👶🏼👶🏼👶🏼👶🏼: The Truth Chamber, by Duncan Ritchie

WOWZA!!! WHAT A DEBUT!!! Hold on to your hats, everyone! This political thriller is sure to send your pulse racing! I'm still wrapping my brain around what I just read... a story that has terrifying parallels to our current-day political landscape. It has all the right elements of an excellent political thriller: fast pacing, verisimilitude, strong characters, and an intelligent plot.

What I find most compelling is how the author sheds light on the fragile nature of our Democracy—showing how easily our foundational norms can be rearranged or disregarded by those pursuing their own political and financial interests. Sound familiar? I think the most unsettling thing is that @duncan.ritchie began writing this book back in 2022, when much of what he wrote seemed unimaginable... sadly, what was once implausible is now all too familiar.

Mr. Ritchie has succeeded in not only entertaining, but informing through his work. It's clear to see he's done his homework and researched real-life political figures, as the similarities are hard to miss. His quotes carry a sense of urgency as expressed by one of his characters, Presidential hopeful, Anna Hoffman:

"We inspired democracy to flourish around the world for two and a half centuries. We fought hunger and poverty. We helped people find their feet, steered them away from tyranny, and inspired them to make a better world... That world cries out for us to stand tall. This is our moment. If we want to keep our republic, we must stand together, not as Republicans and Democrats, but as Americans. "

I highly recommend you move this provocative read to the very top of your TBR! You won't be disappointed!

Many, many thanks to #partners , @booksforwardpr and @netgalley for this #gifted early review copy!

Read 8/31/26

👶👶👶👶: Two Nights in Lisbon, by Chris Pavone

WOWOWOW! This was quite a ride!

I was so psyched when @fsgbooks and @mcdbooks gifted me with this advanced reader's copy! Yes, I know you're thinking, "wait, she doesn't really read thrillers ", but y'all, I'm Portuguese American, so I just HAD to read this one!

It was so fun to read all the Portuguese words and reminisce about the familiar places throughout. I totally geek out with anything Portuguese, more than likely because living in Texas, I don't really have a lot of my heritage around here🤷‍♀️.

In this nail-biter, we follow Ariel in a fast-paced quest to find her kidnapped husband in a foreign land. Nothing, of course, is at it seems. And initially, no one seems to give her the time of day, until everyone has no choice but to do so.

The beginning was intense, then allowed me to catch my breath just a smidge, midway through, and then shot right back up for a strong finish. I hated not being able to figure out what either of their secrets were, and I came up with a million scenarios that didn't pan out (I'm usually decent at predicting). I'm thinking maybe I should read a smart thriller like this once a quarter just to give my heart a workout and my mind a challenge!

Many thanks to Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Chris Pavone for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Read 5/25/22

👶👶👶: The President Is Missing, James Patterson & Bill Clinton

So, I don't generally read thrillers because I'm a bit of a wimp if I'm honest, but I figured a political thriller was a good baby step... and I actually enjoyed it. It was by no means earth-shattering, nor did it keep me constantly on the edge of my seat, but it was intriguing nonetheless.

I was mostly curious what a collaboration between James Patterson and a former President would look like... and it ended up being a fun, fast-paced adventure. The premise made me think (and worry, TBH), but overall, it didn't make me want to run the other way, like some thrillers I've had to read for book club. 

So, if you're a bit of a thriller wimp like me, I'd say this is a good place to start!

Read 5/29/2021