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Release date: July 18, 2017

Publisher: Doubleday Books

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

Growing up in Little Harbor, Maine, the daughter of a widowed lobsterman, Eliza Barnes could haul a trap and row a skiff with the best of them. But she always knew she’d leave that life behind. Now that she’s married, with two kids and a cushy front-row seat to suburban country club gossip in an affluent Massachusetts town, she feels adrift.

When her father injures himself in a boating accident, Eliza pushes the pause button on her own life to come to his aid. But when she arrives in Maine, she discovers her father’s situation is more dire than he let on. Eliza’s homecoming is further complicated by the reemergence of her first love–and memories of their shared secret. Then Eliza meets Mary Brown, a seventeen-year-old local who is at her own crossroad, and Eliza can’t help but wonder what her life would have been like if she’d stayed.

Filled with humor, insight, summer cocktails, and gorgeous sunsets, The Captain’s Daughter is a compassionate novel about the life-changing choices we make and the consequences we face in their aftermath. 

Review: 

Are you guys going to kill me if I add yet another book to your summer reading list? I’m going to assume you’re all like me and add new books to your TBR daily, so naturally you’ll be happy to add another book. What’s one more anyway?! 

Meg Mitchell Moore is a new to me author and I really had no idea what to expect when I picked up The Captain’s Daughter, but if pushed I would’ve said that I was expecting a fun, lighthearted beach read, something simple. While it most definitely was all of those things it was also insightful, touching and captivating too. 

This is told through multiple narratives, very reminiscent of one of my favorite authors, Elin Hilderbrand. There was that same great beachy vibe and the writing style was also similar. The conversational dialogue felt so genuine, it was as if I was listening to real people talk to each other. The whole book felt really authentic, from the location, to the characters to the situations they were in and the problems they were facing. 

One of my favorite things about this book was the stunning coastal setting the author portrayed. I’ve never been to an East Coast beach before and Mitchell Moore made me feel like I was actually in the town of Little Harbor, Maine. The characterization was also excellent, the residents were all very salt of the earth types who lead relatively simple lives, they were all very endearing. I especially connected with Mary, a local teen who crosses paths with Eliza. There was something so raw and vulnerable about her that really spoke to me. 

While this didn’t have any super heavy themes, it did have some good, strong ones, such as the power of feeling connected to your true home and the importance of familial relationships and being true to oneself. I’m a new fan of Meg Mitchell Moore now and am excited that I discovered a new author! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

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Release date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Bantam

Genre: Mystery/Thriller 

Blurb: 

In this relentlessly paced novel of psychological suspense, New York Times bestselling author Michelle Richmond crafts an intense and shocking tale that asks: How far would you go to protect your marriage?

Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.

The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter. . . . Never mention The Pact to anyone.

Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples. And then one of them breaks the rules. The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule. For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare.

Review: 

Im going to start this out a little differently than I normally do as I have a bit of a warning for you before I get into my actual review. First of all, if you have problems suspending disbelief this is probably not the book for you. The entire concept of The Pact and how Alice and Jake wind up joining is pretty far fetched and unbelievable. Quick example, it’s a binding contract and they both sign it extremely quickly and with almost no hesitation. Did I mention Alice is a lawyer? BUT, if you can get past the probability of something like this actually taking place, then this book is highly entertaining and a whole lot of fun!

I’ve had a long fascination with cults and in particular as of late Scientology, as I’m a huge fan of Leah Remini’s documentary series about this strange “religion”. (Anyone else watch this?! Would love to chat) Anyway, as soon as the details of this marriage pact were discussed I was totally reminded of Scientology. It’s eerily similar in the massive list of rules and regulations members must follow and in several other ways as well, but I don’t want to spoil it by saying more. I was also getting a strong Stepford Wives vibe, which is such an odd combination, but honestly? It mostly worked really well for me. Yes, I had issues in the beginning believing anyone as intellectual as Jake and Alice were supposed to be would actually want to be a part of something as freaky as The Pact, but I’m so glad that I kept going as it ended up being the perfect balance of creepy, downright strange and highly disturbing. 

