Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: September 27, 2016

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Goodreads blurb: 

As a young child, Eleanor Blackwood witnessed her mother’s murder in woods near their farm. The killer was never found. 

Now an adult, Eleanor discovers a woman’s body in the same spot in the Cornish woods where her mother was strangled eighteen years before. But when the police get there, the body has disappeared. 

Is Eleanor’s disturbed mind playing tricks on her again, or has her mother’s killer resurfaced? And what does the number on the dead woman’s forehead signify? 

Review: 

For once, I really do not have a whole to say. I usually cut myself off in reviews because I do not want to ramble on and on and bore you guys. I’m feeling apathetic about this book though so this will shorter than usual.

Things started out pretty well here. The premise was strong for me and I usually enjoy books where the heroine is unsure of herself and wonders if she’s cracking up. Eleanor finds a dead woman in the same woods where her mother was killed years earlier. By the time the police arrive, there is no body. Then, she gets the sensation that she is being watched, often. Is she losing her mind? Has she already gone mad and hasn’t even realized it herself?

Ellie was a pretty boring character despite  all the drama in her life. She came off as very cold and detached. She shows no emotion whatsoever when she finds a dead women in the same place her own mother died! That’s when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to connect with her much. Later, she thinks it’s a good idea to sleep with a man who is one of her own main suspects as the killer. She totally lost me then, I just can’t. Her character was also under developed, as were all the characters in this book.

I guessed very early on who the killer was which is always a huge let down. I swear I only end up finishing the book so I can know that I was right and feel justified in my rightness. When the big climactic scene finally comes, (parts of this were very slow, especially for a so called thriller) there was just no excitement. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t muster any up, I’m not sure. The motivation for the string of murders was weak too and I was holding onto my last hope, thinking maybe that would provide something unique. 

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: July 26, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Literary Fiction 

Goodreads blurb:

Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.

Sal seems to appear out of nowhere – a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he’s welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he’s a runaway from a nearby farm town.

When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him. 

As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be. 

While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever. 

Review:

I often feel that when I finish a really fantastic book that it is harder for me to write a review on it than it is to write one for a book that was just alright for me. I went through such a wide and varied range of emotions while reading this one that it is rather difficult to process my thoughts and feelings, much less put them into words that give this piece of work the credit that it is due, but I will do my best.

This is yet another book where I feel the reader should go into it knowing as little as possible, so I apologize in advance if I’m annoyingly vague. The story is told from the perspective of Fielding Bliss, who is now elderly but was thirteen in the summer of 1984 when the devil came to his town of Breathed, Ohio. The town itself is its own character as the heart and soul of this book is based on this town on the brink. It’s apparent from the get go that terrible things will happen in Breathed during the summer, but what actually takes place is deeper and more bothersome than anyone could possibly imagine.

I’m amazed that this is McDaniel’s debut novel as she writes like a seasoned pro. Her use of language is powerful, hypnotic and haunting and the symbolism has such a lyrical beauty to it. On top of her stellar writing, she is unabashedly bold in the topics she covers. She tackles, racism, homophobia, abuse, death, AIDS, and cult like mentalities. All very heavy, but somehow, despite the seriousness of all of these topics, she manages to bring such a profound clarity to important issues. Every single character is well crafted and complex, from Autopsy, Stella, Grand, Sal, Eloheim and the various residents of Breathed. I was very engrossed in these people’s lives and invested in what their outcome would be, even if I knew that there were ominous things ahead. 

For me, one sign of a great book is when it makes me feel. Well, I really felt a plethora of things both during and since I finished this. I was heartbroken, angry, saddened, devastated, in utter disbelief, but most importantly to me, I felt like this was like no other book I have read before, it is in its own unique and original category and I cannot wait to see what McDaniel comes up with next.

Overall rating: 5/5

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

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: August 9, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Goodreads blurb:

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You’d like to get to know Grace better. But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love.

Picture this: a dinner party at their perfect home, the conversation and wine flowing. They appear to be in their element while entertaining. And Grace’s friends are eager to reciprocate with lunch the following week. Grace wants to go, but knows she never will. Her friends call—so why doesn’t Grace ever answer the phone? And how can she cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim?

And why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows?

The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie? 

Review:

This book you guys. My God. It grabbed me tightly and never let me go until the very last word. I had been highly anticipating getting to the point in my TBR schedule where I could finally read this one because several of my most trusted fellow book bloggers had raved about it. The Twitter hashtag is #staysingle, how intriguing is that?! I can wholeheartedly join them in agreement that this is one of my top psychological thrillers of 2016. 

