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Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Flatiron

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Two brothers meet at the border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of outback Queensland, in this stunning new standalone novel from New York Times bestseller Jane Harper

They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old, no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron. The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish. Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he lose hope and walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…

Dark, suspenseful, and deeply atmospheric, The Lost Man is the highly anticipated next book from the bestselling and award-winning Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature. 

Review:

I’m officially a Jane Harper fangirl at this point, I loved both of her previous books and was super excited about this one and also curious because it’s not a part of the Aaron Falk series, it’s a stand-alone. Series or stand-alone I’ll read anything she writes, there is something about her style that mesmerizes me and also gets under my skin at the same time.

I have to admit that it did take some time for me to really get into this one, it’s definitely slow to start but when I did get wholly invested I was all in. There was quite a bit of character development and background to start, but it was really well done and pertinent to the plot. The cast of characters is fairly small so you get a strong sense of who they are and what drives them each which only added to my investment in the story as a whole.

To me, what makes Harper stand out from the crowd is her ability to create such a vivid, strong sense of place. All three of her books have such intense, rich atmospheres they become a character all on their own. This takes place in the outback where the weather is brutally unforgiving and the small town where The Bright family lives is completely isolated. I swear she’s so good at bringing a scene to life that I found myself thirsty and parched just reading about this desolate place.

You may have noticed I really didn’t touch on the plot at all and that’s deliberate because you should just read it for yourself. Trust me, whatever I can tell you won’t hold a candle to Harper’s writing. Recommended for fans of character driven family based dramas set in a fantastic place.

The Lost Man in three words: Atmospheric, Mesmerizing and Cunning.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Dial

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.

So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants? 

Review:

While I’ve been a huge fan of SK for years now her last couple of books haven’t been my favorites, but I will always read her books simply because I’m a huge fan. I’m so happy to say that I Owe You One reignited my love for her and reminded me more of her earlier work.

One thing that I can always count on in a SK book is being able to connect with her characters and this was no exception. Fixie was an adorably flawed heroine and I found her to be genuine and believable. She was quirky enough to be unique but not so out there that you think, no way would anyone really behave like this. The supporting cast was interesting enough, I really liked Fixie’s family with their various antics and their family dynamics made for some funny moments. Her developing relationship with Seb was sweet (if predictable) and the owing each other concept was cute.

I was in the mood for a light and easy read and that’s exactly what this was. There was enough depth of character to keep me engaged but it was funny enough to be a true escape. If you’re a fan of the author you’re in for a treat, her trademark charm is in full effect here!

I Owe You One in three words: Sweet, Uncomplicated and Engaging.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 29, 2019

Publisher: Kensington

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Wanted: Assistant to provide maternity cover for high-powered TV producer. Must be bright, creative, with killer instincts.

Emma would do anything to work for the woman who has the job she wants. Carrie is at the top of her game, with a dream career, a baby on the way, and a handsome screenwriter husband. For Emma, with parents who don’t understand her ambition and a serious misstep behind her, this temp position might be her last chance.

Carrie has given up more than anyone knows to get to the top of a ruthless business. She won’t give up this baby too. But with Emma filling in for her at the office, her perfect life starts to unravel. Her bank account is inexplicably overdrawn, her husband seems strangely distant and colleagues are all too happy to take Emma’s creative direction. Carrie finds herself dying to get back to work . . . until a letter left at her door changes everything.

Trust and fear trade places in a love triangle that defies readers’ expectations at every turn. 

Review:

I want to start off my saying that I think I’m burnt out on slow burning thrillers in general and sick of waiting for a book to properly engage me for more than half of it. Unfortunately, that’s basically what happened here and I think I was so disinterested by the time things did speed up, I just didn’t care how great the twists were. So keep all of this in mind while I share my thoughts…

The premise of this sounded interesting enough, I loved the idea that a young, ambitious and crafty woman tries to replace someone else and also that it was set in the television industry, not too common for a thriller. But then not much really happened, there were a lot of subtle little hints about both Emma and Carrie’s lives, both past and present, but I was just so bored. So what kept me reading? Well Frances is a good writer and I guess I just kept hoping I would get hooked at some point but honestly waiting for that until like sixty percent is just too frustrating for me.

Another petty thing that irritated me was that it was divided into several parts, and in my experience before one part ends and another one begins, there’s usually some sort of surprise or twist and that really didn’t happen here. Each part was labeled with one characters name but then the chapters were told from everyone’s POV so what was the point of the labeling and separate parts even?! See, petty haha but it bothered me. I do want to say that the twist was decent and I didn’t predict it, but I just didn’t care in the end. If you don’t mind waiting for things to pick up you may like this though, I just think I need a break from the simmering tension style books for awhile.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: January 22, 2019

Publisher: Bantam

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

It is 1914, and twenty-five-year-old Frances Marion has left her (second) husband and her Northern California home for the lure of Los Angeles, where she is determined to live independently as an artist. But the word on everyone’s lips these days is “flickers”–the silent moving pictures enthralling theatergoers. Turn any corner in this burgeoning town and you’ll find made-up actors running around, as a movie camera captures it all.

In this fledgling industry, Frances finds her true calling: writing stories for this wondrous new medium. She also makes the acquaintance of actress Mary Pickford, whose signature golden curls and lively spirit have earned her the title “America’s Sweetheart.” The two ambitious young women hit it off instantly, their kinship fomented by their mutual fever to create, to move audiences to a frenzy, to start a revolution.

But their ambitions are challenged by both the men around them and the limitations imposed on their gender–and their astronomical success could come at a price. As Mary, the world’s highest paid and most beloved actress, struggles to live her life under the spotlight, she also wonders if it is possible to find love, even with the dashing actor Douglas Fairbanks. Frances, too, longs to share her life with someone. As in any good Hollywood story, dramas will play out, personalities will clash, and even the deepest friendships might be shattered.

With cameos from such notables as Charlie Chaplin, Louis B. Mayer, Rudolph Valentino, and Lillian Gish, The Girls in the Picture is, at its heart, a story of friendship and forgiveness. Melanie Benjamin brilliantly captures the dawn of a glittering new era–its myths and icons, its possibilities and potential, and its seduction and heartbreak.

Review:

When I pick up a historical fiction novel I’m always super curious to see if I’ll learn something new, if maybe a previously unknown (to me) piece of history will be revealed and in The Girls in the Picture I learned so much more than I had hoped for. Benjamin clearly spent so much time researching the very beginnings of Hollywood and this paid off in a big way, I was utterly fascinated by this story and totally enraptured throughout.

This follows two real women in history, Mary Pickford and her best friend Frances Marion from the time they were teenagers all the way up until they were elderly. The bulk of the story focuses on them at the height of their respective careers as they led the way for women to work successfully in Hollywood. I found both of these women to be so interesting, both were spitfires in their own right, strong, smart and unafraid. Seeing how they paved the way for the young women that came behind them was so inspiring, so many of the messages are still relevant today.

I recommend this one for fans of not only well written HF, but also those that are interested in the birth of Hollywood, this was impeccably researched and such a richly detailed tale of two women’s incredible lives.

The Girls in the Picture in three words: Enthralling, Empowering and Smart.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Wumderkind PR for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 22, 2019

Publisher: Graydon House

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

Rosie Cooke is “in between.” In between consciousness and oblivion. Life and death. And though some say that when you’re near death your entire life flashes before your eyes, Rosie can’t remember anything at all—not even how she ended up in a coma. At least not at first.

Then something strange starts to happen. Rosie finds herself revisiting scattered moments from her past: a beach vacation, a play rehearsal, the day her brother was born. But why these memories? And what do they mean?

As each piece of the puzzle comes into focus, Rosie struggles to face the picture of her life that forms. But with every look backward comes a glimpse of what might be: A relationship with her sister. The opportunity to pursue her passion. A second chance at love. And Rosie just might discover that she has much to live for.

Review:

Haven’t we all wondered, “what if?” at some point in our lives? What if I had said something different, what if I had done something else, what would my life be like today? Would it be the same or would these decisions (both big and small) have altered the course of my life? At it’s core The Inbetween Days explores these types of questions, but it’s so much more than that, it goes much deeper.

I read Something Like Happy well over a year ago and it was a book that really resonated with me, the kind that stays with you. As much as I was looking forward to reading this one, I did have a nagging thought thinking that maybe this one wouldn’t effect me in such a profound way. I was wrong. Do you have any authors that seem to just speak to your soul? Their writing touches you on a level that is not the norm and leaves a mark on your heart? I know it sounds incredibly cheesy but Woods is that author for me. She inspires me and makes me evaluate my own life and always makes me want to do better, to be better and to just live my life to the absolute fullest.

Rosie is in a coma right when you’re first introduced to her and I remember thinking, hmm wonder how much I’ll hear from her POV, but it’s a lot, you’re basically privy to her inner monologue as she struggles to remember even the most basic things about her life. The structure of this was fantastic, when Rosie starts to remember things you’re hurtled straight into the memory with her and things are all over the place, she may first remember something from two years ago and then when she was five, but it’s quickly apparent that these memories are all relevant in some manner. You also hear from her sister, Daisy and she’s just as important to the story as Rosie is. I just adored both of them, I felt an instant bond with the two of them and was anxious to see what would happen in their lives.

I could probably ramble about this one forever but I’ll spare you, I’m going to leave you with a portion of my review for Something Like Happy that is how I feel about this one as well. This one made me grateful and humbled me, which seems like part of some overarching themes in Woods books.

If I’m ever feeling down or throwing myself a pity party I’ll pick this book up again, it’s exactly what I need to read to quit feeling sorry for myself and embrace the life that I was given. It really gave me a new, fresh perspective and inspired me to celebrate the little things and to be truly grateful for all that I have. Happiness is a choice and though it may not always be an easy choice, it’s definitely a state of mind. 

The Inbetween Days in three words: Inspiring, Evocative and Humbling.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Thriller

Blurb:

Her son accidentally kills a man.
They cover it up.
Then everything goes wrong.

When eighteen-year-old Joshua Mayo takes a man’s life in a horrible accident, he leaves the scene without reporting the crime to the police. He hopes to put the awful night behind him and move on with his life. But, of course, he ends up telling his mother, Karen, what happened.

Karen has raised Joshua on her own in Cedar Rapids, Iowa–and she’d thought they’d finally made it. He was doing well in school and was only months from starting college. After hearing his dark confession, she is forced to make a choice no parent should have to make, one that draws them both into a web of deceit that will change their lives forever–if they make it out alive….

Review:

This is the second book I’ve read by Hunt and both were action packed, nail biting, high octane thrillers that moved at breakneck speed. I started this one night right before bed thinking I would read a few chapters just to get a feel for the book, umm WRONG! I read sixty percent before forcing myself to put it down and then immediately devoured the remaining forty percent the next day. It really was unputdownable although you do have to be willing to suspend a little disbelief.

This wastes absolutely no time and gets straight to the action, you meet Joshua a high school senior who accidentally kills a man after hitting him with his car and he flees, and then Amber, Ross and Shane who rob a bank. At first you’re wondering how these two separate storylines have anything to do with each other but thanks to the rapid pacing things merge quickly and all becomes clear. No more referencing the plot from me because everything that follows is one giant series of twists and turns that made my head spin!

This was an insanely fun book to binge read and reminded me of a fast paced action movie. Yes, some of the characters actions and choices seemed rather out there, but if you can just sit back and take things at face value it makes for a highly enjoyable read.

One Fatal Mistake in three words: Relentless, Exhilarating and Fast.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: January 22, 2019

Publisher: Dutton

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Rebecca didn’t know love was possible until she met Paul, a successful, charismatic, married man with a past as dark as her own. Their pain drew them together with an irresistible magnetism; they sensed that they were each other’s ideal (and perhaps only) match.
 
But twenty years later, Paul and Rebecca are drowning as the damage and secrets that ignited their love begin to consume their marriage. Paul is cheating on Rebecca, and his affair gets messy fast. His mistress is stalking them with growing audacity when Rebecca discovers Paul’s elaborate plan to build a new life without her. And though Rebecca is spiraling into an opiate addiction, it doesn’t stop her from coming up with a devious plot of her own, and this one could end absolutely everything.
 
