7.31.2017 - See What I Have Done

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and Sarah Schmidt for the opportunity to read this great novel.

Although we probably all know the story of Lizzie Borden from the rhyme and her acquittal of the crimes of murdering her father and stepmother, this book takes an extraordinary look at all the parties involved. The story is told in 4 distinct voices - Lizzie (whose chapters really show her immaturity and attachment issues); Emma (the other Borden daughter - older and made to be responsible for Lizzie); Bridget (the Borden family maid, who sees it all and is desperate to return home to Ireland); and Benjamin (a thug hired by the sister of the first Mrs. Borden, the girls' Uncle John).

Creepy, creepy - this book is written in a fabulous way by really getting into the story from these different viewpoints and time periods. You learn more and more as the book goes along from these alternate voices, although there is of course no definitive answer to who-done-it.

I marveled at the way the voices changed and made you feel in each chapter - kudos to the author for this wonderful ability. I love true crime books and this one won't disappoint!

7.28.2017 - The Marriage Pact

Thanks to NetGalley, Bantam and Michelle Richmond for the opportunity to read this creepy, addictive book!

Alice and Jake are a newly married couple. Alice left the rock and roll world to become a lawyer while Jake is a therapist. Jake feels he pressured Alice into marrying him so he wouldn't lose her and doesn't quite feel confident that she truly loves him. Alice felt that she didn't have what it took to make a marriage work and was scared to fail.

So they are the perfect people to be brought into The Pact. They are given a box as a wedding present and are later presented with the key and an invitation to join a special group of individuals who are putting their marriages first above all else. There are strict rules and strict punishments - all of which become horribly clear as time goes on.

I loved all the marriage statistics and info and The Pact's ideas to put marriage first were great. Until all the rest. Seriously creepy but you definitely couldn't put it down until you figured out what was going to happen!

7.26.2017 - Are You Sleeping?

Thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Kathleen Barber for the opportunity to read and review this great book!

Josie is living in New York with her boyfriend, Caleb. She has totally distanced herself from her family - and with good reason. Her father was murdered, her twin sister betrayed her, and their mother abandoned them to live in a cult across the country. Josie changed her name and was happy in her anonymity. Until she learns of a podcast that is looking into her father's murder. Suddenly, her family's tragedies are being played out all over social media. Josie never told Caleb about her family or her real name and is terrified that she'll lose him. When she gets a call that her mother died, she must go back to Illinois and face the family.

This was quite the addictive book - I couldn't wait to see how it all played out. There are lots of secrets and twists - plenty to keep you guessing until the very end!

7.23.2017 - The Other Girl

Thanks so much to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Erica Spindler for the opportunity to read and review this addictive thriller!

From the very first chapter, this book pulled me in and I thought it was terrific. The story centers around Miranda, a police detective, who is investigating a brutal murder of a well-liked college professor. From the beginning, there are things that just don't feel right. As she's investigating, she finds another dead body - one that links her to her past. We are given background to Miranda in alternating chapters, detailing an event that happened when she was 15 years old, known as Randi, and living in a dysfunctional family. She gets abducted one night and no one believes her story. Miranda worked hard to make something of herself and put her past behind her until these murders start making everyone she trusts look at her as a possible suspect.

A great thrill ride - highly recommended!

7.20.2017 - Keep You Safe

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Mira Books and Melissa Hill for the opportunity to read and review this book - really liked it!

This is the perfect book club pick for a mother's group - there are so many hot-button, contemporary issues to discuss. This book does a great job looking at both sides of all of these issues and it really makes you think.

Set in Ireland, Madelyn is a stay-at-home mom who writes a Mad Mum blog about the less-Facebook perfect side of motherhood. She is definitely more free-range than helicopter parent, anti-vaccination, even has an interesting view on being against maternity leave! Her daughter, Clara, comes down with measles, which she believes she must have been exposed to on a family trip to Florida where there was an outbreak. Unfortunately, another child in her class, Rosie, also contracts measles. Rosie is the daughter of Kate, a single parent since her husband died, and is also not vaccinated due to health reasons. Rosie has a much tougher time and ends up in the hospital.

The opposite sides on this issue play out in their community, the media and the courtroom. I really raced through this book to see how it was all going to end up. Highly recommended!

7.17.2017 - I Know a Secret

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Tess Gerritsen for the opportunity to read and review her latest thriller - it's wonderful!

I'm a huge fan of Gerritsen's writing - whether it's her Rizzoli and Isles series or her stand-alones. They are gripping thrillers and you won't be able to do a thing until you finish the book! This latest is no exception.

Rizzoli and Isles are again on the case, investigating a murder of a young woman who is found with her eyes removed and placed in her hands. However, Maura Isles can't find the cause of death. Then another victim shows up, this time with arrows in his chest, and again no cause of death. There are many suspects and plotlines - from memories of ritual abuse to martyrs. Plus, all the old Rizzoli/Isles relationships come back into play.

I'm sure this would be a great stand alone but it's even better as the next in an amazing series. Highly recommended!

7.16.2017 - Exposed

Thanks so much to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Lisa Scottoline for the opportunity to read her latest novel! I adore anything this lady writes - don't know how she does it!

The latest exploits of Rosato and DiNunzio find the two lawyers at odds over a case involving Mary's old friend Simon. He was fired from his company because of rising medical costs involving his daughter's care. However, the company he worked for is a subsidiary of a parent company represented by Bennie. The case brings the firm and its relationship to an extreme test of loyalty.

Kudos for another great chapter in this series - can't wait to read the next one!

7.14.2017 - Emma in the Night

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Wendy Walker for the opportunity to read her latest book - it's wonderful!

I was a huge fan of her first book, All is Not Forgotten, and this latest will not disappoint. This is a very multi-layered book with lots of plot twists and secrets to be figured out. Emma and Cass are two sisters, trying to navigate a very dysfunctional family life. Their mom, Judy, is a narcissist who plays the girls off each other, craving love and attention. The parents divorce and Judy remarries, leaving more trouble in the wake with the addition of a stepfather and stepbrother.

One day, Emma and Cass disappear. Emma's car is found by the beach and it is presumed that she drowned, but Cass is nowhere to be found. Three years go by when Cass suddenly appears at home, desperate to tell her story to the FBI so that they can find Emma.

The story is told in alternating voices - Cass and Abby, an FBI agent who was on the case when the girls first disappeared. She has been haunted by their disappearance and the fact that her viewpoints weren't taken seriously.

I don't want to give any more away - you need to read this book!

7.11.2017 - The Walls

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Hollie Overton for the opportunity to read and review her new book.

I liked this book much better than Overton's debut novel, Baby Doll. This was a good story that led you to think about many hot-button topics such as the death penalty and domestic abuse.

Kristy is a single mom, working as Public Information Officer for the Texas Dept of Corrections, handling everything for the death row inmates, housed in an area called the Walls. The job is mentally taxing and yet pays the bills for her son, Ryan, and her ailing father. Kristy has basically lived for her family and her job. When she meets Lance, Ryan's judo instructor, she feels that its finally time for her to have happiness. Lance appears to be the perfect man - until she realizes that he isn't.

Clinton is a death row inmate, accused of killing his two small children. In her dealings with him for her job, she develops a friendship with him. His letters to her are interspersed in this book and help guide Kristy to take care of herself.

I raced through this one to see how it would all end up!

7.10.2017 - Girl in Snow

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Danya Kukafka for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful debut novel - by a 24-year-old no less!

I thought the writing in this book was beautiful and I couldn't put it down. The story opens with the discovery of a teenage girl, Lucinda, whose body is found brutally murdered at a school playground, covered in a blanket of snow. The story is then told over a period of days by 3 different voices - Cameron, a young boy who was obsessed with Lucinda and had been seen watching her through her window; Jade, another teenager who hated Lucinda and resented her perfect life and who felt that Lucinda took her boyfriend and babysitting job; and Russ, a town policeman, who was best friends with Cameron's father before he left town.

All three of these characters have depth to their stories. You feel the longing that they just want to fit in and be accepted and loved. Great writing really made this book - bravo!

7.8.2017 - Pieces of Happiness

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Doubleday Books and Anne Ostby for the opportunity to read this wonderful book!

The subtitle of this book says it all - a novel of friendship, hope and chocolate!  I really enjoyed this book and a visit to the island of Fiji, which I knew nothing about. Kat is recently widowed and lives on a cocoa farm in Fiji. She gets in touch with 4 of her high school friends and invites them to Fiji. Her plan is to surround herself with her sisterhood of women friends so they can leave behind all that didn't work and challenge each other as they move into their more elderly years (they are all mid-60s).

They all take the challenge and arrive to Fiji with all their accumulated baggage too. Sian has an adult son who expects his mom to bail him out of every misadventure and latest scheme he comes up with. Ingrid has always been happiest alone while Lisbeth has always had the perfect life but is terribly lonely. Maya is having memory issues and her daughter is scared of letting her go to Fiji.

