Waves of Fiction

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Review: It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

Publication Date: February 3rd 2026 by Park Row & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 2min

Narrator: Jennifer Jill Araya, Brittany Pressley, Gary Tiedemann

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★½

My Thoughts:

Courtney’s peaceful family vacation is shattered when she discovers her brother and sister-in-law murdered in the cottage next door. They discover her nephew asleep upstairs, but her seventeen-year-old niece is missing. Was it a stranger who came in or was it one of the family? They definitely weren’t getting along.

The story is told from Courtney’s present day POV and Reese’s POV starting from when the family arrives at the lake resort. I have to say I preferred Courtney’s POV since I liked her character more, even if she did pull some TSTL moves. It was difficult being in Reese’s head, since she was so difficult and her parts were a bit drawn out for me.

It's Not Her was a page-turner! There was no shortage of suspects here and I suspected just about everyone at one point or another. I was shocked to find out the killer’s identity by the end! The reason the events were put into motion... Yikes!!! And that last revelation, wow!

I alternated between the audio and e-copy and recommend either version. I enjoyed all the narrators, Jennifer Jill Araya, as Courtney, Brittany Pressley as Reese and I won’t say who Gary Tiedemann performed. All performed a variety of ages, male and female distinctly and well!

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

Two families vacationing at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime and mysterious disappearance in this twisty, unputdownable thriller

A stunning discovery…
Courtney Gray's tranquil family vacation is shattered when she hears a blood-curdling scream from the lakeside cottage next door. There she finds the lifeless bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Her teenage niece Reese is nowhere to be found, while her nephew Wyatt lies asleep upstairs, unharmed.

A shocking investigation…
As the police descend on the quiet resort town, disturbing secrets about Courtney’s family start to emerge. When she learns that the town has secrets of its own, it makes her wonder if Reese is another victim in a brutal crime or if she’s the killer.

A truth no one could have imagined …
As Courtney begins to unravel the terrible mystery, she realizes that everyone around her has something to hide. And the closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to see…

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Review: Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: January 27th 2027 by Berkley

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★½

My Thoughts:

Tavish and Diya Prasad fall hard and fast, eloping in Las Vegas before he follows her home to New Zealand to start their new life together. But their honeymoon bliss shatters when a fire destroys the Prasad family home and leaves Diya in critical condition. Almost immediately, Tavish becomes the prime suspect, especially once police uncover his unsettling connection to three women who died under suspicious circumstances. Is he a devoted husband caught in a terrible coincidence, or is there something far darker in his past?

I adore Nalini Singh’s Psy‑Changeling series, and her standalone thrillers have been just as compelling for me. Such a Perfect Family is an engrossing mystery, though I found the flashbacks to Diya’s past a bit drawn out, slowing the momentum. I was far more captivated by the threads involving the three women linked to Tavish and the question of whether he was responsible. I genuinely couldn’t predict the truth behind the present‑day crimes, but Singh pulls everything together in a satisfying way by the end.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

A man with a deadly past marries into the perfect, respectable family in this riveting thriller from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh . . .

A woman buried.
A woman broken.
A woman crashed.
A woman burned.
And the man who knew them all.

Love at first sight, a whirlwind Vegas wedding, a fairy-tale romance.
For seventy-nine days, Tavish Advani has been the happiest man in the world—until his new life turns to ash, his wealthy in-laws’ house going up in a fiery explosion. His badly injured wife lies in a coma, her family all but annihilated.

Tavish thought he left the sins of his Los Angeles life behind, but it’s not so easy to leave behind an investigation into the deaths of several high-profile women—all of whom he professed to love. Tragedy and death follow him no matter where he goes . . . but this time, he knows he’s innocent.

Desperately trying to clear his name as the authorities zero in, he begins his own investigation into the fire—and learns that his wife’s picture-perfect family may have been nothing but a meticulously constructed mirage. The truth is much darker than anything Tavish could’ve imagined . . .

Monday, February 2, 2026

Review: Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden

Publication Date: January 27th 2026 by Poisoned Pen Press & Dreamscape Media

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 40min

Narrator: Julia Whelan, January LaVoy, Scott Brick

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★½

My Thoughts:

Debbie’s quiet, suburban life is unraveling. She’s just been fired from her job as an advice columnist, her husband is keeping secrets, and her daughters have some issues of their own.

Debbie took things in her own hands, and her actions were definitely in the gray (maybe more than that, haha!), but any fan of justice being served will love this story and cheer her on!

This was my first read by Freida McFadden and the hype is real! I’m not elaborating on the plot because of spoilers, but boy did McFadden keep me guessing and riveted by the story! My husband and I listened in one go on a long road and both of us had a few “OMG” moments! Darkly humorous and absolute fun!

The audio was perfection! Julia Whelan, January LaVoy and Scott Brick are three favorite audio narrators and so the story was even more phenomenal with their performances!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Sometimes, enough is enough…

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction.

Or at least, she did.

These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person. She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice.

And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.

From #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a biting, subversive thriller about what happens when women finally choose to take justice into their own hands – with killer results.

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Sunday Post #325

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

We're on our way home from Southern California. It was a flurry of activity. We drove down to Irvine for a work dinner and the next day traveled to my son and DIL's house to spend time with them and the grandkids. Two boys, ages three and one! Busy with a lot of energy! We cooked a family dinner, my dad and his wife, my two sisters and my sister's husband all came. We had a great time catching up!

We stopped at my husband's parents home on our way back home and had breakfast with them. They live in a small town outside of Southern California and have a peaceful backyard with lots of oak trees, birdfeeders and birdbaths.

We're driving back home. Hopefully we won't run into the pervasive fog that's been plaguing Central California, causing a bunch of accidents.

My in-laws back yard

Starla sleeping on my kitchen windowsill.

1000 Puzzle Completed: Vintage Library by Galison

Read:

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh-3.5 Stars

Photograph by Brian Freeman-4 Stars

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden-4.5 Stars

My first read by Freida McFadden and now I get the hype! Very twisty and fun!

Received:

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

Thank you to Berkley, Penguin Random House Audio, Dreamscape Media and Macmillan Audio!

How was your week?

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Review: Make It Out Alive By Allison Brennan

Make It Out Alive (Quinn & Costa #7) by Allison Brennan

Publication Date: January 27th 2025 by Hanover Square Press & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 400

Audiobook Length: 11hrs 57min

Narrator: Suzanne T. Fortin

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

My Thoughts:

Detective Kara Quinn and FBI Agent Matt Costa go undercover as newlyweds to catch a killer targeting couples at a Florida resort. When they manage to arrest their suspect mid‑abduction, the team thinks the case is wrapped. But after deciding to stay the weekend and finally take a breath, Kara and Matt vanish. Suddenly, the question becomes unavoidable: Did they catch the right man?

As the team scrambles to retrace Kara and Matt’s steps, they’re forced to confront a chilling possibility, someone else may be involved. Meanwhile, Kara and Matt wake to find themselves trapped in a deadly, escape‑room‑like setup where every choice could be their last.

I devoured Make It Out Alive in a single day. The blend of crime‑procedural investigation and high‑stakes survival kept me glued to the story, especially as the clock ticked down for Kara and Matt. Their chapters are action-packed as they use their wits to escape, while the team’s investigation unfolds with smart, methodical tension.

I’ve followed this series from the beginning and love how consistently gripping it is, but you can jump in here without missing a beat. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend the entire series.

I alternated between reading and listening to Make It Out Alive, and both formats were excellent. The audiobook, performed by Suzanne T. Fortin, was especially enjoyable. She delivers distinct, believable voices for every character, male and female alike.

5 Stars

Book Description:

Allison Brennan returns to her bestselling series with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that thrusts Quinn and Costa into the crosshairs of a sadistic serial killer.

Three newlywed couples have disappeared from an exclusive resort in Florida, only to turn up dead soon after. With the location and the similarities between the female victims as their only leads, it’s up to the FBI Mobile Response Team to catch a serial killer before anyone else ends up dead. And they have the perfect bait—Detective Kara Quinn, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the targeted women.

Undercover as newlyweds pretending to enjoy their honeymoon, Kara and FBI Agent Matt Costa set a flawless trap. When their plan works and they arrest the predator, Matt sends the rest of the team home so he and Kara can have the weekend for some much-needed R&R. But on Monday morning, the couple doesn’t show up to work, and the MRT learns they never checked out of their hotel.

As their team tries to find them, Matt and Kara learn the truth—the killer wasn’t acting alone. He had a partner who succeeded where he failed. Kidnapped and forced into a twisted escape room, they need to find a way out, because if they don’t escape, they’ll die.

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Sunday Post #324

I hope everyone is warm and safe with all the storms. Seems like reading the news each day brings a fresh new horror. I like Kimberly's @Caffeinated reviewer's weekly reminder to spread kindness where you can!

I had a nice week. My husband was off this past Monday so we went hiking on a trail about 15 minutes away and then went to lunch. The weather was gorgeous!

Hike in Nevada City, CA

Peanut and Starla co-existing

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Sherlock Holmes by Gibson Games

Read:

Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie

Warping Minds and Other Misdemeanors byAnnette Marie and Rob Jacobsen

The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman

Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie-4 Stars

Warping Minds and Other Misdemeanors by Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen-3 Stars

The Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl #4) by Matt Dinniman-5 Stars

Make it Out Alive (Quinn & Costa #7) by Allison Brennan-5 Stars

I am loving The Dungeon Crawler Carl series! I would've blown through all the books published already but I've had to pause for read a-long and review books! Make it Out Alive was so good! I listened to it in one day!

Received: