It’s the influencer’s golden rule: know your niche. Kit Kidding has found hers on Instagram, where she gets paid to promote brands and share expertly curated posts about her fun, fabulous, child-free life. Kit likes kids just fine, but she passionately believes that women who choose not to become mothers shouldn’t have to face guilt. Or judgement. Or really hot chefs who turn out to be single dads.
Will MacGregor is aggravating, sexy, persistent, averse to social media, and definitely a bad idea. As soon as Kit learns his parenting status, she vows to put their scorching one-night stand behind her and move on. But Will and Kit are thrown together on an Instagram campaign, and the more time she spends with him—and his whip-smart, eight-year-old daughter, Addie—the more difficult it is to stay away, much less sustain what Will so cleverly calls her “Resting Beach Face.” Kit’s picture-perfect career path is suddenly clashing with the possibility of a different future—messy, complicated, and real. Which life does she truly want? Will she have to re-invent herself? And will love still be waiting by the time she figures it out?
My Review of Instamom {Chantel Guertin}:
It was…good. Not great but good!
As someone who LOVES Instagram and follows tons of influencers, I loved the premise of this story and a behind the scenes look at how these people live their lives. Definately my favorite parts of the book were the parts where Kit would discuss her influencer status and all that it entails to be successful.
That being said, I didn’t enjoy the relationship between Kit and Will. In fact, it was so forgettable that I just had to pick up the book to even remember Will’s name, lol. I found their relationship completely unbelievable and I never felt whatever spark they claimed that they had. Eh.
The overall message of the book was a good one although I disliked so many of the characters that the delivery just wasn’t there for me. I found myself struggling to finish the book and never wanting to pick it up although it was an easy read!
Eh…if you’re looking for a light, easy book this one is ok although honestly, I’d probably just skip it.
Bottom Line:
Eh.
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Clearly this wasn’t my favorite book but you might love it! Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
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Blogmas 2022: 11 Non Book Gift Ideas for Book Lovers
Gifting a book to someone else is a tricky thing unless you are 100% sure it’s a book that they want to read. There are plenty of other wonderful gifts that any book lover would be so lucky to receive!
Gift Idea #1: Book of the Month Membership
I’m not a member but I’ve heard such great things! Check out their website to learn more.
Gift Idea #2: Book Light
If you have been following me for any length of time, you know my ongoing struggle with finding the perfect book light. Well friends, I HAVE FOUND IT! (Fun fact: I receive messages ALL. THE. TIME. from people asking what book light I recommend.)
HERE is a link to a post I wrote about the very best book light I have found (and I have gone through many, many book lights). This one is fantastic! Although I do wish it came in pink…
Gift Idea #3:Candle
Might I suggest my most favorite holiday smelling candle…Bath and Body Works Winter Candy Apple??? It’s perfecton. I currently own 7 of them and burn them daily throughout the holiday season.
Gift Idea #4:Gift Card to Thrift Books
I’ve never actually bought anything from this website but it looks so amazing, I’m intrigued!
Gift Idea #5:Electric Fireplace/Crackler
Love mine so much. You can read about them both HERE.
Gift Idea #6: Book Weight
I will always and forever think that this looks like something….dirty. It’s not. It allows me to read a book hands free (aka while I dry my hair) and it’s the book accessory you never knew you needed. I explain this little gem in more detail HERE.
Gift Idea #7:Gift Card to Barnes and Noble, Half Price Books, or even better…INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES!
Can’t go wrong with a gift card. Ever. Especially when one can use it to buy books.
Gift Idea #8:Book themed Mug
Here are mine. They are gorgeous. HERE is where I bought the one on the left and HERE is a blog post solely dedicated to the one on the right.
Gift Idea #9:Book Tote
I’m obsessed with mine! I bought mine on a recent mountain vacation (post HERE).
Gift Idea #10:Book Clothes
Literally wearing mine as we speak! Here is a picture of me typing up this blog post 🙂
And lastly….
Gift Idea #11:A Recommendation to Follow Book Coffee Happy 🙂
Ha ha but seriously…if you know a book lover, please tell them to follow me on the various platforms (my blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)! I would love to have them join our little book loving community that I created 🙂
What else would a book lover be thrilled to receive as a gift??
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Blogmas 2022: My Favorite Book Coffee Happy Posts of 2022
Last week we stopped at a gas station to get gas. While my husband was filling up the tank, I was sitting in the car…and watched as this drove by right in front of our car. It was so random and awesome, lol.
It has been such a wonderful year here on Book Coffee Happy! I’ve reviewed so many amazing books, hosted some wonderful giveaways, have written some really fun blog posts, have attended some incredible literary events, etc. I’ve made some delightful new friends this year…authors, publishers, fellow book bloggers, and so many more.
Here are my favorite posts that I’ve written over the past year categorized by month. As always, THANK YOU for visiting my little corner of the Internet. Thank you for always supporting Book Coffee Happy and for always supporting ME! Xo!
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I originally saw this book tag on One Book More and knew that I wanted to participate! Let’s GO!
Smash or Pass Book Tag:
Bookish Tropes
Eh not a huge fan of the overdone ones so overall PASS. Enemies to lovers, love triangles, etc.
Alternating POV
Smash but only if it’s done in a way that isn’t annoying or confusing. This one is a hard one to get right but when an author does, it’s a wonderful way to read a book!
Ambiguous Endings
PASS. Authors, please wrap up every single storyline and tie everything together with a beautiful bow. This also applies to series finales of television shows. Please and thank you.
Non/Fiction
Smash! I love non fiction and have turned to books throughout my life. HERE is my list of non fiction recommendations for pregnancy, new parents, baby showers, etc.!
Historical Setting
Smash. 5 that instantly come to mind are THIS BOOK, THIS BOOK, THIS BOOK, THIS BOOK, and THIS BOOK (click each link to read the book synopsis and my full review). Absolutely loved them all!
Morally Grey Characters
Smash. Love them, especially when they switch back and forth and ESPECIALLY in thrillers! The best!
First Person POV
Smash. When done well, I love reading books with a first person POV.
Audiobooks
Overall smash BUT there are aspects of it that are most definitely pass! I explainallll my feelings about audiobooks (good and bad) in THIS POST.
Re-Reading
Pass. I mean, I’ve done it but overall I would rather enjoy a new-to-me book than go back and reread one.
Classic Novels
SMASH when I was younger but PASS now that I’m older, lol. I used to LOVE to read classic novels (I once filled an entire binder with my thoughts and feelings on The Catcher In The Rye‘s characters, plot, settings, etc. when I was in high school just for fun)…
Annotating
Pass. Haven’t actually done this since college.
Cracking Book Spines
SMAAAAAAASH! I crack pretty much every book that I read. Always. Love it. And I dog ear, too…
Smut
SMASH. ALL. DAY. I looooooooove hot smutty sex scenes (add THAT to things I wasn’t planning on saying on the Internet today). Some of the hottest sex scenes I’ve read are in THIS BOOK and I loved every second (and aside from the hot sex scenes that book is just awesome in every way….a definite must read).
Character Driven Books
HARD. PASS. I typically enjoy plot driven books a million times more than character driven books…
Past/Present Split Timeline
Again, when done correctly this is a wonderful way to tell a story. However, I’ve found that there is a fine line between doing this correctly vs confusing the reader…
Heavy World Building
HARD. PASS. Not much more for me to say about this other than just…NOT. FOR. ME.
If you just read this book tag, consider yourself tagged! Please link back to me if you post on your blog. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to answer any of these in the comments…I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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For the past 2 years on this post I have used a picture of the year’s number all lit up in beautiful lights from an annual drive thru light show. This year they had the lights set up in a weird place and I couldn’t get my annual blog picture! Soooo….random selfie it is, lol.
It’s heeeeeere….the post I wait all year to write! This post is always so much fun for me because it allows me the opportunity to think about and reflect on alllllll of the books I’ve read this year (and I’ve read A LOT of books this year). It’s also always one of my most visited posts due to the fact that I include it in my blog signature at the very bottom of each post that I write.
If you are a regular blog reader, you know that I always include my “bottom line” on the bottom of my reviews which is a quick way for me to recap my feelings. Just like I have done in past years, I thought it would be fun to list these books only by the bottom line that I gave to them in my reviews. Click these bottom lines to take you directly to my review of each book (which also includes the synopsis for each book).
Here are links to my favorite books from past years:
What are some of the best books that you have read this year? Have you read any of my 2022 favorites? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Blogmas 2022: The Holiday Book I’m Most Excited to Read NEXT Holiday Season
Loving this scent! Obvi not nearly as much as my beloved Winter Candy Apple but it’s a good one…
Here are 2 screenshots of the exchange I had with a blog reader last week:
I mean, that’s QUITE the positive book recommendation! I don’t know this blog reader in real life but I DO know that she has been reading my blog for quite some time and she knows my taste in books. This message exchange made me want to read this holiday book NOW! I put it on hold at my library but sadly, it’s still not in…and I’ve got other holiday books that I’m not so patiently waiting to read (I’m looking at you, Winter Novels)! Considering that I’m always DONE and so over reading holiday books by January, I will need to put this one to the side for now.
So Blogmas 2023….the first official holiday book that I will be reading will be…Once Upon a December!
Photo Credit: Goodreads
Goodreads Synopsis of Once Upon a December {Amy E. Reichert}:
With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn’t just a seasonal specialty–it’s a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra’s yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She’s ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.
For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He’s never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he’s been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.
After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they’re feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.
Sounds so cute, right?? Have any of you read it?? I’d love to hear your thoughts…BUT ABSOLUTELY NO SPOILERS!
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Blogmas 2022: INTERNATIONAL BOOK GIVEAWAY (2 Signed Copies): The Mommy Clique {Barbara Altamirano}
I have such an amazing giveaway for you today! I’m so excited to share Barbara Altamirano’s fantastic book, The Mommy Clique. I absolutely loved this book and I found these women FASCINATING…
Goodreads Synopsis of The Mommy Clique {Barbara Altamirano}:
Life in suburbia is typical and ordinary-just the same old same old. Only, not in this neighborhood. Here, the impressively large homes and pure green lawns hide a much darker reality that is far from mundane.
When Beth moves back to her hometown in Connecticut to care for her ailing mother, she is forced to confront not only the ghosts of her youth but the other mothers on her street. There is Elise, the queen bee, who determines the fate of everyone and is all-controlling. There is Kelly, Elise’s sidekick and most sycophantic supporter, who secretly longs to have a voice and power of her own. There’s Ronnie, the informer, who, with her intelligence and investigative skill, digs up dirt on the others in service to the queen. And then there’s Gail, the wannabe, who is constantly striving to feel as important and valued as the others.
Looking for some mom friends, Beth seeks a place for herself within this mommy clique. Turns out they do have an available role for her: it’s called the target.
My Thoughts on The Mommy Clique {Barbara Altamirano}:
These women are HORRIBLE. Every single one of them! It was fascinating to see how each of them stayed “friends” with the others despite knowing how completely toxic their relationships were. I couldn’t believe that not one of them had the strength to simply walk away…I would have been out the door so fast that nobody would even have had time to try to stop me, lol 😉
What I found the most interesting about this book is how often I found myself rooting for certain characters just to change my mind a chapter later.
As a mother who has seen many, MANY “Mommy Cliques” and who has been a member of “Mommy Cliques” myself (thankfully NOTHING like the clique in this book, omg), I found everything about this book simply fascinating. Any mother would be able to relate to at least one of these characters at some point while reading this book.
Moms, read this book.
This is one of those books where you read it…and then go and hug your friends tightly. It doesn’t matter what your friends are like because ANY friends in real life have GOT to be better than the “friends” in this book!
The Mommy Clique was such a quick read…you could easily devour this one in 1 or 2 days.
A Conversation With Barbara Altamirano, in Her Own Words:
What would you say are the biggest differences between the “Mommy Clique” in this book and real life “Mommy Cliques?”
Thankfully, I think real life “Mommy Cliques” are nowhere near as intense and conniving as the characters in this book. One of the first editorial reviews I received referred to the book as a suburban satire. This seems a good way to describe it since the vices of the mothers are exaggerated so that they are much worse than in real life.
Which Mommy in this book would you say you most relate to and how?
I would say I relate the most to Beth, since her personality is the closest to mine. However, I would not have continued to try to be a part of this group once I saw what they were like. I’m pretty sure I would have run the other way as fast as I could!
Would you like to win a signed copy of The Mommy Clique? I have 2 signed copies to give away! If you are a US resident, your signed book will be mailed directly to you. If you are an international follower, an ebook will be emailed to you.
To be entered, just leave a comment below (on this blog post)! Your comment can be about anything!
**You must comment below to be eligible for the giveaway and you must comment here on this blog post (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**
Giveaway will close tomorrow (12/15/22) at 6:00 pm CDT and the 2 winners will be randomly chosen and announced here on my blog on Friday (12/16/22).
I will post a video here on Friday of me choosing the winners!
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Being a book blogger, I’m extraordinarily fortunate that authors and publishers graciously offer to send me books every single day. Although I would say I turn down probably 85% of them at this point, I’m always thankful for the offer. I pride myself on only accepting books that are books I am genuinely excited to read and books that I would have chosen on my own had they not been offered to me to read.
I have recently received 2 books in the mail and I think both sound GREAT. I will be reading these in the new year and will post my full review once I finish. I’ll also be hosting giveaways for both of these in the new year so be on the lookout!
Book #1
Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life… and a Man {Reenita M. Hora}
Book #2
Ugly {Kelly Vincent}
Don’t both of these sound wonderful??
Which of these 2 books would you be the most interested in reading?
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*
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Blogmas 2022: Book Review: Christmas in Winter Hill {Melody Carlson}
Oh I have such a little GEM of a holiday book for you today!
This book was one of the 8 holiday books that I was excited to read during last holiday season (you can read that post HERE)…and boy did I discover such a lovely little holiday book when I read this one.
Goodreads Synopsis of Christmas in Winter Hill {Melody Carlson}:
Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.
As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn’t always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, “Where’s the snow?” Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista’s Christmas spirit before the big day?
Bestselling author Melody Carlson invites you to spend this holiday season in a town you’ll never forget–and never want to leave.
Beautiful cover art
My Review of Christmas in Winter Hill {Melody Carlson}:
This book was exactly what I was hoping it would be…light, easy, and heartwarming. in other words, exactly the type of book I like to read during this time of year!
I read this book during LAST year’s holiday season over 2 days which is NOT something that I do often anymore (#kids). I loved how short this book was, it made me read even quicker knowing I would be able to finish it ASAP.
I’ve already looked up Melody Carlson’s other books and have a bunch on TBR. I love her easy to read writing style!
Looking for a super quick, heartwarming, holiday read? Here you go, it’s such a lovely book 🙂
Bottom Line:
Perfect little holiday read!
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
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In the heart of Greenwich Village, three women form an accidental sorority when a baby—belonging to exactly none of them—lands on their collective doorstep.
Lauren and her family—lucky bastards—have been granted the use of a spectacular brownstone, teeming with history and dizzyingly unattractive 70s wallpaper. Adding to the home’s bohemian, grungy splendor is the bar occupying the basement, a (mostly) beloved dive called The Sweet Spot. Within days of moving in, Lauren discovers that she has already made an enemy in the neighborhood by inadvertently sparking the divorce of a couple she has never actually met.
Melinda’s husband of thirty years has dumped her for a young celebrity entrepreneur named Felicity, and, to Melinda’s horror, the lovebirds are soon to become parents. In her incandescent rage, Melinda wreaks havoc wherever she can, including in Felicity’s Soho boutique, where she has a fit of epic proportions, which happens to be caught on film.
Olivia—the industrious twenty-something behind the counter, who has big dreams and bigger debt—gets caught in the crossfire. In an effort to diffuse Melinda’s temper, Olivia has a tantrum of her own and gets unceremoniously canned, thanks to TikTok.
When Melinda’s ex follows his lover across the country, leaving their squalling baby behind, the three women rise to the occasion in order to forgive, to forget, to Ferberize, and to track down the wayward parents. But can their little village find a way toward the happily ever afters they all desire? Welcome to The Sweet Spot.
Someone Else’s Shoes {Jojo Moyes}:
**A new book by Jojo Moyes?!? Yes, please! If you haven’t yet read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, STOP EVERYTHING AND READ ME BEFORE YOU BY JOJO MOYES! My glowing review is HERE. And no, I have not read the sequel. No desire, the first one was so beautifully written that some things are better left alone.**
Expected Publication February 7, 2023
Photo Credit: Target
Goodreads Synopsis of Someone Else’s Shoes {Jojo Moyes}:
Who are you when you are forced to walk in someone else’s shoes?
Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope–she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in.
That’s because Sam Kemp – in the bleakest point of her life – has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag–she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat. When she tries on Nisha’s six-inch high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, the resulting jolt of confidence that makes her realize something must change—and that thing is herself.
Gabe and Pippa Gerard have just moved into their dream house: a cliffside cottage in a sleepy coastal town outside Melbourne. It’s a fresh start to their marriage, and the perfect place to raise their two young daughters. But the house’s perfect façade hides something more sinister: The Spot, where the tall cliffs have become a popular place for those wishing to end their lives. After talking someone down from the ledge, Gabe becomes a local hero, saving person after person… until one night, he doesn’t. And Pippa sees Gabe the moment after it happened, standing alone at the cliff’s edge, arms outstretched, palms facing out.