The best part of this book is Ateca, Kat's housekeeper, who prays for her son and each of the women. Her prayers mark the change in chapters and narration from each of the women. I love the way she prays for God to watch over everyone.

At heart, this is just a great story of friendship, the family we make, and of learning about ourselves and each other. And on a chocolate farm no less! Sign me up!

7.7.2017 - Hum if You Don't Know the Words

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this wonderful debut novel.

Do not miss this book when it is published next week. It's a must read and book clubs will love it. Its comparison to books such as The Help and The Secret Life of Bees is spot on - if you loved those books, you'll love this one. To think that it is a debut novel is all the more amazing.

The book is set in South Africa in the 1970s, when Apartheid rules. The story is told in two voices - Robin, a young white girl, growing up in relative privilege. She has a beloved Black maid, her father is a mine boss, and she loves her tomboy life. The race difference is just assumed and engrained in her world. Beauty is the other voice - a widow with two young boys at home in a rural village. Life is hard and she sent her 18 year old daughter out of the village and to Johannesburg for schooling. She gets word that Nomsa has gone missing and travels to find her. These two characters' lives intersect - Robin is living with her aunt and Beauty is hired to watch her. They try to create new lives and new bonds.

This is a stunning book - Robin's chapters are filled with humor and a view of the world through a child's eyes, while Beauty is such an amazing, positive soul who refuses to give up hope of finding her daughter.

The ending leaves hope that there will be another book to continue this story and I can't wait. Do not miss this book - it is inspirational.

7.4.2017 - Watch Me Disappear

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publishers Spiegel & Grau, and Janelle Brown for granting my wish to read and review this book! 4.5 stars - I really liked this one!

Set in Berkley, CA, Billie, Jonathan and Olive are a somewhat-typical family. Billie and Jonathan are seemingly happily married, although Jonathan has become a workaholic and Billie is getting tired of that. Teenaged Olive is attending a private girls high school, smart but never quite fitting in. Then Billie goes off on a solo hike and doesn't return. Only her boot is found.

What happens when someone just disappears? Are they dead or missing? After a year, Jonathan petitions to have his wife declared dead so they can begin to move on and he can collect her badly-needed life insurance. Jonathan's words at Billie's memorial service go viral and he is offered a book deal to write about their life and her death. Interspersed in this book are short snippets of the book that give us a glimpse of background.

Olive begins having "visions" of her mom and starts questioning whether or not her mom is really dead, which puts her at odds with her dad.

At the heart of this book, it's a great character study. How well do we know ourselves and others? Can we come to grips with the path we've chosen in life? What secrets do we keep or share?

I couldn't put this one down - highly recommended!

7.2.2017 - Bring Her Home

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley Books and David Bell for the opportunity to read his latest thriller!

This is the second book of Bell's that I have read and I've enjoyed them both. Even though this one is over 400 pages, it's an easy, quick read. It's divided up into very short chapters and the story is captivating enough to keep reading just one more chapter.

Bill is still grieving the death of his wife just a year and a half ago when his daughter Summer goes missing, along with her best friend, Haley. Days later, the girls are found in a park - Haley is dead and Summer is clinging to life. While in the hospital, Bill realizes that he knows very little about his daughter's life. He has tried to give her space and freedom after her mom's death and realizes that he might have given her too much.

I don't want to go into too much more detail because there are lots and twists and surprises, along with some plots that you may figure out. A great read!

7.1.2017 - A Beautiful, Terrible Thing

Thanks to NetGalley, Plume Books and Jen Waite for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have to admit I'm a little conflicted about this book. It is the true story of Jen and her marriage to Marco, who she discovers later is a sociopath. It is written like a psychological thriller - with Before and After chapters so that we see how the relationship developed and how Jen picks up the pieces afterwards.

Probably the reason for my conflict is because I have lived a similar situation as I'm sure many women have. Jen had wealthy parents who were able to swoop in and take care of her and her child while she basically fell apart. I'm glad that my situation happened way before social media because Jen's incessant need to check the Facebook and Instagram feeds of Marco surely didn't help her recovery. I could relate to many of Jen's feelings - probably the biggest thing we need when something like this happens is for the person to explain to us why - and an apology wouldn't hurt. Someone very wise told me when I was going through my situation that you will never get that apology because they don't think they've done anything wrong. You have to get past that and move on.

A good read - and a better lesson to be as sure as possible that we are healthy going into a relationship and not looking for someone to make us whole. Because that never works.