The Push by Ashley Audrain ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family–and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for–and everything she feared.

Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had.

But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter–she doesn’t behave like most children do.

Or is it all in Blythe’s head? Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.

Then their son Sam is born–and with him, Blythe has the blissful connection she’d always imagined with her child. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth.

The Push is a tour de force you will read in a sitting, an utterly immersive novel that will challenge everything you think you know about motherhood, about what we owe our children, and what it feels like when women are not believed.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author:

ASHLEY AUDRAIN previously worked as the publicity director of Penguin Books Canada. Prior to Penguin, she worked in public relations. She lives in Toronto, where she and her partner are raising their two young children. The Push is her first novel.

Review: 

When I picked up this novel I didn't realize that it was written by a debut author. Ashley Audrain pulls you right into this novel from the very first page. I had to literally force myself to put the book down and get some sleep as I had to work the next morning. I am sure I could have read the whole book in one sitting. The chapters are short and it weaves back and forth between different characters, I didn't find it hard to follow but I know some people don't like the alternate POV. This is a psychological suspense that will have you at the end of your seat wondering what will happen next. It is not one of those scary, murder mysteries. It is a story that follows three mothers and their mental health during motherhood. It will make you stop and think about things your own mother or yourself may have thought or down. This book brought me to tears and gave me goosebumps. I still think about it and know I will likely read this one again. I look forward to reading more by Audrain.  

I give this book a 5 stars!

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. *~

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Good Girls Lie by J.T Ellison ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

Goode girls don’t lie…

Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.

In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder. But when a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.

But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.

J.T. Ellison’s pulse-pounding new novel examines the tenuous bonds of friendship, the power of lies and the desperate lengths people will go to to protect their secrets.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author: 

J.T. Ellison began her career as a presidential appointee in the White House, where a nuclear physicist taught her how to obsess over travel itineraries and make a seriously good pot of Earl Grey, spawning both her love of loose leaf and a desire for control of her own destiny. Jaded by the political climate in D.C., she made her way back to her first love, creative writing. More than 20 novels later, she is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with thrillers published in 27 countries and 15 languages. She is also the EMMY-award winning cohost of A WORD ON WORDS, a literary interview TV show. She lives in Nashville with her husband and two small gray minions, known as cats in some cultures. She thinks they’re furry aliens.

Author's Website.

Review: 

Good Girls Lie was crazy amazing. I was hooked and enjoyed every minute of this story. So much so I was sad to get to the end and not follow the characters anymore. I am still thinking about them a few days after finishing it. Suspense, teenage/college girl drama. What is happening at the all-girls school? I was actually worried at the end, would it end how I think it will?!? Definitely a psychological thriller. The author did a great job with the character building and had me hanging on to every word. This story flowed perfectly.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 and can't wait to read more from J.T Ellison.    

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. *~

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The Wives by Tarryn Fisher ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

New York Times bestselling author Tarryn Fisher delivers a pulse-pounding, fast-paced suspense novel that will leave you breathless. A thriller you won’t be able to put down!

Thursday’s husband, Seth, has two other wives. She’s never met them, and she doesn’t know anything about them. She agreed to this unusual arrangement because she’s so crazy about him.

But one day, she finds something. Something that tells a very different—and horrifying—story about the man she married.

What follows is one of the most twisted, shocking thrillers you’ll ever read.

You’ll have to grab a copy to find out why.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author: 

I would like to write a novel that every, single person loves, but not even J.K. Rowling could do that. Instead, I try to write stories that pull on people's emotions. I believe that sadness is the most powerful emotion, and swirled with regret the two become a dominating force. I love villains. Three of my favorites are Mother Gothel, Gaston and the Evil Queen who all suffered from a pretty wicked case of vanity (like me). I like to make these personality types the center of my stories. I love rain, Coke, Starbucks and sarcasm. I hate bad adjectives and the word "smolder". If you read my book-I love you. If you hate my book-I still love you, but please don't be mean to me; I'm half badass, half cry baby.

Author's Website.

