfect pace, with twists and turns throughout the story, keeping you guessing until the very end!  Yes, this book kept me awake into the late hours of the night!

So find some time like I did to neglect your family, your chores and quickly read The Girl Before by JP Delaney.   The Girl Before is a story of secrets, lies and manipulation that occur around a house which comes alive through it’s technology and the owners expectation for perfection.  The Girl Before is a 4 star read for me!

The Girl Before by JP Delaney was also reviewed by The Keeper of Pages, Vilma’s Book Blog, and Girl with a Pretty Keyboard.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – The Girl Before by JP Delaney was received from NetGalley.com reviewer program and Ballantine Books in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

Review: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

Title: Pretty Baby
Author: Mary Kubica (Author Website) (Facebook)
Narrators: Cassandra Campbell; Tom Taylorson; Jorjeana Marie
Publisher:  Blackstone Audio
Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program



About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)
She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head...

Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.

Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.

Book Trailer:




About the Author:  (from author website)

Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of THE GOOD GIRL and PRETTY BABY.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature, and lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children, where she enjoys photography, gardening and caring for the animals at a local shelter.  Her first novel THE GOOD GIRL received a Strand Critics Nomination for Best First Novel and was a nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards in Debut Goodreads Author and in Mystery & Thriller for 2014.


Narrators:  Cassandra Campbell; Tom Taylorson; Jorjeana Marie  - the narration of Pretty Baby was very well done and seamless.  I am a fan of narration by Cassandra Campbell and Jorjeana Marie.  If I see they are narrating a book, I am very likely to check it out!   Jorjeana is remarkable at portraying younger characters.

My Review: I seem to be on a bit of a roll with reading psychological thrillers.   Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica certainly falls into that category.  Initially the book interested me as Heidi is a social worker type person like myself.  Heidi teaches adult literacy and frequently sees a young girl with a baby when riding the train.  Heidi has a good heart and wants to help the young girl.  She can't seem to stop thinking about the young girl, Willow and her baby Ruby.  Heidi eventually makes contact with Willow and she comes to live with Heidi and her family.  

Willow and her baby come to live with Heidi, her husband Chris and their daughter, Zoe.  The story is told in alternating voices of Willow, Heidi and Chris, which worked well for this particular story.  You  are left wondering which voice is reliable and which one is leading you astray.  You can feel the dread. You know something isn't right, but you just can't figure it out.  

My Rating: 4/5 – really liked it-  I don't like to share too much about a thriller, because it takes the fun out of it for those who have not yet read it.  Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica deals with child abuse, homelessness and the failure of the foster care system.  The characters are well developed and you really understand their feelings of guilt, loss and regret.  I read Pretty Baby in a day......no housework was done that day!   Mary Kubica is a new author to me, but one I will be checking out again.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica was also reviewed on the following blogs:  Smart Bitches and Trashy Books, Outwardly Introverted, That's What She Read, and Novelicious.com  



**Disclosure – Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica was received from Audiobook Jukebox’s reviewer program and Blackstone Audio in exchange for a fair review.

Review: Those Girls by Chevy Stevens

Title: Those Girls
Author: Chevy Stevens (Author Website) (Facebook)
Narrators: Jorjeana Marie/Emily Woo Zeller/Nicol Zanzarella
Publisher:  Blackstone Audio
Length:  11 hours and 29 minutes
Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program
 
About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)
Chevy Stevens is back with her most powerful, emotional thriller yet— a story of survival…and revenge.

Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives.

Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past.

This time there’s nowhere left to run.

As much of a thriller as it is a deep exploration of the bonds among sisters, THOSE GIRLS is an unforgettable portrait of desperation, loyalty, and evil.

About the Author:  (from author website)

Chevy Stevens grew up on a ranch on Vancouver Island and still calls the island home. For most of her adult life she worked in sales, first as a rep for a giftware company and then as a Realtor. While holding an open house one afternoon, she had a terrifying idea that became the inspiration for Still Missing. Chevy eventually sold her house and left real estate so she could finish the book. Still Missing went on to become a New York Times bestseller and win the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel.  Chevy’s books have been optioned for movies and are published in more than thirty countries.

Chevy enjoys writing thrillers that allow her to blend her interest in family dynamics with her love of the west coast lifestyle. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s camping and canoeing with her husband and daughter in the local mountains.

About the Narrators: Jorjeana Marie/Emily Woo Zeller/Nicol Zanzarella - The narration was consistent and flowed very well.  I really found that the voice of each girl help me to identify with them as individuals.  I have enjoyed Jorjeana Marie as a narrator on numerous occasions and find her very talented.

My Review: Those Girls by Chevy Stevens is a story of three sisters, Jess, Courtney and Dani who had a very difficult life after their mother dies and are raised by their father on a ranch in western Canada.  After an altercation with their father the sisters leave home.  Those Girls by Chevy Stevens starts out as story of 3 sisters trying to get through a difficult situation to a story of survival for their lives.

The sisters make their way in a stolen truck to Cold Creek, which is where their nightmare begins.  This is a difficult read as you see the darkest of humanity and their actions.  The story is initially told by Jess and 18 years later the narration is taken over by her daughter Skylar. 

Halfway through listening to Those Girls, I realized I had already read the book.  It is so powerful as an audio that I had to finish it.  It is a very emotional read and you truly feel the fear and anger of the characters.  

The  nightmare begins again 18 years later when one sister is set on revenge.  Chevy Stevens is a masterful suspense writer that truly has you heart beating out of your chest until the end. 

My Rating: 3/5 – liked it- Those Girls is not get everyone, it is very intense and touches on the darkest side of humans and trauma they can cause.   You truly feel the fear of the characters. I literally wanted to stop listening, though I knew the ending.  Those Girls is a true thriller with skillful pacing, which maintains the suspense throughout the story and great character development.   You are really invested in and care about the characters. 

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens was also reviewed on the following blogs:  That's What She Read, Vegan Daemon,  Criminal Element.com, Book Journey, and Booking Mama .

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Those Girls by Chevy Stevens was received from Audiobook Jukebox’s reviewer program and Blackstone Audio in exchange for a fair review. Opinions are my own.