Hello gorgeous, happy mid-week-Wednesday! and welcome to the blog.

What’s up friends how ya’ll feelin’ … I hope you’re doing well, staying hydrated, checking in with friends and family, and living your best life with everything that’s going on.

It’s been a quiet mid-week entry.  Honestly, there is so much going on in our current climate that it’s hard to wrap my head around things.  It’s hard to block out certain news and social media, all I can do is ask God to grant me peace, and blessings, give me the strength to endure, and take care of my home and family.

Aside from everything else my local library (actually the main branch) had its yearly book sale.  The book sale started last week but with work and our busy schedules we weren’t able to get there until Saturday and the crowd was at a comfortable size.

The sale was from Wed-Sun, (Sunday being the 50% off everything), so we went back and it was uncomfortably crowded, so we didn’t stay long, even though everyone was masked the whole scene was beyond my comfort level, so we left with a few more goodies in which I’ll haul soon.

This is a new review of These Toxic Things by Rachel Hozwell Hall

Title | These Toxic Things
Author | Rachel Hozwell Hall
Pages | 415
Genre | Mystery, Thriller
GR Rating | 4.00
Purchase | Amazon

Synopsis

Mickie Lambert creates “digital scrapbooks” for clients, ensuring that precious souvenirs aren’t forgotten or lost. When her latest client, Nadia Denham, a curio shop owner, dies from an apparent suicide, Mickie honors the old woman’s last wish and begins curating her peculiar objets d’art. A music box, a hair clip, a key chain―twelve mementos in all that must have meant so much to Nadia, who collected them on her flea market scavenges across the country.

But these tokens mean a lot to someone else, too. Mickie has been receiving threatening messages to leave Nadia’s past alone.

My Rating & Review  (☆☆☆☆)

These Toxic Things was a mystery/thriller that revolved around the secrets people keep. Secrets about other lives, secrets about family, and secrets to keep loved ones safe.

Michaela is a young 20s-something enjoying and living life. She lives with her parents in a separate apartment on their property, and she’s at the stage where she’s figuring out a relationship that was so perfect yet still ended.

Michaela is a “digital archaeologist” and she curates scrapbooks of memories for clients to remember the best times of their lives. However, Michaela’s world was about to be turned upside-down. She starts working for a new client. Owner and curator of a consignment/thrift store called Beautiful Things.

 from These Toxic Things
“Never blink while telling a tale. People will always believe you if you don’t blink.”

The owner Nadia Denham has Alzheimer’s and hired Michaela to curate a few special objects for the shop. Nadia (the owner) is excited for Michaela to get started on her memory bank and shows Michaela the items she wants to be added at their first meeting. On the day Michaela is scheduled to start she finds out that Nadia Denham has died from an apparent suicide.

Michaela would continue to work on Nadia’s memory bank but along the way encounter some strange and scary experiences. As she dives deeper into curating the items murders are happening in the area. One was an acquaintance of her good friend Imani. Michaela would start to receive threatening messages via text and under the door of her apartment, as she doesn’t understand what was happening or what she was about to unravel.

from These Toxic Things
“How many secrets should a woman keep to be thought of as interesting?”

A big family secret would send her spinning out of control but she still decides to dig deeper into the death of Nadia as a distraction. She couldn’t understand how this woman would take her own life as she found out from her Uncle (a police detective) that Nadia pushed her life alert system at the last minute.

A new friend, a new hook-up, and a jealous shop-worker intertwine within this story as nothing would be what it seems. Has Michaela dodged a bullet with her stalker? or Is he still out there watching her every move?

This was a great thriller for me and of course, I was wrong about the killer, then maybe right, then doubting my answers, only to find out this whole thing was flipped upside-down on me.

My Good Reads Challenge Progress

Thanks so much for visiting the blog today.  Don’t forget to follow and subscribe, as I really appreciate the support. — Peace

Subscribe to Life By Wyetha!