Within the first scene, the reader is immediately aware that there is something very off about Jack and Grace’s marriage. They seem like the perfect couple, especially when they’re around their friends and the general public, but everyone knows that things are not always as they seem. What secret are the two of them keeping? Which one of them is a frighteningly different person behind closed doors? It’s a chilling and darkly disturbing journey to the truth.

I need to warn you that there are parts of this book that are hard to read. I’m not very delicate when it comes to what I like to read, but even I found myself distressed at several points while reading this one. What is actually happening in their home is unnerving, sick, and horrifying and there is a level of manipulation and cunning that is unmatched. Even though I was quite panicky at times while reading this, I like that sort of book and enjoy the tension desperate situations create.

Paris is a gifted writer and was able to keep me on my toes the entire time. She painstakingly crafted this novel while delivering domestic noir at its finest. That ending. Wow. It sent a cold chill up and down my spine and I had one of those moments where I slowly put the book down and just stared off into space while processing what I had just read.

Overall rating: 5/5

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

Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: January 13, 2016

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Mystery

Goodreads blurb:

To what extent would you go to avenge your husband’s infidelity?

Stay-at-home mom Sarah Johnson has the perfect family—a handsome, hardworking husband and two healthy and beautiful children. At least, that’s what she’s been telling herself for years. After the tragedies in her youth, Sarah deemed living a lie easier than dwelling on the past and facing her everyday failures. To avoid any kind of confrontation at home she doesn’t read her husband’s emails or spy on him like most jealous wives do. She wouldn’t jeopardize her comfortable but dull life for anything. 

But Sarah’s world is about to crumble around her when she receives a phone call from a man with a heavy foreign accent telling her that her perfect husband has put a price on her head. She is offered two weeks to come up with a counteroffer or die. Why would her model husband Mike want her dead? Hasn’t she been the perfect wife? Or has her karma finally caught up with her—making her pay for her former transgressions? The final countdown begins and now Sarah has to race against time to find out what went wrong in her marriage and find a way out of this nightmare. 

So the game of life or death begins. Secrets are unveiled. Emotions are unleashed. Actions are taken. 

Will there be a winner in this dangerous game when no one can escape the twist of fate? 

Review: 

I won 14 Days to Die from my sweet friend Chelsea at The Suspense is Thrilling Me. If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, please do! Not only is she absolutely lovely, she has awesome reviews and fun giveaways. When I saw her review and subsequent Q & A with the author I just knew I had to read this one. The premise is totally intriguing, kill your own husband or be killed?! Crazy interesting! So when I found out I won the giveaway I was ecstatic!

I mentioned before in a Top 5 Wednesday post that the opening line of this book is one of my favorites. It says, “It was a fine winters day that eighth of February when I decided to kill my husband.” Intense and captivating, right?! So clearly, you jump right into the action, there is no slow buildup, just bang on straight into the action. I loved that and appreciated not having to wait awhile to get to the good stuff. It begins on Day 14 and each chapter counts down as Sarah has to decide what she should do. Does she kill her selfish and despicable husband? And if she does, then how? She doesn’t want to be away from her two children so she has to be smart about this and all of her knowledge on how to get away with murder comes from watching CSI. 

I really liked Sarah, probably because I can relate to her so much. No, my husband hasn’t hired a hit man to off me. At least as far as I know… But because she is a stay at home mom trying her hardest to keep her husband happy and raise healthy and happy children. I know how tedious staying home can be so I found myself really connecting with her. She’s also a book blogger which was fun. There were some scenes where she decides to get revenge in small ways that cracked me up. Using her husband, Mike’s toothbrush to clean the toilet was my favorite, so evil yet appropriate, Mike is such a scumbag.

Despite the fact that I read so many thrillers I felt that this concept was unique in its own way. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged and although I had thought through several possible outcomes for the ending I wasn’t even remotely close, it totally shocked me, in a good way. My only small complaint was that there were several times that I had to suspend disbelief. One example was when Sarah strikes up a relationship with her neighbor, Bruce. The whole thing moved really fast and I found it to be off, but hey, who knows what I would do if I found myself in her scary and unfortunate situation? It really didn’t bother me all that much as I read many books where I have to suspend disbelief in order to really enjoy the story.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Chelsea and the author for my copy, you guys are the best!

Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: September 20, 2016

Publisher: William Morrow

Genre: Crime Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Goodreads blurb: 

The latest novel in the Will Trent series from No. 1 bestelling author, Karin Slaughter.

