The Silent Patient

I actually had this book finished early last week but didn't get this post done last Saturday because I was picking up brain matter off the walls. I still kinda am every time I think about what this story put me through. It's another one that hasn't officially been published yet- it will be February 5, 2019. It's wonderful so without further ado I present The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Rating: 5000!! (Okay, my rating system only goes up to five, so it's a five, but really 5000. So shoot me.)
Whoo-hoos: 3 (sex does happen but not on screen)

Alicia is living a life of luxury and talent between her art and Gabriel's photography, but all is not as it seems and most of it comes to light when she kills him. However, she hasn't said a word since the police initially responded to the report of shots fired. Not in defense. Not in anger. Nothing. For this reason, she is admitted to a psychiatric hospital and remains there for several years, when Theo, a therapist who has been enthralled with this case from the beginning, feels he can and needs to help Alicia. He transfers his career to the facility she has been kept in, surprising everyone when she starts responding to his guidance and even breaks her silence to speak with him. Though moving toward the truth is more perilous than originally thought...for everyone involved. 

A. J. Finn has described this book as the perfect thriller, and he is completely spot on. A novel of this caliber and magnitude has not been seen for a long time and serves to make the audience plead for the author to pen more books. From rich, intricate characters, (some with complex mental illnesses) to a plot full of incredible twists, the reader can never guess how it will conclude. Even for seasoned thriller enthusiasts, there is no level of predictability. To compare this work to any other would do severe disservice to this piece of art; it's in a realm entirely its own. The storytelling is quick paced and flows beautifully much like a rapid and swift river, securing its course and bringing whomever is on it along for the ride, whether or not they want to hit the rapids. This author manages to not show how intensive it will become, but manages to raise excitement levels to almost unbearable levels anyway. The amazing growth and development is both horrifying and gratifying, especially learning the motivation behind each action. It feels as though Michaelides wrote a nonfiction masked as fiction- this is how real everything seems, including every psychological aspect. A book that will be reread and recommended endlessly and spread far and wide.

To pre-order on Amazon go here: The Silent Patient

The Silence Ends 2.5.19

Keep your book as hot as your tea!

Forgetting the Enemy

You know those books that leave you swearing because the end is ridiculous but in a great way and it leaves you NEEDING more? That is Forgetting the Enemy by Amy Cecil. I had the wonderful privilege of doing an ARC review for this book so you'll have to wait until January 10, 2019 to read it yourself, but trust me it is well worth it. So without further ado I present the review. 

Rating: 5 (Jaw-dropping Oscar performance)
Whoo-Hoos: 5 (It's a really good thing this is coming out in cold weather...but you'll still need a fan...)

Michael and Zaira grew up together and both families have always known a marriage would happen between the two, but when Zaira's mother is killed Michael's family catches the blame and that relationship all but dissolves. Five years later, Zaira's brother is concerned about her well-being and recruits Michael's family to take out a common threat. When the hit is executed disorder erupts and amid the chaos Zaira falls, hitting her head and landing her unconscious. Michael can't leave her and does the only logical thing which is to place himself in charge of her care and safety. Things prove tricky when Michael learns the extent of her injuries and his own feelings. Struggling to help Zaira remember him, providing for her needs, and suddenly being the Don of a powerful family is becoming an increasing challenge- one Michael isn't necessarily thinking through with logic. 

A stellar book that grabs the reader from the beginning and holds them hostage past the ending, with a desperation to know how every little facet will play out. A seemingly believable glance into some of the more minor inner-workings of an Italian mobster family, and it manages to twist the audience's heart- hoping against hope that things will simply work out for the protagonists. It's heart-breaking, in the best way, to see the hero's growth throughout the novel and to see where it culminates. Not once did the story drag, but the end loomed closer and faster than one would like. A rarity in the romance world that deserves a minimum of ten stars!

To check it out on Amazon...You'll have to wait til it gets closer. ;) I'll try to update the link when it's up.

Keep your tea as hot your book!