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Release date: November 1, 2016

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Contemporary Fiction 

Goodreads blurb: 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and The Dovekeepers comes a soul-searching story about a young woman struggling to redefine herself and the power of love, family, and fate.

Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt.

What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion—from dark suffering to true happiness—a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls—including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.

Here is a character you will fall in love with, so believable and real and endearing, that she captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding yourself at last. For anyone who’s ever been a hurt teenager, for every mother of a daughter who has lost her way, Faithful is a roadmap.

Alice Hoffman’s “trademark alchemy” (USA TODAY) and her ability to write about the “delicate balance between the everyday world and the extraordinary” (WBUR) make this an unforgettable story. With beautifully crafted prose, Alice Hoffman spins hope from heartbreak in this profoundly moving novel.

Review: 

Most of you guys are probably aware by now that I always judge a book by its cover. Sure, I read the blurb too but the cover is what initially grabs my attention and if it’s pretty or striking, I’m usually going to grab it. I really shouldn’t have judged a book by its cover this time. It totally missed the mark for me.

Things started off strong for me, Shelby is a teenager who was just in a terrible accident that left her best friend, Helene in a coma. She’s understandably devastated and deeply depressed and she winds up in a psychiatric hospital for several months. She shaves her head, barely eats, and when she returns home, she hardly leaves her parents basement and spends most of her time getting high. I really felt for Shelby, she is so broken and she’s a mere shell of herself. I was really looking forward to seeing how she would cope, but unfortunately things didn’t really sit well with me.

I had some issues with this one, the first being that it was so depressing! I get that it deals with some very heavy subject matter and I’m quite fine with that, I’m no stranger to reading dark books. But everything is always awful for Shelby even when it’s really not. Which brings me to my second issue, Shelby is the biggest martyr I’ve ever seen. Even though she does everything in her power to alienate herself from everyone, she still manages to cultivate a few loyal people who love her. So what does she do? She tries her damnedst to destroy these relationships because she’s so full of self loathing and guilt because of the accident. I get it, she’s young and she’s been through a tragedy but this book follows her life for ten years. And she continuously keeps behaving the same exact way. Good things somehow keep happening to her even though she does some pretty crappy things herself and she just chalks it all up to fate, but I chalk it up to some pretty contrived storytelling.

I’m gonna stop here with my ranting because I feel that Hoffman is a talented writer. I just had such a hard time reconciling her beautiful writing with this gratuitous and predictable plot. As much as I wanted to connect with the storyline and Shelby, the only time I felt a true and honest moment with her was towards the end when she had some poignant and lovely scenes with her mother. Overall, this one was a flat disappointment for me. (I shouldn’t complain, I’ve been on a really fantastic streak lately, but I’m honest to a fault in my reviews)

Overall rating: 2/5

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for my review copy.

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Release date: November 1, 2016

Genre: Mystery

Goodreads blurb: 

For fans of The Secret History and How to Get Away With Murder comes an exciting new voice in suspense fiction.

Ten years working as a prosecutor have left Meredith Delay jaded and unsure of what she wants out of life. She’s good at her job, but it haunts her. Her boyfriend wants her to commit, but she keeps him at arm’s length. Then Meredith is assigned to a high-profile prosecution involving the violent murder of a fallen hockey star. At first, it appears to be just another case to work. But when her old friend Julian is accused of the murder, it takes on a whole new dimension.

Meredith, Julian, Jonathan, and Lily were a tight-knit group in law school. But now, Jonathan’s defending Julian, and Lily’s loyalties aren’t clear. And when Julian invokes a rare—and risky—defense, Meredith is forced to confront their past.

Has something they played at as students finally been brought to death? 

Review: 

A couple of months ago I read Fractured by Catherine McKenzie and I LOVED it. When I found out that she was releasing a companion book, I was all over it. I use the term companion loosely though as either book could easily be read alone. So in Fractured the protagonist is Julie Apple and she wrote a book called The Murder Game. McKenzie now released this one using the pen name Julie Apple. Book inception! It may sound a bit confusing, but if you read Fractured first it all makes sense.

