“You make one mistake in life, and nobody ever trusts you again.”

― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid

A 2023 ITW Thriller Award winner and a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller.  This extremely complex book will have readers captivated to the pages late into the night.  No fan of The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us, or The Girl on the Train will be able to put The Housemaid down!

Synopsis from Goodreads...

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of…

My reaction to this novel...

I came across this while browsing the Kindle library. I know that this book is currently popular and being discussed, and I am also aware that it is being adapted, so I decided to read it since it is free for subscribers of Kindle Unlimited; hence, I downloaded it immediately and read it right away. I also found out that it is a series, which made me ponder how the story would unfold if it were a series.

I have high expectations for this book because it’s popular, so while I’m reading it, I really noticed why so many readers are hooked on the story since the words the author used are pretty simple. It’s not confusing either because the author didn’t use a lot of characters, which is fine with me because I don’t like it when there are too many characters, it makes some of them lose their purpose. Also, for me, if there are lots of characters, the author should do justice to each character they introduce. So far, I’m cool with the author’s simplicity in how she tells the story.

While reading this book, there were times I got annoyed with Nina's character. The author is great because she really captured my annoyance. I couldn't help but think about her being mentally unstable, which made me really curious to see what happens to her. I just found her kid really weird. For me, that was the author's loophole because that character seemed pointless to me. But anyway, the author redeemed my view because the twist in the story was really good.

To be honest, I had thought of that twist, but I was still surprised when I read it. I appreciate that kind of talent in an author, the ability to know the flow of the story yet still manage to surprise you. That's how I felt when the story unfolded. Especially during the part with the mother, I was truly taken aback by her reaction. No wonder such events transpired. I'm excited for the second installment of the book. It's just funny because she seems to have become an agent. 

Anyway, I don't want to spoil it for you guys since there might be many who haven't read this yet. For me, I totally recommend it if you're into psychological thrillers with great twists; this is one of those books that won't disappoint you if that's what you're looking for.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨(4.5/5)

“Ah, but being in love made you mean and crazy. Love made you act like a fool even when you knew you were acting like a fool and couldn’t help yourself from acting like a fool.” 

— Sandra Brown

Birmingham Friends is another name for this novel, an extraordinary, moving book that eloquently depicts the complex closeness of female relationships.

Synopsis from Amazon...

Anna has always been exceptionally close to her mother, Kate and as a child, was captivated by the stories her mother would tell of her childhood in Birmingham with her best friend, Olivia. Olivia and Kate seemed to have a magical friendship.

But when Kate dies, she leaves her daughter a final story, one that this time tells the whole truth of her life with Olivia Kemp. As Anna reads, she is shocked to discover how little she really knew about the mother she felt so close to. With Kate's words of caution ringing in her head, she goes in search of the one woman who can answer urgent questions about her mother's life, and about her own.

My reaction to this novel...

I purchased this book because I was attracted to its cover. The illustration is beautiful, and the two women on the cover are lovely. I felt that it somewhat relates to the past or the World War era. While reading the synopsis, I discovered that my guess was correct just by looking at the book cover. The book cover is simply beautiful. I also learned that the title of this book was changed to Birmingham Friends, but for me, the title Kate and Olivia is better because it has more impact. It's my first time reading a book by Annie Murray, so I really have no idea what genre it falls under or how she writes, but it's alright; I am excited to start reading her book because I also really enjoy reading historical fiction.

This book provides a detailed account of a close connection that lasted from early years into maturity.  Despite its strange beginning, the novel is about how you may love another person so much that they become your only concern.

This narrative is endearing and has a lot of unexpected turns.  One of the primary characters dies in the beginning.  Her life narrative is then told to us using details she left for her daughter to learn.  This narrative takes the form of a journal, presenting several perspectives on Kate and Olivia's feelings on many facets of their life.  Because it jumps back and forth between the girls' narratives, this is a complex story that demands the highest level of concentration.

I truly enjoy this book because of the two major characters, however the tale quickly shifts to Anna, Kate's daughter, who we know nothing about as she grows up.  Furthermore, it is absurd and unexplained why she would have such a strong desire to know a lady who her mother knew thirty years prior.  This addition, this dull change to an otherwise amazing novel, truly disappointed me. 

I had a really hard time with Kate's life, like how much pain she went through during her first heartbreak up to what happened to her as a married woman. The story was great, and I totally got hooked on it, so I recommend it to readers who love historical fiction set during the World War. Anyone who reads it will really enjoy and appreciate it.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)

In the realm of literature, romance novels are unique because they provide readers with much more than simply a touching tale of love.  Reading a love tale might help readers forget their troubles, giving them a mental vacation and reducing tension.

 The following are some romance-themed literature that we must read in April 2025: 

1. Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

The million-copy bestselling author of The Flatshare and The No-Show's epic new romance, Swept Away, is about how your one-night fling ends up being your only hope for survival.  Sharp, humorous, and incredibly dramatic, this exceptional book is sure to win over readers' hearts come springtime.  This book is anticipated to be published by Berkley on April 1, 2025.

2. Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

One date is all it takes for two people to realize they are meant to be together, and the following day, one of them travels 2,000 miles away. This is a lighthearted yet intensely emotional romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer.  This book is anticipated to be published by Forever on April 1, 2025.

3. Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage

The newest novel in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which former lovers are given another chance to rediscover what they lost, comes from the bestselling author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled.  This book is anticipated to be published by Dial Press Trade Paperback on April 15, 2025.

4. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

In this stunning and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry, two authors vie for the opportunity to tell the epic tale of a lady with more than a few plot twists under her sleeve.  This book is anticipated to be published by Berkley on April 22, 2025.

5. King of Envy by Ana Huang

Bad boy billionaires must atone for their misdeeds in order to win their love stories in the fifth installment of #1 New York Times bestselling author Ana Huang's sultry Kings of Sin series.  This book is anticipated to be published by HACHETTE INTL on April 29, 2025.