Month: April 2026

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

My family members love Godzilla, and by proxy, I know a lot. I’ve even cross-stitched a Mothra for one of my kids. This story, written in 1961, is the origin of Mothra. The book is three short stories by three different authors, plus a longer essay by the narrator about Godzilla and Japan.

The three stories describe how the egg of Mothra was created, hatched, and why. The egg is guarded by three luminous fairies on Infant Island, but when they are stolen and taken to the mainland, Mothra hatches and causes destruction. This is a must-read for any Godzilla fan. Lots of fun.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Unfortunately, the main character was completely unlikable. I think I was supposed to root for her, but she made the worst decisions and trusted the wrong people, even when they were obviously wrong.

Police detective Scarlett is on the hunt for the serial killer known as the Jackdaw when she teams up with a criminal for help. A. Criminal. *insert facepalm emoji*. He’s charming and, of course, has her completely fooled.

The “unputdownable” tag on any book is a warning for me to steer clear. 9 times out of 10, it means it isn’t. I saw the twists coming a mile away, also. This is the first in a series, but I have no need to read another.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

When Emlyn’s estranged best friend, Janessa, goes missing in the wilderness, she and her ex-boyfriend, Tyler, have to trek into the woods to find her. Tyler abandoned Emlyn on a hike years ago, and she hasn’t spoken to him since. But since he’s Janessa’s childhood friend, the two vow to work together to find her.

Emlyn loves her quiet, new life, but finding Janessa is the priority. Janessa is with a guide, but who knows if he’s truly trustworthy. As the story unfolds in the present day, we also learn about these people’s pasts through flashback chapters.

This book was good. The ending didn’t sell it for me as much as I hoped it would, but the characters are great. I loved the wilderness descriptions, as well. This was a solid read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

When Ellie Black reappears in the woods after being missing for two years, Detective Chelsey Calhoun tries to uncover where Ellie was and with whom. But Ellie isn’t talking. She refuses to say anything, which most chalk up to trauma, but Chelsey is suspicious. Her own sister went missing twenty years ago.

The story is also told from Ellie’s perspective when she was missing. As her story unfolds, we learn what her traumas are and why she won’t speak. However, Chelsey is still digging. The ending of this book is excellent, and I loved both Ellie and Chelsey’s characters. I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Told from various perspectives and settings, the story follows Ryan, whose girlfriend, Ali, was abducted when they were teens. Five years later, Ali’s car has been found, but still no sign of her. The local deputy sheriff is tracking down every lead.

While in Europe, Ryan is tracked down by the man who took Ali, which leads him down some dark paths across the continent. He wants to know what happened to Ali, but is also terrified of what he will uncover and how the truth could impact him.

This book was excellent, with a great plot twist that made total sense. I loved all the characters, and the way the plot brought them together was masterful. Another excellent one from Alex Finlay.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

In the first chapter, a college student writes a book that she feels very connected to. After publisher after publisher rejects the book, one finally picks it up. Each subsequent chapter is a person who interacts with that book in some way.

As you move through each chapter, you learn more about the original book and its eponymous main character, Theo. The basic plot is one of love and loss. But each person who reads the book (or doesn’t read but interacts with it, depending on the chapter) is impacted in a different way.

It’s a beautiful story of the power of books, reading, and connections. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

When a friend’s wife goes missing, Andrew has to return home to help with the situation. He fled the town decades ago after a terrible tragedy that befell the friend group. Once he returns, Andrew realizes that his friends have been struggling lately.

The group has a variety of issues. Not only is one’s wife missing, another’s daughter is sleepwalking, one is an addict, and one has buried everything so deeply that he’s in denial. When Andrew returns, everything gets worse.

This book was excellent. I loved Malfi’s Come With Me and was pleased to see another fantastic book from him. The book was so well-written and had some great twists that I didn’t see coming, but made total sense. Highly recommend this one!