You're next by Gregg Hurwitz - superexciting! If you are fan of books by Harlan Coben, you'll love this one!

My Rate: ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ (9/10 Skulls)

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Original Title: You're next

Norwegian Title:There is no Norwegian Edition

Written by: Gregg Hurwitz

Genre: Thriller

Written for: Adult

Pages: 437
Publisher: Sphere

Published: Jaunary 6, 2011

Published in Norway: -

My copy: 2011 (Paperback)
Norwegian Publisher: -

I read it: September 18 - September 24, 2011
Source: Bought

Challenge(s): 100 Books in a Year Challenge

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Back of the Book

‘Outstanding in every way’

LEE CHILD

‘Uniquely believable and sympathetic’

JAMES PATTERSON

‘Thriller writing at its best’

TESS GERRITSEN

Every family has its secrets. His might get them killed.

‘I know you, don’t I?’ Five words – that’s all it takes to plunge Mike Wingate and his family into mortal danger. Mike doesn’t recognize the crippled stranger who approaches him at a party … but the stranger seems to know all about him.

What has Mike done? Do they have the wrong man? Overnight, the threats become attacks, and Mike, his wife and their young daughter learn they aren’t safe anywhere – especially not in their own home. But there’s no time for Mike to figure it out, because his enemies have killed before – and he’s next.

Gripping from its first lines to its extraordinary twist ending, YOU’RE NEXT is a heart-pounding thriller to rival the very best of Linwood Barclay and Harlan Coben.

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What would you do to protect your family?

Mike Wingate is a happy man who has a fantastic wife and a fantastic daughter. He is proud of who he has become despite his sad childhood. As a boy he got abandoned at a playground in an unfamiliar place. His father left him there without knowing why. But he do knows and remembers that his dad acted weird that day and if he remembers correctly, his dad also got a red spot on his shirt.

But despite that sad and not understanding why his dad left him, Mike has become a strong and loving guy, which his wife and daughter can confirm. But at a party to honour Mike through his job , a guy stumble across him and claims to recognize Mike. Mike is pretty sure that the man is mistaking him for someone else. He has never seen that man before. And he understands that the guy is having spooky plans for him for some reason with some other guys. They want Mike but why? And what does Mike have to do to protect his family? And how is he gonna protect himself and his family from that guys without knowing who they are and what they want?

I had never heard about Gregg Hurwitz before. It was just a coincidence that I came across his book. The synopsis sounded really cool and exciting and the cover wanted me to go into that house and see what would happen. I wanted to know more about the book so I just had to get it. The title also made me very curious. You're next ... the title gives me shivers and makes me think that's bad news. So, I couldn't resist and I'm glad I got the book. I wanted to know what would happen with Mike and his family.

You're next is a thrilling and exciting book that keeps you awake night after night as you are reading it. There were nights I was going to read just a few pages but the pages just kept flying by. I didn't get a lot of sleep the nights I was reading this book 'cause I had hard times putting it down. You’re next is a thrilling an exciting book. So like I said, I didn't get much sleep the nights I was reading it but that's ok. I rarely sleep before 3-4 am anyway. Probably not a good idea to read before sleeping 'cause I'm addicted to reading, especially just before going to sleep. It's a weird "habit". But what's great about books is that we can read them whenever we want to. And I always read before sleeping 'cause then I don't get distracted by my TV and PC.I get to read more at night than during the day. But enough about that.

This is a wild and crazy thriller with exploding characters and concept. I pretty much liked everyone but not a fan of the daughter Kat. I think she was acting a bit older than her real age and she really annoyed me somehow. But I did like Shep a lot. A friend of Mike who is trying to help him to get out of the mess. I liked their friendship. They've been friends in many years and they are good friends even though it takes years before they see each other again. It's moving how they support each other.

You're next is definitely a book for you if you like books by Harlan Coben and fast paced thrillers.

Hightlights: Fast paced, fun thriller that keeps your attention all the way!

Downhill: Didn't like Kat much. Annoying and a bit whiny. I don't know why but I just couldn't like her.

Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4) - dark secrets continues ...

