Three Things...

1.
The latest Ruth Ware - OMG!! It comes out later this year (August 6th!) and I am telling you it is a must-read - especially if you are a fan of her work (which I most definitely am).  Her latest story centers on a woman named Rowan who has just taken on the job of nanny for a wealthy family up in Scotland.  The house is located in a secluded area and is a "smart" house.  She'll be taking care of two little girls and a baby - the teen is away at boarding school.  The parents have an architecture business that keeps them BUSY.  Upon Rowan's first day on the job she is informed that the parents are going out of town for nearly two weeks, so she will have to just dive right in and start nannying.  Yep, she barely knows the kids, but what can she do - its her job, right? So, here she goes.  The parents leave and Rowan is left with kids that are nothing like she thought they would be. She was told of how well-behaved they were and what she is experiencing now is anything but.  Yep, these kids are acting up and they are making Rowan's job tough. Plus, she has to deal with a cleaner who dislikes her and a caretaker who is a bit too eager to please her. Hmm...looks like life in Scotland is not going to be an easy one. Oh, and did I mention the "smart" house and its penchant for acting up - locking people out, blasting music, etc..  And, there are noises of footsteps coming from a locked door in Rowan's new bedroom. Yep, things are getting weirder and scarier each day that Rowan remains at the house.  What is she going to do? Who can she trust? And, what about her HUGE secret? Yikes!  By the way, did I mention that we learn all about Rowan and her job via letters she is penning to an attorney.  Seems that this nannying job led to Rowan's arrest -  it seems that one of Rowan's charges died and now she is facing prosecution for their murder. Yep, looks like that new job turned out to be Rowan's worst nightmare. Cripes! Talk about a must-read murder-mystery! Loved it!!

2. 
Three best friends and one unforgettable day.  Rain and Tess are walking to their friend Hank's house.  They take the shortcut they aren't supposed to take.  On the way to Hank's they encounter a stranger in the woods. After that, their lives will never be the same. Fast forward, Rain is now a married and stay-at-home mom. She was a journalist/producer, but has chosen to give up her career and focus on raising her daughter. Except, the news has run a story about a murder - the killing of a killer. Yep, someone has been killing killers and Rain is very interested in that story. A story that makes her think about her past and the man who traumatized her, killed her best friend, Tess, and assaulted her other best friend, Hank.  An even that scarred her physically and mentally.  Except, if Rain goes digging into her past, she knows that she will be opening up herself to a truth she can never escape from.  The truth about what happened to the monster from her past.

What a gripping story! I was hooked from the start - Unger has written an intense, suspenseful mystery that you won't be able to put down. It is so good!!!  I absolutely LOVED this book - getting to know Rain and Hank was such a thrill. Their story was fascinating and thought-provoking. Makes you think about justice and the system we have in place - one where the victims seem to always remain victims. Punishment is never served and the guilty go free. Or in the case of this story, they manage to go free temporarily. Definitely a must-read for fans of Unger - you will LOVE this book!!

3.

Dark and twisty with sprinkles of humor - that is my jam! This book, oh my how I loved it. I laughed and cried and laughed. I could not stop reading and wound up devouring this lovely in one sitting. It is just so damn good. As soon as you start reading, you are in deep and you won't want to let go for anything - not even a cuppa and sweet treat. I'm serious. I made a cuppa and had some cookies near by to dip into whilst I read - well, lets just say they sat untouched. My mind was too busy thinking about the story I was reading to even consider drinking or eating. I was too immersed in the lives of these two sisters and their dysfunctional relationship. One is a nurse and the other designs clothes. They both live at home with their mother.  One is in love with a doctor at the hospital where she works, while the other one is too busy dating to truly fall in love. One is serial killer, who relies on her sister to help her clean up the messes she leaves behind.  Yep, like I mentioned, dark and twisty.  And, oh so funny. Reading this book was such a fun treat. I just loved learning about the two sisters and their relationship - the past they shared, the awful father they had, the unspoken agreement they seemed to keep about never discussing all the death that surrounded them.  Plus, there was the usual sibling rivalry, petty jealousies, and older sister/younger sister dynamics to read all about as well. I'm not even sure what to share about the story, because I don't want to give anything away. It is just sooo good! You have to read it to experience all the deliciousness of this story for yourself. It is seriously that good. I definitely recommend My Sister, The Serial Killer.