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Release date: May 15, 2018

Publisher: Gallery Books

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Allie, Des, and Cara, each having her own reasons for wanting a share of their father’s estate, meet in the grand Victorian home in which he grew up, only to be greeted by another secret he purposely hid from them: his sister Bonnie. The women reluctantly band together to take on Fritz’s challenge, working with a local contractor to begin the renovations financed by an account Fritz had set up for the task. While the restoration appears to go smoothly at first, it soon becomes apparent that the work will be more extensive than originally thought, and Des, elected to handle the money, needs to find ways to stretch out the remaining savings while searching for new sources of funding.

As strangers linked only by their DNA try to become a family, the Hudson sisters also try to come to terms with the father they only thought they knew. In the process, each woman discovers her own capacity for understanding, forgiveness, love, and the true meaning of family.

Review:

Last year I read The Last Chance Matinee and was totally captivated by the Hudson sisters and the authors inspiration for the books. The first time around you meet all three of the sisters but it was really Cara’s story and this time around it’s Des turn. It’s not completely necessary to read the first book, but you would be more familiar with the characters and their histories if you started at the beginning.

Des is a character that I warmed to quickly the first book so I was excited to learn more about her this time around. She’s a huge animal lover, she runs a shelter back home in Montana so if you’re a dog lover there are some sweet moments with some pups here. The girls Aunt Barney is my absolute favorite, she’s a sassy gal, full of wisdom and charm, just the sort of matriarch you imagine when you think of a mature woman with a heart of gold.

The family is still trying to restore the old theater and it’s not an easy process, especially as they’re running out of funds. I love that this has such a realistic plot, there are no heroic rescues or unbelievable saviors, they face the same issues anyone of us would come up against. The romantic aspect is also true to real life, relationships evolve at a reasonable pace, no one falls in love at first sight, no Prince Charming, but it is sweet and fun still.

There are still some family secrets and mysteries to be solved although Stewart does answer a few questions she leaves a few things hanging, a surefire way to keep me continuing with this series. This is a well written, smooth novel, ideal for a summer read, more depth than a beach read but with all of the fun!

Sugarhouse Blues in three words: Charming, Authentic and Captivating.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: June 19, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

A young British couple are driving through France on holiday when they stop for gas. He runs in to pay, she stays in the car. When he returns her car door has been left open, but she’s not inside. No one ever sees her again.

Ten years later he’s engaged to be married; he’s happy, and his past is only a tiny part his life now. Until he comes home from work and finds his new wife-to-be is sitting on their sofa. She’s turning something over in her fingers, holding it up to the light. Something that would have no worth to anyone else, something only he and she would know about because his wife is the sister of his missing first love.

As more and more questions are raised, their marriage becomes strained. Has his first love somehow come back to him after all this time? Or is the person who took her playing games with his mind?

Review:

Why can’t we rate books in sections yet you guys?! I am struggling so hardcore with my rating/feelings about this book, I loved the first half and the last half was annoying and totally unbelievable. Sigh. I guess I will do my best to explain what did or did not work for me and hope I give you guys enough information to decide for yourselves whether this is a book for you.

One thing that I want to make very clear is that Paris is one heck of an author with a style that I absolutely adore. I’ve been drawn into all three of her books, she crafts compelling premises that have that awesome sense of doubt, mistrust and dread emanating from the pages. She never really creates the most likable characters but I don’t care about that, I love their unreliability and paranoia and overall lack of scruples. The pacing is relentlessly fast and furious, you really can’t say anything but that it’s unputdownable, so why am I so torn???

My main problem was the big twist was so unbelievable. Listen, I have no problem suspending disbelief whatsoever, I do it all of the time with no issues but I just could not get past the improbability of this reveal. You guys know that I won’t spoil anything for you, but I just kept thinking, no way in hell could this really happen. Never.