 My Rate: ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ (6/10 Skulls)

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Original Title: Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4)

Norwegian Title: Utrolig

Written by: Sara Shepard

Genre: mystery, suspense

Written for: YA

Pages: 335
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: 2008

Published in Norway: 2010

My copy: 2008 (Paperback)
Norwegian Publisher: Gyldendal

I read it: July 31 - August 10, 2011
Source: Bought

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Back of the Book

FOUR PRETTY LITTLE
LIARS’ CHARMED LIVES HAVE TURNED INTO
LIVING NIGHTMARES

Emily’s been shipped off to Iowa to live with her überconservative cousins. Aria’s boyfriend is behind bars – because of her. Spencer’s afraid she was involved in Ali’s murder. But Hanna’s fate is far worse: She’s clinging to life in the hospital because she knew too much.
If these girls don’t start listening to me, Hanna’s going to look like the lucky one.

       - A

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Friends comes and goes ...

The girls Emily, Aria, Spencer and Hanna is still being tortured by the mysterious A who gives them the messages and makes sure that they remember that person keeps an eye on them ALL THE TIME! Despite from before the girls are trying to keep more together and try to find out who is behind all this. It can be anyone" And when one of the girls ends up in the hospital, they wonder if they should go to the police or not. They are afraid that A will be up to something worse.

As you probably understand, there's now more action and secrets that both get revealed and hidden. A is getting more drastic when that person finds out that one of those girls knows thinks she knows who A is. Then both big and small secrets comes out. And there were some secrets and stuff I got right about (which made me happy!).

In book number four there is A LOT going on. Emily's parents is trying to accept who she really is. They try to accept her and support her - something they really wasn't doing earlier. And Aria is having a hard time to accept that her dad has found someone else. She doesn't want him to leave her mom. She just want the whole family to stay together - which is easier said than done. Spencer feels guilty for something she has done and now that her parents are really proud of her, she is terrified to tell the whole truth. She just want them to be proud of her. And will Hanna survive after the horrible accident she got involved in?

Unbelievable was exciting even though I spent many days to get through it. I didn't spend days reading this book 'cause it was boring but last week I wasn't really in reading mood and took a little break from books which rarely happens! But now I'm back into reading again!

In Unbelievable I think there was a lot of things going on, especially during the end I got a little worried about what is going to happen in the four next books? But anyway, I look forward to continue this series. I've read all the four books that I have in my PLL collection and I have to get the another four as well, of course! I just don't know when but hopefully soon. I have to know how this series will end and I really look forward to continue these books even though book number four got a little "low" score.

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Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2) - much better than the first book!

  My Rate: ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ (8/10 Skulls)

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Original Title: Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2)

Norwegian Title: Feilfri

Written by: Sara Shepard

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Written for: YA

Pages: 330
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: 2007

Published in Norway: 2009

My copy: 2008, I think ... (Paperback)
Norwegian Publisher: Gyldendal

I read it: July 18 - July 24, 2011
Source: From my own personal "library"

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Back of the book

FOUR PRETTY LIARS

HAVE BEEN VERY BAD GIRLS.

Spencer stole her sister’s boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya … as much more than a friend. Hanna’s obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn’t I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I’ll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I’ve got enough dirt to bury them alive.

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No one is flawless, or?

The rumors and the secrets goes on in the second book Flawless as well, and we get to know the girls better when they used to be friends and hang out. But also from the time after Ali has vanished. The girls still get the cryptic messages from A on their cells and computers. All the time they feel spied on by this mysterious person A. The messages they get is small hints about that each of the girls is being observed by someone in a way they can't understand that's possible. All the time they wonder: Who is the person that knows so much about them?

It's not just the common secret the girls share together they must keep but they also have their own personal secrets to take care of. Secrets they want to keep for themselves and not share with the other girls or anyone.

Spencer has done something that her sister and her parents is not very proud of and because of that they treat her like air. Aria knows something about her dad. She wants to tell her mom about it but don't know how and she doesn't want to be the one to hurt her mom either. She doesn't have the guts to tell her what her dad is doing. Emily is unsure of who she really likes and she is dealing with feelings she can't understand. Hanna is having a hard time of liking herself because of the look and the weight. And Alison was the one bossing and manipulating around the other girls before she mysteriously vanished.

During a weird event Spencer, Aria, Emily and Hanna meets again. They find out that they all have gotten cryptic messages from the signature A. Even though it's a long time they have talked and been hanging out together, and feel a little awkward together after not seeing each other for a long time, they agree they must stick together and get through this - whatever that's going on. And try to find out who this A is before the person goes to far. There are some rumors and secrets the girls doesn't want to get published and their common secret must not get known by others. Or their lives will be destroyed forever.