A body is discovered in an empty Atlanta warehouse. It’s the body of an ex-cop, and from the moment Special Agent Will Trent walks in he knows this could be the most devastating case of his career. Bloody footprints leading away from the scene reveal that another victim – a woman – has left the scene and vanished into thin air. And, worst of all, the warehouse belongs to the city’s biggest, most politically-connected, most high-profile athlete – a local hero protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers. A local hero Will has spent the last six months investigating on a brutal rape charge.

But for Will – and also for Dr Sara Linton, the GBI’s newest medical examiner – the case is about to get even worse. Because an unexpected discovery at the scene reveals a personal link to Will’s troubled past. The consequences will wreak havoc on his life and the lives of those he loves, those he works with, and those he pursues.

But Sara’s scene-of-the-crime diagnosis is that they only have a few hours to find the missing woman before she bleeds out . . . 

Review: 

Will Trent is back y’all!!!! If you’re like me and have been anxiously awaiting the latest installment in this series, rest assured you will not be disappointed. Karin Slaughter has done it again! She always manages to break my heart then slowly and painstakingly pieces it back together and this was no exception. This will be a difficult review for me to write as I do not want to even hint at a spoiler, but here we go!

This is the eighth book in the Will Trent series and I strongly recommend reading the previous books before reading this. Slaughter has so deeply, and beautifully, developed all of the characters in this series and you would be missing out on critical pieces of this story if you started with book eight. In fact, I really think you should go all the way back to book one in her Grant County series to start. It just makes the most sense as these series basically merged with the first book in the Will Trent series.

 I’m so happy that Sara is now officially part of the team! It was inevitable but I was still really pleased to hear it. I was also super excited to see that Will and Sara are still together. Those two just slay me. Sigh. Then we have Angie. Another sigh. I think it’s pretty safe to say that anyone who has read this series loathes this woman. She’s completely despicable and has zero redeeming qualities. Imagine my surprise to feel sympathy for this monster while reading this book. I know, I’ll take my cone of shame now. But it really was absolutely fascinating to find out more about Angie and what made her who she is today. I still don’t like her, but Slaughter made me understand her more.

Per Slaughter’s usual style, this book is dark, disturbing, violent and graphic. I love that but just a warning if that stuff is not your cup of tea. Slaughter’s writing is so vivid that I really can picture myself standing in a crime scene next to Will, Faith, Sara and Amanda. The descriptions she writes really force the reader to imagine the scene and even if it’s twisted and sick, I really like being able to immerse myself so fully in a book. Fans of police procedurals will gobble this book up as its a well executed classic in that manner. She does manage to inject humor right at the perfect moment, which the reader needs just as much as the characters. Speaking of these characters, they are so beautifully complex. I’m always emotional when reading her novels, mostly because I’m so invested and connected to these characters and their lives.If you couldn’t already tell, Will is my favorite. He’s so vulnerable and wounded but so very love able. 

The action really ramps up in the second half of the book as it flashes back and adds details I was dying to learn. Slaughter brilliantly drops bread crumbs along the way that leave the reader frustrated, confused, and most importantly entirely engaged and dying to find out what really happened. Then she hits you with constant twists and turns that always manage to shock and awe me. 

I could blab about this book and series all day long, but without revealing plot details, I’ll stop here. Just read this book, this series, read anything by Karin Slaughter. She’s a master at her craft and as Gillian Flynn is quoted as saying on the front cover, “I’d follow her anywhere.” Amen Gillian, amen.

Overall rating: 5/5

Huge thanks to William Morrow and Edelweiss for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: September 22, 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit

Goodreads blurb: 

This year spend a wonderful Christmas on Juniper Island, where love can melt even the iciest of hearts… 
Piper Chesterfield lives a glamorous life travelling the world and reviewing the finest hotels. She calls nowhere home, she works alone and that’s how she likes it. For long ago Piper decided that to protect her heart she should lock it away. 
So when Piper’s next assignment brings her to the newly opened Stardust Lake Hotel for the festive season, the last person she expects to face is Gabe Whitaker, the man who broke her heart so completely she could never love again. 
But Piper isn’t the only one who has been frozen in time by heartbreak. Gabe hasn’t forgotten the golden-eyed girl who disappeared from his world without a trace. 
Now fate has reunited them on Juniper island, can the magic of Christmas heal old wounds? And can this enchanting town be the one place Piper can finally call home? 
Curl up with this gorgeously romantic tale and let the glistening snow and the roaring fires of Stardust Lake Hotel get you in the festive spirit this Christmas. 
Christmas Under a Starlit Sky out soon. 

Review: 

I have a confession to make. I’m bit obsessed with Christmas. Think Buddy the Elf. So naturally when I saw this title on Netgalley I was thrilled! I know what you may be thinking, it’s September Amy! Why would you even be thinking about Christmas?! Well folks, that’s what I do. I start thinking about next Christmas on December 26th. So basically, I never stop thinking about it. Enough about me, let me get to the point here. This book really got me even more into the festive spirit and sparked my enthusiasm for all Christmassy things and I couldn’t be more excited!

Piper is just a lovely and personable woman. She had some tragedies in her young life, but twelve years later and she has found her niche in the world. She’s a mystery reviewer in the hotel industry and travels the world staying in fabulous hotels for free! Talk about a dream job. Gabe was her first love and let’s just say things did not end well between the two of them. When she learns that her latest reviewing assignment is to cover the hotel Gabe owns she is shocked and unsure how to feel about seeing him again. They begin a tentative friendship but it’s clear they still have feelings for each other. I really wanted to like Gabe as he had so many very good qualities but he was so wishy washy in regards to his feelings towards Piper that he often irritated me. His daughter Wren however, was just a darling child and her humor and sweet innocence charmed me.

My favorite part of this book was the setting, hands down. Stardust Lake Hotel is simply magical and enchanting. Martin’s descriptions of this picturesque town were gorgeous and all I could envision is a perfect winter wonderland. The Christmas market in the town sounds amazing, I’m still trying to figure out how I can manage to do my Christmas shopping there this year?! 😂 The details about each shop and their offerings sounded absolutely beautiful and unique. My favorite one was where an artist makes delicate and intricate snow globes. Swoon worthy stuff.

If you’re like me and you long for the holiday season read this one. It transports the reader to a town called Christmas that is utterly charming and sounds breathtakingly gorgeous. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the holidays, give it a try anyway as you might be surprised by how the book will make you feel. I really wanted to grab a hot chocolate, a plush throw and read under a crackling fire, but as I’m in Arizona and it’s very hot still I refrained. The second book in this series, Christmas Under a Starlight Sky is being released in October and I’m excited to continue reading about this magical, festive town.

Overall rating: 4/5

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

Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: September 2, 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

Goodreads blurb:

How far would you go for those you love the most?

When Louise McKenzie’s mother is reported missing after the Boxing Day tsunami, Louise leaves her young family and travels to Thailand. There, she finds a bag containing her mother’s passport and a book filled with beautifully illustrated maps: The Atlas of Us, belonging to a woman named Claire. 

Who is Claire? How was Louise’s mom connected to her? And might the atlas help Louise find the answers she needs – and her mom? 

As Louise pores over the keepsakes hidden amongst its pages, she pieces together the mystery of a love affair, a dark tragedy and a secret both Claire and her mother would go to the ends of the earth to protect. 

A gripping, page-turning and emotionally powerful story about love, loss and making peace with the past 

Review: 

Within the past few months I’ve become a huge fan of Tracy Buchanan’s having read both No Turning Back and My Sister’s Secret and immensely enjoying both. I knew as soon as I saw The Lost Mother was being released in the US I had to read it. Usually if I read at least three books by an author that captive me I add them to my auto buy list. I’m delighted to say that I just added Buchanan to it!

This book is really two separate narratives that eventually merge into one. Told in both the past and the present and from two viewpoints, first from Louise in 2004 immediately following the devastating tsunami in Thailand and from Claire beginning a few years before the tsunami. For much of the book I was wondering what these two women had in common but Buchanan slowly tells their individual stories then before you know it things begin to piece together.

Louise is desperate to find her mother who was in Thailand when the tsunami hit. They’ve been estranged for two years and she is full of regret and sorrow while she searches frantically for her mother. As she begins to unravel the puzzle of what happened to her mother, Nora she gets way more confusing information than she bargained for. Claire is a character that touched me deeply, especially as she detailed her struggles with infertility. I can’t imagine the pain and heartbreak that comes with being told you will never conceive.

I’ve mentioned in my other reviews of Buchanan’s work that she has a magical quality to her writing, especially her magnificent use of stunning imagery. She writes such a detailed and deeply rich narrative full of enchanting descriptions of the setting. The Lost Mother hops all around the globe to some exotic and far flung places and the way she describes these cities allows the reader to fully immerse themselves into the story. There were times that I really felt like I was standing next to Louise and Claire smelling the sea air or feeling the red Australian sand beneath my feet. 

This book really has something for every type of reader. There is romance, a bit of suspense, mystery, painful secrets and drama along with a deep and emotional depth, both in the characters and the plot. The storyline is complicated but not in a frustrating way, just an interesting way that absorbed me until the very last page.

Overall rating: 4/5

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