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Release date: January 17, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Blurb: 

On a cozy street in Philadelphia, three neighboring families have become the best of friends. They can’t imagine life without one another—until one family outgrows their tiny row house. In a bid to stay together, a crazy idea is born: What if they tear down the walls between their homes and live together under one roof? And so an experiment begins.

Celia and Mark now have the space they need. But is this really what Celia’s increasingly distant husband wants? Stephanie embraces the idea of one big, happy family, but has she considered how it may exacerbate the stark differences between her and her husband, Chris? While Hope always wanted a larger family with Leo, will caring for all the children really satisfy that need?

Behind closed doors, they strive to preserve the closeness they treasure. But when boundaries are blurred, they are forced to question their choices…and reimagine the true meaning of family.

Review: 

The idea of a communal family intrigued me right away, maybe because it’s so far out of my own comfort zone and something I would NEVER consider in a million years. Six friends and neighbors decide to go ahead and take a chance after one family wants to move in order to have more space. This was such a compulsive read for me, I was surprised by how quickly I was wrapped up in their lives. 

There are seven different points of view here, I know that sounds like too many, but it truly works seamlessly here. Mark and Celia have three kids and both have demanding careers. They are the ones that initially want to move, but they change their minds after Mark has a serious health scare. Stephanie and Chris  have one child and both work as well. They’re happy with their son as an only child, but also intrigued by the idea of giving him a larger, untraditional family. Hope and Leo also have one daughter and Leo is a sommelier while Hope stays at home. They’ve been trying to have another child for two years and are thrilled to expand their family anyway they can. Lastly, there is Nikki the new neighbor on their block. 

Of course things get messy and complicated pretty fast, but the way things got muddled shocked me. Lines get blurred and boundaries get crossed as three separate families try to merge into one. Large family dynamics are very different than those of a single family unit, and many relationships are put to the test. The women have always been extremely close, but events drive a wedge between them. The men love to get together for a beer or an occasional guys night out, but when things get complex, they feel the after effects as well. Then there are the always convoluted male and female relationships, especially when secrets are being shared, and NOT always between spouses. 

This was a provocative read, but one with heart and great characterization. It explores parenthood, marriage, work woes and friendships, all in an interesting way. What truly defines a family? Can a non traditional family really work, to the benefit of both the adults and the children? This is especially difficult as they’re keeping this arrangement under wraps in order to avoid judgment. This was one that grabbed me from the start, at no point did I want to put it down. I’m wowed that this was LeBan and DePino’s first collaboration and am desperately hoping it’s not their last!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Lake Union and Little Bird Publicity for my review copy. 

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Release date: February 1, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery 

Blurb: 

The year is 1928. Kate Moore is looking for a way out of the poverty and violence of her childhood. When a chance encounter on a transatlantic ocean liner brings her face-to-face with the handsome heir to a Chicago fortune, she thinks she may have found her escape—as long as she can keep her past concealed.

After exchanging wedding vows, Kate quickly discovers that something isn’t quite right with her husband—or her new family. As Mrs. Matthew Lemont, she must contend with her husband’s disturbing past, his domineering mother, and his overly close sister. Isolated at Lakecrest, the sprawling, secluded Lemont estate, she searches desperately for clues to Matthew’s terrors, which she suspects stem from the mysterious disappearance of his aunt years before. As Kate stumbles deeper into a maze of family secrets, she begins to question everyone’s sanity—especially her own. But just how far will she go to break free of this family’s twisted past? 

Genre: 

Historical fiction is not usually one of my go to genres, but when this beauty showed up in my mailbox I was immediately interested. Besides the gorgeous cover, (really it’s stunning, more so in person) the blurb gave me pause. I’ve always been taken in by the 1920’s, things seem so glamorous and chic, but throw in a crumbling family mansion hiding old secrets and I’m in! 

Twisted characters never cease to appeal to me, but when there is an entire family that is twisted and shrouded in mystery? Be still, my heart. Kate is a young woman on a mission to find a husband. Not just any man will do, he needs to be of a certain status and able to provide the sort of life she’s only dreamed of. She was raised by a single mother and their life was a struggle, so when she meets Matthew Lemont and he is swiftly taken by her, she’s thrilled. They marry very quickly and before she can protest they’re living in his family home in Chicago with his mother Hannah and sister Marjorie. Expecting to start her brand new fairytale life, Kate is overwhelmed and apprehensive upon their arrival. Lakecrest is not as grand as it once was, the estate gives off a very sinister and creepy vibe, then there is her mother in law, a very controlling and ruthless woman who Kate struggles to connect with. 