Flawless is the second book in the Pretty Little Liars series and for me I thought it was a lot better and fast paced than the first one. We also get to know the girls a lot better and how their friendship were together before they moved on with their own lives.We also get to know each one of them better. And it's easy to relate to some of them and feel sorry for the situations they are in. Each chapter I was very excited about how everything would continue. It got me very curious!

And I think I know who A is (it's always the least suspect, you know ...) but I'm not 100%  sure. But that's why I like this series. It's not the best books I've read but it's very entertaining and I love mysteries and suspense a lot! And it's always fun to guess who is behind things that's going on. It's probably that's why I like crime novels and mysteries a lot. I like to guess. And I'm very curious to figure out if I'm right or wrong about who A is. I'm just glad that I already have the first fourth books in the series so that I can continue the books right away. It's eight books in all and since I'm enjoying the books so much I gotta get them all someday to know everything that's going on!

Flawless was surprisingly and luckily not so boring like the first book. This was exciting, and I get more and more curious about the characters as well and I just love the cryptic messages from A. They are creative and make me smile. And like I said, I'm glad that I have the first fourth books so that I just can get started on the next book! I want to know what happens next!

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Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard - a good start of a witty and mysterious book series!

 My Rate: ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ (6/10 Skulls)

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Original Title: Pretty little liars

Norwegian Title: Små, søte løgnere

Written by: Sara Shepard

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Written for: YA

Pages: 286
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: 2006

Published in Norway: 2009

My copy: 2007, I think ... (Paperback)
Norwegian Publisher: Gyldendal

I read it: July 12 - July 18, 2011
Source: From my own personal "library"

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 Back of the book

EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING
TO HIDE – ESPECIALLY HIGH
SCHOOL JUNIORS SPENCER, ARIA, EMILY AND HANNA.

Spencer covets her sister’s boyfriend. Aria fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily’s crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful.
But they’ve all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they’ve kept. And guess what? I’m telling.

- A

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Are you telling me that you have nothing to hide? Well ... I don't believe you. I'm sure you have something, doing something or know something you don't want to share with anyone. But what?

There are many different lies. There are big, small, innocent and white lies. Why do we lie? 'Cause sometimes it's necessary. It's easy to lie to to get away from trouble or to protect someone from being hurt. Most of us has probably told some lies during life. It's not very nice but it's a very human thing to do.

The five girls; Spencer, Aria, Emily, Hanna and Alison is very good friends until something happens. Together they share a secret that will change each of their lives forever, and their lives turns dramatically upside down in just a few seconds when one of them, Alison, suddenly vanish. The vanishing is big news on TV and news papers. And the rest of the friends automatically split up and keep away from each other. Too much has changes and they also have their own personal secrets to take care of that must not come in spotlight. So, instead they move on with their own lives.

The only thing they get in common is messages on their cells and PCs which makes each one of them feel uneasy. The messages makes the girls feel observed by someone who always ends the messages with -A. The messages is not long, but enough to make them feel uneasy and sure of that someone is watching them all the time. But who is this A person? Is it really Alison who is supposed to be vanished but has faked her own disappearance just to scare her friends a bit or is it someone else behind? If so ... why?

I've been wanting to read this series for a very long time. For me, the television show has been more known than the books and after watching the first two episodes I decided to read the books instead and see the series on DVD later. Maybe have a Pretty Little Liars marathon. But what I saw of the series was really good and I had high hopes for the books. 'Cause the mysterious messages the girls get and the concept was something I really liked a lot. By reading the books I also got to know the characters more and my fave so far is Spencer. She's a clever girl who does it well at school and she knows what she wants and admits her own weakness. My least favorite is Hanna. I feel she gets too anonymous and she isn't not that interesting either. Maybe I'll like her more when I get to know her better? Who knows? We'll see ...

Pretty Little Liars didn't give me the really wow feeling I was hoping for. The beginning was a little slow and it took a little time before things started to happen. But from the middle of the book and towards the end, the pages were just flying away! And even though I knew how it would end I didn't get disappointed. It was a sort of an ending that was right for the book. It's witty and I really wanted to know what would happen next! I was nodding happily at the end and grinning satisfied. It just had to end that way and even though the ending wasn't that surprising, it was enough excitement to make me curious about the next book!