The death is ruled a suicide— Gabe said it was a stranger devastated over her husband’s infidelity. But when Pippa discovers that Gabe knew the victim, she has more questions than answers. Plus, the woman’s husband swears she wouldn’t have jumped. Why would Gabe lie about not knowing her? Why would she have been at The Spot, if not to jump? And did she really jump… or was she pushed? As Pippa works to uncover the truth, the foundations of the life they’ve built begin to crack and their deepest secrets start to unravel.
The Soulmate is a twisty domestic suspense novel that proves nothing—and no one— is ever as it seems.
Malcolm Gephardt, the handsome and gregarious longtime bartender at the Half Moon, has always dreamed of owning a bar. When his boss is finally ready to retire, Malcolm is inspired to buy the place. He sees unquantifiable magic and potential in the Half Moon and hopes to make it a bigger success—but quickly realizes that his customers don’t like change and that making a profit won’t be easy.
Malcolm’s wife Jess is smart, confident, and dedicated to her law career. But after years of trying to have a baby, she’s struggling to accept the idea that motherhood may not be in the cards for her. Like Malcolm, she feels her youth beginning to slip away, and while her hopes and expectations fall short of the current reality, she wonders how to reshape her life.
Taking place over the course of one tumultuous week, The Half Moon shows off Mary Beth Keane’s skilled storytelling and generous spirit as she carefully explores a marriage in crisis, what it takes to make a life with another person, and the true meaning of family.
Always the Almost {Edward Underhill}:
Expected Publication February 14, 2023
Photo Credit: Macmillian
Goodreads Synopsis ofAlways the Almost {Edward Underhill}:
Sixteen-year-old trans boy Miles Jacobson has two New Year’s resolutions: 1) win back his ex-boyfriend (and star of the football team) Shane McIntyre, and 2) finally beat his slimy arch-nemesis at the Midwest’s biggest classical piano competition. But that’s not going to be so easy. For one thing, Shane broke up with Miles two weeks after Miles came out as trans, and now Shane’s stubbornly ignoring him, even when they literally bump into each other. Plus, Miles’ new, slightly terrifying piano teacher keeps telling him that he’s playing like he “doesn’t know who he is”—whatever that means.
Then Miles meets the new boy in town, Eric Mendez, a proudly queer cartoonist from Seattle who asks his pronouns, cares about art as much as he does—and makes his stomach flutter. Not what he needs to be focusing on right now. But after Eric and Miles pretend to date so they can score an invite to a couples-only Valentine’s party, the ruse turns real with a kiss, which is also definitely not in the plan. If only Miles could figure out why Eric likes him so much. After all, it’s not like he’s cool or confident or comfortable in his own skin. He’s not even good enough at piano to get his fellow competitors to respect him, especially now, as Miles. Nothing’s ever been as easy for him as for other people—other boys. He’s only ever been almost enough.
So why, when he’s with Eric, does it feel like the only person he’s ever really not been enough for…is himself?
We’ll Never Tell {Wendy Heard}:
Expected Publication May 16, 2023
Photo Credit: Amazon
Goodreads Synopsis ofWe’ll Never Tell {Wendy Heard}:
No one at Hollywood High knows who’s behind We’ll Never Tell—a viral YouTube channel where the anonymous creators trespass behind the scenes of LA’s most intriguing locales. The team includes CASEY, quiet researcher and trivia champ; JACOB, voice narrator and video editor, who is secretly dating EDDIE, aspiring filmmaker; and ZOE, coder and breaking-and-entering extraordinaire.
Now senior year is winding down, and with their lives heading in different directions, the YouTubers vow to go out with a bang. Their last episode will be filmed at the infamous Valentini “murder house,” which has been left abandoned, bloodstained, and untouched since a shocking murder/suicide in 1972. When the teens break in, they capture epic footage. But someone trips an alarm, and it’s a mad dash to get out before the police arrive—at which point they realize only three of them escaped instead of four. Jacob is still inside, slain and bleeding out. Is his attack connected to the historic murder, or is one of their crew responsible?
A week of suspicions and cover-ups unfolds as Casey and her remaining friends try to stay alive long enough to solve murder mysteries past and present. If they do, their friendship may not survive. If they don’t, the house will claim more victims.
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