Author: Kiersten Modglin
Genre: Domestic Suspense
Rating: ❤❤❤
Hi friends. I'm back. I know, it's been a minute since I've posted a review or...anything at all for that matter. I've been over on Instagram and Facebook trying to drum up some engagement for the blog. I've also been trying to kickstart my book writing and editing career by taking on a few editing jobs and completing a creative writing course to strengthen my skills. Long story short, I have been a busy bee. But fret not, babes! I have also been reading a ton of good books during this little reviewing hiatus and I have so many that I want to talk to you about. In the meantime, when I heard Kiersten Modglin was releasing a new book (September 1st, 2022) I had to sign up for the ARC. First of all, the speed in which she spits these books out continues to be absolutely impressive. Naturally, I dropped everything I was working on in the moment and pounced on the opportunity to read this book. Couldn't wait to see what shenanigans Mrs. Modglin had cooked up in that brilliant (albeit slightly disturbing) brain of hers. So without further ado, let's get into it.
Excerpt taken from Amazon
On the one-year anniversary of her wedding, Colbie Moore's life looks nothing like it should.
Still grieving the loss of the man she meant to spend her life with, Colbie prepares for a weekend away to take her mind off her heartache, but the simple plan results in much more than she bargained for.
A box of letters, meant for the bride and groom to open on their anniversary, is instead opened by Colbie and her three best friends—Miles, James, and Eric.
And what it holds could ruin everything.
A mysterious note from a surprising sender shocks Colbie, propelling her down a dark path to discover the truth about the man she loved—his life and his death—before it's too late.
Soon, Colbie begins to question everyone around her as the mystery unravels.
What was Phil hiding from her when he died?
What secrets are still hidden?
The closer she gets to answers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to great lengths to protect their lies.
And if she pushes any more, everything she has left could be exactly what she stands to lose.
Is it worth risking everything to truly know the man she's already lost?
After all, she's been warned…she might not be able to handle what she finds.
So first thing's first, this was different than the usual Kiersten Modglin thriller that are usually packed to the brim full of butt clenching twists and turns. This story had more emotions involved and even a little romance to it which was a bit of a surprise but I was definitely here for the change of pace.
The plot took a second to rev up but once the engine started, it was only a matter of time before the twists started rolling in. There were a few I didn't expect. At first, I was trying hard to figure out the next moves before they happened but after being wrong so many times I eventually decided to just relax and let the story unfold like it was meant to. I will tell you one thing, the parents and the sister in this story needed someone to give them all a good punch to the throat. Let's take a closer look at what I did and didn't like about If You're Reading This.
Friendships. This story was heavy on the friendships between Colbie, Miles, James, and Eric. It gave
me a New Girl feel with a sudden twist to spice things up. New Girl is one of my favorite tv shows. It's not often you see that type of friendship dynamic so it was fun to see that play out in this story.
Little dash of Love. The sounds like it could be the title of a terrible country song, but in all seriousness, If You're Reading This had a sprinkle of a love story in there that gave the entire book a comforting feeling. Like a warm hug after a stressful day or a cozy fire during the winter. Even with the twists.
The Loyalty. This might technically belong in the "friendships" paragraph but the loyalty these four had for each other was impressive. It's not often that you come across people that are willing to risk it all for you or for your safety. If you're ever lucky enough to find those people, hang on tight to them and never let them go.
Sister. I mentioned it a little further up but her sister needed a swift kick to the vag because why are you so hateful, miss ma'am? Amber seemed like a character that wasn't fleshed out as much as I would have liked. I grasped the vapid self centered vibe from her, but I couldn't understand why she was so hateful to her sister who had done nothing but look after her. I do believe that was a relationship that could have been explored a little more in the story.
In-Laws. My God. Talk about being unnecessarily hateful. These two sucked. Truly sucked. To the point where they didn't even seem like they cared that their son had died. I can understand that you don't want anything to do with his almost wife because the situation was too painful to deal with, but they didn't even seem like it bothered them that their son was dead. This was another dynamic that wasn't flesh out as well as it could have been. In my humble opinion.
If You're Reading This by Kiersten Modglin is like her billionth book released (I don't remember the actual number. I want to say 36? 38? I'm not sure) and it's a different pace than some of the other I've reviewed on this blog, but overall, it was an entertaining read. If you have some free time and want to curl up with a good book, I suggest this one. If You're Reading This is set to release September 1st, 2022. Go ahead and preorder it.
There you have it folks, grab Kiersten's newest release and be sure to stop by Instagram or Facebook and tell me what you think of it. I'll be back with some more short stories and book reviews soon. So stay tuned. Until next time...
Happy Reading, Babes! ❤
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