Welcome to Gigi's Book Corner's ARC Reviews

A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling
This was an amazing thriller, and although it’s number three in a series, I read it as a stand alone and I didn’t even know.
Ben Packard is a formidable character and I will now go back and read the first two.
Ben was just a kid when his brother walked out the door, never to return. Decades later, now as a Deputy, Ben finds himself almost obsessed with the cold case that tore his family apart. New evidence is found and it throws him between the old case and a new one, one that his friends and neighbors want him to drop.
This is a gripping, suspenseful thriller, with two mysteries, his brother’s disappearance and a neighbors’ death.
The characters are wonderful, Ben’s mother will have you laughing, and the mysteries will keep the pages turning. It does start a little slow but like most great mysteries, it builds and hooks the reader until the end.
The audio narration was perfect with great personalization of characters and the storytelling was wonderful. It made the book experience awesome! 5/5⭐
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Ambush by Colleen Coble
I loved this one – mystery, suspense, romance, murder, and an animal sanctuary! Wow!
Paradise returns to her hometown, now as a veterinarian for the animal sanctuary. She has questions to answer about her past and maybe some fences to mend in old relationships. With strange mishaps at the animal sanctuary, it seems that someone wants to send a dangerous message.
Blake has guarded his broken heart for a long time. Now he’s back to help his family and run the animal sanctuary. With lots of unanswered questions about close calls at the sanctuary, it’s up to Blake and Paradise to find the truth.
Loved, loved, loved it!
Murder, romance, mystery, an animal sanctuary- all welcome back some favorites from Pelican Harbor!
Imaginative, suspenseful, Colleen Coble impresses me with every new story! This one has it all and you won’t want to put it down! Christian fiction at its finest, I loved it!
The characters are so relatable and well developed, I was with them in the story. The audio narrator did an excellent job giving the characters individuality and definition. The audiobook was so well done! I can't wait to buy a hardcopy for my personal library!
I would like to Thank NetGalley and Colleen Coble for the wonderful opportunity to review an ARC of the audiobook and the eBook! 5/5⭐

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Katie is between a rock and a hard place. Her career is teetering as her company downsizes. Her co-worker Cole offers her a project that could save her job and get him out of interacting with his brother Hutch. It's a promotional video about the Coast Guard and his brother is front and center. The catch, it requires swimming skills, which Katie doesn't have, so she fakes it.
When Katie gets to Key West, she finds a bright welcoming community and Aunt Rue. Rue runs everything in town including building a family with her friends and community. She is as colorful as the clothes she wears and she warms everyone's heart with her personality. Sparks fly when Katie meets Hutch and she literally flies when she meets his giant dog, George Bailey.
I loved this story! It has self reflection and teaches some lessons on perspective and self appreciation. Katherine Center amazes me every time! She is truly a gifted storyteller and will always be "must-read" author. I will read everything she writes! This is a beautiful creative love story that will stay with me, it made me laugh and I was with the characters, in the story. The writing is just that good, like you walk right in and just become part of the story - the best kind of book! Of course it has a brilliant dog at the center, I love George Bailey!
To quote Katherine Center, " In the best stories, you're in it. It's happening all around you - and to you." That's exactly how i feel about books. That's why Katherine Center is an excellent author. Read this one and don't skip the author's note, it's phenomenal too!
I would like to thank NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity to review an ARC of this book. 5+/5⭐

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray
I really wanted to love this one but I didn’t.
It promised the story of Jessie Redmon Fassett, a remarkable woman that I was excited to learn about. The book seemed to emphasize an extramarital affair with WEB DuBois over her outstanding achievements in the literary world. I couldn’t emotionally connect with the book or its characters and after finishing the book, the affair and the connotation that her achievements were a result of the affair is what I am left to reflect on.
I really wish the author success and I applaud her for bringing another black historical figure to the attention of the world. I wish it had been more focused on her achievements and the great authors she interacted with.
I would like to Thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review and ARC of this novel. Overall rating : 2.5/5⭐

