Bibliophile Amber's Book Reviews

Title: Best Offer Wins Author: Marisa Kashino Expected Publication: November 25,2025 Publisher: Celadon Books Genre: Mystery, Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary, Suspense, Mystery Thriller Pages: 288 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: Oh hell—this book is a fever dream of real estate obsession, emotional unraveling, and suburban warfare. I couldn’t look away. Margo and her husband have spent 18 months chasing the American dream through 11 brutal bidding wars. Each loss chips away at her sanity, until desperation takes the wheel. When she gets a lead on a promising house, Margo doesn’t just tour it—she inserts herself into the sellers’ lives with unsettling precision. Think low-key stalking, strategic charm, and a laser focus that borders on unhinged. Her husband Ian watches the spiral with growing discomfort, but Margo? She’s past the point of caring. This is no longer about a house—it’s about control, validation, and the terrifying lengths one woman will go to for a win. The brillian...

Title: Written in Stone Author: Page Shelton Published: April 1,2025 Publisher: Minotaur Books Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Scotland Pages: 304 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: 🕵️‍♀️🎨  Murder, mystery, and a dash of artistic flair—Written in Stone  by Paige Shelton was an unexpected delight that pulled me right into its cozy, twisty world! I dove into this one blind, not realizing it was part of a series—but now I’m hooked and ready to binge from book one! I’ve always had a soft spot for cozy mysteries, and this one hit all the right notes: charming setting, clever sleuthing, and a heroine I couldn’t help but root for. Delaney Nichols wins a coveted invitation to a festival at a remote artist’s studio, joined by the ever-steady Tom. But what begins as a whimsical getaway quickly turns sinister when Dr. Adam Pace—who had just been chatting with them—is found dead in the studio. Delaney, ever curious and fiercely independent, dives headfirst into the investigation and unc...

Title: Plays Well With Others Author: Lauren Myracle Published: June 10, 2025 Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Thriller Audiobook Pages: 322 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: Review:  Plays Well With Others  by Lauren Myrade Oh my landa—this book is a glorious hot mess, and I mean that in the most delicious, binge-worthy way possible! If you love thrillers that spiral into chaos with a side of suburban scandal, buckle up. Let’s start with Jake. Her life has been scorched earth since discovering that her so-called best friend Shelby was playing nursemaid to Jake’s husband... in every sense of the word. The betrayal? Intimate. The aftermath? Brutal. Shelby didn’t just move in with Jake’s ex a month after the split—she launched a full-blown smear campaign on social media, turning followers into flying monkeys. Jake’s past year? A masterclass in surviving emotional arson. Now she’s trying to start fresh in a new neighborhood. But this isn’t your average cul-de-sac...

Title: House of Hearts Author: Skyla Arndt Expected Publication: September 2,2025 Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Group for Young Readers Genre: Horror, Dark Academia, Fantasy, Thriller, Young Adult, Gothic, Gothic Mystery Pages: 288 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: I devoured this book like a secret too dangerous to keep. *House of Hearts* is a chilling, twist-laced mystery that blends elite academia, ghostly whispers, and a curse soaked in blood and heartbreak. Violet is determined to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emoree’s death—a supposed suicide at a prestigious boarding school that feels more like a haunted fortress than a place of learning. To get answers, Violet claws her way into the school for her senior year, armed with grief, suspicion, and a fierce resolve. But nothing is what it seems. From the moment she steps onto campus, Violet is pulled into a web of secrets: a seductive secret society, a maze haunted by a restless ghost, and a Headmistres...

Title: Remote The Six Author: Eric Rickstad Published: April 8,2025 Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Genre: Psychological Thriller, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Serial Killer, Mystery Thriller Pages: 306 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: 🕵️‍♂️🔪  “Remote: The Six” by Eric Rickstad — A Gripping Descent into Darkness Another series? Yes. Another obsession? Absolutely. This book didn’t just hook me—it dragged me into the shadows and left me breathless. Meet FBI Agent Luke Stark, a man haunted by a case that defies logic and sanity. For 18 relentless months, Stark has chased a phantom—a serial killer who targets entire families, binding them to chairs in grotesque, ritualistic poses. No fingerprints. No DNA. No connection between victims. Just eerie silence and a scene so meticulously deranged it chills the blood. But Stark isn’t alone. Enter Garnier, his enigmatic partner with a gift that borders on the supernatural: remote viewing. He can see the killer’s actions from afar—but his...

Title: The Missing Half Author: Ashley Flowers Published: May 6,2025 Publisher: Bantam Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Crime, Adult, Contemporary Pages: 272 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: **Rating: 4 out of 5 stars**  *The Missing Half* by Ashley Flowers kept me engaged with its compelling mystery and suspenseful pacing. I especially appreciated the emotional depth shown through the sisters of the missing girls—their persistence, loyalty, and love added an authentic layer to the narrative that grounded the twists in real feeling. That said, some parts of the story didn’t quite hit the mark for me—certain stretches felt a bit underwhelming. Still, the storyline was strong overall, and the ending delivered a satisfying and unexpected twist that made it worth the ride.