Kate finds herself very isolated and lonely, so her boredom leads her to start digging into the disappearance of Cecily, her husband’s aunt. That’s all I want to say about the plot, but the gothic vibe of the book worked very well for me and I was reminded of V. C. Andrews, whom I read all the time as a teenager. Blackwell covers a variety of taboo topics here, especially for the time period, and there are plenty of shameful family secrets lurking inside the walls of Lakecrest. I love a surprise ending and this one got me, I really liked where Blackwell left things in the end. If you’re a fan of darker, atmospheric historical fiction, check this one out. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Lake Union for my review copy. 

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Release date: January 31, 2017

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: YA

Blurb: 

Reader beware: You’ll think you know what’s happening, and you’ll think you see what’s coming next… But you’ll be very, very wrong.

Fifteen-year-old Yasmin Doner is a social misfit—obese, obsessive and deemed a freak by her peers at school. With her father dead and her mother in a new relationship, Yasmin yearns for a sense of belonging, finding comfort only in food and the fantasy of being close to Alice Taylor, a girl at school. Yasmin will do anything to become friends with pretty and popular Alice—even if Alice, like everyone else, thinks she’s a freak. 

When Yasmin notices a sinister-looking man watching Alice from the school fence, she sees a way of finally winning Alice’s affection—because how this stranger is staring is far more than just looking, it’s wanting. Because this stranger, Yasmin believes, is going to take Alice. Yasmin decides to find out more about this man so that when he does take Alice, Yasmin will be the only one who knows his name and where he lives…the only one who can save her. 

But as Yasmin discovers more about him, her affections begin to shift. Perhaps she was wrong about him. Perhaps she doesn’t need Alice after all. 

And then Alice vanishes. 

Review: 

When a blurb begins by telling me to be aware and that I won’t know what’s coming, I’m expecting it to knock me off of feet. That’s a pretty bold and lofty statement, right? To be fair I didn’t have everything completely sussed out, but by the time I was at the end of this book I was so ready to just be done reading that frankly, I didn’t care much anymore.

Initially I felt really bad for the protagonist, Yasmin. She’s a fifteen year old girl with a weight problem and no real friends. She’s a loner and a very odd duck, but she’s bullied and teased and that always pulls at my heartstrings. Soon enough, you realize that Yasmin has very obsessive thoughts and compulsions, she concocts wildly elaborate fantasies that were very disturbing. She’s overly obsessed with her classmate, Alice and she would be rambling and go off on these strange tangents that made my eyes glaze over. It was all just a bit too much for.

Her innermost thoughts and rantings make up a good portion of the first half of this book, then she notices a weird older man is also watching Alice and her obsession turns to him instead. She inserts herself into his life and things turn dark and creepy, fast. Normally for me that’s a good thing, but here? Not my cup of tea. I think the overall concept of the story wasn’t anything like I expected it to be and instead of being happily surprised by this, I was frustrated and annoyed by it. It made me feel unsettled and gross, like I needed a shower by the time I got to the ending. 

I do want to give credit to Kavanagh’s writing though, she’s clearly talented, this book just wasn’t for me. 

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to MIRA for my review copy. 

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Release date: January 31, 2017

Publisher: Dutton Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

Is he a hero?

Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.

Is he a killer?

Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun. 

All she knows for sure: He’s back.

As the clock winds down on a massive hunt for Telly, Quincy and Rainie must answer two critical questions: Why after eight years has this young man started killing again? And what does this mean for Sharlah? Once upon a time, Sharlah’s big brother saved her life. Now, she has two questions of her own: Is her brother a hero or a killer? And how much will it cost her new family before they learn the final, shattering truth? Because as Sharlah knows all too well, the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you. 

Review: 

I’m a huge Lisa Gardner fan and I love all three of her series, but Quincy and Rainie will always have a special place in my heart, so naturally I was thrilled to see her latest novel was bringing them back! One of my favorite things about getting attached to any series is feeling like I’m catching up with old friends and this dynamic duo is one of best to spend time with. 

There’s a spree killer on the loose in Bakersville and Quincy and Rainie are both called in by the local sheriff, Shelly to consult. Things quickly turn deeply personal for them when they discover that the suspect is their soon to be adoptive daughter, Sharlah’s long lost brother, Telly. As they race to apprehend Telly, things become extremely complicated and highly volatile and their main goal is to keep their daughter safe. Is history repeating itself with Telly’s anger rising to the surface? Or is there more to the case than what meets the eye?

This was one emotional story for a crime novel! Gardner has the unique ability to make the reader forge fast and meaningful connections to her characters and I had emotional attachments to all of them, but especially to Quincy, Rainie and Sharlah. Each and every individual connected to the case narrates chapters which provides an overall look at what everyone is doing, feeling and thinking. It’s very clever and adds something special to her books.

This was a fast and furious read, one that kept me flipping pages late into the night. It all just flows so smoothly with fluid writing and plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. This wasn’t a case that was so much about who the killer was, but the why? The motivation was tangled and fascinating and the truth was highly complex. The best way I can describe this one is to say it’s a thriller with a huge heart and a truly compelling read. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Dutton Books for my review copy. 