This follows a similar format to Fractured and has two distinct timelines. The first follows Meredith as she begins law school. She’s immediately drawn to a tight knit group of friends and eventually becomes a member of their group. There’s Julian who is dating Lily and Jonathan who Meredith begins dating. The second timeline follows Meredith as she works as a prosecutor who has been assigned to Julian’s case. Thus begins the biggest case in her career, but is she really capable of going against her old friend Julian? To complicate matters further Jonathan is defending him and she’s not really certain where Lily’s head is.
I’m a big fan of alternating timelines and it works seamlessly here, much as it did in Fractured. There is no mystery as to if Julian committed murder, he confessed after all, but the reader is constantly wondering if the old friends really conspired together to commit the perfect murder? Was that just talk back in the day? Or did they really go through with it? 

I didn’t really like any of the characters here, but that didn’t stop me from really enjoying myself. I started this one night intending to only read a few chapters to get a feel for the story. I stopped reading at 75% and that’s only because The Walking Dead was on. (Pretty much nothing keeps me from watching that ASAP) It’s safe to say that this was a compelling and engaging read, even if I thought most of the characters were awful. Julian, Lily and Jonathan are pretty terrible to Meredith and I found myself wondering why she put up with this treatment? She wasn’t all that likeable either though now that I think about it.

This was a tense legal drama and it had the same tightly wound feeling that Fractured had. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as that one, but it’s still a worthy read. Pay close attention to the prologue, it’s important. I had to go back and reread it after I finished the book actually. I still think it’s so cool and clever that McKenzie even released this book in this manner and I would love to read similar books but I’m not sure there are any others?!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Kathleen Zrelak for my review copy, you always hook me up with the BEST books and I’m so grateful.

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Release date: November 1, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Young Adult

Goodreads blurb: 

Growing up across the street from each other, Scott and Cath have been best friends their entire lives. Cath would help Scott with his English homework, he would make her mix tapes (it’s the 80’s after all), and any fight they had would be forgotten over TV and cookies. But now they’ve graduated high school and Cath is off to college while Scott is at home pursuing his musical dreams.

During their first year apart, Scott and Cath’s letters help them understand heartache, annoying roommates, family drama and the pressure to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives. And through it all, they realize that the only person they want to turn to is each other. But does that mean they should be more than friends? The only thing that’s clear is that change is an inescapable part of growing up. And the friends who help us navigate it share an unshakable bond.

This funny yet deeply moving book–set to an awesome 80’s soundtrack–captures all the beautiful confusion and emotional intensity we find on the verge of adulthood…and first love. 

Review: 

What a fun read! I absolutely adore epistolary books and I haven’t read one for ages. Epistolary is just a fancy word that means it’s told through letters, emails or some sort of correspondence. This was a totally delightful read that I devoured in an afternoon and I think it will be very appealing for YA readers.

Cath and Scott have lived across the street from each other their whole lives and are the best of friends. Their relationship was so endearing, sweet, and hilarious! Their wicked banter was sharp and witty and it made me long for the days of my own youth. The book starts when Cath is beginning her freshman year at college and Scott is staying at home and working with his father in his clothing store.

It’s set in 1982/1983 and there were some really great references to the music of that era. I loved hearing them write about things like Michael Jackson’s new album, Thriller with his hot new song Billie Jean. The nostalgia was so strong, and even if you’re not a child of the eighties I have no doubt that you’ll catch some of the references anyway. Even the fact that the two were exchanging actual letters and phone calls from a landline, was so sweet and gave a nod to a simpler time. Though much has changed since the eighties, Cath and Scott’s adolescent struggles are still wholly relatable today.

The style makes it easy to finish this one quickly and even though I did just that, I was still very involved and connected to both Cath and Scott. Over the course of this year in their lives they deal with divorce, death, first love, and being away from home for the first time. As they both struggled in different ways, they always had each other to lean on. They were so cute and lovable and their friendship was just lovely.

This was so fresh and charming, filled with heart and humor, and though I think it’s simply perfect for the YA crowd, this thirty five year old loved it as well. My only small complaint is with the ending, it just seemed a bit rushed, but with the direction that it took, I completely understood why it ended in this manner. Just wanted to give a little warning about that part because I know some readers get irritated with abrupt endings. Please don’t let that stop you from picking this one up though, it was still very much worth the read. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Huge thanks to Jessica at St. Martin’s Press for my review copy.

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Release date: November 1, 2016

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller 

Goodreads blurb: 

Secrets and lies can’t stay buried forever in Cedar Valley.

In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town’s meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.

Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future.

Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.