What follows is an unpredictable and stylish game of cat and mouse—a shocking tale of unfaithfulness and unreliability that will keep you racing until the final twist and make you wonder how well you really know your spouse. 

Review:

What is it about a pair of unreliable narrators that makes a book so compulsively readable for me? If it’s executed properly I absolutely cannot put a book full of unreliability down and this one was executed to perfection for me!

This is told primarily from both Rebecca and Paul’s perspectives and flips back and forth between them as well as Before, After and Now. You don’t know exactly what event happened to divide things into a before and after, but you damn sure want to find out! Rebecca has a major pill popping problem and Paul is a cheater so they’re both incredibly untrustworthy. I didn’t quite believe either of their stories but you know the truth is in there somewhere, and trying to figure that out was such fun for me.

This one had tons of marital drama, my favorite kind of entertainment and there were seriously some twisted moments in Paul and Rebecca’s marriage. There were also some killer twists that I didn’t see coming at all, this one held my attention throughout and though the ending was a bit over the top and dramatic, I loved it!

The Woman Inside in three words: Slick, Dramatic and Deceptive.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: January 22, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

I’m such a sucker for a book about sisters and this had the added bonus of being set during World War Two which is rapidly becoming my favorite era in Historical Fiction! While the time period definitely plays a big role in the story, at its core this is really about the complicated relationship between siblings.

This is told in alternating timelines and also flips back and forth between Ruth and Millie. You also hear a little from some other women that are important in the women’s lives as well and I absolutely loved this structure, everything just flowed together so smoothly, there wasn’t any of that disjointed feeling that sometimes happens when a book bounces around. Loigman’s style was incredibly easy to get lost in and I could easily picture the scenes she brought to life.

There were several layers to this one, much more than meets the eye as both Ruth and Millie were trying to keep secrets from one another. It’s abundantly clear that they have issues and are harboring resentments against each other and as the book progresses you slowly find out where things went wrong between them. A really solid family drama set in an era sure to captivate, especially if you like women’s fiction as well as HF.

The Wartime Sisters in three words: Fluid, Insightful and Alluring.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: January 15, 2019

Publisher: Flatiron

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

What happens when you’re really, truly done making your marriage work? You can’t be married to someone without sometimes wanting to bash them over the head…
As Long As We Both Shall Live is JoAnn Chaney’s wicked, masterful examination of a marriage gone very wrong, a marriage with lots of secrets…

“My wife! I think she’s dead!” Matt frantically tells park rangers that he and his wife, Marie, were hiking when she fell off a cliff into the raging river below. They start a search, but they aren’t hopeful: no one could have survived that fall. It was a tragic accident.

But Matt’s first wife also died in suspicious circumstances. And when the police pull a body out of the river, they have a lot more questions for Matt.

Detectives Loren and Spengler want to know if Matt is a grieving, twice-unlucky husband or a cold-blooded murderer. They dig into the couple’s lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that love’s got teeth, it’s got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, it’s tough to rip yourself free.

So what happens when you’re done making it work? 

Review:

It’s official, this book is the very first one that I’m adding to my best of 2019 shelf! Yes, I realize that we’re just days into a new year, however this was such an original, engaging read I’m confident about adding it so early!

While I really loved the story itself, (I’m a sucker for a domestic suspense) what really made this one stand out for me was the authors style. There was something darkly humorous about the writing, black comedy at it’s finest that just reeled me in and never let go. Diving into Matt and Marie’s marriage was wickedly fun, they’re a unique couple to say the least and then there’s a heavy police procedural vibe as you also hear from two detectives working the case, Loren and Spengler. It was a nice balance and the whole book flowed really smoothly and just when you get settled in and think you know where things are going, you get knocked on the ass with some twists. I never would’ve worked out the end on my own which I love, highly recommended if you want something that reads fresh.

As Long As We Both Shall Live in three words: Wicked, Addictive and Unpredictable.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.