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: January 15, 2017

Publisher: CreateSpace

Genre: YA

Blurb: 

“Alex is the articulate, first-person narrator of the tale; readers experience her obsession and emotional deconstruction from the inside…[Levine’s] deep understanding of “grooming” behavior…helps her to create a character that jumps off the page.” -Kirkus

Alexandra Geller is a bright, underachieving fourteen-year-old coming of age in the big hair 1980’s. Alex is from an accomplished, well-educated family. The sudden death of her mother five years ago, and her relationship with her well-meaning but emotionally unavailable father, leaves her unmoored and vulnerable as she tries to figure out who she is. Early in her freshman year, she’s befriended by Paula Hanover, a young, attractive science teacher at her high school. Paula’s irreverence and charm attracts the attention of the girls, who look up to her, and the boys, who have crushes on her. Alex is thrilled to be chosen by this woman and relishes the feeling of finally “belonging” to a mother figure. Paula’s intentions aren’t so benevolent, as she slowly and carefully draws Alex into a relationship designed to meet her own needs, not Alex’s. Desperate for maternal attention, Alex finds ways to ignore the vague sense that something is wrong. Her compelling story sheds light on a common, but rarely talked about kind of trauma which is subtle, and occurs under the radar. 

Review: 

Now I Know It’s Not My Fault chronicles three years in the life of Alex Geller, a fairly typical teenage girl living in the mid eighties in Connecticut. Her mother tragically passed away when she was just nine and the absence of a female role model in her life has left a gaping hole that she is desperate to fill. When she starts high school and makes a connection with one of her teachers, she’s thrilled to have finally found someone who really understands her. Her relationship with her father is strained and as she tries to navigate the painful teenage years, she’s confident that she’s found a friend and an ally in Paula Hanover.

From the moment that Alex and Paula meet my radar was pinging and I knew there was something off about the teacher. I wanted to reach through the pages and warn Alex not to get involved with the woman as she just made me uneasy and highly concerned. I’m a thirty five year old woman with life experience though, and it was easy for me to understand why a young and vulnerable girl like Alex was so easily charmed by Paula. Part of Alex’s allure for Paula is her vulnerability, she preyed on her and wanted to be able to easily manipulate her. 

The storyline of a female abuser gripped me just as much as it sickened me. Levine has created an identifiable and empathetic character in Alex, I had such a strong urge to protect this fragile girl. As their relationship progresses, Paula’s games increase and she is wildly inappropriate in both her actions and her words with Alex. The whole process was called grooming where an individual uses extreme behaviors in order to get what they want. Think moments of high praise and love one minute and stone cold shutting them out the next. It was very confusing for Alex and allowed Paula to satisfy her own needs and wants with no regard for Alex’s needs. 

Levine is a marriage and family therapist with years of experience working with patients who suffer from trauma and abuse and her insights were invaluable and fascinating. While there were moments that were hard and uncomfortable for me to read, I believe the subject matter is highly important and as a parent, it definitely opened my eyes to a horror I had not considered before. I would say this is an important read for teenagers, especially high school girls, it would even make a really good read for parents to read along with their children and it would open up a conversation that could be impactful. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Larissa at Claire McKinney PR for my review copy. 

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Release date: January 24, 2017

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural 

Blurb: 

When a woman’s body is discovered submerged in a crab pot in the chilly waters of Puget Sound, Detective Tracy Crosswhite finds herself with a tough case to untangle. Before they can identify the killer, Tracy and her colleagues on the Seattle PD’s Violent Crimes Section must figure out who the victim is. Her autopsy, however, reveals she may have gone to great lengths to conceal her identity. So who was she running from?

After evidence surfaces that their Jane Doe may be a woman who suspiciously disappeared months earlier, Tracy is once again haunted by the memory of her sister’s unsolved murder. Dredging up details from the woman’s past leads to conflicting clues that only seem to muddy the investigation. As Tracy begins to uncover a twisted tale of brutal betrayal and desperate greed, she’ll find herself risking everything to confront a killer who won’t go down without a deadly fight. Once again, New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni delivers a taut, riveting thriller in the fourth installment of his acclaimed Tracy Crosswhite series. 

Review: 

As far as opening chapters are concerned, this had a very striking one. A high school kid who is illegally trying to catch crabs for extra money gets way more than he bargained for when he pulls up a crab pot and a women is trapped inside. That certainly grabbed my attention and my desire to get to the bottom of what happened to the woman never decreased. 