Desperate Housewives fans and readers who likes a good mystery will appreciate Pretty Little Liars. It's a lot of intrigues and uneasy situations along the way. And even though I got a little disappointed of the bit slow paced start in the first book, I'm still very curious about the next one and how the rest of the series will be like!

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Whispers and lies by Joy Fielding - surprising twist, but too much unnecessary talk.

 My Rate: ☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠ (4/10 Skulls)

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Original Title: Whispers and lies

Norwegian Title: Løgner fra fortiden

Written by: Joy Fielding

Genre: thriller, suspense

Written for: Adult

Pages: 294
Publisher: ?
Published: 2002

Published in Norway: 

My copy: 2011 (Paperback)
Norwegian Publisher: Cappelen Damm

I read it: June 30 - July 4, 2011
Source: From my own personal "library"

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(Goodreads)

Terry Painter lives a quiet life in picturesque Delray, Florida. Forty, single, and a nurse at a home for the elderly and disabled, she enjoys a solitary existence in the cozy house she inherited from her mother five years ago.

Terry's tranquil life takes a turn, however, when young, vibrant Alison Simms rents the cottage behind her home. Upon their First meeting, Alison blows into Terry's life like a tropical storm, bringing with her friendship and excitement. Together they dine out, shop in the village square, and indulge in luxurious at-home makeovers. Alison even helps Terry charm the handsome son of one of her dear, ailing patients. For Terry, life couldn't be more perfect.

But after the initial euphoric wave has settled, Terry slowly begins to learn more about her wondrous companion. She becomes acquainted with the small but peculiar circle of friends Alison has accumulated since her arrival in Delray and meets her brother, who unwittingly reveals bits and pieces of Alison's closely guarded past. Terry soon finds that the friendship that once brightened her life has now crashed down upon her, leaving her trapped in Alison's mysterious world and the whispers and lies that fuel it.

Diving deeply into the psyches of her most captivating characters to date, Joy Fielding has emerged with a riveting tale that challenges our most basic assumptions regarding love, friendship, and obsession. Filled with the suspense and intimacy readers have grown to love in her previous bestselling novels, Whispers and Lies is an unforgettable drama of one woman's fight to reclaim her life. 

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Who can you trust?

Nurse Terry is a middel aged woman who lives by herself after her mom died. After her mom has been sick a while, her life eventually takes an end and Terry is on her own. Since then she has had a tenant living in the cottage by the house, in that way Terry is less lonely. After Eric, the tenant one night escaped without paying the rent the past few months, Terry has been very sceptical about seeking after another tenant. She doesn't want to do the same mistake. She wants a tenant that she can trust. So she takes the chance to seek after a another tenant. She gets contacted by Alison Simms and Terry thinks she is a young and nice woman, and the two of them becomes friends immediately. They do things together all the time. But Terry gets worried when friends of Alison suddenly shows up. She hasn't even heard of some of them, and why did Alison move to Florida? Can Terry trust her?

I don't actually know for sure what I expected from this book before I read it. It seemed interesting and the cover was tempting and creepy. It made me curious about the book. Everytime I come across books that says on the cover that it's a page-turner and has a surprising ending, I have to admit that I always get suspicious 'cause that's not always true. But I still thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

Something about this story got me really interested and even though there were dialogues that didn't really belong in the book in some way I really did like the main character, Terry a lot. Terry was exciting and fascinating to read about. And when it comes to twists and turns in most books I am not easily fooled, I see that sort of things happen before we get to know the whole story I was really fooled this time! I didn't see that coming! And it happens very, very rarely! Believe me! Instead of being mad for not having it right this time I was pleased. 'Cause it's boring to know what already is going on way before we get to know how it all will turn out. I mean, it's good to have right too but it's fun to get fooled as well!

Even though the book had a very surprising twist, the book didn't live up to my expectations. I wish the story was a little tighter and that I got to know few of the persons better who always popped up but most of them was sort of flat and it was a bit hard to imagine them.

But ... all in all Whispers and lies was very interesting and entertaining and it was fun as long as it lasted. Reading it was like watching a TV-produced movie (by Lifetime/Hallmark, but that's not a bad thing). I like those kind of movies too. The book gave me several entertaining hours, no more, no less ...

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