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry
This book was so good! I took my time reading and just devouring the pages. The lyrical prose was so beautifully crafted! I was drawn in and mesmerized by the story with secret languages, missing pages, and a magical realm of the mind to perch a beautiful escape, just beauty in words!
The setting descriptions were timeless and mystical. I felt like I was there with Clara and Winnie. I could feel the heartbreak and wonder! I absolutely loved diving into this one, based on a real-life literary mystery!
In 1927, a renowned author disappears leaving a heartbroken Clara whose magical childhood shatters. Later in 1952, Clara has made a name for herself as an illustrator and has a beautiful, yet fragile daughter Wynnie. One day, Clara gets a call when a stranger in London claims to have her mother’s lost words. Charlie Jameson compels Clara to cross the ocean, and she arrives during a deadly natural disaster, The Great Smog. Asthmatic Wynnie becomes overtaken by the acidic smog and the two leave the city with Charlie to take refuge at his family’s country home in the Lake District. While there, Clara is intrigued with peculiar connections and begins to unravel the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
This was a captivating mystery and so imaginative! 5+/5⭐️
I would love to thank NetGalley for the awesome opportunity to review an ARC of this beautiful story!
This will be released later in 2025.

Hot Air by Marcy Dermansky
This one had an interesting concept.
Joanie and Johnie go on a date at his house, because she doesn’t have chidcare. A hot air balloon crashed in Johnie’s pool. The couple riding in the ballon consists of a man that recognizes Joanie from high school, and it goes downhill from there. There were some funny moments but the characters were entitled and annoying. The story line was choppy and the characters all had names that begin with “J” which made it difficult to follow. As the story was told from multiple points of view without good transition between characters, the story just didn’t flow well. It was like a stream of consciousness writing style. The story fell flat and was shallow without good character development and lots of bad decisions.
On a positive note, the cover is fabulous! 2/5⭐️
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano
A road trip with your sidekick super hero nanny, kids in tow!
What can I say? The journey continues. This one has the ladies handling a kidnapping, stolen car full of bullet holes, and Karma shows up in a big way.
Dead bodies and diapers seem to find Finlay around every turn. A road trip to Atlantic City for a girls’ weekend lands them in trouble again, only this time Finlay’s mom and her ex-husband are in tow.
This is truly a lighthearted fun escape to just enjoy and laugh with a mystery. Finlay and Vero are awesome! This is #4 in the series and I have enjoyed every one of them!
While a lot of this story is far fetched and fickle with ,more luck than humanly possible, it is very entertaining and keeps your attention. The characters are quirky and relatable and they just work together. Loved it! 4/5⭐️
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to view the series.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
This is the beginning of something special! I loved it and I went so far as to order the whole series so I could have physical copies. Finally is my hero! I love quirky characters and she fits the whole bill!

Finlay is killing it by not killing outside the pages of her new novel. After a heated discussion with her publishing agent in Panera, she is mistaken for a contract killer for hire.
She gets drawn into a murder investigation that is complicated in many ways. This was delightfully funny and witty. The antics that Finlay shares with her babysitter will keep you glued to the pages. The characters are authentic and easily relatable. It was suspenseful with a touch of humor. This is the beginning of a brilliant series from Elle Cosimano. I can wait to read more! I loved it! 5/5⭐️
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this one!

The Birdcage Library (audiobook) by Freya Berry
This was a historical novel with a dual timeline between 1932 and the 1880s, told with multiple points of view between two women. You have Emily Blackwood who goes to work for Heinrich Vogel at a castle in Scottland. She was hired under the guise of cataloguing a collection but given the task of a treatsure hunt. While there, she finds the diary of Hester Vogel. Hester fell from the Brooklyn bridge on the eve of its opening in 1883. From the diary Emily is led to find a rare book.
I have to say that overall, I was disappointed with this one. In the beginning, the author goes to great lengths to describe Emily and her diabetes. The author fails in providing an accurate description of transporting or storing insulin in 1932. Storing it for long periods without refrigeration, under the bed would have been disaster out and unlikely. There is no detail given withthe administration, or source of insulin. Since there was so much care taken to describe how she carried the vials on a belt around her waste, it was careless to fall flat with knowledge of the drug or disease. From the description, the woman would not have lived seven years managing it in the manner as it was described.
Further the scenes were not detailed enough to take the reader there and experience the places. I struggled to get invested in the story. The mystery was carefully constructed but not engaging enough to hold my interest throughout the story.
The narration was confusing as it switched timelines and characters.
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this audiobook. 2.5/5⭐️