Review: 

This is the second really good mystery debut that I’ve read this week, I would say I’m on quite a roll! When Chelsea at The Suspense Is Thrilling Me talked of a similar feel to a Karin Slaughter book in her review of this one, I was intrigued. I can definitely see why she felt this way as I could feel a similar vibe, there just wasn’t quite as much violence and gore here. I felt the need to mention this straightaway as I know I have some readers who don’t like that type of stuff and I think this one would be a better fit than some of the darker books I read. (You guys just aren’t as sick and twisted as me! 😜) Keep in mind though that there is still some violence and descriptive scenes, and there are definitely some very chilling moments.

Gemma is a heavily pregnant detective from Cedar Valley, Colorado. I loved this setting, I know firsthand how gorgeous Colorado is and if you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting there, this book will give you a taste of what it’s like. Cedar Valley is a small town, with plenty of small town politics at play. They only have three unsolved murders in their history and both happened in the summer of 1985. A woman was murdered and two young, local cousins vanished without a trace. Gemma is haunted by these cold cases, especially the disappearance of the the McKenzie boys. She’s been tormented on and off by nightmares about them, and when a man who works for the circus that stops by town is murdered, her nightmares return with a vengeance.

There was a nice little twist very early on that pleased me and set the tone for the entire story. This wasn’t the type of book that continuously revealed gut punching plot twists, however it did have its fair share of surprises that kept me absorbed. It was well paced and heavily focused on police procedures which continues to fascinate me. Gemma was a very appealing and strong protagonist, and she had enough interesting quirks (her voracious and hearty appetite was my favorite, I can relate to a pregnant woman’s love affair with food) and things going on in her personal life that makes me think she could carry a series easily. Besides Gemma, there was also a strong cast of supporting characters within the department and the town of Cedar Valley.

This was a solid debut and Littlejohn has a sharp and clever writing style. I’m really curious to see where she takes this series and I’m invested in Gemma’s life, both personally and professionally. This is an absolutely perfect fall read and I have a feeling it will be popping up on many fall must read lists. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Minotaur Books for my review copy.

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Release date: October 28, 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Goodreads blurb: 

‘He’s dead and I’m safe, but I’m still scared. Sometimes I actually miss him, but then in the very next breath I find that I hate him so much that I hope there is a hell, just so that he can be suffering like he left me here to suffer.’ 

Olivia and David were the perfect couple with their whole lives in front of them. When beautiful baby daughter Zoe came along, their world seemed complete. 

But now David is dead and Olivia’s world is in pieces. While she is consumed with grief, her mother-in-law Ivy is also mourning the loss of her son. Both women are hiding secrets about the man they loved. Secrets that have put the family in danger. 

Something was very wrong in Olivia and David’s marriage. Can Olivia and Ivy break their silence and speak the truth? A mother should protect her child, whatever the cost…shouldn’t she? 

Review: 

Rarely am I shocked by a twist in a non thriller/mystery novel as I tend to find them mostly predictable, likely due to the fact that I read so many books with amazing plot twists. Generally, enough hints are dropped that I can quickly figure  things out without much effort. The cover calls the twist breathtaking and there is no more fitting description to be found. 

I had already snagged this one from Netgalley when I read Payton’s compelling review, but man did she make me want to read this even more! She assured me that I would love it and boy was she ever right. So thanks Payton for the fantastic recommendation.

This is told from two perspectives, that of Olivia, a young mother who recently lost her husband, David and David’s mother, Ivy. There are references made to The Tragedy, which obviously refers to David’s death, but the details aren’t revealed until the very end. Olivia’s story is mostly told from the present though she reflects back on her marriage often, especially when she’s meeting with her grief counselor. Ivy’s story is told starting when David is born and leads all the way up until his death. It’s clear early on that David and Olivia’s marriage is full of dark secrets and that Ivy’s relationship with her son is….odd to say the least.

Olivia is a broken woman trying to pick up the pieces of her life after David’s death. She’s struggling to survive and the only thing that’s keeping her going is her baby daughter, Zoe. This may be a minor spoiler, but I don’t think it is as it’s revealed straight away, but David abused poor Olivia. Not only was he physically abusive, he was so manipulative it chilled my blood. It was so subtle that even I had to think about it at times and say, did he really just say/do that?! 

I hated Ivy. HATED her. She has an unhealthy obsession with her son and refuses to believe that he could ever do any wrong. Like ever. Even as a young boy she convinced herself that everything was always someone else’s fault besides David’s and that he was literally perfect. She brings delusional to a whole new level and her lack of awareness made me sick. Even when she had small moments of doubt regarding David’s abhorrent behavior, she was quick to brush it off and blame it on someone else.

