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Release date: August 28, 2018

Publisher: Forge

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

An accused killer insists she’s innocent of a heinous murder.

A grieving journalist surfaces from the wreckage of her shattered life.

Their unlikely alliance leads to a dangerous cat and mouse game that will leave you breathless.

Who can you trust when you can’t trust yourself?

Trust Me is the chilling standalone novel of psychological suspense and manipulation that award-winning author and renowned investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan was born to write.

Review:

Well, my mind was officially blown as soon as I finished this one, you guys know that I read a ton of thrillers and love the feeling of not knowing exactly where a story is headed, but Trust Me takes things to a new level. I changed my mind at least a hundred times about what direction this would take, so many times that I started to confuse myself! There was so much going on here it made my head spin at times and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

The blurb here is short and sweet and absolutely perfect so I’m not even going to say a whole lot here because going in blind really upped my enjoyment and I want the same awesome experience for you as well. Mercer is a journalist trying to recover from a terrible tragedy and her first foray back into work is to write a true crime book covering the trial of Ashlyn who is accused of murdering her toddler. Horrific stuff and Casey Anthony immediately springs to mind, and Ryan doesn’t shy away from the comparisons, she actually references her several times in the book which I thought was a cool move, she definitely wasn’t trying to rip anyone off. Mercer is convinced that Ashlyn is guilty, but did she really kill her little girl? In a weird twist of fate Mercer and Ashlyn wind up playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse and that’s where I stop talking about the plot.

I found this to be highly unique and loved the book within a book structure, that always intrigues me and was very well done here. Ryan has a sharp writing style and this was meticulously plotted, remember how I said my head was spinning? That was so true, she left me reeling in the end and so surprised by what ended up happening.

Trust Me in three words: Original, Tricky and Complex.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 30, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn’t the hard part–they’ve only been dating for five months, and he can’t even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans…

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik’s rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He’s even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik’s social media blows up–in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can’t be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes…

Review:

This was such an adorable read, I really liked the idea of a woman who isn’t desperately waiting for her boyfriend to propose and Nik most definitely was not prepared to have to turn down her boyfriends proposal in front of the whole world. I can’t think of anything more awkward and embarrassing but it set the stage for a super entertaining and charming read that I breezed through.

One of the strongest aspects to this was how incredibly diverse it was which is always so nice to see! It’s set in L. A. which is such a culturally diverse city so it makes so much sense to have such great representation, gotta give the author some props for that. The characters were all fun, relatable types from Nik and Carlos to her friends Dana and Courtney and his family, I really enjoyed all of them.

This was a super sweet romance with a hint of the spicy stuff, nothing super graphic or over the top. It reminded me of sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and watching one of my favorite rom coms, it had that same charm and appeal and was just an all around good time.

The Proposal in three words: Cute, Sweet and Charming.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 9, 2018

Publisher: Little Brown

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Spend the coldest days of winter on a Caribbean beach with New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.

Join New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand on the stunning beaches of St. John for the beginning of her thrilling new winter series-The Paradise. Welcome to Paradise, the first book in the Paradise series, has everything that readers have come to know and love about an Elin Hilderbrand novel, plus a healthy dose of intrigue. Irene Steele’s idyllic life-house, husband, family-is shattered when she is woken up by a late-night phone call. Her beloved husband has been found dead, but before Irene can process this tragic news, she must confront the perplexing details of her husband’s death. He was found on St. John island, a tropical paradise far removed from their suburban life. Leaving the cold winter behind, Irene flies down to the beautiful Caribbean beaches of St. John only to make another shocking discovery: her husband had a secret second family. As Irene investigates the mysterious circumstances of her husband’s death, she is plunged into a web of intrigue and deceit belied by the pristine white sand beaches of St. John’s. This exciting first book in the Paradise series will transport readers to a new beach locale-another world that Elin knows as well as her beloved Nantucket-and have them longing for winter

Review:

If you’re anything like me and were super sad when Hilderbrand’s last series came to an end then I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with this new series as well. Per usual the characters are immediately relatable and feel like fast friends and the setting is idyllic. It’s a departure for the author, it’s not set in Nantucket but in St. John and I’m currently trying to figure out how to talk my husband into taking me there for our tenth wedding anniversary!

Irene’s husband dies in a tragic accident and if that isn’t devastating enough the discovery of his secret double life is revealed. You hear from Irene and her two sons Baker and Cash and you also hear from St. John’s locals, Huck and Ayers. (Quick side note, don’t these characters have the most interesting names?! They’re not pointless either, they all have a story and meaning) One of the many things that intrigued me about this was that it focuses on a group of people who’s lives were heavily impacted by one man but since he dies at the start of the book you never actually get to hear from him. You definitely get a strong sense of who Russ is through the other characters narrative, but he’s this silent, looming presence who intersected lives that otherwise would’ve never crossed paths.

I was a little hesitant about reading a Hilderbrand book not set in Nantucket but I worried needlessly because the authors ability to bring a setting to life is unmatched. I have this perfect picture in my mind of how the islands look, feel, sound and smell and that’s why I need to experience it for myself! Throw in a mysterious angle and amazing characterization and you have such a fun read, I’m already dying for the second book in the series and I don’t even know if it’s done being written yet! 😂

Winter in Paradise in the words: Escapist, Picturesque and Lush.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: August 14, 2018

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

What happens when the trust has gone?

Cat Kinsella was always a daddy’s girl. Until the summer of 1998 when she sees her father flirting with seventeen-year-old Maryanne Doyle.

When Maryanne later disappears and Cat’s father denies ever knowing her, Cat’s relationship with him is changed forever.

Eighteen years later, Cat is now a Detective Constable with the Met. Called to the scene of a murder in Islington, she discovers a woman’s body: Alice Lapaine has been found strangled, not far from the pub that Cat’s father runs.

When evidence links Alice to the still missing Maryanne, all Cat’s fears about her father resurface. Could he really be a killer? Determined to confront the past and find out what really happened to Maryanne all those years ago, Cat begins to dig into the case. But the problem with looking into the past is that sometimes you might not like what you find.

Review:

Nothing really excites me more than when I read a debut that knocks my socks off, and Sweet Little Lies was one hell of a stunning first novel. It’s mostly a police procedural with a psychological thriller feel to it and it’s also part dark family drama which made for a combination I couldn’t get enough of.

Cat is a detective who has made her job her life, nothing earth shattering there, but the complexity with which Frear developed her made her a standout character, the type I won’t soon forget. Her past is intriguing, especially her relationship with her father and trying to decide if her memories from her childhood related to her current case was so fascinating. You have the recollections of an eight year old child, isnshe even remembering things exactly as they happened or is it all muddled up with time and age? A constant guessing game and one that I totally failed, Frear delivered in the end and totally pulled the wool over my eyes.

This does require a tiny bit of patience for readers who only enjoy fast paced narratives, I love a good old slow burn when the payoff is worth it and it totally was here. Just when I thought things were all wrapped up with a neat bow Frear shook me up again and delivered a new shock, she’s GOOD not only at characterization and plotting one hell of a story but also at writing, plain and simple. There’s some sardonic humor and wit sprinkled in to a mostly sharp style, a lethal combination that gets me every time. I see Goodreads says this is the first in a series and I couldn’t be happier, I would love to read more about Cat!

Sweet Little Lies in three words: Assured, Cunning and Authentic.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: August 21, 2018

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Ever since her husband’s death collided with the birth of her daughter, postpartum depression has taken hold of Veronica Shelton. She can’t sleep, can’t work, and can’t bear to touch her beautiful baby girl. Her emotional state is whispering lies in Veronica’s ear: You’re a bad mother. Your baby would be better off without you. But not everything can be reasoned away by Veronica’s despair. Can it?

After all, the break-in at her house happened. The disturbing sketches she found in her studio are real. So is the fear for her daughter’s safety—especially when Veronica comes home to a cold, silent nursery and a missing baby.

As she turns from victim into primary suspect, Veronica realizes that only she can find her daughter. Authorities aren’t helping. They’re only watching. Veronica’s concerned mother has suddenly vanished from her life. And a new friend seems to be keeping secrets from her too. Now, reality is waiting for Veronica in a dark place—because someone’s mind games have only just begun.

Review:

The Waiting Room is one of those books that creeps up on you, it starts off fairly strong but the more you read, the better it gets. The intensity ramps up page by page and then there are several really well executed twists and turns that just kept sucking me in the further along I read. It was one of those books where I kept saying, what in the actual hell is going on here?!

I really felt for poor Veronica, she’s a widow and she has severe post partum depression, which is so understandable after all she’s been through. So many peculiar things keep happening to her and I kept wondering if she was just paranoid or if someone was really out to get her. I have to admit, when things started to come together I really didn’t see 99.9% of it coming which is always awesome and totally appreciated.

Bleeker’s last book (Working Fire) had an emotional component to it and while this was much more intense it still had some of that same emotional depth to it that really got to me, especially in the ending I found it to be incredibly strong and very well formed. Totally recommended as a binge read that will make you say WTF a few times, I always think some of the best thrillers make me think that!

The Waiting Room in three words: Sharp, Twisty and Complex.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Abrams

Genre: Chick Lit

Blurb:

Based on the column of the same name that appeared in The Toast, Hey Ladies! is a laugh-out-loud read that follows a fictitious group of eight 20-and-30-something female friends for one year of holidays, summer house rentals, dates, brunches, breakups, and, of course, the planning of a disastrous wedding. This instantly relatable story is told entirely through emails, texts, DMs, and every other form of communication known to man.

The women in the book are stand-ins for annoying friends that we all have. There’s Nicole, who’s always broke and tries to pay for things in Forever21 gift cards. There’s Katie, the self-important budding journalist, who thinks a retweet and a byline are the same thing. And there’s Jen, the DIY suburban bride-to-be. With a perfectly pitched sardonic tone, Hey Ladies! will have you cringing and laughing as you recognize your own friends, and even yourself.

Review:

Every time I read a espitolary style book I always think about how fun it is and how I wish there were more novels written in this style. I think part of the appeal for me is that I feel like I’m getting a secret look at a side of people’s normally private life. This is told solely via emails and texts and even though I know these are fictional characters I still love the intimacy this structure creates, it feels voyeuristic in a super fun way and I always end up binge reading these books in one sitting.

I want to make it clear that this isn’t a book to be taken seriously at all, the characters are over the top outrageous and their antics and behaviors make them seem almost caricature like. There is no depth here, it’s silly and hilarious and totally bonkers in the best possible way. These women are the type you love to hate, you wanna smack them upside the head often but you also cannot stop reading, I honestly enjoyed it SO much and if you like espitolary novels you have got to give this a shot, seriously laugh out loud funny!

Hey Ladies! in three words: Silly, Outlandish and Wild.

Overall rating: 4/5

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: August 16, 2018

Publisher: Corvus

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

She can’t see the killer

But the killer can see her…

Naomi Hannah has been blind since birth. Struggling with living in the small, claustrophobic town of Balkerne Heights, Naomi contemplates ending her life. But before she can, Naomi stumbles across the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. She senses someone else there at the scene – watching her. Naomi may not be able to see the killer’s face, but she is still the only person who can identify him.

For Naomi, this frightening truth changes everything: she realises that she wants to live, at the very point at which her life is in greatest peril. As the police begin hunting the person responsible and the bodies pile up, Naomi must lie in wait and answer the question that hangs her fate in the balance: why did the killer let her live?

In a town this small, the murderer must be close, perhaps even before her very eyes…

Review:

Do you ever have a certain, specific expectation about a book and then once you start reading it you kind of have to adjust your mindset? I had that experience here, but instead of being frustrated by having to shift my assumptions I was totally excited that there was much more to this one than just your standard mystery/thriller.

This is told from both Naomi’s POV and also Marcus who is a detective and that’s where this crossed genres a bit. While it most assuredly is a mystery at it’s core it also read like a police procedural due to the addition of Marcus’ perspective and while it surprised me, it also pleased me. Naomi was a highly unique protagonist, her total blindness really added to the tension of the story in such a dark manner. I can’t even imagine being blind much less being terrorized on top of it, but Mr. Jordan did a phenomenal job of showcasing just how terrifying life could be for Naomi. Her fear and anxiety was palpable and made for such a different atmosphere, a fresh POV that just worked so well for me.

If you’ve read any of Jordan’s previous work then you’ll know he doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions and sometimes gruesome crimes, but he really takes things to a whole new level with Before Her Eyes. This was dangerously dark and gritty, it had my pulse pounding several times and I loved every single minute of this intense ride. While there were plenty of shocking twists along the way the final whammy really made my jaw drop, totally never saw it coming and it was dropped right when I thought things were already wrapped up with a pretty little bow. Well done Mr. Jordan!!

Before Her Eyes in three words: Gripping, Dark and Intense.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: August 14, 2018

Publisher: Spark Press

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

Twenty-five years ago, a group of ninth graders produced a Saturday Night Live-style videotape to cheer up their ailing friend. The show’s running time was only ninety minutes, but it had a lasting impact: Becca laughed her way through recovery, and the group—Jordana, Seth, Holly, and Lex—became her supporting cast for life.

On the silver anniversary of Becca Night Live, the friends reunite over the Fourth of July to celebrate Becca’s good health—but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. Through humor, drama, and the alternating perspectives of five characters, The Cast explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships to buoy us when life plays out differently than expected.

Review:

The Cast has one of my favorite structures in a book, it’s told from several various perspectives and gives the reader the opportunity to see the dynamics of a group of lifelong friends through all of their eyes. I love the insight this provided into their thoughts, feelings and emotional processes and felt pretty bonded to these five people by the end of the book.

I think anytime an author writes an ensemble story it must be tricky to maintain different voices for each character and Blumenfeld does an admirable job. This is also the authors debut making it all the more impressive and besides maintaining individual personalities and voices for each character, she also manages to write really smoothly about some heavy topics.

This is definitely a pretty emotional read about the highs and lows of life and the friendships that help people keep it together when things are really tough. The relationships between Becca, Jordana, Holly, Lex and Seth are both complicated and sweet and entirely relatable on so many levels. There was also some humor and lightness so it’s definitely not all heavy, but it’s one that makes you think and be grateful for the people in your own life who are there no matter what may be happening.

The Cast in three words: Meaningful, Honest and Tender.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: August 21, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Genre: Mystery

Blurb:

Emma Grace Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes. Brown hair. Missing since June.

Emma Townsend is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.

Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Abandoned by her mother. Kidnapper.

Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal—and when a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her, far away from home. But if it’s to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?

Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure she wants her daughter back.

Amy’s life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now she’s gone without a trace.

As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But her real mother is at home, waiting for her to return—and the longer the search for Emma continues, Amy is forced to question if she really wants her back.

Emotionally powerful and wire-taut, Not Her Daughter raises the question of what it means to be a mother—and how far someone will go to keep a child safe.

Review:

Missing children storylines are nothing new in a mystery novel but Frey has managed to turn the idea on its head and come up with an angle that’s new and exciting. What if a child is taken from their family in order to keep them safe and not put them in any danger? What if their home life is so fraught with tension and abuse that being taken in by a total stranger is the best option for them? This book raised SO many questions, there was a depth of thought not often found in a mystery that made me think it would be absolutely perfect for a book club.

This switches back and forth between Amy and Sarah both Before, During, After and Now. The pacing is nice and steady, tension builds gradually and I was totally hooked almost instantly. It was so bizarre to be rooting for a kidnapper and not the grieving parents for once, but the difference in personalities between Sarah and Amy was so stark you can’t help but be pulling for little Emma and Sarah to get away and be happy.

This was a highly emotional read that completely sucked me in, I just had to know how things would turn out in the end. This did require me to suspend a little disbelief but I really wasn’t bothered by it, it fit with the story so well and ended exactly as it should have.

Not Her Daughter in three words: Evocative, New and Gripping.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.