I’ll Be Home for Mischief (audiobook) by Jacqueline Frost
Holly White is an amateur sleuth in the town of Mistletoe, Maine. As an innkeeper she plays a significant role in the activities surrounding the Christmas season. This year is her first wedding anniversary with her husband Evan Gray, the sheriff. Holly is preoccupied with several things. She needs the perfect anniversary gift for Evan, the town is celebrating 150 years, and her mother is attempting a world record to put the town on the map with the largest gingerbread man.
Those plans for world fame are dashed when a body is found in the batter. Holly can’t help but get involved to support a long time family friend, even when she is threatened. Things get a little too close for comfort when someone breaks in her office and she has to decide if it’s worth it to continue to ask questions.
This is #5 in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series, it works great as a stand alone cozy mystery. The characters are delightful and the story is cozy, perfect for the Christmas season! I really enjoyed the quirky characters and the wintery Christmas setting. The plot had an easy flow with a smooth writing style that just welcomed you into the story. Allyson Ryan did an excellent job with the narration and made it easy to connect with the char@caters as the reader listened.
I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review the audiobook.
4/5⭐️

Lowcountry Lost (audiobook) by T.I. Lowe
Ava Lee Elvis is responsible for a tiny town that she wants to bring back to life. She’s named the town Somewhere, South Carolina. Long abandoned, the town is a source of healing as she fixes its broken pieces and breathes life into a long forgotten place.
Ava Lee can fix most things, except herself. Her heartache and regret weigh her down. She feels broken, so she pours herself, blood, sweat,and tears, into putting broken places back together. Making them beautiful again gives her a reprieve to the hurt she carries and hides from all of those she cares about.
Rowan Murray shares her pain, they haven’t seen each other in six years, and she hoped they never would again. She is shocked when he shows up on her current job site. When she hears that familiar Irish brogue, every wound in her soul is ripped open. They are forced to face their past and move through a major renovation together.
This is a beautiful story of healing, forgiveness, and soul bending commitment to a promise of love. It’s a story of finding your place and a family among the broken pieces of your life. I absolutely loved this book!
I listened to the audiobook version , and the narration was phenomenal. The narrator, Zura Johnson, brought all the characters to life and carried them all the way through this heartfelt story.
This is a book I would give to friends and family, a perfect story of healing after loss.
I would like to Thank NetGalley and Recorded books for the opportunity to review an ARC of this audiobook.
5/5⭐️

Talmadge Farm (audiobook) by Leo Daughtry

In. 1957, Gordon Talmadge leads a self absorbed lavish lifestyle in Eastern North Carolina. He owns a large tobacco farm with two sharecropper families, one black and one white.
A New South is on the horizon and Gordon struggles to hold on to all that he claims as his. This is an unforgettable drama of three families navigating changing times during a pivotable period in history. Their lives are intertwined closely. Desegregation is happening and tensions are high, along with the growing reassessment of the tobacco farms. There is controversy over smoking and the daunting management of farms implementing new farming processes.
This book has beautifully detailed settings, and the characters are wonderfully developed. You can just imagine that you are walking among the rows of tobacco and feel the summer heat. You can feel the pain, anger, and joy of the characters. The story is so beautiful and rich. The narrator, Justin Price, has rich voice perfect with a Southern dialect. The storytelling is mesmerizing. I really enjoyed this one!
I would like to Thank NetGalley and Books Fluent for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book. 5/5⭐️

Daughter of Ruins (audiobook) by Yvette Manessis Corporon
Brave women of history have had to exert great courage to change the course of their existence, many had no voice until someone gave them one by telling their stories.

This story tells the tale of 3 women, a motherless daughter, an Italian prostitute, and a mail order “picture bride” from Greece.
Demitra was born in America and was taken back to Greece when her mother died. She spent her childhood buried in mythology looking for her mother in the stories of goddesses. As a young woman she refuses an arranged marriage and instead has an affair with a forbidden man who ignites her passion for art. In her art, she brings new Greek goddesses to life.
Elena was raised around Italian brothels and failed to escape becoming a victim to that fate. When Italy occupied Cephalonia, Greece, she was sent to entertain soldiers. Her life changed when the .Germans arrived in 1943.
Maria was from a poor Greek village, where her father struggled to feed the family. He sent her to America to marry a stranger as a”picture bride”. At 18, she was terrified of the life she was forced into and mourned the one she left behind.

This story is steeped in culture and history with a compelling tale of resilience and survival. Our fates are often shaped by the struggles we endure. I enjoyed reading about these extraordinary women who had no voice until someone put pen to paper and gave them one,

This was an outstanding book! I was captivated with the stories of the three women.
The narrator did a phenomenal job of telling their story from the pages of this wonderful book! This was a slow burn initially, I honestly had a little bit of a struggle connecting with the story and characters in the beginning. Once I got a feel for their interconnections and the story line, I was completely captivated and I wanted to listen until the end!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book!
4/5⭐️

Wildest Wish by Alex Gordon
I received an ARC for review from the publisher and author. This was an eagerly anticipated sequel to her first book, Wicked Wish.
In this story, Regan Braaten ends up back in Alaska after she accepts a position with Global Security Systems. GSS sent her there with other individuals that have “gifts” to explore. As she finds a friend family among others like herself, she still has trust issues in every direction.
Regan’s trainer, Gin, wants more than friendship and Jude, her boyfriend, is beyond jealous. This creates a tense dynamic among the three and feeds the story with anticipation.
Wrapped up in a love triangle, Regan learns to control her special talents and recognizes some of her limits. After a betrayal by Gin and GSS, Regan has to decide where her loyalty lies and what to do next. Her decision will direct a lot of things for all of those she cares most about.
This was a captivating sequel to Wicked Wish by Alex Gordon. The character development is awesome and allows the reader to be drawn into the story from the beginning. I loved the plot and flow of the story as new characters and pieces were introduced.
I was a little disappointed with the ending because I just wanted more. I feel like some of the loose ends introduced towards the end could have been resolved but I am eagerly anticipating the next book! I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Thank you for the opportunity to review the ARC! 4/5⭐️

The Fabled Earth ( Audiobook) by Kimberly Brock
In a dual timeline between 1932 and 1959 the opulence of the Guilded Age is celebrated on Cumberland Island by the Carnegies and other islanders. A party of young men from America’s finest families ends in tragedy after a night of revelry and story telling goes wrong in 1932.
In 1959, Cleo Woodbine has lived on a sliver of the island called “Kingdom Come” for decades. Frances Flood shows up looking for identity and answers that Chloe may hold. A double exposure photograph and an old news article change everything they thought they knew. Has Frances raised a ghost from that night in 1932, or are there more secrets to unfold?
I love the Georgia Coast and the author does a beautiful job of taking you there with detailed descriptions of the place and the culture on the island. This book was beautifully written. It is a wonderfully imaginative tale of finding a place to call home and using art and story telling to carry you through the good and the bad. I loved it!

The narrator did an excellent job of telling the story and making the listener a comfortable part of the story. The mellow voice and calm reading style made for an enjoyable experience!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harper Muse for the pleasure of reviewing the ARC of this audiobook version of the story.
I give it 4.5/5 ⭐️

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict
It’s 1931, Agatha Christie and her rival Dorothy Sayers join forces with three other women. Together, five of the greatest female crime writers take on the Detection Club, a male dominated venue of writers. To prove themselves, the Queens of Crime dive into solving the mystery of a missing nurse, May Daniels. The case has all the hallmarks of a locked room case and fits their writing style. The women face danger, threats, and revealing their own guarded secrets to find answers and redeem the reputation of the young nurse.
This is truly a cozy mystery in the style of Agatha Christie’s stories. I really enjoyed the writing style. The characters were well developed and relatable.
I give this 4/5 ⭐️
I would like to Thank NetGalley for the ARC and the ability to offer my honest opinion.

#NetGalley #MarieBenedict #thequeensofcrime

The Sunflower House by Adrianna Allegri
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.
This novel is a beautifully written tale of determination, resilience, and survival. It’s also a wonderful love story and a history lesson.
In a dual timeline, Allina has a story that her daughter was part of but never knew. When Allina has an accident, her daughter discovers a box with swastika on it, her questions and alarm prompt her mother to share the secrets of a lifetime.
Allina Strauss’s family has secrets. She lives with her aunt and uncle, it’s 1939, Hitler is in power. Alina works for the family bookshop and enjoys cooking with her aunt. When things accelerate with Hitler’s plans and Jews are being rounded up in the area, her family is attacked. Alina is brutally attacked and then delivered to the Hochland house and left there. This home is part of the Lebensborn Program, producing “pure” blood offspring for the continuation of the Aryan population. Women are placed there to get pregnant and have babies, some by choice.
Alina has a secret, her mother was Jewish. That puts her in great danger. She becomes a nurse at the home, in charge of the babies. She soon realizes things are not what they seem and some children are in danger. As she puts everything on the line to save as many as she can, she finds love.
Meticulously researched, this novel covers the Himmler eugenics project and the horrors that resulted during the WWII era. Adrianna Allegri did a brilliant job with this debut novel!