The character development, especially with Olivia, was phenomenal here. She starts off as a wounded and broken woman, but soon begins to take back her life and make a plan to at least try and be happy. I loved watching her have small victories and was mentally rooting her on the entire way.

 As I mentioned earlier, the twist was unexpected and shocking, but it also shattered my heart into a million pieces and made me cry like a baby. I experienced such a wide range of emotions while reading this one. I was angry, empathetic, sad, disgusted and at times even happy. This was clearly an emotional read and one that will stay with me for awhile. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy.

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Release date: October 27, 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Thriller, Crime Fiction 

Goodreads blurb: 

One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.

Six months after the stabbing of sixteen-year-old Deanna Barker, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more? 

Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mountford, goes missing, the case gets personal. 

With the kidnapper threatening Jess’s life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…? 

Review: 

Sherratt wastes no time and immediately jumps straight into the action with this one. A teenage girl, Deanna is murdered one evening in a park. Her killers? Other teenagers. Just typing that out gave me the chills. Now six months have passed and the teens involved are being held until their trial. But other local kids are suddenly and swiftly being terrorized and humiliated days before the trial is to begin. One even goes missing, is there a connection between all of these events? It’s up to Eden Berrishford to figure it all out.

This is the first book in a new series featuring Eden and I’m already fascinated by her character. She’s a single mom with a teenaged daughter, Casey. She’s not your typical detective character, she’s very family oriented and really cares about her community, she has a vested interest. Her ex husband Danny isn’t in the picture anymore, but there is definitely a big story there and one that I’m hoping Sherratt explores as this series continues. Eden has a sister, Laura, who also has a teenage daughter named Jess. She’s a widow and also has another older daughter, Sarah. When Jess goes missing, Eden is bound and determined to stop at nothing in order to bring her back home safe and sound. 

This one is definitely more thriller than mystery, however I was still dying to know what would happen next. Will Eden find Jess before it’s too late? Is this case too personal for her to keep a clear and objective head? You get many various perspectives here, from Eden and Laura to Jess and more. The scenes with Jess during her ordeal were full of tension and anticipation and I felt like I was right next to her cheering her on and hoping she would stay safe. I really couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, I was utterly absorbed.

As I don’t want to discuss the plot too much, I’ll say that this is an excellent start to what I hope is a long series. I love the feeling I get after reading the first book in a truly enthralling new series and I felt it in spades here. Eden is such a relatable character, yes she’s a cop but she’s also a mom, sister and aunt just trying to do right by her family. Her and Laura are very close and their sisterly relationship was very honest and identifiable. I loved the relationships between her and her coworkers, they have a great and engaging rapport.

I really cannot wait to see where Sherratt takes this series next, there are so many possibilities here and so much to delve into. This is definitely a series with substance that you can sink your teeth into and the brisk pace coupled with the elaborate and well written plot make for one hell of a read. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Release date: October 25, 2016

Publisher: Rise Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Goodreads blurb: 

Growing up abandoned by her father and raised by a single mother, Celeste was determined to create the perfect family but even perfect families have secrets. Celeste’s days are filled with a rewarding career, a devoted husband, and her four-year-old daughter. Only Celeste knows the precarious house of cards her family is built upon until the day her daughter falls critically ill. Celeste’s world quickly spirals out of control as her secret threatens to destroy her marriage, family, reputation, and sanity. She’ll go to any lengths to protect her family—take any risk, break any law—anything except tell the truth.

Review: 

I knew this one was right up my alley as soon as I read the blurb. A mother with secrets that’s willing to do anything to keep them quiet? I’m in! While I had a few minor issues with this one, overall I was pleased.

Celeste is a wife and mother living a normal life in Los Angeles until her daughter gets seriously ill. It’s apparent right away that there is something off about Celeste and that’s she’s hiding something. Admittedly I figured out the bones of her secret fairly quickly, but there were details that were still surprising. After her secret is revealed, everything starts to crumble for her. At the end of Part One of this book, I was rather shocked. It was reminiscent of My Girl by Jack Jordan, but it didn’t have quite the same gut punch to the twist. It was still unexpected and appreciated though.

