The Other Girl

Officer Miranda Rader of the Harmony, Louisiana PD is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis—but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from the town of Jasper, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community.

When Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the brutality of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. The night she’d buried, along with her past and the girl she’d been back then. 

Until now that grave had stayed sealed…except for those times, in the deepest part of the night, when the nightmares came: of a crime no one believed happened and the screams of the girl they believed didn’t exist.  Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop. Not just any cop—the one who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common—except Miranda.

I read this fast-paced crime novel in under 24 hours and it delivered in most ways.  Even though the novel is short, I did feel invested in the characters.  The author was really able to tell us a lot in a small amount of pages, which I am always grateful for.  I felt terrible for Miranda and just wanted to help her make everything right.  Just be warned, because their are only a few characters introduced, I had ideas throughout the book of what I thought.  I was right and wrong, which was fun to feel like I solved a piece, but was still surprised.  This was a first time read author read for me, but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up more titles by Erica Spindler.      

 * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

Before We Were Yours

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize that the truth is much darker. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together—in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions—and compels her to take a journey through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

Lisa Wingate has done it again!  Even thinking about this book brings up strong emotions.  It's hard to imagine that anything like this could have ever taken place, but it did and it makes me plain angry.  While this was a fictional account, I totally believe these events could have happened.  This book was a reminder that we have to watch out for those in this world that cannot fight for themselves.  We have to protect them and be their voice.  I couldn't get over the fact that people knew this was happening and turned a blind eye.  I understand that money drives people, but to even imagine that someone could do this to children to make a profit is unfathomable.  This story was beautiful and heartbreaking, a recipe for an amazing novel.  It needs more attention and I highly recommend you find a copy soon! 

 * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

 

The Girl from the Sea

 

A chilling suspense story of wounded hearts and dark secrets.

Washed up on the beach, she can’t remember who she is. She can’t even remember her name. Turns out, she has an idyllic life – friends and family eager to fill in the blanks.

But why are they lying to her? What don’t they want her to remember?

When you don't even know who you are, how do you know who to trust?

I feel conflicted about this book so my review may seem all over the place.  I thought the setup was good, maybe a little unbelievable, but that's okay.  From there the story was interesting, but was just missing something for me to really dive in.  My biggest complaint was probably the lack of character development, so I always felt a little detached.  I wanted more dimension.  While I did think the twist was interesting, it sort of made me dislike the characters even more.  However, if you like a good twist that you probably won't guess and don't care about dimensional character, I think this is a great book for you.  I have since read another title by this author and enjoyed it, so I will continue to pick up her books when I see them.

        * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

After the Lie

One little lie can make one big difference …

Lydia has the ‘right’ kind of friends, her children are at the ‘right’ kind of school and she’s married to the ‘right’ sort of man – kind, steady, reliable Mark. Her wedding business is flourishing and even though she is at loggerheads with her mother, she couldn’t ask for anything more from life.

But the truth is that Lydia has been lucky. She has been living a lie for years and Mark has no idea who he is really married to. But nothing lasts forever and the past has a funny way of catching up with the present. When the person who knows all of Lydia’s dark little secrets turns up at the school gates, his presence threatens to blow Lydia’s life apart.

What is Lydia’s terrible truth? Once the secret is out, you can’t put it back … 

I must confess, I read this book awhile ago and I'm struggling to remember much about the story, which reminds me why I gave this book only 3 stars.  In the beginning, I thought the story had a lot of potential, but as time went on, I really disliked Lydia.  I just found her character to be annoying.  She just made terrible decisions, over and over.  Then the "lie" was exposed and the book just never recovered for me after that.  Without saying too much, while I understand her hurt and frustration, I didn't think the secret justified the victim part that Lydia chose to play for the rest of her life.  I appreciated the message of the story, but I just thought it could have been so much better if Lydia felt like how I believe an actual person would respond.  

 * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *