Bring Her Home

 

Just a year and a half after the tragic death of his wife, Bill Price's fifteen-year-old daughter, Summer, and her best friend, Haley, disappear. Days later, the girls are found in a city park. Haley is dead at the scene, while Summer is left beaten beyond recognition and clinging to life.

As Bill holds vigil over Summer's bandaged body, the only sound the unconscious girl can make is one cryptic and chilling word: No. And the more time Bill spends with Summer, the more he wonders what happened to her. Or if the injured girl in the hospital bed is really his daughter at all.

When troubling new questions about Summer's life surface, Bill is not prepared for the aftershocks. He'll soon discover that both the living and the dead have secrets. And that searching for the truth will tear open old wounds that pierce straight to the heart of his family...

David Bell was an author I had read before and loved.  Somebody I Used to Know was a 5 star read for me.  While I enjoyed the story in Bring Her Home it just didn't feel very original to me and I felt it was pretty predictable.  The writing was good and it moved pretty quickly.  In my opinion, there were too many characters and they just weren't quite developed fully.  I will read David Bell again, this just wasn't for me.  

            * I received this title from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest opinion *

 

The Plot

 

Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he’s teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what’s left of his self-respect; he hasn’t written—let alone published—anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn’t need Jake’s help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot.

Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker’s first novel: but it never comes. When he discovers that his former student has died, presumably without ever completing his book, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do with a story like that—a story that absolutely needs to be told.

In a few short years, all of Evan Parker’s predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave. He is wealthy, famous, praised and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says.

As Jake struggles to understand his antagonist and hide the truth from his readers and his publishers, he begins to learn more about his late student, and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him. Who was Evan Parker, and how did he get the idea for his “sure thing” of a novel? What is the real story behind the plot, and who stole it from whom?

In the past week, I have finished The Plot and watched The Undoing, a TV adaptation on You Should Have Known all by Jean Hanff Korelitz.  All fantastic!  I will now be on the lookout for other titles by her to add to my TBR very soon.  The Plot was structured so uniquely and I absolutely devoured it in a few days.  I love books about books, but they often don't deliver in the way I hope.  This book delivered and more.  I really don't want to say much, other than pick it up!!

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

Meet Me in the Margins

 

Savannah Cade is a low-level editor at Pennington Publishing, a prestigious publisher producing only the highest of highbrow titles. And while editing the latest edition of The Anthology of Medieval Didactic Poetry may be her day job, she has two secrets she’s hiding.

One: She’s writing a romance novel.

Two: She’s discovered the Book Nook—a secret room in the publishing house where she finds inspiration for her “lowbrow” hobby.

After leaving her manuscript behind one afternoon, she returns to the nook only to discover someone has written notes in the margins. Savannah’s first response to the criticism is defensive, but events transpire that force her to admit that she needs the help of this shadowy editor after all. As the notes take a turn for the romantic, and as Savannah’s madcap life gets more complicated than ever, she uses the process of elimination to identify her mysterious editor—only to discover that what she truly wants and what she should want just might not be the same. Melissa Ferguson’s latest—a love letter to books, readers, and romance—will leave fans laughing out loud and swooning in the same breath.

This was the exact right book, at the exact right time!  I had seen comparisons to You've Got Mail and I think that was a very accurate description.  The characters were lovable and I knew what was going to happen, but I was fine with that in the rom-com.  My only issue was I wish we had seen the story through the eyes if Savannah and Will, instead of just Savannah.  It just would have been a perfect addition to hear his thoughts about the situations as well.  If you are looking for a sweet, clean romance, check this one out soon!

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

Hello, Transcriber

Every night, while the street lamps shed the only light on Wisconsin’s most crime-ridden city, police transcriber Hazel Greenlee listens as detectives divulge Black Harbor’s gruesome secrets. An aspiring novelist, Hazel believes that writing a book could be her only ticket out of this frozen hellscape, but her life isn’t exactly brimming with inspiration. Until her neighbor confesses to hiding the corpse of an overdose victim. 

With an insider’s look at the investigation, Hazel becomes spellbound by the lead detective, Nikolai Kole, and the chilling narrative he shares with her. Through his transcription, she learns that the suspicious death is linked to Candy Man―a drug dealer notorious for selling illegal substances to children―and when Kole invites her on a covert operation to help take the dealer down, the promise of a story calls to her. As the investigation unfolds, Hazel will discover just how far she will go for her story, even if it means destroying her marriage, her career, and any chance she has of getting out of Black Harbor alive. Because if she’s learned one relentless truth about this place, it’s the fact that everybody lies.

This book did not deliver for me like I had hoped. The character development was flat and I didn’t buy into any of the relationships. I had high hopes for a story told from a police transcriber, but we actually got very little from that perspective. It was too vulgar and too predictable and almost read like a gritty romance with a mystery thrown in from my perspective. I wish I would have liked it more but just wasn’t a story for me. 

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

Our House

There's nothing unusual about a new family moving in at 91 Trinity Avenue. Except it's her house. And she didn't sell it.

Fiona Lawson is sure there's been a mistake when she comes home to find strangers moving into her house. She and her estranged husband, Bram, have a modern coparenting arrangement: bird's nest custody, where each parent spends a few nights a week with their two sons at the prized family home to maintain stability for their children. But the system built to protect their family ends up putting them in terrible jeopardy. In a domino effect of crimes and misdemeanors, the nest comes tumbling down. 

Now Bram has disappeared, and so have Fiona's children. As events spiral well beyond her control, Fiona will discover just how many lies her husband was weaving and how little they truly know each other. Bram's not the only one with things to hide, though, and some secrets are best kept to oneself, safe as houses.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Louise Candlish and I would pick up something else by her. While the book fell flat for me in the middle, overall, I enjoyed it. The premise was interesting and not something I have read about before. It was just too long for this type of book and could have been 50-100 pages shorter in my opinion. However, I was hooked from the beginning and the ending delivered. 

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

           

The Last House on the Street

When Kayla Carter's husband dies in an accident while building their dream house, she knows she has to stay strong for their four-year-old daughter. But the trophy home in Shadow Ridge Estates, a new development in sleepy Round Hill, North Carolina, will always hold tragic memories. But when she is confronted by an odd, older woman telling her not to move in, she almost agrees. It's clear this woman has some kind of connection to the area...and a connection to Kayla herself. Kayla's elderly new neighbor, Ellie Hockley, is more welcoming, but it's clear she, too, has secrets that stretch back almost fifty years. Is Ellie on a quest to right the wrongs of the past? And does the house at the end of the street hold the key? Told in dual time periods, The Last House on the Street is a novel of shocking prejudice and violence, forbidden love, the search for justice, and the tangled vines of two families.

I honestly can't even imagine not enjoying a Diane Chamberlain book, she's amazing! She is definitely a top author for me and this book is no exception! The storyline in both timelines was so engaging I didn't want to leave either one. the only thing that kept me from a 5 star review is I just didn't connect to the characters quite as much as I have in past books. I just didn't feel as emotional pulled in. But that was fine by me. The story moved fast and I wanted to know how it would all end. Keep writing Diane!

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

We Are All Made of Stars

 

Stella Carey has good reason to only work nights at the hospice where she is a nurse. Married to a war veteran who has returned from Afghanistan brutally injured, Stella leaves the house each night as her husband Vincent, locks himself away, unable to sleep due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

During her nights at the hospice, Stella writes letters for her patients containing their final wishes, thoughts and feelings – from how to use a washing machine, to advice on how to be a good parent – and usually she delivers each letter to the recipient after he or she has died.

That is until Stella writes one letter that she feels compelled to deliver in time to give her patient one final chance of redemption…

What would you say if you got one chance to say goodbye?  This book explores that in a very unique way that I thought was very poignant.  There are basically 3 storylines that you follow throughout the book and eventually they intersect.  While I usually love that in a story, I wished it would have come together a little sooner.  However, it was beautifully written, all the characters were flawed, yet lovely.  Just an all around sweet read!

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

The Younger Wife

THE HUSBAND

A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.

THE DAUGHTERS

Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.

THE FORMER WIFE

With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.

THE YOUNGER WIFE

Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses in all of them?

Ugh. I hate to write this review because I really enjoy Sally Hepworth.  I loved this book until about the last 10-15 pages and then it fell apart.  It's hard for me to say what I didn't like without giving things away.  But I'll say this, women deserve better.  I also have to add an asterisk to this review because I know that the ending changed.  I sought out the changes and while I appreciate the changes that were made, I was still left with a bad taste.  So my review feels hard and I wish I could go back in tile and read the book after publication, without bias. 

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

Anxious People

 

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live—and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can’t agree on anything. And there’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn’t outside parking the car.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.

This book was fascinating!  Fredrik Backman is a favorite, yet this was different than his other novels.  But it worked!  At the beginning I wasn't sure what was happening, but I became so invested.  Sometimes when there are so many characters, it's easy to get lost.  However, Backman wrote this in a way that each character had a unique voice and it wasn't difficult.  I was honestly sad when this was over because I needed to keep following their lives.  If the idea of a bank robbery doesn't interest you, please know, that's not really what this book is about. I would love to read a sequel!  

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

The Switch

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbors and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn't as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect - and distractingly handsome - school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbors, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

This is my second Beth O'Leary novel and while I enjoyed The Flatshare, The Switch was even better! The idea of a granddaughter/grandmother switch was so intriguing and the completely book delivered. Leena and Eileen were so endearing and it just felt so genuine.  This is a book that I think I will pick up again, which I NEVER do.  I strive to be Eileen!  I am looking forward to more books by Beth O'Leary, she does a great job at writing different types of relationships that feel true.  

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

   

 

The Warsaw Orphan

 

In the spring of 1942, young Elzbieta Rabinek is aware of the swiftly growing discord just beyond the courtyard of her comfortable Warsaw home. She has no fondness for the Germans who patrol her streets and impose their curfews, but has never given much thought to what goes on behind the walls that contain her Jewish neighbors. She knows all too well about German brutality--and that it's the reason she must conceal her true identity. But in befriending Sara, a nurse who shares her apartment floor, Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism.

Using Sara's credentials to smuggle children out of the ghetto brings Elzbieta face-to-face with the reality of the war behind its walls, and to the plight of the Gorka family, who must make the impossible decision to give up their newborn daughter or watch her starve. For Roman Gorka, this final injustice stirs him to rebellion with a zeal not even his newfound love for Elzbieta can suppress. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever.

I find it tough to review Kelly Rimmer novels because she is one of my top authors and it's hard for me not to compare.  Her books are all amazing.  I absolutely love them.  Things We Cannot Say and A Mother's Confession have been my favorites and this one is right up there. the story of Elzbieta and the Gorka family was beautiful and heartbreaking.  The level of research coupled with emotional connection she is able to write is hard to find. I will read whatever she writes.  She deserves more attention and all the accolades!      

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

Malibu Rising

 

Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

I was excited to read this book because I loved Daisy Jones and the Six.  The first part of this book was amazing.  Even though the family is flawed, I was endeared to each of them.  I was totally invested in their story.  Then the second part happened and it lost me.  I honestly felt like I was reading a totally different book.  The whole second part revolved around a party and introducing other characters that I really didn't care about unfortunately.  While I love Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing, I'm just not sure she's the author for me.      

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

One by One

Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them?

When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?

Ruth Ware is the queen of book settings!  This was the perfect book to pick up when a blizzard arrived in Ohio.  I really like a book that involves complex histories that unravel as the book goes on.  Up until about 60% this was a 5 star read, but the ending just dragged and was revealed way to early.  The pacing was just off so it ended up a 3.5 star read.  Ruth Ware will continue to be an author I seek out, One by One was just not my favorite. 

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

The Last Thing to Burn

 

On an isolated farm in the United Kingdom, a woman is trapped by the monster who kidnapped her seven years ago. When she discovers she is pregnant, she resolves to protect her child no matter the cost, and starts to meticulously plan her escape. But when another woman is brought into the fold on the farm, her plans go awry. Can she save herself, her child, and this innocent woman at the same time? Or is she doomed to spend the remainder of her life captive on this farm?

If your biggest nightmare is being locked in a room, avoid this book at all costs.  This book was so intense! I just kept turning pages because I couldn't rest without knowing more.  I loved the premise of this book and look forward to picking up more books by Will Dean in the near future.

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

The Good Sister

 

There's only been one time that Rose couldn't stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be...dangerous.

When Rose discovers that she cannot get pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple.

Fern's mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of what families keep hidden.

Sally Hepworth is an auto read author for me at this point.  Not only because she can write a great family drama, but her engagement on social media as an author is one of the best.  I absolutely loved The Mother-in-Law so I went into this book thinking I would fly through it.  I truly believe this book fell victim to too much hype.  I didn't love it like so many others did.  I wasn't a fan of Rose or Fern and the book just didn't match what I wanted.  I will make sure to pick up the next Sally Hepworth book as soon as possible so that the buzz doesn't affect my enjoyment.  

 

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

The Chicken Sisters

In tiny Merinac, Kansas, Chicken Mimi's and Chicken Frannie's have spent a century vying to serve up the best fried chicken in the state--and the legendary feud between their respective owners, the Moores and the Pogociellos, has lasted just as long. No one feels the impact more than thirty-five-year-old widow Amanda Moore, who grew up working for her mom at Mimi's before scandalously marrying Frank Pogociello and changing sides to work at Frannie's. Tired of being caught in the middle, Amanda sends an SOS to Food Wars, the reality TV restaurant competition that promises $100,000 to the winner. But in doing so, she launches both families out of the frying pan and directly into the fire. . .

The last thing Brooklyn-based organizational guru Mae Moore, Amanda's sister, wants is to go home to Kansas. But when her career implodes, Food Wars becomes her chance to step back into the limelight. Mae is certain she can make the fading Mimi's look good--even if that pits her against Amanda and Frannie's. With a greedy producer stoking the flames, their friendly rivalry quickly turns into a game of chicken. Yet when family secrets become public knowledge, the sisters must choose: Will they fight with each other, or for their heritage?

I absolutely loved the synopsis of this book and couldn't wait to read it.  The idea of a family feud involving chicken...what's not to love? Well, unfortunately I didn't love it.  The characters weren't likeable or relatable.  The main storyline just got lost in a bunch of side stories that never tied together.  I am sure that some loved this book, but I just could not connect with it like I had hoped. 

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

The Half Sister

 

Kate and Lauren meet for Sunday lunch every week without fail, especially after the loss of their father--but a knock at the door is about to change everything. A young woman by the name of Jess holds a note with the results of a DNA test, claiming to be their half sister. As the fallout starts, it's clear that they are all hiding secrets, and perhaps this family isn't as perfect as it appears.

I have to start by saying that I absolutely loved The Other Woman by Sandie Jones, but this book just didn't land for me.  I enjoyed the family dynamic, but the characters were flat.  Unfortunately, I just didn't care.  I will continue to read other books by this author, but this just wasn't the right fit.

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

The Holdout

 

It's the most sensational case of the decade. Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion-dollar real estate fortune, vanishes on her way home from school. Her teacher Bobby Nock is the prime suspect after illicit text messages are discovered between them--and Jessica's blood is found in his car. The subsequent trial taps straight into America's most pressing preoccupations: race, class, sex, law enforcement, and the lurid sins of the rich and famous. It's an open and shut case for the prosecution, and a quick conviction seems all but guaranteed. Until Maya Seale, a young woman on the jury, convinced of Nock's innocence, persuades the rest of the jurors to return the verdict of not guilty, a controversial decision that will change all of their lives forever.

Flash forward ten years. A true-crime docuseries reassembles the jurors, with particular focus on Maya, now a defense attorney herself. When one of the jurors is found dead in Maya's hotel room, all evidence points to her as the killer. Now, she must prove her own innocence--by getting to the bottom of a case that is far from closed.

I am a sucker for legal thrillers and this one was a perfect mix of smart and thrilling.  I have read a few books lately that the story line has involved the jury and this has been one of the very best.  This book tackled social issues and did an excellent job.  I loved the multiple perspectives and timelines in the story.  If you are a fan of legal thrillers, please add this to your TBR!  

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