Here’s the bottom line, if you’re a fan of Paris you should probably read this book for yourself and draw your own conclusions. If you’ve never read her work her two previous novels are insanely awesome and come highly recommended by me. If you don’t mind out there twists and unbelievable resolutions then you might love this one, but for me I just can’t say that I did. I liked it though, and no matter what I’ll definitely be reading whatever Paris comes up with next because no one does compelling page turners as well as she does.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: April 24, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

The morning after real estate agent Gemma Brogan has dinner with a prospective client, she’s furious at herself for drinking so much. But there will be more to regret than a nasty hangover.

She starts receiving mementos from that night: A photo of a hallway kiss. A video of her complaining about her husband. And worse…much worse. The problem is she doesn’t remember any of it.

As the blackmailing and menace ramp up, Gemma fears for her already shaky marriage. The paranoia, the feeling that her life is spiraling out of control, will take her back to another night–years ago–that changed everything. And Gemma will realize just how far the shadows from her past can reach…

Review:

In a culture where we snap pictures and videos of even the smallest and mundane parts of our lives, Mary Torjussen took that idea, that societal truth and gave it a creepy, sinister twist. Imagine yourself at a bad, maybe even indelicate moment, you want nothing more than to just forget it ever happened, and just when you start to relax someone taunts you with photographic evidence of your misdeeds. It makes me uneasy just to think about something like this happening to me and that’s basically the feeling I had while reading this.

Torjussen’s writing style has a subtle tension to it but that’s combined with quick pacing and short chapters, a combination that’s always appealing to me. This is the type of book that raises several questions and doesn’t give any solid answers until the end, the best kind in my opinion, I love to be kept on the edge of my seat.

Similar to her last book things gain traction in the last twenty five percent and I was well and truly hooked. There are some clever little plot twists throughout, nothing implausible, which is always an appreciated touch, I’m sick of twists just for the sake of having one and I felt these turns added to the story in a good way.

The Girl I Used to Be in three words: Clever, Chilling and Creepy.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Kensington

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

The Girl of Sugar Beach is the most watched documentary in television history—a riveting, true-life mystery that unfolds over twelve weeks and centers on a fascinating question: Did Grace Sebold murder her boyfriend, Julian, while on a Spring Break vacation, or is she a victim of circumstance and poor police work? Grace has spent the last ten years in a St. Lucian prison, and reaches out to filmmaker Sidney Ryan in a last, desperate attempt to prove her innocence.

As Sidney begins researching, she uncovers startling evidence, additional suspects, and timeline issues that were all overlooked during the original investigation. Before the series even finishes filming, public outcry leads officials to reopen the case. But as the show surges towards its final episodes, Sidney receives a letter saying that she got it badly, terribly wrong.

Sidney has just convinced the world that Grace is innocent. Now she wonders if she has helped to free a ruthless killer. Delving into Grace’s past, she peels away layer after layer of deception. But as Sidney edges closer to the real heart of the story, she must decide if finding the truth is worth risking her newfound fame, her career . . . even her life.

Review:

If you’re one of the millions of people who loved Serial or Making a Murderer then you have got to read this book! It will also appeal to fans of true crime as well as fans of engaging, sharply written thrillers that leave you breathless in the end. I’m basically telling you that this book is for everyone.

Much as like Donlea’s last book, The Girl Who Was Taken, this is told via a unique perspective that breathes fresh life into the genre. Sidney is a producer and seeing the ins and outs of how a television show is made was really cool and something new for me. She doesn’t have the easy connections a police officer has at their fingertips, girlfriend has to seriously hustle to investigate and I loved her determination and grit. She is only in search of the truth, she doesn’t know if Grace is guilty or innocent, but there’s enough questionable material to pique her curiosity. Besides Sidney you visit several other points of view but I feel like revealing who is kind of spoilery, so I’ll just say that they were the type of viewpoints that make you go, YASSS, I’ve been dying to see things from this angle. If you read TGWWT then you get the added bonus of seeing a character from there as well, always so fun!

This book has such a detailed, well thought out and researched plot, from the laws and regulations of St. Lucia, to courtroom processes and all the way to pathology labs and then back again to the production offices where Sidney works, every single aspect was meticulously written and compelling to boot. Twisty doesn’t even come close to accurately describe the roller coaster ride that reading this book took me on, then Donlea delivers a few final killer twists and an explosive finale that knocked my socks off. This book is just as binge worthy as Serial but ten times more satisfying, my hat is off to Mr. Donlea, this is one of the best mysteries I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

Don’t Believe It in three words: Mutilayered, Skillful and Gripping.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 15, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Margaret Jacobsen has a bright future ahead of her: a fiancé she adores, her dream job, and the promise of a picture-perfect life just around the corner. Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in one tumultuous moment.

In the hospital and forced to face the possibility that nothing will ever be the same again, Margaret must figure out how to move forward on her own terms while facing long-held family secrets, devastating heartbreak, and the idea that love might find her in the last place she would ever expect.

How to Walk Away is Katherine Center at her very best: an utterly charming, hopeful, and romantic novel that will capture reader’s hearts with every page.

Review:

Ready for another must read book to add to your summer reading list? I’m assuming you said yes, so good, now let me me tell you all the ways I loved this one. There are many, I will try not to bore you.

Life is hard, we can agree to that and I’m assuming (yes, again) that every single one of us has been through some extremely tough times. We all have struggles, some are short lived and sometimes they’re life changing, but we all have them. This book makes you think about those difficult times and I think offers up a beautiful, alternate perspective as to how to keep going when things are bleak. Margaret experiences one of those tragedies that is life changing and she doesn’t want her life to change. She doesn’t want to start over again in a totally different way than what she envisioned, but she’s given no choice. I fell in head over heels in love with Margaret. Not because she’s perfect, because she’s not. Not because she’s an inspiring character, although she is, but she certainly isn’t always positive. I fell in love with her because Center forced me to. You cannot read this book and not fall under her spell, she is raw, vulnerable and shattered. She is also brave, strong and awe inspiring in equal measures and I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a character harder than I did for Margaret. She is unforgettable.

Center’s writing style is both extremely evocative and sharply funny. There is a whole lotta ironic humor here and there is also some truly heartbreaking scenes that made me cry. There’s romance as well and I got serious Jojo Moyes vibes, it was that good. I already loved every single page and then Center gave me the most beautiful, hopeful, heart achingly sorrowful and uplifting epilogue, I swear I melted into a puddle of mush. Just read this book, it is a true gem.

How to Walk Away in three words: Beautiful, Sincere and Powerful.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

Allison Brinkley—wife, mother, and former unflappable optimist—discovers that a carefully weighed decision to pack up and move her family from suburban Dallas to the glittery chaos of Manhattan may have been more complicated than she and her husband initially thought.

Allison learns that New York is unruly and bewildering, defying the notions she developed from romantic movies and a memorable childhood visit. After a humiliating call from the principal’s office and the loss of the job she was counting on, Allison begins to accept that New York may not suit her after all.

When Allison has a fender-bender, witnessed by a flock of mothers at her son’s new school, she is led to the penthouse apartment of a luxurious Central Park West building and encounters a spoiled, hungover, unsupervised teenager who looks familiar. It doesn’t take long to recognize him as Carter Reid—a famous pop star who has been cast in a new Broadway musical. Through this brush with stardom, Allison embraces a unique and unexpected opportunity that helps her find her way in the heart of Manhattan.

In a book that delivers laughs, warmth, and delightful wish fulfillment, Poeppel dives into celebrity culture and modern motherhood with her trademark style.

Review:

Ahhh I loved this book SO much, it seriously surprised me by just how much I enjoyed it and I don’t even know why. I’ve had Small Admissions sitting on my bookshelf for over a year and now I’m so frustrated with myself for not reading it sooner. Amy Poeppel nailed every single aspect of this book, and I wholeheartedly did not want it to end!