5/5⭐️

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
I would like to thank McMillan Audiobooks, NetGalley, and Minotaur Books for allowing me to review this audiobook with an ARC copy.
The.narration was wonderful, it was a full cast narration. This publication will be released on 5/28/2024. Helen Laser, John Pirhalla, and Paul Daleh did a great job as narrators and distinguishing the voice of individual characters. The pacing was excellent and the story flowed well. The narration definitely made the novel experience exciting and alive.
The story was a very well written thriller. I am now a new Alex Finlay fan! The plot was so well executed and it kept you guessing throughout the whole book.
You have Ryan Richardson and a cast of small town heroes develop as they are thrust into a vengeful chase from Philadelphia to Leavenworth, Kansas and all over Europe. As Ryan relives a nightmare daily . Then his nightmare comes true when he sees the monster of his dreams in Italy while on a college trip abroad. Back in the US, there is a small town with a lot of secrets that no one wants exposed. Then a car is found submerged in the lake by podcasters, and nothing can stop the roller coaster that results.
This is a fast paced thriller with lots of detail and well developed characters. You don’t want to miss it! 5/5⭐️

The Little Provence Bookshop by Gillian Harvey
This was an awesome bookstore story!
Adeline has escaped her everyday life with her daughter Lili. They find a new beginning and some hope in the little village called Provence. After her mother’s recent death, family secrets were revealed and Adeline feels betrayed to her core. In Provence, she meets Monique when she responds to an ad for a position at a quaint little bookshop. Adeline meets Andre and Michel, with the potential of love and new friendships, she finds her way to the magic that exists in new adventures.
This is a wonderfully warm and romantic story of found family and building family among friends. I really enjoyed reading this one and I love the writing style and complex interwoven characaters and their histories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to review an ARC of this great story!
This will be released on 10/9/2024

4.5/5⭐️

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker
Katrina, a grieving widow goes back to her hometown after the passing of her grandmother. For a year she has used AI technology from her company to connect with her deceased husband and pretend he’s still alive. She talks to him daily for comfort and advice. One day, she asks an unexpected question on a whim, and he states” I think I was murdered “.
Katrina relies on an old friend, Seb, to help her chase down the truth. There are elements of mystery, murder, espionage, betrayal and romance. This book has it all, maybe too much. Seb was my favorite character.
The characters were so well developed and the plot was fresh and current.

I also listened to the audio book and it was so well done! The narrator Karen Peakes, did a phenomenal job and really enhanced the experience, by giving each character a voice.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson publishing and Colleen Coble for the pleasure of reviewing an ARC copy.
I really enjoyed the epilogue too! Overall it was enjoyable and a great thriller! 4.5/5⭐️s

The Secret of Brighton House by Cathy Hayward
This story is told in a tandem dual timeline between the 1970s and the present. In the story you are introduced to Joanne who is pregnant, and as she is preparing for her baby she discovers family secrets among heirlooms that are given to her. She is shocked by lies revealed with a photograph. Her parents kept secrets but even they don’t know the whole truth. Joanne goes on a quest to find the truth of her mother’s past and her birth.
The stress from dealing with worry of the unknown is almost as intense as the need to find the truth. This story does have some dark elements, but important ones in exploring topics of infertility and the mental health of women, issues not often explored or mentioned.

I think the flashback episodes could have been developed more and introduced in a better way. I also think that the characters beyond the mother and daughter could have been better developed. The back story with the mother was underdeveloped and not fully explored.

On a side note, American readers may be put off by the lack of punctuation, meaning periods, in title abbreviations.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a quick read and I found it engaging. However, I just wanted more depth and background in the flashback base story.

I want to say “ Thank you” to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC copy. These are my personal opinions. This novel will be released in November 2024.

3.5/5⭐️