Title: Wandering Wild Author: Lynette Noni Published: May 20, 2025 Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Adventure, Audiobook, Summer, Contemporary Romance Pages: 304 pages Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Review: 🎬🌿  Celebrity meets survival... and sparks fly in the wilds of Australia!  Zander Rune is Hollywood’s golden boy—until his image starts to crack. Cue a PR stunt: a wilderness survival show with rugged expert Rykon Hawke and one lucky fan. Enter Charlie Hart, who steps in for her best friend Amber, facing her own heartbreak after losing her mom and watching her bestie battle a brutal diagnosis. Charlie didn’t sign up for fame—or danger. But what starts as a reluctant trek into the unknown becomes a soul-shaking journey of grit, grief, and unexpected connection. When a mudslide separates them from the group, Charlie and Zander must navigate the wild alone... and the emotional terrain between them. 💥 Think  Indiana Jones  meets  h...

Title: Don’t Let Him In Author: Lisa Jewell Published: June 24, 2025 Publisher: Atria Books Genre: Domestic Thrillers, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Adult Fiction Pages: 368 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: Book Review:  Don't Let Him In  by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lisa Jewell has officially earned a permanent spot on my must-read list. The moment I heard she had a new release,  Don't Let Him In , I knew I had to dive in—and wow, what a ride. Told through multiple POVs, this story unravels like a slow-burning fuse leading to an explosive reveal. At the center is a man who seems flawless on the surface: charming, successful, and heartbreakingly handsome. But Jewell masterfully reminds us that when something—or someone—seems too good to be true, it probably is. The tension builds with delicious precision. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion—you know disaster is coming, but you can’t look away. Nina, Martha, and Ash are all drawn into his orbi...

Title: Not Quite Dead Yet Author: Holly Jackson Published: July 22, 2025 Publisher: Bantam Books/ Random House Publishing Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Crime, Contemporary Pages: 392 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: Oh Mylanta… This Book Is a Heart-Pounding, Tear-Jerking Masterpiece! 💔🔍 This one hit me  right in the soul . It’s raw, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable. Jet Mason returns home after a Halloween event—only to be brutally attacked. The trauma is devastating, and the person who finds her? Her childhood best friend, Billy, who believes she’s dead. But against all odds… Jet survives. When she wakes up in the hospital, surrounded by family and tension, she’s faced with an impossible choice: undergo a risky surgery with almost no chance of survival, or live one final week before a brain aneurysm takes her life. Jet chooses the week—and decides to spend it solving her own attempted murder. With Billy by her side, they dive into a whirlwind...

Title: Hidden Nature Author: Nora Roberts Published: May 27,2025 Publisher: Macmillan Audio/ St. Martins Press Genre: Romance, Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Fiction, Audiobooks Pages: 435 pages Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: My First Nora Roberts Novel—and Absolutely Not My Last! Talk about an unforgettable introduction. After single-handedly taking down three men targeting innocent hikers, Sloan McBride is riding high—until fate throws her into the eye of a storm. She strolls into a convenience store and, in a flash, is caught in a robbery. One heartbeat later, she’s on the floor—shot, her life teetering between worlds. Revived in a hospital and faced with a grueling recovery, Sloan’s world crumbles. Not only is she physically incapacitated, but she's forced to return to her parents' home for support—just in time to be abandoned emotionally as well. Her boyfriend cruelly dumps her while she lies in a hospital bed fighting for her life. Looking for purpose amid the wreckage, Sloan pl...

Title: Stitch Head Author: Guy Bass Published: July 22,2025 Publisher: Random House Publishing Genre: Fiction; Childrens; Fantasy; Middle Grade; Adventurous Pages: 191 pages Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Review: Can We Talk About How Adorably Spooktacular This Is?! I cannot get over how much fun this book was! Reading  Stitch Head  with my first grader was an absolute delight—pure magic from start to finish. 🧪💜 Meet Stitch Head, the very first creation of a curious young scientist. Once his loyal sidekick in wild experiments, Stitch Head is suddenly cast aside when the scientist’s father pressures him to become the next “mad genius.” Locked away while new monsters come to life, Stitch Head quietly watches from the shadows... until one night,  everything  changes. Enter: a circus ringleader with a crew of creepy creatures and a thirst for spectacle. When he learns the town avoids his circus because of the  mad scientist’s own monsters , he hatches a sneaky plan to capture t...

Title: Up In Smoke Author: Nick Brooks Published: May 6, 2025 Publisher: Macmillan Children's Publishing Group Genre: Young Adult; Mystery; Thriller; Mystery Thriller; Fiction; Contemporary Pages: 256 pages Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Review: Up in Smoke" by Nick Brooks is a truly thought-provoking, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will have your mind reeling! The city is a powder keg of tension, gripped by protests, looting, and rioting. Amidst this chaos, Cooper is supposed to be the lookout for his older brother figure, Jason. But when shots ring out, a spooked Cooper tries to flee, only to collide with an officer before making it home. Soon after, Jason is arrested for murder. Determined to save Jason from a life sentence, Cooper teams up with Jason's sister, Monique. While Cooper finds himself falling for Monique, he's desperate to hide his own involvement in the looting as they investigate. As they slowly piece together clues, a far more sinister truth begins to emerge. The ...