Review: 

This is the first time I have read one of Tarryn Fisher's novels. I was definitely not disappointed! This book left me needing time to sort everything out in my own head. If all of Fisher's novels are like this I need to read them ALL! This is not a romance at all. This is a psychological mind blowing thriller. Tarryn definitely takes reader's on a crazy roller coaster. These characters will have you roped in and wondering who has it right. It is so hard not to give anything away! To be honest I didn't see that end coming and I really should have. I am just too excited about this book. It was fantastic! I miss Thursday already, I want more. Just know if (and you really should) pick up this book you will love it! I didn't find any of it slow moving but I did see a few reviewers mention it. I was wishing I could have sat and devoured the whole book at once.

I give this a huge 5 out of 5 stars! 

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. *~

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Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

THEN
She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author: 

Lisa was born in London in 1968. Her mother was a secretary and her father was a textile agent and she was brought up in the northernmost reaches of London with her two younger sisters. She was educated at a Catholic girls’ Grammar school in Finchley. After leaving school at sixteen she spent two years at Barnet College doing an arts foundation course and then two years at Epsom School of Art & Design studying Fashion Illustration and Communication.

She worked for the fashion chain Warehouse for three years as a PR assistant and then for Thomas Pink, the Jermyn Street shirt company for four years as a receptionist and PA. She started her first novel, Ralph’s Party, for a bet in 1996. She finished it in 1997 and it was published by Penguin books in May 1998. It went on to become the best-selling debut novel of that year.

She has since written a further nine novels, as is currently at work on her eleventh.

She now lives in an innermost part of north London with her husband Jascha, an IT consultant, her daughters, Amelie and Evie and her silver tabbies, Jack and Milly.

Author's Website.

Review: 

I have found myself reading everything Lisa Jewell since reading I Found You. I love Jewell's writing style and her stories always have a nice twist. You can sometimes predict the direction the story is heading in and then right in front of your eyes Jewell will surprise you when you least expect it. There are lots of "missing person" mysteries out there but Jewell just takes us on a path less traveled. I wouldn't say this is my favourite novel but I was hooked from the first chapter and read it pretty quickly. I will continue to read anything by Lisa Jewell as she is one of my favourite authors.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. *~

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A Little Bit Psycho by J.L Strange ~ Book Review

Book Description:

Katherine is terminally ill.

Her husband Adam is an innovative surgeon with the technology to save her.

When Katherine wakes in an unfamiliar hospital room, she discovers her brain has been transplanted into the body of a man and Adam is nowhere to be found. This is where her nightmare begins.

She must find Adam at all costs, even if that means pretending to be someone she’s not.

But something is wrong inside her. Very wrong…

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author:

J.L. Strange writes unsettling psychological horror with a sci-fi twist. She was born and raised on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and studied animation at Rhode Island School of Design. Telling stories became an obsession, although she still creates art whenever the mood strikes. A single mother with a newly empty nest and lover of all things outdoors, she’s currently pursuing life’s next adventure.

Author's Official Website  

Review: 

Yikes! This book is raw, crazy and a little bit psycho. I think the author had a great story that I haven't read before and I really enjoyed it. It is nice to read a different storyline. I thought right away when I read the synopsis "Wow, could you imagine having your brain transplanted in someone else's body?" and couldn't wait to read it. What was a surreal thought to do a brain transplant from someone with a healthy brain but a dying body into someone with an unhealthy brain and a good body. Right away I was wondering how that would go with our memories, likes, dislikes, etc. 

This book was written going back and forth from past to present. Written so well that I, as a reader, didn't get lost or frustrated and just wanted to keep on reading so I could find out how it took place and what was going to happen. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I really enjoyed this medical psychological thriller. I look forward to what this author will come up with next. 

I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*~

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Hide and Seek (Criminal Profiler #1) by Mary Burton ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

She’s hunting. He’s watching.

Special Agent Macy Crow is a survivor. After a vicious hit-and-run nearly kills her, she gets right back to work, and now she’s gunning for a spot on the FBI’s elite profiling team. As an audition, she offers to investigate the recently discovered bones of Tobi Turner, a high school girl who disappeared fifteen years ago.

While investigating with local sheriff Mike Nevada, a former colleague and onetime lover, Macy discovers a link between Tobi’s case and several others that occurred around the same time as her disappearance. As Macy interviews victims and examines old cases, she uncovers a sinister picture of a stalker who graduated to sexual assault—and then murder.

Macy and Nevada race to put this monster behind bars before he can come out of hiding. But the murderer’s had years to hone his skills, and soon Macy herself becomes a target. She’s no stranger to pain and terror, but will Macy’s first profiling case be her last?

Purchase a copy on Amazon or Thomas Allen & Son. 

About the Author: 

Mary Burton, whose latest novel is Hide and Seek, loves writing suspense, getting to know her characters, keeping up with law enforcement and forensic procedure, morning walks, baking, and tiny dachshunds. She also enjoys hunting down serial killers, which she does in her New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels. Library Journal has compared her work to that of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner, and Fresh Fiction likened her writing to that of James Patterson.

Mary is routinely featured among the top ten writers in Amazon’s Author Rankings for romantic suspense. Upon publication, her novels, including 2018’s Cut and Run and Her Last Word, consistently rank high on the Kindle eBooks Store Bestseller List.

Additionally, Cut and Run has been nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award for Romantic Suspense. Previous recipients in this category include Nora Roberts, J.D. Robb, Tess Gerritsen, Karen Rose and Mary Jo Putney. The award will be announced at the RITA Award Ceremony July 26th in New York City during the organization’s annual conference.

A Richmond native, Mary has lived there for most of her life. Her first book was published in 2000. Her first book was published in 2000. Today she’s the author of thirty-two published novels and five novellas as Mary Burton and five works of contemporary fiction written as Mary Ellen Taylor, including 2018’s Winter Cottage. She is co-editor with novelist Mary Miley of Deadly Southern Charm, A Lethal Ladies Mystery Anthology.

A member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., and Romance Writers of America, Mary is known for creating multiple suspense stories connected by characters and/or place.

Follow: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook |

Review:

This is the first Mary Burton novel I have read and was pretty excited to start reading this newer series. Book #2 was just released this month so I thought I better start at the beginning, only to find out that really this isn't Agent Macy Crow's beginning. After a bit of digging I found out that Crow was introduced in Cut and Run. Do you need to read that one before reading Hide and Seek? No, I don't believe so. Burton gives us a brief background into what happened to Crow but only enough to get us interested in her back story. I was wondering if there was a story on her now I will have to go back further. Anyways Hide and Seek is set five month after a terrible accident that leaves Crow with pain and a limp. Crow is on a case to prove she is still capable of being the great Agent she once was, sent off to solve a cold missing persons case in a small town she spots links between this case and several rape/stalking cases. 
Teaming up with the local Sheriff and once lover Macy is hot on the stalkers trail. Could it be one of the Dream Team football boys from 15 years ago?  

Mary Burton ropes readers in right from page one on this thrilling ride to solve a case dating back 15 years. Intertwining characters from this small country town and leading Macy on a chase. Will Agent Macy Crow and Sheriff Nevada catch the killer before he kills another women? Throw in a little romance between the two law enforcement and its a ride you wont want to miss. I can't wait to read book #2 in the criminal profiler series! 

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.    

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*~

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The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson ~ Book Review

Book Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller comes a gripping literary suspense novel set in the 1960s about a deeply troubled family and three women who will reveal its dark truths.

In the autumn of 1960, Angie Glass is living an idyllic life in her Wisconsin hometown. At twenty-one, she’s married to charming, handsome Paul, and has just given birth to a baby boy. But one phone call changes her life forever.

When Paul’s niece, Ruby, reports that her father, Henry, has committed suicide, and that her mother, Silja, is missing, Angie and Paul drop everything and fly to the small upstate town of Stonekill, New York to be by Ruby’s side.

Angie thinks they’re coming to the rescue of Paul’s grief-stricken young niece, but Ruby is a composed and enigmatic seventeen-year-old who resists Angie’s attempts to nurture her. As Angie learns more about the complicated Glass family, staying in Henry and Silja’s eerie and ultra-modern house on the edge of the woods, she begins to question the very fabric of her own marriage.

Through Silja’s flashbacks, Angie’s discovery of astonishing truths, and Ruby’s strategic dissection of her parents’ state of affairs, a story of love, secrets, and ultimate betrayal is revealed.

Purchase a copy on Amazon.

About the Author:

Cynthia Swanson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Bookseller, which is soon to be a motion picture starring Julia Roberts. An Indie Next selection and the winner of the 2016 WILLA Award for Historical Fiction, The Bookseller is being translated into over a dozen languages. Cynthia's second novel, The Glass Forest, released from Touchstone / Simon & Schuster in February 2018. She lives with her family in Denver, Colorado.

Connect: Website | Goodreads | Twitter |

Review:

This is a great novel. I don't usually read stories set back in time or history, I am trying to read more. This one put me through one heck of a roller coaster with my emotions. There really should be a trigger warning with this one. If you have been in a relationship with a narcissist, emotional abuser, controller you may have a tough time reading it. That being said I would sometimes find myself in tears and other times the hatred would be about to boil over. I just kept on reading as I needed to know what was going to happen to Silja and Ruby. The story did have a slow start but once you get into it you will feel like you are right there with the characters. It isn't an action packed novel but a literary fiction. 

I absolutely loved how the author would flip back and forth from characters (Silja, Ruby and Angie) also going back in time to have the reader learn about Silja and Henry's relationship. Suspense dripped from the pages as I read on. Would Henry give Silja what see wanted? What really happened to Henry and where did Silja go? Did Ruby have anything to do with this? You will need to read this novel if you love physiological thrillers. It was a great literary fiction that I would totally read again. I can't wait to read more from Cynthia Swanson. The novel was beautifully pieced together.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.     

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.*~

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The Second Wife by Kishan Paul ~ Book Review

Book Description:

If you want to live, you must let go of the past...

Twenty-eight-year-old Psychologist, Alisha Dimarchi, is abducted by an obsessed client and imprisoned in his Pakistani compound for over two years. Forced to change her name and live as his second wife, her life is filled with trauma and heartbreak. Thrust into a world of violence and oppression, Ally must fight not only to keep herself alive but to protect the lives of the people she now considers family. At night, she retreats into her memories of the only man she has ever loved – a man she believes no longer loves her.

Thirty-four-year-old handsome surgeon, David Dimarchi, has spent the last two years mourning the disappearance of his wife. After a painful and isolated existence, he begins the process of healing. It is then that he is visited by a stranger, who informs him that Ally is very much alive and needs his help. In a desperate attempt to save her, David enlists the help of a mercenary. Together they find themselves in the center of more than just a rescue mission. Will he be able to reach her in time and if he does, will she still want him?

Purchase a copy on Amazon.

About the Author:

From daring escapes by tough women to chivalrous men swooping in to save the day, the creativity switch to Kishan Paul’s brain is always in the ‘on’ position. If daydreaming stories were a college course, Kish would graduate with honors.

Mother of two beautiful children, she has been married to her best friend for over 16 years. With the help of supportive family and friends, she balances her family, a thriving counseling practice, and writing without sinking into insanity.

Contemporary romance - Blind Love, Romantic suspense - The Second Wife, Contemporary romance novelette - Taking the Plunge

Connect: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter |

Review:


This is a quick read as I feel the author jumps right into the story and hooks the reader. With it being such a hard story line it can be hard to read sometimes without giving into feels of anger, pain and waiting to help the main character get away and get back home to her real husband. This is a story of love, courage, inner strength to do what it takes to survive to get home. I found myself sitting at the end of my chair, praying that Ally can get through one more day, one more nasty encounter to get out and get home. 
The author switches back and forth between Ally & Derek's perspective and we also go back and forth in time. I found it flowed easy and I never wondered where the story was. 

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars and hope to read more from this author. 

~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.*~

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The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

You never know who’s watching…

Corinne’s life might look perfect on the outside, but after three failed IVF attempts it’s her last chance to have a baby. And when she finds a tiny part of a doll house outside her flat, it feels as if it’s a sign.

But as more pieces begin to turn up, Corinne realises that they are far too familiar. Someone knows about the miniature rocking horse and the little doll with its red velvet dress. Someone has been inside her house…

How does the stranger know so much about her life? How long have they been watching? And what are they waiting for…?

Purchase a copy on Kobo UK. 

About the Author: 

Phoebe Morgan is an author and editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings. She lives in London. The Doll House is her debut novel. It became a bestseller, topping the iBooks charts at #1 and the Amazon charts at #35.

Connect: Twitter | Goodreads |

Review: 

Looking for a suspenseful thriller to keep you on your toes? This one was about a doll house that the main characters father made them when they were little. Corinne's mom doesn't know what happened to it and everywhere Corinne turns a piece from the house keeps turning up out of no where. Corinne is stressed with trying to become pregnant and when she finds these miniature doll house toys she thinks someone is in the apartment. Her boyfriend seems to think it is just the stress of trying to get pregnant until stuff really starts to get strange. I found the story was a little slow moving until we get to the end and it really picks up. The author breaks the story up by changing characters each chapter. Also throughout the story we read about a character and her mother back then. We don't know who they are or why they are even in the book until everything comes together at the end. The story unfolds quickly and then everything makes sense.

I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed it but I don't think I would read it again.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

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Bled by Eddie Slain ~ Book Review

Book Description:

Cassie is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, where the only rules are kill, or be killed…

Charleston, Illinois -
Cassie and Frank’s animalistic rutting climaxes with rage, pain, and disappointment, when he disappears, trailing burnt and bloody remains in his wake.

Rome, Italy -
A gorgeous stranger sweeps Cassie off her feet, lighting her soul with every touch, his deep, brown eyes harbouring a dark secret.

Perugia, Italy -
Cassie’s lover disappears, leaving a blood-soaked message, and the image of a familiar ghost on her phone.

…exhausted, frozen, alone, Cassie must now hunt down the killer before it's too late.

Purchase a copy on Amazon

About the Author:

Eddie Slain has been dreaming in bright red and hot pink for most of his life, fighting the urge to write what he sees whenever he closes his eyes.

Now everyone can indulge in Eddie's dark side.

Dip inside, enjoy the rush.

Connect: Smashwords | Twitter | Goodreads |

Review:

I enjoy reading horror, psychological and erotica books but usually they are not all rolled into one like Bled. This book is raw, raw, raw. It gets its teeth into you from the first couple pages and hooks you along until you come to the end. This book is not my typical read but I was very interested in seeing how the novel would unfold. I knew from the beginning that it isn't your average horror or erotica novel, it does contain explicit sexual scenes. That in mind I jump in with both feet and an open mind.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Why? Because I found it hooked my attention right away, kept me picking back up the book until I was finished. I love the writing style of Slain and was fascinated with the story he was able to tell. Never would I have thought Geocaching would be so dangerous.

Cassie is  a tough girl, she won't take any crap from anyone especially not her boyfriend, who really needs emotional help and some anger management. She even has some great kicka#$ moves that will get her out of trouble. This book does have abuse emotionally and physically, so there were times that I couldn't wait to get through a certain part. All in all I think Slain did a great job on his debut novel and I can't wait to read more by him.


~*Disclaimer: I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*~

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Paper Dolls by Hanna Peach ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

My life comes down to this. Two faces. One choice.

Salem is my twin sister. She loved me. She protected me. She forgave me, even after I failed her. I just got her back after searching for three long, lonely years.

Then there’s Clay. Sweet yet intense and nursing a dark past of his own, he’s all the redemption I don’t deserve. He wants to open me up and know the insides of my soul. I want to let him, but I’m scared he’ll run from what he finds.

But I can’t have them both.

My name is Aria. I'm 18. And today, I must choose. One of the two people I love has to die.

New Adult Romantic Suspense.
This is a standalone novel with no cliffhanger.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author: 

Hanna is the bestselling author of the Bound romantic suspense series and the Dark Angel fantasy series. Although she writes in more than one genre she can’t write a book without weaving together a complicated plot and filling it with twists. She writes what she believes: good people can do bad things, ordinary people can do great things, and choose love above everything.

Eternally restless, Hanna has lived in Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Scotland, England, Croatia and Ireland – everything she owns fits into one suitcase. She’s planning her next move with her gorgeous (and understanding) partner right now. If not writing, she can be found wandering a dusty market in Marrakesh or trekking a mountain in Peru, often using her travels as settings in her novels. 

Connect: Website | Goodreads | Twitter |  

Review:  
 
Another fabulous novel from author Hanna Peach. Paper Dolls is an amazing new adult suspense with a whole lot of twists and turns that are hard to see coming. Aria is on the hunt for her sister, Salem, who she hasn't seen in three years. They share a haunting past that we only get bits and pieces of throughout the book.  It is a dark, gut wrenching tale of sexual violence. Peach has woven this story so many different ways that you will be on the edge of your seat wondering what actually happened in the past, who are these beautiful sisters and will Salem and Aria reconnect after the heartache. I don't want to give away anything but the author writes quite a shocker of an ending, keeping me wanting more from this series already. 

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars for a well-written, steady paced, psychological suspense novel that will leave you really thinking about life and what people have been through and the strength it takes to overcome it.

 
~*Disclaimer: I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*~

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The Rubber Fence by Diana Stevan ~ Book Review

Book Description: 

It's 1972. Women are breaking out, families are breaking down, and men are trying to hold on for the ride.

Dr. Joanna Bereza is a psychiatric intern, who wants to have it all: a career, a loving marriage, and a family, but her passion to do what's right sets her against a system that's as stuck as the people it treats.

Joanna becomes obsessed with the treatment of two women―a mute young mother suspected of trying to kill her baby and a feisty old woman who's been through the mill one too many times. Blinded by her obsession, Joanna not only neglects her own husband, but in trying to stop her patients from getting shock treatment, she also puts her career in jeopardy. Further complicating matters is the seductive senior resident who looks more like a hip rock star than an aspiring shrink.

Shadowing Joanna's work is her own unresolved grief over something that happened when she was a child.

The Rubber Fence was inspired by the author's experience as a family therapist on a psychiatric ward.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author:  

Diana Stevan is from Winnipeg, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Home Economics and a Master of Social Work with honours.

Having worked as a professional actress, model, family therapist and CBC television sports broadcaster, she uses her experience to weave her stories.

Her time-slip novel, a romantic mystery/adventure, A CRY FROM THE DEEP, was published on October 15, 2014.

On March 15, 2015, she published her novelette, THE BLUE NIGHTGOWN, a story about family life in the 1950s and coming of age.

Her second novel, THE RUBBER FENCE, inspired by her work on a psychiatric ward in 1972, is now out as both a paperback and e-book. 

Connect: Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | 

Review:

I really enjoy reading medical fiction, either mental or physical health. I believe this is likely because I work in the health care field and also since I am very fascinated by how our bodies and brain works. I have heard stories from institutions from the 1950-70's and realize they had some different approaches then what is more modern day. They still use electric shock treatment in some treatment centres, I am sure it is different from when they first introduced it.

Joanna is a young intern with new ideas, more hands on, less medication type approach. The Dr's where she is interning are more about pharmaceuticals and ECT. Following Joanna's troubles at home and finding her place in her career this made for an interesting novel set in the 1970's. I found the story is written in a steady pace, it starts out a little slow but then gets going. I found it hard to put down, from one thing to the next poor Joanna has her struggles. This is a novel of life lessons and struggles, relationship problems and learning to communicate with one another. It is set in the '70's when women were still newer to the work force especially as Dr's. The author did a fantastic job bringing the reader into the story and emotional journey. I look forward to reading more by Diana Stevan.

I give this book a 4.5 stars out of 5, a great literary fiction.


~*Disclaimer: I received the above book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Drama Dolls by Jason Tanamor, Narrator Tom Kruse ~ Audiobook Review

Book Description:

From the author of the critically acclaimed cult novel, ANONYMOUS, comes a dark, psychological, suspenseful thriller about love and loss.

Meet Jeffrey.

Jeffrey is turning forty. He has a good job, a loving wife, and a beautiful house. When the love of his life passes suddenly, his seemingly normal world turns upside down.

The sudden death, along with his midlife crisis, causes Jeffrey to grieve the five stages in unnatural ways. He trades in his Toyota Corolla for a Corvette, smokes pot with the neighbor kid, and dresses up in cheerleader outfits with his pals William and Lena in order to feel young and beautiful.

William and Lena agree to do whatever it takes to help Jeffrey during his grief, even when it means committing minor crimes such as burglary.

All is kosher until William notices a downward change in Jeffrey. Distraught by memories of his wife, and despite William's and Lena's best efforts, Jeffrey begins to slowly derail into a dark place that only he could get out of. An internal battle with his emotions and himself, Jeffrey takes matters into his own hands to pull through.

DRAMA DOLLS is an intimate, dark, psychological, suspenseful thriller about loss and obsession, survival and grief, and the desiring need to take control of your own life.

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

About the Author: 

Jason Tanamor is the Editor and Founder of Zoiks! Online. Zoiks! Online offers the best in stand-up comedy and music.

He has 10 plus years of experience as an entertainment writer/interviewer for Yahoo!, the Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus, Cinema Blend, Celebrity Cafe, Strip Las Vegas Magazine, Pulse Magazine and Zoiks! Online.

Tanamor has interviewed the likes of author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club); comedians Demetri Martin, Jim Breuer (SNL, Half Baked), Aisha Tyler (Talk Soup, The Ghost Whisperer), Hal Sparks and Gabriel Iglesias; musicians Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Ann Wilson (Heart), Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless and Gossip Girl), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Henry Rollins (Black Flag); and actor Oscar Nunez (The Office).

He has covered everyone from Steve Martin to Jerry Seinfeld and from Evanescence to President Obama, and was THIS close to interviewing TV legend Betty White until someone who rhymes with smublicist put the kibosh down.

He also is the author of the novels The Extraordinary Life of Shady Gray, Hello Lesbian! and Anonymous.

Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | 

Review:  

This is an odd, very bizarre novel, I mean it in a good way of course. At first I wasn't sure about it, I was thrown off with who was who and the fact that two of the drama dolls are men dressed up as cheerleaders made it confusing for names. Once I figured out who was who I started to get into the story. This is a story of Jeff, who recently lost his wife. Jeff is grieving but in a different way then most. He meets Lena in a counseling group, she lost her husband. Jeff has meet William who likes to dress up as a girl. Jeff starts dressing up as a cheerleader with William and then the three of them form a group they call the Drama Dolls. They do break ins together and steal small valuables, jewelry etc. Jeff is on a downward spiral after his wife's death, she is always referred to as Her until the end of the story. We are kept in the dark until the end on what happened to Her. Jeff steals, drinks, does pot, gets a corvette, and the biggest dresses as a female in cheerleader clothes. The character Emily totally threw me off until we learn more about her closer to the last half of the story. Each character is well developed and we see how each of them have been through traumatic events in their lives that have placed them all together.

If you like a psychological fiction that is a bit on the bizarre then you will enjoy this book. Give it a try you won't know until you do.

I listened to the audiobook book of this story. The narrator in my opinion is a bit monotone and I found he was hard to listen to at the beginning. I really had to give him time to grow on me. I found it felt like he was reading it out. I like narrators that sound like they are acting more than reading. I am not totally sure I would listen to another book by this narrator unless the book synopsis really grabbed me.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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