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Release date: February 7, 2017

Publisher: Gallery Books

Genre: Horror, Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

An unforgettable horror novel from bestselling sensation Ania Ahlborn—hailed as a writer of “some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years” (New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire)—in which a small-town boy investigates the mysterious disappearance of his cousin and uncovers a terrifying secret kept hidden for years.

Young Jude Brighton has been missing for three days, and while the search for him is in full swing in the small town of Deer Valley, Oregon, the locals are starting to lose hope. They’re well aware that the first forty-eight hours are critical and after that, the odds usually point to a worst-case scenario. And despite Stevie Clark’s youth, he knows that, too; he’s seen the cop shows. He knows what each ticking moment may mean for Jude, his cousin and best friend.

That, and there was that boy, Max Larsen…the one from years ago, found dead after also disappearing under mysterious circumstances. And then there were the animals: pets gone missing out of yards. For years, the residents of Deer Valley have murmured about these unsolved crimes…and that a killer may still be lurking around their quiet town. Now, fear is reborn—and for Stevie, who is determined to find out what really happened to Jude, the awful truth may be too horrifying to imagine.

Review: 

I don’t usually read horror, I’m not even sure why as the handful of books I’ve read I enjoyed, but when I saw not one, but THREE of my favorite bloggers raving about this one, I knew I had to read it! I’m talking about Sam at Clues and Reviews, Abby at Crime By The Book, and Danielle at Books Vertigo and Tea, thank you ladies for the awesome recommendation!

I was a bit skeptical when I first started this one, it was on the slow side and there wasn’t much to be afraid of. I needn’t have worried because as the book progressed, so did the creep factor. This is broken up into three parts; part one is told by Stevie a ten year old boy. His cousin and best friend Jude is missing and he’s frantic with worry. Part two is told from Rosie’s perspective, she’s a young woman living deep in the forest of Deer Valley, Oregon with her husband and she desperately wants a child. Part three is when things really start to get intense and downright horrifying as the storylines merge together. 

Even though the pacing for the beginning of Jude’s story was a bit slow for me, I was very taken in by his character. This poor kid, he lives with his detached mother, his abusive stepfather and his jerky older brother. His only friend is Jude and he’s lost and frightened without him. He stutters and does this odd rhyming thing when he speaks, so as you can imagine school is a nightmare for him. On top of all of that, he’s struggling in regards to his mental health and no one seems to care very much. I wanted to take care of this sweet boy and give him the love and affection he deserves, he really got under my skin. Then there’s Rosie whose one wish is to be a mother and when she miscarried, my heart broke. I don’t want to discuss her too much as anything I would say would be a spoiler, but my heart really went out to her. 

The setting of the small town of Deer Valley that’s surrounded by a dense forest was a perfect backdrop for the horrors Ahlborn created. From the trees that seemed to whisper secrets to the people who dared to venture into the forest to the animals who seemed otherworldly in a highly disturbing way, the author absolutely nailed the atmosphere of this book. This one is gory and graphic, I was chilled to the bone many times while reading. Have you ever been watching a scary movie and kind of watched with one eye open? That was me reading this. The epilogue was utter perfection, I was petrified and pleased by it, and by now you guys now how much a strong ending means to me. If you’re a mystery/thriller fan who doesn’t mind supernatural elements and graphic descriptions, give this one a chance. 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

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Release date: February 10, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Chick Lit

Blurb: 

If you keep dangerous secrets you’ll pay the ultimate price… 

In the South of France, playground of the rich and famous, world renowned chef Dexter Franklin is organising a night to remember. As he opens the doors to his exclusive restaurant for the first time, he’s handpicked a list of guests, as hot and dazzling as the St Tropez sun itself: 

Mew Stanton: Fashionable, beautiful and a notorious TV chef, Dexter’s ex-girlfriend has all the ingredients for success. As her books fly off the shelves, a secret from her past is about to surface with explosive consequences. 

Holly Lydon: Ex girlband star who has fallen on hard times. Forced to make ends meet she’s having to sleep her way to the top. Now she’s making headlines for all the wrong reasons. 

Rosita Velázquez: Brazilian actress extraordinaire and girlfriend of Dexter’s brother, Leland. When she’s in town everybody needs to know about it, but this is one show-stopping entrance she’ll live to regret. 

Three women have a past with Dexter and a grudge to bear against him. As fireworks ignite in the jet set capital of Europe, there’s murder on the menu. Who will be served their just desserts? 

The sun is setting in the South of France. Pour yourself a glass of champagne and sit back for a read of revenge, regrets and shocking revelations that will have you hooked to the very last page. 