Tracy Crosswhite is one of those special characters that only come around every so often. She’s been through hell and back and had plenty of tragedies in her family from the death of her parents to the murder of her sister. Though she’s haunted by these events from her past, it doesn’t negatively impact how she works as a detective, instead it drives her even harder and makes her focused to find justice for victims and their families. The woman in the crab pot is initially thought to be Andrea Strickland who went missing after a hike on Mount Rainier, but things are not clear cut, and as Tracy digs into Strickland’s history, she finds that they have a lot in common. The connection she feels to the young woman only serves to make her bound and determined to solve her case, and fast. 

Dugoni’s writing style is polished and crisp, he’s crafted a story here that has a very detailed and complex plot and its chock full of the kind of twists and turns I’ve come to expect from any good thriller. I jumped into this series with this book, which is number four and I’m kicking myself for not starting at the beginning as it’s clear from just reading one of his books that this series is one not to be missed. It’s heavily character driven and Tracy is definitely the type of woman that I want to find out more about. And now you’ll have to excuse me while I go hurry and buy books one through three and frantically try and move things around in my TBR to try and fit them in.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for my review copy. 

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Release date: March 17, 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb: 

They say every marriage has its secrets.

But no one sees what happens behind closed doors.

And sometimes those doors should never be opened …

Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

Review: 

Apparently I’ve been living under a rock because I didn’t read this last year when it was released. When I signed up for the TBC 2017 reading challenge and saw this would fit one of their criteria, I was excited because I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about this debut. I’m so pleased to say that I loved it just as much as my friends assured me I would!

I’m going to keep this fairly short and sweet because even though this has been out for almost a year, I somehow managed to avoid spoilers and the big twist wasn’t ruined for me, phew!

Everything you’ve heard about the stunning twist here is true, it’s completely unexpected and one of those that will have you flipping back and forth to make sure you didn’t miss anything. It knocked me on my ass, I haven’t been that shocked by a twist since I Let You Go.  I kind of wanted to go back and immediately reread the entire book to see what clues I had missed previously, but alas my gigantic TBR won’t allow that. 

This details an abusive relationship and was reminiscent of Behind Closed Doors to me with a villain that made my skin crawl. Sal and Charlie are married and Sal stays at home with their daughter, Maggie while Charlie is a lawyer. Charlie is a monster and a controlling bully and has no respect for Sal and doesn’t think that staying at home with a child is worthwhile, however insists that Sal does it anyway. That’s just a taste of the type of horrid person Charlie is. 

My nerves were shot by the time I finished, this was a highly addictive read and I seriously keep wondering what took me so long?! Had I read this last year it would’ve definitely made my top reads of 2016 list. The only good thing about waiting so long is that Hall’s second novel is already available! 

Overall rating: 5/5

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Release date: January 26, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Crime Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

One boy is dead. A killer is free. Who is next?

Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is first on the scene as a stolen car crashes on a misty, wet Manchester morning. The driver is dead, but the biggest shock awaits her when she discovers the body of a child wrapped in plastic in the boot of the car.

As Jessica struggles to discover the identity of the driver, a thin trail leads her first to a set of clothes buried in the woods and then to a list of children’s names abandoned in an allotment shed.

With the winter chill setting in and parents looking for answers, Jessica must find out who has been watching local children, and how this connects to a case that has been unsolved for 14 years.

Review: 

This is the fourth book in Wilkinson’s Jessica Daniel series and though you don’t have to read them in order, I would recommend that you do. There is quite a bit of character development and backstory by this point and I think that will have a richer experience if you start with book one. 

When the book begins, Jess witnesses a car crash and is the first officer on the scene. One of the drivers is dead, and when she does a cursory search of his car, she discovers the body of a young boy. He’s been missing for a few weeks and she instantly recognizes him. Unfortunately she doesn’t have any idea who the driver is, and then when there are possible links to a historical similar case, she struggles to find a solid connection.

By this point, reading about Jess and crew is like catching up with old friends. Jess is still hot headed and temperamental, and she’s still working alongside Dave. She’s gotten even more daring and takes some series risks in this book in order to find answers, I love how gutsy she is. All the previous cast of characters make appearances here and all show signs of personal growth and depth that I loved. This was my favorite aspect of the book as I wasn’t quite as engaged with the plot as I would’ve liked.

As I mentioned earlier, this is a different type of case for Jess and team because usually they have a ton of leads to chase up, but this time there is virtually nothing. She’s constantly grasping at the most tenuous straws to try and figure out what’s going on, and honestly the lack of action left me slightly bored and wanting more. 

Overall, this was an average read for me, as much as I loved checking in with Jess, if it was the first book I had picked up in the series I doubt I would’ve been impressed. I’m still a fan of Wilkinson’s writing style, the city of Manchester was experiencing a huge amount of rain and that added something dark and sinister to the novel. I’ll definitely be continuing on with this series, I’m just hoping for some more action and excitement in book five. 

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy.