Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Did he kill Charlie Doyle? And if he didn’t…who did?

Peter Caine, a cutthroat Manhattan defense attorney, worked ruthlessly to become the best at his job. On the surface, he is charming and handsome, but inside he is cold and heartless. He fights without remorse to acquit murderers, pedophiles and rapists.

When Charlie Doyle, the daughter of the Manhattan DA—and Peter’s former lover—is murdered, Peter’s world is quickly sent into a tailspin. He becomes the prime suspect as the DA, a professional enemy of Peter’s, embarks on a witch hunt to avenge his daughter’s death, stopping at nothing to ensure Peter is found guilty of the murder.

In the challenge of his career and his life, Peter races against the clock to prove his innocence. As the evidence mounts against him, he’s forced to begin unraveling his own dark web of lies and confront the sins of his past. But the truth of who killed Charlie Doyle is more twisted and sinister than anyone could have imagined…

Review:

This flips back and forth between Then and Now, then follows Peter as he begins his career and adult life and now is after Charlie is murdered and he becomes the prime suspect. Sometimes I get annoyed when a book alternates timelines but this time I enjoyed it. Almost every chapter ended with some sort of revelation or small twist and this tactic only served to propel me forward faster to get back to what I had just left behind. Both timelines were equally engrossing and I really didn’t prefer one over the other, I was invested in both.

If you enjoy reading books with characters that you love to hate you have got to check this one out! There is something so fun about reading about a ruthlessly unapologetic person and Peter was absolutely despicable but SO entertaining. He reminded me a lot of Paul from Best Day Ever, there was a hint of that same dark humor which is a huge plus for me as well, so if you liked that book definitely add this one.

I did see one part of the big reveal coming slightly ahead of time but then there was another little twist that I hadn’t anticipated and that really made this one a solid read for me. The ending itself was satisfying as well, overall a very well executed mystery.

Once A Liar in three words: Duplicitous, Unexpected and Skillful.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Knopf

Genre: Crime Fiction

Blurb:

The Swedish National Crime Unit receives a video of a young woman in her home, clearly unaware that she’s being watched. Soon after the tape is received, the woman’s body is found horrifically mutilated. With the arrival of the next, similar video, the police understand that the killer is toying with them, warning of a new victim, knowing there’s nothing they can do. Detective Margot Silverman is put in charge of the investigation, and soon asks Detective Joona Linna for help. Linna, in turn, recruits Erik Maria Bark, the hypnotist and expert in trauma, with whom Linna’s worked before. Bark is leery of forcing people to give up their secrets. But this time, Bark is the one hiding things. 
Years before, he had put a man away for an eerily similar crime, and now he’s beginning to think that an innocent man may be behind bars–and a serial killer still on the loose. . . 

I’m so excited to be helping to kick off the blog tour for Stalker today!

Review:

I jumped into this series last year and read the fourth book, The Sandman and was completely blown away by how fantastic it was, but also so happy that I was easily able to jump in at the point with absolutely no issues whatsoever. This one picks up shortly after The Sandman ends and if you’ve read that one, then you already know what an epic ending that had and I was so excited to catch up again. All of that to say, if you’re gonna jump into this series I highly recommend doing what I did and start with Sandman and then this one, they’re both must reads for Crime Fiction fans.

Stalking is a popular concept for many books, TV shows and movies, but I’ve never met a more creepy and calculated stalker than the one in this book. This guy makes Joe from You look like a harmless kid with his first crush who does some basic social media stalking, I’m not kidding. The videos the police receive as a taunt are just snapshots of women going about their ordinary daily lives and that’s what made this all the more chilling. Women getting dressed or undressed, eating doing any of the normal things we all do in our homes but someone is watching their every move. To find out why, and even more importantly, who Kepler leads you down a cleverly crafted road full of stunning revelations and shocking twists.

This installment introduced a few new characters (at least new to me, they may have first appeared in earlier books) and my favorite was Margot. She’s heavily pregnant and determined to close this case before she gives birth and I just loved her fierce determination and willingness to toe the boundaries of the law. Erik was also an interesting character, he uses hypnosis to aid people in recovering from trauma and that’s a concept that’s always piqued my interest. Add in Kepler’s crisp writing style and short, fast paced chapters and I seriously could not put this one down.

I could ramble on forever about how much I enjoyed this one, but I’ll spare you all and just once again urge you to read this if you like smart, sharp stories that are incredibly multilayered full of well drawn characters and a plot that seizes you from page one and ends in an epic finale that will leave you begging for the next book.

Stalker in three words: Intricate, Brilliant and Harrowing.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 5th, 2019

Publisher: Orenda

Genre: Thriller

Blurb:

A price on her head. A secret worth dying for. Just 48 hours to expose the truth…

Single-mother bounty hunter Lori Anderson has finally got her family back together, but her new-found happiness is shattered when she’s snatched by the Miami Mob – and they want her dead. Rather than a bullet, they offer her a job: find the Mob’s ‘numbers man’ – Carlton North – who’s in protective custody after being forced to turn federal witness against them. If Lori succeeds, they’ll wipe the slate clean and the price on her head – and those of her family – will be removed. If she fails, they die.
With North due in court in forty-eight hours, Lori sets off across Florida, racing against the clock to find him and save her family. Only in this race the prize is more deadly – and the secret she shares with JT more dangerous – than she ever could have imagined. In this race only the winner gets out alive…
Brimming with tension, high-stakes jeopardy and high-voltage action, and a deep, emotional core, Deep Dirty Truth is an unmissable thriller by one of the freshest and most exciting voices in crime fiction.

I couldn’t be more thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Deep Dirty Truth today!

Review:

I think my obsession with Lori Anderson is pretty well known by now, but in case you missed me raving about the first two books in this superb series, here’s my thoughts on Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble. I also need to remind you that reading this series in order is imperative AND it’s one of my favorite series of all time, total must reads.

As a female, I love nothing more than reading about a total badass character that’s multidimensional and so wholly developed and Lori Anderson is the epitome of a strong, sassy, sharp woman. Her mama bear instincts are so relatable to me, although I’m not near as tough as she is, but I can really understand her innate desire to protect her daughter no matter what. Besides Lori and her daughter the rest of the cast is just as deeply drawn, although JT may seem like a closed book, with each book in the series I feel like more layers to his personality are being peeled back. Red is also back, much to my delight and there’s a new addition with North and I’m super curious to see how he may or may not appear in the future.

This book was just as whip smart and lightning fast as the first two, there’s an intensity to Broadribb’s writing that makes you hold your breath for the entirety of the story. The action starts on page one and never stops, period, so when you start this one, settle in and get ready for one hell of a ride. Another must read for thriller fans, and again, I’ve gotta add that I NEED a Lori Anderson movie!

Deep Dirty Truth in three words: Electrifying, Fierce and Compelling.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 15, 2019

Publisher: Orenda

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

On Christmas Eve in 1988, seven-year-old Alfie Marsden vanished in the Wentshire Forest Pass, when a burst tyre forced his father, Sorrel, to stop the car. Leaving the car to summon the emergency services, Sorrel returned to find his son gone. No trace of the child, nor his remains, have ever been found. Alfie Marsden was declared officially dead in 1995.
Elusive online journalist, Scott King, whose ‘Six Stories’ podcasts have become an internet sensation, investigates the disappearance, interviewing six witnesses, including Sorrel, his son and his ex-partner, to try to find out what really happened that fateful night. He takes a journey through the trees of the Wentshire Forest – a place synonymous with strange sightings, and tales of hidden folk who dwell there. He talks to a company that tried and failed to build a development in the forest, and a psychic who claims to know where Alfie is…
Intensely dark, deeply chilling and searingly thought provoking, Changeling is an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, taking you to places you will never, ever forget.

I am SO thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Changeling today!

Review:

Just in case you’ve missed me completely raving about this series in the past, here are my thoughts on Six Stories and Hydra. Changeling is the third book and while they can all be read as standalones, you really and truly do not want to miss any of them. They’re all so amazing and innovative, completely unlike anything else I’ve read before and they all come highly recommended by me. AND, they get better with each book, they honestly do and this one? I was utterly blown away in the end.

Scott King is back with a whole new podcast and this one focuses on a famous cold case, I just love those types of premises, how does a seven year old boy just completely vanish into thin air? All is slowly and methodically revealed throughout the six episodes of the podcast and god do I love the format of these books SO much! Each episode features an interview with one person who is somehow related to the case and you just never know exactly what will come to light by the end of the episode. Things get tenser and tenser the further along you get and the creep factor was super high in this one.

Wesolowski creates the most eerie and terrifying atmospheres in his novels and this was no exception. There is a hint of the supernatural surrounding the case, the forest where little Alfie disappeared is somewhat of an urban legend and the stories about the things that are rumored to have happened there are the kind that make your hair stand on end. Then, you have this intricately crafted plot that gets under your skin and the resolution?! Jaw dropping, holy shit, what did I just read moment, the kind you have to read again just to make sure you have it right. This was masterful my friends, do yourself a favor and read this ASAP!

Changeling in three words: Menacing, Frightening and Original.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 11, 2019

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Welcome to Love Heart Lane…

When Flick Simons returns to the small village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.

When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the main land is swept away! As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…

I’m so happy to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Love Heart Lane today!

Review:

I’m always so excited when Christie Barlow releases a new book, she’s one of my go to authors when I’m in the mood for something light and fun, yet full of depth as well. I swear each new book is my new favorite from her and this was no exception, the best part is that it’s the first in a brand new series!

Felicity was the quintessential Barlow heroine, she’s relatable, warm and kind and exactly the type of lead that can easily carry a book. Besides Flick, there’s an entire village of amazing secondary characters that gave the story heart and I can’t wait to explore them more in future books. The setting itself was picturesque and quaint, it made me contemplate packing up my own family and moving to the Scottish highlands myself!

True to form this book had quite a few unexpected moments along the way and even the main love story didn’t go exactly as I had anticipated, which I love! Being surprised while reading romance is always an added bonus, especially when I’m already enjoying a story so very much without little twists and turns. As always I highly recommend this one when you’re in the mood for something sweet.

Love Heart Lane in three words: Cozy, Charming and Delightful.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 12, 2018

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Can you ever find true love online? 

Sophia Jones is an expert in all things online dating: the best sites, how to write a decent bio, which questions to ask and the right type of photos to use. The only thing she’s not so great at? Picking the guys…

After sitting through yet another dreadful date with a man who isn’t quite what she expected, Sophia is just about ready to give up on the whole dating scene. But her flatmate, Kate, persuades her to give it one more chance, only this time she must create a profile describing her ‘perfect’ man.

Yes, he must look like Robert Pattinson and needs to own a multi-million pound business, but there are a couple of other deal breakers, too! So, when a guy comes along who ticks every box, surely there’s got to be a catch?

I’m so pleased to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Perfect Match today!

Review:

I have an odd fascination with the world of online dating, I think it’s probably because I was married well before dating apps were a thing, but I just find it simultaneously horrifying and interesting. I’m happily married and have no real interest in one of those apps, but I do love hearing horror stories of dates gone bad and messages sent by men on them and reading this was like an extended conversation with a friend about this exotic world.

Sophia was a character that I adored instantly, she was funny and relatable and exactly the type of person I would want for a friend. The whole storyline felt really fresh and relevant but it had that old school British rom com charm that I love and the humor was fantastic. I like that this wasn’t totally predictable, there were a few surprises along the way and I absolutely loved how everything worked out in the end. Highly recommended for fans of delightful romances that leave you feeling happy.

Perfect Match in three words: Charming, Sparkly and Fresh.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 3, 2018

Publisher: Corvus Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Will Hurley was an attractive, charming, and impressive student at Dublin’s elite St. John’s College-and Ireland’s most prolific serial killer. Having stalked his four young victims, he drowned them in the muddy waters of the Grand Canal. Sentenced to life imprisonment when he was just nineteen, Will is locked away in the city’s Central Psychiatric Hospital.

Freshman Alison Smith moved to the Big Smoke to enrol in St. John’s and soon fell hard for Will Hurley. Her world bloomed … and then imploded when Liz, her best friend, became the latest victim of the Canal Killer-and the Canal Killer turned out to be the boy who’d been sleeping in her bed. Alison fled to the Netherlands and, in ten years, has never once looked back.

When a young woman’s body is found in the Grand Canal, Garda detectives visit Will to see if he can assist them in solving what looks like a copycat killing. Instead, Will tells them he has something new to confess-but there’s only one person he’s prepared to confess it to. The last thing Alison wants is to be pulled back into the past she’s worked so hard to leave behind. Reluctantly, she returns to the city she hasn’t set foot in for more than a decade to face the man who murdered the woman she was supposed to become.

Only to discover that, until now, Will has left out the worst part of all … 

I’m so thrilled to be the stop on the blog tour for The Liar’s Girl in honor of the paperback release!

Review:

If you’re ever in the mood for slow burning suspense you have got to check this one out! The initial premise hooked me instantly, the idea of a woman being in a relationship with a serial killer is not only terrifying but also fascinating. The idea of a ruthless killer blending in amongst us never fails to intrigue me, does anyone else ever wonder if they’ve crossed paths with a psycho or is that just me?! Anyway, this one reeled me in right away and my interest never wavered once.

This flips between the present day and then back to when Alison was a fresh faced college student, drip feeding you relevant information at a subtle pace. Though this definitely had a slower pace, don’t mistake slow for boring because it was anything but, there was simmering tension and uncertainty the whole way through. By the time I made it to the last quarter of the book the pace had picked up significantly and the intensity was through the roof. I was utterly satisfied by the end and then when I got to the final chapter I was totally blown away, an intricately plotted twist was revealed that I never saw coming for a minute! Having loved both of the authors books now I’m a firm fan, definitely recommend both of her novels for fans of well thought out mysteries.

The Liar’s Girl in three words: Complex, Steady and Engrossing.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About I’ll Be Your Blue Sky

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (December 4, 2018)

The New York Times bestselling author revisits the characters from her beloved novels Love Walked In and Belong to Me in this captivating, beautifully written drama involving family, friendship, secrets, sacrifice, courage, and true love for fans of Jojo Moyes, Elin Hilderbrand, and Nancy Thayer.

On the weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman named Edith Herron. During the course of a single conversation, Edith gives Clare the courage to do what she should have done months earlier: break off her engagement to her charming—yet overly possessive—fiancé.

Three weeks later, Clare learns that Edith has died—and has given her another gift. Nestled in crepe myrtle and hydrangea and perched at the marshy edge of a bay in a small seaside town in Delaware, Blue Sky House now belongs to Clare. Though the former guest house has been empty for years, Clare feels a deep connection to Edith inside its walls, which are decorated with old photographs taken by Edith and her beloved husband, Joseph.

Exploring the house, Clare finds two mysterious ledgers hidden beneath the kitchen sink. Edith, it seems, was no ordinary woman—and Blue Sky House no ordinary place. With the help of her mother, Viviana, her surrogate mother, Cornelia Brown, and her former boyfriend and best friend, Dev Tremain, Clare begins to piece together the story of Blue Sky House—a decades-old mystery more complex and tangled than she could have imagined. As she peels back the layers of Edith’s life, Clare discovers a story of dark secrets, passionate love, heartbreaking sacrifice, and incredible courage. She also makes startling discoveries about herself: where she’s come from, where she’s going, and what—and who—she loves.

Shifting between the 1950s and the present and told in the alternating voices of Edith and Clare, I’ll Be Your Blue Sky is vintage Marisa de los Santos—an emotionally evocative novel that probes the deepest recesses of the human heart and illuminates the tender connections that bind our lives.

Review:

This flips back and forth between Clare and Edith and follows two timelines, Clare in the present day and then Edith in the nineteen fifties. The way the story flowed and weaves together was really beautiful and the authors writing was really gorgeous. I didn’t realize that this is the third book in a series and I think I probably would’ve been more invested in some if the characters if I had read the previous books, but I still enjoyed this one.

There is a mysterious aspect to this but I would definitely say it fits best in a Women’s Fiction category or even contemporary romance. There was a lot of emotion infused into the one and a poignant depth that makes it standout from cutesy Chick Lit novels. I’m really impressed with the authors writing style and would definitely read something else by her in the future!

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky in three words: Poignant, Emotional and Beautiful.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for my review copy.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Marisa de los Santos

Marisa de los Santos is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning poet with a PhD in literature and creative writing. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with her family.

Connect with Marisa on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Goodreads|Amazon|Simon&Schuster

Release date: December 4, 2018

Publisher: Gallery

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Charlotte Gorman loves her job as an elementary school librarian, and is content to experience life through the pages of her books. Which couldn’t be more opposite from her identical twin sister. Ginny, an Instagram-famous beauty pageant contestant, has been chasing a crown since she was old enough to enunciate the words world peace, and she’s not giving up until she gets the title of Miss American Treasure. And Ginny’s refusing to do it alone this time.

She drags Charlotte to the pageant as a good luck charm, but the winning plan quickly goes awry when Ginny has a terrible, face-altering allergic reaction the night before the pageant, and Charlotte suddenly finds herself in a switcheroo the twins haven’t successfully pulled off in decades.

Woefully unprepared for the glittery world of hair extensions, false eyelashes, and push-up bras, Charlotte is mortified at every unstable step in her sky-high stilettos. But as she discovers there’s more to her fellow contestants than just wanting a sparkly crown, Charlotte realizes she has a whole new motivation for winning. 

Review:

If ever a book was begging to be made into a movie The Accidental Beauty Queen is it! It was an absolutely adorable read and would be more than ideal as a rom com movie, it was perfection in my eyes and I’m so glad I read it before making my best of the year lists because this will definitely be on it!

This uses quite a few classic and well loved tropes that we’ve all seen before, but somehow Wilson manages to breathe fresh life into the story in such a charming way. Identical twins switch places, of course it goes horrible wrong along the way, but it was just so damn cute I didn’t even care that I knew exactly how it would end early on. That alone speaks highly of the authors talent, I was totally into this one hardcore, from beginning to end and truly enjoyed every single page of this beauty. Highly recommended for rom com fans, it’s a must read and I guarantee you’ll finish with a smile on your face!

The Accidental Beauty Queen in three words: Sparkly, Funny and Light.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.