Part two went in a direction that I wasn’t anticipating after the twist in part one. Celeste’s true character is shown and it wasn’t pretty. She’s extremely hard to like and she’s unreliable, but I don’t mind that at all. I’ve read plenty of books with unlikable narrators and enjoyed them and the same can be said here. This is a hard one to review because any details I would like to share regarding character development and plot structure would ruin it for everyone.

Yes, I guessed some twists, but I wasn’t very disappointed and I think it’s because I was enjoying the ride so much. This is a read it in one sitting type of book and that’s exactly what I did. Berry’s potential as a writer is very clear and I would definitely pick up anything else she writes in the future. She’s a psychologist herself and I think this provided some fascinating insight and impacted the way she wrote this in a fantastic way.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Release date: October 25, 2016

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Goodreads blurb: 

Three women, three lives, and one chance to become a family…whether they want to or not.

Newly orphaned, recently divorced, and semiadrift, Nina Popkin is on a search for her birth mother. She’s spent her life looking into strangers’ faces, fantasizing they’re related to her, and now, at thirty-five, she’s ready for answers.

Meanwhile, the last thing Lindy McIntyre wants is someone like Nina bursting into her life, announcing that they’re sisters and campaigning to track down their mother. She’s too busy with her successful salon, three children, beautiful home, and…oh yes, some pesky little anxiety attacks.

But Nina is determined to reassemble her birth family. Her search turns up Phoebe Mullen, a guarded, hard-talking woman convinced she has nothing to offer. Gradually sharing stories and secrets, the three women make for a messy, unpredictable family that looks nothing like Nina pictured…but may be exactly what she needs. Nina’s moving, ridiculous, tragic, and transcendent journey becomes a love story proving that real family has nothing to do with DNA. 

Review: 

Lake Union has done it again! They are quickly becoming one of my most valued and trusted publishers, it’s getting to the point where I’ll read anything they publish. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this one, but when this gorgeous book showed up in my mailbox, I was immediately interested, then I read the blurb and was even more intrigued. I can’t even imagine not knowing anything about my parents, the uncertainty and heartbreak must be devastating.

Nina Popkin is one of those characters that grabs the reader from page one and holds on tightly. I immediately took to her and felt a connection to her, she has a funny self deprecating sense of humor, she’s smart and sharp, and she’s raw and real. She’s recently divorced, with no children and her adoptive mother passed away. She’s all alone, with the exception of her friend Melanie, and she has a deep longing to reconnect with her birth mother. When the opportunity to finally find her mom presents itself,she is thrilled beyond belief.

Lindy is the sister that Nina never knew she had. She always assumed that she was her birth mothers only child and this revelation fills Nina’s heart with longing and love. Lindy doesn’t feel the same way whatsoever, she wants her past to stay there and she has no desire to form any kind of relationship with either Nina or their mom, Phoebe. But Nina is an eternal optimist and she’s not giving up on reuniting her family without a fight.

This story is told mainly from Nina and Lindy’s point of view, but there are pivotal chapters told from Phoebe’s perspective as well. Though they may share DNA, these three have very little in common. Lindy is an anxiety ridden wife and mom to three young children. She’s made a happy and successful life for herself and has no desire to shake up her perfect existence. Phoebe is a loner who has spent the last thirty three years since she gave the girls up for adoption in pain and sorrow.  Can these women unite and try to sort through their feelings about their shared history together? Or is it too late for a chance at true family happiness?

The character development here is outstanding. Nina is an emotional wreck at the beginning, but soon she meets Carter, a divorced dad of two teenagers that brings some love and light back into her life. Tyler and Indigo are his kids, and soon Nina finds herself thrust into a parental role with them. She’s wanted to be a part of a real family for so long that she clings to them, even to her own detriment. Lindy thinks she’s happy and that her life is picture perfect, but when she meets Nina, she soon finds that maybe she has been longing for something more as well. Phoebe is pretty cold and closed off, but by the end we see a whole new side to her and there is an understanding about her past actions.

I kept thinking about Emily Giffin’s books while reading this, it had some very similar qualities to her books and I mean that in the best way as she’s written some of my favorite books. This was such a heartfelt and tender read, but Dawson infused it with so many quirky and fun moments that there were times I was smiling through my tears. All of these women will stay with me for awhile, but Nina especially left a mark on heart. I wholeheartedly recommend this one for anyone who likes writers like Giffin, but also anyone who longs for a raw and real story about family. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Kathleen Zrelak for providing my review copy, I’m so grateful.