Review: 

Nigel May is back with his sixth book or as he calls it, his sexy six pack, I love that! This is only the second book of his that I’ve read but I’m packing the other four the next time I head to Mexico. Full of deceit, betrayal, glitz, sex and scandal they are THE definition of a beach read. I was dreaming of a warm beach, a lounger and a cocktail the whole time I was reading this and with the majority of this taking place in St. Tropez, it was easy to escape to a stunning locale (in my mind at least!)

When the book begins, Cher a famous burlesque dancer (think Dita Von Teese) has been strangled in her dressing room and the murderer was never found. Now it’s five years later and Dexter Franklin wants revenge for many reasons, and he has planned a night that won’t easily be forgotten that coincides with the opening of his new restaurant. He meticulously plans for this evening, taking care to ensure that several very important guests are in attendance. There’s Mew, a fellow celebrity chef and ex pop star, Holly who was in the same girl group as Mew, Leland, his estranged brother, Rosita, a Brazilian actress and Leland’s girlfriend and D.C. a food critic. Each and everyone of them has several juicy skeletons in their closets and most of them have slept with each other at some point. There are all the key ingredients necessary to mix a volatile cocktail, mainly drama, sex and scandal and May delivers on every level exceptionally well.

This book is hot and steamy, it’s always fun to get a glimpse at how the other half lives and Nigel May books are officially my guilty pleasure. I love the campy feel of his novels, there is so much bitchiness, the claws are always out especially amongst the women, but the men can be brutal as well. He knows how to create characters that you love to hate, but there are always a few, that despite their spoiled behavior still manage to wrap me around their fingers. This was a total page turner and by the end, opening night of Dexter’s restaurant, I was dying to see how things would play out. The best way for me to describe this is to say it’s a gutsy, glossy, glam thriller that makes for a titillating read. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy. 

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Release date: February 7, 2017

Publisher: The Overlook Press

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

After his “gripping thriller debut” (Kirkus) Knife Music and sophomore “page turner” (Examiner.com) The Big Exit, David Carnoy’s Detective Hank Madden returns in this bicoastal caper that pits dreams against reality, where nothing can be taken at face value.  

Twenty years after the unsolved case of Stacey Walker’s disappearance went cold, a Silicone Valley executive hires the retired Menlo Park Police Detective Hank Madden to find her body and track down her missing husband, the prime suspect in her unsolved murder. Four months later, author Candace Epstein is pushed in front of a car near Central Park. Her editor Max Fremmer becomes entangled into the investigation of her attempted murder, though he is adamant that he is uninvolved. As he digs into Candace’s background to clear his own name, Fremmer grows suspicious of his client’s connection to a nefarious institute for lucid dreaming on the Upper East Side and its staff whose stories never seem to add up—all while an unexpected link emerges to Detective Madden’s investigation in California.

As similarities arise between the cases on each coast, Detective Madden and Fremmer forge an unlikely partnership to expose what misconduct lurks beneath the façade of the Lucidity Center—but can they unravel the secret that links their investigations together in time, or are they only dreaming? Carnoy’s Lucidity stuns with complex detail that will keep readers guessing until the final, satisfying jolt.

Review: 

You know how sometimes you read the same genre so often that things begin to feel stale? I especially feel this can be true when you read a lot of mysteries, it’s hard to come across something fresh and different, I can’t imagine how hard it is for authors to come up with something new and exciting! There was something really noteworthy about Lucidity, it gave me a new vibe while I was reading it that I really appreciated.

There are two separate narratives here; Hank Madden is a retired detective in California who has been hired to investigate a cold case as a PI and Max Fremmer, a “book doctor” and spin instructor from New York who’s client and friend, Candace was just pushed into traffic and is not expected to make it. Each chapter flips back and forth between the two men and both storylines were engrossing. There were definitely similarities between both cases, but the way Carnoy weaved them together was truly effortless and impressive, it sure kept me on my toes.

Both Fremmer and Madden were fantastic characters, the type where you feel like you could actually encounter people exactly like them in real life. Fremmer was a funny guy, his dialogue reminded me of Harlan Coben’s style and I mean that as a huge compliment, because as a writer I feel he can do no wrong. Everything about this was sharp and witty, like I said earlier it just felt really fresh. Madden was equally interesting, he was one of the last cases of polio in the US, he’s a sexual abuse survivor and a decorated cop.

I loved hopping back and forth from the east to the west coast, it kept things exciting. There were several well executed turns and red herrings along the way and things didn’t play out how I was anticipating. Besides the two amazing protagonists there was a great cast of eccentric characters to spice things up, and the concept of lucid dreaming was trippy but a really cool addition.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Chelsea at The Suspense is Thrilling Me and the author for my review copy.

Three people will each receive a ecopy of Lucidity! Open internationally as long as you can receive an email from me with the file 😜

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Release date: February 9, 2017

Publisher: Pink Bloom Press

Genre: NA/Romance 

Blurb: 

Alice Brown fell in love with Jack the day she moved into her freshman dorm. Problem is, she’s been stuck in the friend zone ever since. After another meaningless breakup, she’s ready to confess her feelings to Jack.

Jack Sullivan has mistaken friendship for love once before and has vowed never to do it again. A varsity sports player, he’s determined to enjoy college with no strings attached.

Peter Wells is Jack’s best wingman. He enjoys his popularity as team captain and when he meets Alice, he’s ready to steal her heart.

When Jack sees Alice and Peter together, jealousy hits him hard. But will he break his vow to never date a friend?

Review: 

I loved the first Camilla Isley book I read, Love Connection so when I saw she was releasing a new book that was slightly different I was intrigued. LC focused on adult relationships whereas Friend Zone was about a group of college aged young men and women trying to navigate dating as well as friendships and school. I don’t read a ton of NA books but I have to say that I really liked this one! 

There are several narrators here, but the chapters are clearly labeled and it didn’t take me long to work out who was dating who and who lived with who. The two main protagonists are Alice and Jack. Alice has been in love with Jack since they met, but Jack is a player and he pushed Alice firmly into the friend zone straightaway. When Alice decides to try and forget about her feelings for Jack she starts dating his close friend and teammate, Peter. Of course Jack being a typical, clueless guy gets jealous and starts wondering if he should’ve dated Alice when had a chance. 

All of the characters here are attending Harvard and there’s a good mix of personalities and backgrounds. You have Alice and Jack who are both majoring in chemistry, Madison and Haley are Alice’s roommates and do computer coding and literature, respectively. Jack’s friends are mainly athletes, then there are a few chapters from Alice’s ex boyfriend Ethan and his new girlfriend Rose. It sounds like too much, but I promise it wasn’t confusing especially as they all interact with each frequently making it easy to establish their connections. I think that’s actually what set this apart from a typical story where friends turn to lovers for me. There were many side stories and relationships to follow and it kept me engaged. 

This was a really lighthearted and fun read, I’m all for some drama and they way they were hooking up and breaking up constantly made for some juicy scenes. Alice and Jack exchanged cute and playful banter that made me go awww, out loud a few times and I couldn’t help but root for them to figure it out and date each other already! Overall it was a cute and entertaining book that I read in a few hours. 

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy. 

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Release date: February 7, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Blurb: 

From acclaimed author Camille Pagán comes a wry, heartfelt exploration of love and loss.

When struggling novelist James Hernandez meets poet Louisa “Lou” Bell, he’s sure he’s just found the love of his life. There’s just one problem: she’s engaged to his oldest friend, Rob. So James toasts their union and swallows his desire.

As the years pass, James’s dreams always seem just out of reach—he can’t finish that novel, can’t mend his relationship with his father, can’t fully commit to a romantic relationship. He just can’t move on. But after betrayal fractures Lou’s once-solid marriage, she turns to James for comfort.

When Lou and James act on their long-standing mutual attraction, the consequences are more heartbreaking—and miraculous—than either of them could have ever anticipated. Then life throws James one more curveball, and he, Rob, and Lou are forced to come to terms with the unexpected ways in which love and loss are intertwined. 

Review: 

I have to start by wishing Camille a very happy publication day! 

This book made me cry. That’s a pretty big deal for me you guys, I’m not really a crier, sure I have my moments but for the most part I’m pretty stoic. To say that this was an emotional read is an understatement and if you want a read with characters that are flawed, yet able to pull on your emotions, get this book! 

James is the narrator here and I found hearing from a male perspective to be a really refreshing experience. He’s writing to his daughter, Emerson which was really sweet and if you’re worried that he may sugarcoat things because of this, don’t be. He’s brutally honest about his life and the mistakes he’s made and though he has many regrets, he’s unapologetic in a raw way. It starts in 1998 when his lifelong best friend introduces him to his new girlfriend, Lou. James immediately feels a strong connection to Lou but knows there is no way he can act on it. Right? As the time goes by and Lou and Rob face their own struggles, Lou and James continue to bond. After giving into temptation for just one night, Lou and James discover that a series of seemingly small choices have the impact to change their lives forever. 

I don’t want to say much more about the plot as this is another book that I feel is best experienced on your own. I was totally enraptured by Pagan’s writing style and finished this one rather quickly. The characters were all extremely well developed and proved that even if you don’t always like or agree with choices they make, you will still feel a deep connection and understanding about why they behaved the way they did. This would be a perfect choice for a book club as there is SO much to discuss; love, loss, how the decisions we make, however small, can have life changing consequences, family, forgiveness, the beauty of unconventional relationships, I could go on and on. It really was a beautifully told story of one man’s journey that spoke to me on many levels. 

Overall rating: 4.5/5 (only because parts were a tiny bit predictable) 

Thanks to Kathleen Zrelak for my review copy. 

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Release date: February 7, 2017

Publisher: Grand Central

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

A housewife is the target of a shocking, methodical killing.

Shot with a hunting rifle through her kitchen window, the woman is dead before she hits the ground. Though murdered in England, it turns out that the woman, Sofie Parker, is a Danish citizen–one who’s been missing for almost two decades–so Louise Rick is called on to the case. 

Then the police discover that the woman, Sophie, had been reported missing eighteen years ago by none other than Eik, Louise Rick’s police colleague and lover. Impulsive as ever, Eik rushes to England, and ends up in jail on suspicion of Sofie’s murder. Unsettled by the connection, and sick with worry for Eik, it falls to Louise to find the killer in what will become her most controversial case yet… 

Review: 

I have to start by thanking Abby at Crime By The Book for putting Sara Blaedel and her novels on my radar. She’s always recommending the most fantastic books, and I’ve seen her mention the Louise Rick series several times, so when an opportunity arose to review this one, it was a no brainer for me. Thanks Abby! ❤️

This is the first book I’ve read in the Louise Rick series, but it most definitely will not be the last. (Poor Mount TBR) Anything relevant that I needed to know involving Louise’s background was provided in The Lost Woman so you can easily jump into the series just as I did. 

The story opens when a woman is shot through her own kitchen window as she’s doing the dishes. Upon her death, it’s discovered that the woman is Sophie, who was reported missing by Louise’s partner and boyfriend, Eik. To say this complicates the case is an understatement and as Louise starts her investigation, Eik is arrested on suspicion of the murder. Soon enough, Louise uncovers things Eik was hiding from her, but is he really a cold blooded killer? 

This was a slow burning thriller, heavily character driven with a pacing that was fluid and composed. Their is an air of sophistication about her writing, there’s something very cultured about it. I was very impressed with the way Blaedel tackled the sensitive issue of assisted suicide, she did so in an extremely compassionate manner. You can tell this is a topic close to her heart and one that she researched. 

The best way I can think of to describe this one is to say it’s an intellectual thriller. It’s profound and thought provoking as it addresses many moral issues. I found myself wondering what I thought about assisted suicide and how I would feel if one of my loved ones wished to die with dignity. I’ve always loved when a book challenges me to question my own morals and values and this one did just that. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for my review copy. 

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Release date: February 2, 2017

Publisher: Blackstone

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Blurb: 

A debut thriller that channels Gone Girl, from the newest writer to watch, Catherine Ryan Howard

The day Adam Dunne’s girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return from a Barcelona business trip, his perfect life begins to fall apart. Days later, the arrival of her passport and a note that reads “I’m sorry–S” sets off real alarm bells. He vows to do whatever it takes to find her.

Adam is puzzled when he connects Sarah to a cruise ship called the Celebrate–and to a woman, Estelle, who disappeared from the same ship in eerily similar circumstances almost exactly a year before.

To get answers, Adam must confront some difficult truths about his relationship with Sarah. He must do things of which he never thought himself capable. And he must try to outwit a predator who seems to have found the perfect hunting ground …

Review: 

This opened with my favorite type of prologue, just enough to get you curious about what lead to a dramatic event, but leaves enough to the imagination that you’re still utterly clueless. 

Adam and Sarah have been together ten years, and things are going well for them. Or are they really? Adam has finally sold his script to a Hollywood production company and they finally have more breathing room financially. Then Sarah heads Barcelona for a work conference and never disembarks from the plane home. Suddenly, Adam realizes that there are things he doesn’t know about his girlfriend. When he seeks help, the local Garda are unconcerned and feel he has nothing to worry about. He has no choice but to take matters into his own hands and unwittingly finds himself in grave danger. 

Psychological thrillers are, dare I say it? My favorite genre, I read them every chance I get. This one is a standout and one I can highly recommend for fans of the genre. There are several perspectives; Adam as he searches for Sarah, Corinne, a woman who works on the Celebrate, and Romain, though his are mostly told in flashbacks starting in the nineties. Corinne’s sections made sense as there was an obvious connection to Adam and Sarah, but I drove myself crazy trying to figure out how Romain would tie in. When all these storylines are finally weaved together it’s incredible, Ryan Howard truly knows how to craft a complex plot. I felt a bit like Adam must have as I was trying to fit puzzle pieces together, like I was missing something obvious, but what?! 

Apparently a cruise ship is the perfect place to commit a crime as maritime law makes things very muddled and confusing. Jurisdictions are murky and most times, heads are turned as it’s easier to avoid the headache. Being made aware of this by the author added an extra layer of tension as the story unfolded, and it was already on the suspenseful side to begin with. I’m so appreciative of a tragic ending, but also one that is able to shock and awe me, and this one managed to do both. It also broke my heart, if you’ve read this, you’ll know exactly what I mean. What a remarkable debut, I’ll be watching Catherine Ryan Howard’s career closely. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Blackstone for my review copy.