Allison is my new fictional BFF, I could not get enough of her from the moment I read the first chapter. She’s gutsy, witty, caring and a little crazy but she’s real. She has three kids and they were so honestly depicted as well, I mean what teenager today doesn’t curse inappropriately at the worst possible time? Or what young boy doesn’t develop a fascination with the female anatomy at some point? #Truth Carter is the mega pop star that Allison finds herself working for and though they’re an unlikely duo, I loved Allison’s tactics in dealing with him. He’s a pompous, self absorbed jerk, a womanizing party animal, (Think Justin Bieber, maybe even worse) and she treated him no differently than one of her own kids, and this made for some hilarious moments and fantastic scenes.

I love reading books about celebrities (real or fictional) and Poeppel gave me the best of both worlds by including both. The behind the scenes look at Broadway was everything, admittedly I know absolutely nothing about the backstage life of a play but everything she created rang true, it was super authentic and believable to me. So much so in fact that I had to stop myself from checking to see how much tickets are to see Limelight.

I can’t say enough good things about this book, it really had it all for me. I wondered if I would be disappointed by the ending but Poeppel kept things real and there wasn’t some unrealistic, happy ever after conclusion, which was awesome because that wouldn’t have worked well here and the way she handled things was perfection.

Limelight in three words: Savvy,

Modern and Sparkling.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: May 3, 2018

Publisher: Corvus

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Are you afraid?

You should be.

The husband: in over his head with no way of knowing the truth.

The mistress: blinded by love, betrayed by her family…

The neighbour: will stop at nothing to protect the life he has fought to create.

The wife: a woman bent on revenge, but how far is she willing to go…?

Dark as night, this is a brilliantly plotted, gripping short story from the e-book sensation, Jack Jordan.

Review:

If you’re a fan of Jack Jordan then you’ll probably agree with me that it feels like it’s been forever since the release of his smash hit My Girl. It’s been almost two years and I was SO excited to hear he was releasing a short story/novella this month and then a full length novel this summer! Let me tell you guys, it was worth the wait, normally short stories don’t blow me away, I’m usually not totally satisfied and am left wanting more. Totally not the case here, this bite sized treat packed one hell of a punch, it’s hands down one of the best novellas I’ve ever read.

This has four viewpoints, The Wife, The Mistress, The Neighbor and The Husband, just going by their titles alone I was alllll in. I mean, it alludes to a clear affair and the prospect of a nosy neighbor, there’s really nothing more to want for me. My biggest gripe with novellas is that usually the characters don’t feel fully developed and I’m left wanting to know more about them but Jordan managed to squeeze in an amazing amount of depth in 120ish pages, all four of the leads were fantastically drawn. Who knew you could pack so many twists and surprises into such a small window either, I cannot even tell you just how many times I was floored, seriously impressive and I never saw anything coming before it happened, bravo Mr. Jordan!

This couldn’t be more exciting and fast paced, I think I held my breath throughout the whole book and there’s just no way to read it in more than one sitting, it demands your undivided attention, a truly wild ride.

A Woman Scorned in three words: Thrilling, Twisty and Intense.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

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Release date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Emotionally guarded Daphne Amos always believed she’d found a kindred spirit in her fiancé, Heath. Both very private people, they’ve kept their pasts hidden from the world, and each other, until Heath’s escalating nightmares begin to put an undeniable strain on their relationship. Determined to give their impending marriage the best chance of succeeding, Heath insists that Daphne join him on a seven-day retreat with Dr. Matthew Cerny, a psychologist celebrated for getting to the root of repressed memories. Daphne reluctantly agrees—even though the past is the last place she wants to go.

The retreat’s isolated and forbidding location increases her unease, as do the doctor’s rules: they must relinquish their keys and phones, they’ll be monitored at all hours by hidden cameras, and they’re never to socialize with the other guests.

One sleepless night, Daphne decides to leave her room…and only then does she realize that the institute is not at all what it seems—and that whatever’s crying out from Heath’s past isn’t meant to be heard. It’s meant to be silenced.

Review:

There is something compulsively readable about Emily Carpenter’s books, once I start them I have a difficult time putting them down. She creates the creepiest, most eerily atmospheric settings and she writes so well you find yourself completely immersed in the story, it’s as if you’re actually inside it yourself and experiencing it with the characters. It’s an unsettling experience to say the least, but one I wholeheartedly enjoy.

The whole idea of a couples retreat that focuses on therapy is unappealing to me and then when you throw in a weird atmosphere with uneasiness oozing from the pages? That’s a hard no from me, and Daphne had similar feelings but she went despite her reservations. You see, no one has ever understood her quite like Heath does, they have a hard and fast rule where they don’t discuss their pasts, ever, and this works for both of them. Until now. Until Daphne decides maybe it’s time to share her secrets with Heath and in turn he may share his as well. I loved knowing that they both had skeletons in their closets but not knowing what they were, it kept me extremely engaged and doubtful of the pair of them. I never could decide if I actually liked either of them, but they were both interesting, mysterious and highly complex.

Another thing that Carpenter excels at is the way the structures her books. The Weight of Lies had a book within a book, SO cool, and this time around she worked with flashbacks. You know how oftentimes flashbacks read as disjointed or confusing? Not the case here, it starts with a prologue that immediately reels you in and then skips back to a week earlier. It flips back and forth until the days catch up to each other and everything culminates in a shocking ending. Interspersed between these time jumps you slowly find out about Daphne’s past, Carpenter gives you a little tasty morsel to whet your appetite and then she cuts you off again, WHY does that work so well for me?! It just does, it has me hanging onto over single word, dying to know what will be revealed next.

I said Carpenter was the queen of southern gothic fiction in my review of her last book and that still stands here, she is immensely talented and she has a firm fan in me. I haven’t read any recent others that write quite like and I mean that as a huge compliment, she stands out from the crowd.

Every Single Secret in three words: Unsettling, Surprising and Absorbing.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: February 20, 2018

Genre: Fiction

Blurb:

High school is a difficult time for every teenager. When Erin enters a large public high school in 1980, she’s more than a little intimidated. Shocked by the realization that the legacy of her southern Alabama town isn’t a thing of the past, Erin struggles to find her way and in the process forms several important relationships. Brittany, whose genuine friendship and unconditional support help Erin navigate her unfamiliar surroundings. Shelby, whose strength and confidence challenge Erin to make her own decisions. And Emmet, whose magnetism and acceptance inspires her to dream of a different future.

Together they search for the answer to one important question: How do you define your own path, feel like you belong, and yet resist all of the social pressures and rigid expectations?

Ultimately, Erin is forced with a life-defining choice. Her decision will catapult her into adulthood, will test her faith, love and courage, and inevitably have an impact on the lives of those she loves most.

Review:

This is one of those books that’s tricky to slot into one particular genre, it begins when Erin is just starting high school so there were times it felt like a straight up YA novel, but this was laced with dark themes and heavy topics giving it an adult vibe as well. It’s set in the 1980’s in the south so there was some nostalgia as well and a historical feel as well, but regardless of whatever label you want to use this was a thought provoking and engaging read.

One of the darkest themes that I alluded to earlier, the most prevalent one is racism and being set almost forty years ago really shows just how terrible race relations were back then, especially in Alabama. Erin is different from her peers, she hates how everyone is labeled and categorized, kind of ironic that I had a hard time labeling this book. She struggles to fit in and she’s not even sure that she wants to fit in, she just wants to live her life without judgement and I think we can all relate to that on some level. She was a very well constructed character, the book follows her from high through to college and through various highs and lows.

As much as I know that society has taken huge forward strides in terms of race relations this book will still strike a chord with people today, which is sad in a way, it would be so great if it wasn’t still relevant, but it is. It covers some tough topics but is very well written and ultimately uplifting.

Everybody Needs a Bridge in three words: Thoughtful, Emotive and Engaging.

Overall rating: 4/5