Domestic suspense is one of my favorite sub genres, I tend to binge read these types of books as there’s something so addicting about martial strife. I’m always looking for a unique spin on things and this provided that in a few ways. The entire story is told from Jake’s perspective and I loved that as generally it seems to be the wife telling the tale. The other aspect that gave it a fresh feeling was that Jake and Alice were a united front fighting a common enemy. Normally the wife is usually searching for the truth about her husband or something similar and seeing a unified couple was great. 

As much as I did binge read this, the pacing is kind of strange. Most of the chapters are on the short side with the exception of a select few, but it still was a heavy, dense read. Jake spends quite a bit of time doing a lot of self introspection and analyzation, so it almost breaks up the otherwise fast pacing and excitement of the current storyline. The ending was ambiguous, which is not my favorite, but it did work well here. 

It sounds like I have quite a few complaints, and I guess I do, but I still really enjoyed this book. The whole thing is so bizarre, maybe my mixed reaction is an indication of just how bizarre this read actually was, I’m not exactly sure. I would recommend this to the right reader, I know some of my friends would hate it and others would love it, but I hope I’ve given you enough information to be able to decide for yourself if you’re interested or not. 

Overall rating: 4/5

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Release date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Berkley 

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

The women who spent their childhood summers in a small southern town discover it harbors secrets as lush as the marshes that surround it…

Bonny Blankenship’s most treasured memories are of idyllic summers spent in Watersend, South Carolina, with her best friend, Lainey McKay. Amid the sand dunes and oak trees draped with Spanish moss, they swam and wished for happy-ever-afters, then escaped to the local bookshop to read and whisper in the glorious cool silence. Until the night that changed everything, the night that Lainey’s mother disappeared.

Now, in her early fifties, Bonny is desperate to clear her head after a tragic mistake threatens her career as an emergency room doctor, and her marriage crumbles around her. With her troubled teenage daughter, Piper, in tow, she goes back to the beloved river house, where she is soon joined by Lainey and her two young children. During lazy summer days and magical nights, they reunite with bookshop owner Mimi, who is tangled with the past and its mysteries. As the three women cling to a fragile peace, buried secrets and long ago loves return like the tide.

Review: 

The Bookshop at Water’s End is told from multiple perspectives giving four different women all the chance to narrate and tell their personal story.  Bonny and Lainey have been best friends since they were children and Piper is Bonny’s troubled daughter, and finally Mimi is the owner of the bookshop. These women ranged in age from nineteen to eighty and the author did such a brilliant job of creating distinct and powerful voices for each of them. As I write this, I’m trying to decide who my favorite character is and I’m struggling, which only proves my point that the characterization is amazing! 

This is mainly told in the present day as Bonny, Lainey and Piper all spend some time at Bonny’s parents house in Watershed. There are also a few chapters that flashback to the late seventies/early eighties during the three summers that Bonny and Lainey spent there together. Watershed was a fantastic setting and the author truly brought it to life. I kept going back and looking at that beautiful cover while I was reading and it just fits perfectly with the setting she created. 

The main focus of the story surrounds the three women as they struggle with their own personal problems, but the past plays a heavy role in their current dilemmas. Lainey’s mom disappeared and was never seen again and the addition of this mystery added something special and heartbreaking to the text. 

This was a wonderful summer read with depth, there are some lessons to be learned from it and the themes were also beautiful. The power and beauty of female relationships played a heavy role here and the friendship between Bonny and Lainey was just lovely. There was such a good, strong flow to the writing, it was so easy to get caught up in the characters lives and be swept away to Watershed. At it’s heart, it’s the story of women finding their place in the world and finally finding their true home. There is just something magical about this book that I really enjoyed, it’s special. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

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Release date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Berkley 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

In the breathtaking new thriller from David Bell, bestselling author of Since She Went Away and Somebody I Used to Know, the fate of two missing teenage girls becomes a father’s worst nightmare…. 

Just a year and a half after the tragic death of his wife, Bill Price’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Summer, and her best friend, Haley, disappear. Days later, the girls are found in a city park. Haley is dead at the scene, while Summer is left beaten beyond recognition and clinging to life.

As Bill holds vigil over Summer’s bandaged body, the only sound the unconscious girl can make is one cryptic and chilling word: No. And the more time Bill spends with Summer, the more he wonders what happened to her. Or if the injured girl in the hospital bed is really his daughter at all.

When troubling new questions about Summer’s life surface, Bill is not prepared for the aftershocks. He’ll soon discover that both the living and the dead have secrets. And that searching for the truth will tear open old wounds that pierce straight to the heart of his family…

Review: 

A couple of weeks ago I participated in a special blog tour to celebrate Bell’s newest release, if you missed it here’s my review of  The Forgotten Girl. I’m a huge fan of his novels and BHH is hands down my new favorite! It was shocking, compelling and ultimately a satisfying read. 

Bill is an average man, a father still grieving after the sudden loss of his wife when the unthinkable happens and his teenaged daughter, Summer goes missing. This was unique in that it begins after she was already missing for a few days and wasn’t told from the POV of a police officer, it’s told from Bill himself. Beyond that, I don’t want to discuss the plot because it was full of twists and turns that were shocking. 

This was straightforward storytelling with no alternating timelines or various points of view and I didn’t realize how much I missed books being told this way until I picked this up. It was really nice to read something told in a basic linear matter with no extraneous devices used. The pacing was really fast and the writing style was so fluid and polished, Bell is a truly gifted writer. 

I spoke of the twists earlier, but I want to point out again how blown away I was by the way they were executed. There was a subtlety to them and they were wholly believable. You know how oftentimes you have to suspend disbelief when you’re reading a thriller? There isn’t any of that here, scenarios are realistic and so are the characters Bell crafts. Bill broke my heart he was so raw and vulnerable, he was really relatable and I connected with him instantly. 

If you haven’t read a Bell novel before, start here. I think it’s his best work so far and it was such an engrossing tale, definitely going on my list of top reads of the year.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

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Release date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Blurb: 

Sunshine Mackenzie has it all…until her secrets come to light.

Sunshine Mackenzie is living the dream—she’s a culinary star with millions of fans, a line of #1 bestselling cookbooks, and a devoted husband happy to support her every endeavor.

And then she gets hacked.

When Sunshine’s secrets are revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. She loses the husband, her show, the fans, and her apartment. She’s forced to return to the childhood home—and the estranged sister—she’s tried hard to forget. But what Sunshine does amid the ashes of her own destruction may well save her life.

In a world where celebrity is a careful construct, Hello, Sunshine is a compelling, funny, and evocative novel about what it means to live an authentic life in an inauthentic age. 

Review: 

I have another book to add to your vacation reading list, this would be absolutely perfect as it’s light, but has plenty of drama, a juicy scandal and a heroine who is perfectly flawed and wholly relatable. 

Sunshine has the type of life people only dream of, she has a huge following across social media, a best selling series of cookbooks, an amazing husband and a dream apartment in NYC. It’s a total dream, especially as she can’t cook, like at all and the whole empire she’s crafted? Faker than a three dollar bill. The premise for this hooked me as the whole idea of the social media age we’re currently living in just fascinates me. We all follow people who seem to have the perfect life, but how can we really know that their lives are so fantastic based on some pictures and heavily edited videos? Sunshine herself probably shouldn’t have been very likable, but I really did enjoy her. She’s finally at a point in her career where she’s forced to be honest and I found her candidness refreshing. 

This was a timely read as the entire world has never been more obsessed with social media and the stars born from it than it is today. We are a culture consumed by it and the social commentary Dave makes on this subject through Sunshine’s downfall was surprisingly insightful for such a lighthearted read. It wasn’t in your face or obnoxious, just gives you something to ponder. It was also really witty and endearing and a total one sitting type of read as it comes in at under 250 pages. Ultimately it is a story of redemption but not in a contrived, cheesy way, nothing is wrapped up neatly in the end and doing this felt very genuine, I appreciated that. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

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Release date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Dutton Books

Genre: Thriller

Blurb: 

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past. 

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished. 

Review: 

Final Girls first came onto my radar last year, I saw someone talking about it on Twitter and when I read the blurb, I was so intrigued! Since then, I’ve seen this book everywhere on social media, it’s getting all of the hype. That always slightly concerns me, I wonder if the hype will be justified or just a major letdown? Let me tell you, the hype is deserved, dare I say this will be THE thriller of the summer?! It really should be. 

Quincy is a final girl, along with Sam and Lisa, but what is a final girl? It’s a nickname for the last girls standing in a slasher film and the press dubbed the girls with the ubiquitous title because all three survived  horrifying massacres. For some reason, before I started this, I thought they were survivors of the same killer, but that’s not it, they all managed to escape from three separate spree killers. I really liked that they were only connected by being survivors, their three ordeals were all chilling and absolutely frightening. 

This is told from Quincy’s viewpoint in the present day and there are also sections set in Pine Cottage where her horror show occurred. The pace is steady until you get closer to the end as you really start to learn about what happened at PC. I loved those parts, the setting was eerily atmospheric and so creepy, exactly like a horror movie. This book toes the line and almost crosses over into the horror genre, especially in these parts because the scenes are so dark, disturbing and gory. 

There are tons of diversions throughout the book, it’s a constant guessing game that you can’t quite ever figure out. It’s so twisty and spooky, certain scenes gave me chills up and down my spine. All of the characters behave in a way that makes you question their motivations, no one is trustworthy, making this one all the more fun to try and figure out. It was such a compelling, thrilling read, again I’m calling it the book of the summer, don’t miss out on this one! 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

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Release date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Scribner

Genre: Psychological thriller

Blurb: 

In the bestselling tradition of The Girl on the Train and In a Dark, Dark Wood, from the internationally bestselling author whom Stephen King called “an absolute master” of the psychological thriller, comes a riveting suspense novel about the unlikely friendship between two pregnant women that asks: how far would you go to create the perfect family?

Agatha is pregnant and works part-time stocking shelves at a grocery store in a ritzy London suburb, counting down the days until her baby is due. As the hours of her shifts creep by in increasing discomfort, the one thing she looks forward to at work is catching a glimpse of Meghan, the effortlessly chic customer whose elegant lifestyle dazzles her. Meghan has it all: two perfect children, a handsome husband, a happy marriage, a stylish group of friends, and she writes perfectly droll confessional posts on her popular parenting blog—posts that Agatha reads with devotion each night as she waits for her absent boyfriend, the father of her baby, to maybe return her calls.

When Agatha learns that Meghan is pregnant again, and that their due dates fall within the same month, she finally musters up the courage to speak to her, thrilled that they now have the ordeal of childbearing in common. Little does Meghan know that the mundane exchange she has with a grocery store employee during a hurried afternoon shopping trip is about to change the course of her not-so-perfect life forever…

With its brilliant rendering of the secrets some women hold close and a shocking act that cannot be undone, The Secrets She Keeps delivers a dark and twisted page-turner that is absolutely impossible to put down. 

Review: 

Told alternately from the viewpoint of Meg and Agatha, this brilliant thriller had me gripped tightly in its clutches from the very first chapter. Meg is one of those women, who on the surface, seems to have an utterly perfect life. She’s married to a handsome man named Jack and has two lovely children and a third on the way. Agatha is also pregnant, but her life isn’t quite as charmed as Meg’s. As the details of their lives and the secrets they’re both keeping are slowly and methodically revealed, it’s very clear that danger is lurking and dark secrets and betrayals are underfoot. 

This book is aptly titled as the secrets these women are keeping are powerful and shocking. It was a constant barrage of revelations and gasp worthy moments and the author masterfully and carefully shared them, at just the right time. It’s divided into two parts and the first half really sets the stage for what’s ahead. There is a lot of character development and buildup, then when part two begins, things get super tense. You couldn’t have pried my Kindle from my hands for all the money in the world, I was that gripped. 

I’m keeping this on the shorter side because the plot is so intricate and beautifully crafted that me speaking to it anymore wouldn’t do it any justice. If you are a fan of this genre this a definite must read. It was a highly addictive, perfectly paced, compelling read that I absolutely loved! And now I’ll be busy buying all the books in Robotham’s back catalogue…

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.