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Release date: March 13, 2018

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:

1. I’m in a coma.

2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.

3. Sometimes I lie.

Amber wakes up in a hospital. She can’t move. She can’t speak. She can’t open her eyes. She can hear everyone around her, but they have no idea. Amber doesn’t remember what happened, but she has a suspicion her husband had something to do with it. Alternating between her paralyzed present, the week before her accident, and a series of childhood diaries from twenty years ago, this brilliant psychological thriller asks: Is something really a lie if you believe it’s the truth?

Review:

Keeping with the theme of this book I’ll be reviewing this by telling you three things you should know about Sometimes I Lie and why I think it’s a must read in 2018 for psychological thriller fans!

1. It’s addictive, the true definition of unputdownable AND is also unpredictable. Twisty is not even an accurate description but it’s the best I can do, there was so much that was completely unexpected that I’m afraid to discuss the plot at all. Go in as blind as possible and hold on tight, you’re in for a crazy, intense ride! Then message me when you’re done so we can talk about that ending. THAT ENDING!!

2. It has a really immersive atmosphere that is both claustrophobic and exciting. Amber is in a coma but she can hear what’s going on, but she can’t see. She has no idea why she’s in the hospital and she’s frantically trying to piece together the events prior. This is told in the present as Amber recovers, a few weeks before the event that lead to her hospitalization and a series of diary entries from childhood. It’s executed flawlessly and I was hooked by each timeline, they were all equally intriguing, captivating and intense.

3. The characterization is on point, while Amber is extremely well developed the constant wondering if her memory of events was accurate or not kept me on the edge of my seat. Could I trust her intuition, after all she’s an admitted liar, so trying to figure out what was true and what was false was just downright fun and entertaining!

I’ll close by encouraging you to read this, it’s fast paced, exciting and brings something fresh to a genre full of authors trying to be the next Gone Girl on the Train and then fell Into the Water. This is unique and a massively impressive debut and I’ll be preordering Sometimes I Kill ASAP.

If you’re in the US and want a chance to win one of three copies check out my Instagram for a giveaway!

Sometimes I Lie in three words: Unreliable, Shocking and Edgy

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 23, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

For fans of dark and twisty psychological thrillers, Watch Me is a riveting novel of suspense about how far obsession can go.

Kate Youngblood is disappearing. Muddling through her late 30s as a creative writing professor at Blackwood college, she’s dangerously close to never being noticed again. The follow-up novel to her successful debut tanked. Her husband left her for a woman ten years younger. She’s always been bright, beautiful, independent and a little wild, but now her glow is starting to vanish. She’s heading into an age where her eyes are less blue, her charm worn out, and soon no one will ever truly look at her, want to know her, again.

Except one.

Sam Grist is Kate’s most promising student. An unflinching writer with razor-sharp clarity who gravitates towards dark themes and twisted plots, his raw talent is something Kate wants to nurture into literary success. But he’s not there solely to be the best writer. He’s been watching her. Wanting her. Working his way to her for years.

As Sam slowly makes his way into Kate’s life, they enter a deadly web of dangerous lies and forbidden desire. But how far will his fixation go? And how far will she allow it?

A gripping novel exploring intense obsession and illicit attraction, Jody Gehrman introduces a world where what you desire most may be the most dangerous thing of all.

Review:

Watch Me put a fresh spin on a classic stalker novel, I liked that it had the creepy, unsettling vibes of books like You but that the person being stalked kind of liked it?! As twisted as that sounds it’s true, Kate enjoyed the attention from Sam even as she knew it was seriously messed up. This one was a total one sitting type of read as I was captivated by the forbidden and warped relationship between Sam and Kate.

This is told via dual narratives and it changes back and forth between Sam and Kate with fluidity and ease. Some of Sam’s chapters did become a bit repetitive as his obsession with Kate was literally all he thought about. Kate was a strange one, on the one hand you can see why she was insecure and craving attention but on the other, not only is Sam her student, he’s creepy as all get out and intense to boot. So neither of them are likable but both were endlessly fascinating and the characterization was incredibly well done.

The author nailed the sinister vibe and has a strong, unique voice that worked well for me. The ending wasn’t as strong as I would’ve liked but this was definitely an enjoyable read that left me uneasy and feeling like someone was watching me!

Watch Me in three words: Obsessive, binge worthy and creepy.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 13, 2018

Publisher: The Dial Press

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

After being together for ten years, Sylvie and Dan have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage; they have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls, and communicate so seamlessly, they finish each other’s sentences. However, a trip to the doctor projects they will live another 68 years together and panic sets in. They never expected “until death do us part” to mean seven decades.

In the name of marriage survival, they quickly concoct a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting: they will create little surprises for each other so that their (extended) years together will never become boring. But in their pursuit to execute Project Surprise Me, mishaps arise and secrets are uncovered that start to threaten the very foundation of their unshakable bond. When a scandal from the past is revealed that question some important untold truths, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other after all.

Review:

No other author provides an escape from reality for me quite like Sophie Kinsella, I’ve been a fan of hers for years and picking up one of her books is always a treat for me. Her books are pure, lighthearted, entertainment and are always fun, and though I didn’t like Sylvie as much as my beloved Becky Bloomwood I did enjoy her and lost myself in her story easily.

This definitely had Kinsella’s signature charm and wit, she has the ability to craft quirky, lovable heroines who are the every woman that any of us can relate to. Sylvie is a typical wife and mother living a typical life and her struggles in her marriage were all too familiar. Her and Dan have been together for ten years and are happy enough, but they find they can always improve on that happiness, right? Enter project surprise me and in true Kinsella style hilarity ensues.

I found parts of this to be predictable but sometimes there’s comfort in predictability. I may be annoyed if I can spot a twist in a thriller but in a lighter, easy read, I’m not bothered and I surely wasn’t here. I suppose that’s because I was lost in the story and just having such a good time reading this, but whatever the reasoning was I adored every page.

Surprise Me in three words: Witty, charming and amusing.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

A woman running from a dark past stumbles upon a tangled nest of seductions and family secrets in this psychological thriller of obsession and betrayal.

When Natalie discovers her father dead in a luxury hotel room in Paris, she’s terrified that his death–or is it a murder?–will open up a history she’d rather forget. Years before, her mother went missing from their home in a wealthy Connecticut suburb, triggering a chain of violence that echoed through the years. Now Natalie is set on a collision course with her brother, who has secrets of his own. And watching from the shadows is a mysterious and alluring woman with a talent for making people in trouble disappear, who holds more answers than anyone would guess.

Review:

If you’re looking for a lighter style suspense that’s pure entertainment and a completely addictive page turner, allow me to introduce you to The Burial Society. I devoured this book in just a few hours because I simply could not put it down, it was one of those reads where I had planned on starting before bed and reading only a couple of chapters and before I knew it I was halfway finished!

One of the things that sucked me in and compelled me to keep flipping pages was the set up. There are several points of view and the chapters are super short, sometimes they’re just a single paragraph propelling you forward over and over again. I’m sure some will be put off by so many POV in addition to a lot going on, especially in the beginning but that only served to intrigue me and I didn’t find it confusing at all. Sadowsky has a sharp writing style that fit this structure to perfection and the setting of Paris was an amazing backdrop.

The description tells you just what you need to know and I’m hesitant to go any further than that, half of the entertainment of this one was not knowing exactly what I was getting into. There was a certain amount of sex appeal in this book, a racy little edge that sort of reminded me of The Girl Before. There was also a plot thread with a spy thriller vibe that I enjoyed, maybe it’s because most of it is set internationally but it was all very cloak and dagger and really added something clandestine that I think worked great!

(Quick side note, I’m trying something new at the end of my reviews, I want to sum up a book in three words to give you an overall, super quick feeling! Let me know what you guys think of this)

The Burial Society in three words: Enthralling, entertaining and sharp.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Dutton

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

The home of a family of five is now a crime scene: four of them savagely murdered, one—a sixteen-year-old girl—missing. Was she lucky to have escaped? Or is her absence evidence of something sinister? Detective D. D. Warren is on the case—but so is survivor-turned-avenger Flora Dane. Seeking different types of justice, they must make sense of the clues left behind by a young woman who, whether as victim or suspect, is silently pleading, Look for me.

Review:

As you can tell even from the short to the point description of this book this has a dark plot, the brutal murder of an entire family (minus one) does not make for light reading but I wouldn’t expect, nor would I want, anything less when I’m diving into a new LG book. She has a knack for writing about tough subjects while showcasing human emotion and behavior that isn’t seen very often in crime fiction all the while coming up with fresh plot lines that never fail to engage me.

Anytime I’m able to catch up with D.D. Warren I’m a happy camper and since she’s teaming up with Flora Dane who made her first appearance in Find Her I was even more excited. These two are quite the pair and since they don’t exactly see eye to eye it adds an additional layer of friction and tension to an already highly intense, emotional plot. Since D.D. became a parent we’ve seen a softer, gentler side to her and this case hits close to home, at times it’s almost too much for her to bear. I’m a fan of seeing this side of D.D. and I think long time fans of this series will agree. She’s not totally mushy by any means, she’s still that fast talking, snarky woman we all love, but she does have a sweet side, who knew?!

Per usual I won’t be discussing the plot, Gardner’s books are too well executed and I wouldn’t be able to describe much without spoilers and that’s not my thing, it’s best to discover this on your own. I will say that sometimes she uses flashbacks in her novels and this time it switches between Flora and D.D. in the present day to a collection of personal essays from Roxy, the teenager who was the only member of her family left when someone murdered the rest. This structure worked incredibly well for me and as much as Roxy’s essays were a difficult read, they were just SO well written that I couldn’t get enough. Her story was utterly heartbreaking, this poor kid has had a rough time and there are mentions of abuse towards children, so heads up on that. Gritty, entertaining and a police procedural with depth and heart, if you haven’t read this series I can highly recommend each book, they’re all fantastic!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Kensington

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Laura Cavendish can’t wait to meet the woman who’s won her son’s affection. Despite a successful career in television and a long, prosperous marriage, Laura’s world revolves around kind, talented Daniel. She pictures his new girlfriend, Cherry, becoming a close friend and confidante . . . one day, even a daughter-in-law.

But although Cherry is beautiful and amiable, Laura can’t warm to her. There’s something about the possessive way she touches Daniel, the little lies Laura detects. Cherry seems to resent Laura, driving a wedge between mother and son—until one day Daniel is injured in a terrible accident. Six months later, with Daniel still in a coma and facing death, Laura makes a fateful decision—and carries out an astonishing deceit.

A handsome doctor for a husband, with a trust fund and a family villa in St. Tropez—it was all supposed to be Cherry’s. Now, instead of living with Daniel in his impeccable home, she’s jobless and broke. And then Cherry discovers Laura’s stunning deception. But Cherry is too clever, too ambitious to let her get away with it. She’s already transformed herself into Daniel’s dream woman. Now she’ll become Laura’s worst nightmare.

Review:

This book was not was I was expecting but I don’t mean that in a negative way, I guess I was thinking it would be fast paced, intense and twisty and instead it was slower, with a subtle intensity and while it definitely had some surprises it wasn’t as twisty as I had imagined it would be. I do think it’s best to go into this knowing as little as possible about the plot so I won’t be delving into that too much, you really need to discover things on your own to fully appreciate this book.

This is a slow burn, it opens with an intriguing beginning and then it flips back in time. You hear from Laura, her son Daniel and his new girlfriend Cherry and there sections sometimes overlap and aren’t clearly labeled which is usually a popular choice. This wasn’t an issue for me, I actually found myself appreciating this structure and found the switches in narratives to be smooth and uncomplicated. I didn’t find either woman to be likable but they were very entertaining, there was a real feeling of cat and mouse and I was always wondering who would do what next, that aspect was unpredictable though there were some minor plot points that I saw coming. I wasn’t bothered by this though as the writing was so strong and there was a powerful, palpable sense of anticipation and apprehension that steadily increased as the story unfolded.

Read this if you’re looking for a character driven drama about manipulation with chilling moments and are able to be patient enough to wait awhile before the story really heats up. There was something intoxicating about being drawn in slowly instead of hit in the face with a crazy, action packed plot that worked well for me. As strong as things were by the last quarter of the book I do have to admit that I was a tiny bit disappointed by the ending, it was a little weak. But I can overlook it this time because I was addicted and throughly entertained by most of it.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher and the Great Thoughts Ninja review team for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 23, 2018

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Blurb:

Noah Marshall has had a privileged life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that’s been rattling in her closet for years: she doesn’t deserve her commendations or her medals—in fact, she deserves to be locked behind bars for what she did to a fellow officer to save her own reputation. When she finally succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family’s life, she leaves Noah alone to carry the burden of this shocking secret, which she makes him vow never to share.

Gracie Reynolds wasn’t born into trailer park life, but after ten years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it’s all she knows anymore. At least here people don’t care that she is a byproduct of a white mother and a black father. And they certainly don’t care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop. Here, she and her mother can almost forget the shame he brought upon them…until a man who clearly doesn’t belong shows up on her doorstep one night, asking questions.

Together, Noah and Gracie set out to uncover the truth about the Austin police department’s dark and messy past­—but the scandal they uncover is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

Complex, gritty, sexy, and suspenseful, We Sold Our Souls solidifies K.A. Tucker’s reputation as one of today’s most talented new writers of romantic suspense.

Review:

I didn’t pick up on the fact that this one is labeled as a romantic suspense novel before I read it and that’s completely my fault, somehow when I first read the description I assumed it was a mystery police procedural type of read even though it says romantic suspense in the blurb! All of that to say, my expectations were not correct when I started this and I think it had an impact on my overall feelings about this one so keep that in mind when reading this review.

This is told using various timelines and several viewpoints and that portion of the book was very well done. The switches back and forth were seamless and the writing was fluid and engaging. The core of the plot was interesting and I always love a cold case type of mystery with an unsolved crime being unearthed years later. Noah and Grace were both well drawn and the secondary characters were as well and there were quite a few here, this was a well though out plot but I think veteran mystery readers will have a fairly easy time sussing things out.

Now for how my expectations effected my enjoyment and overall feelings about this. It really felt like I was reading a new adult romance and I totally wasn’t in the mood for that when I started this. It wasn’t too over the top but there is definitely romance and I could’ve done with less of the kissy stuff and more action and intensity. Again, totally my fault but I do want to make sure anyone eyeing this knows romance plays a pretty big role and the suspense takes a backseat. I also felt like parts of this were drawn out, maybe it’s because I could see where things were heading early on but I had a few moments where I was thinking, come ON already!

If you’re into RS this is a solid read, if you’re looking for a mystery without gore and graphic details, this is a good one. If you’re like me and prefer gritty, dark thrillers with tense moments and surprising twists this is probably not the book for you, however I can see it working for many people as long as they know what to expect.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.