Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A worthy addition to the boarding school canon, Good Girls Lie is a fast-paced and satisfying thriller. Ash is living under an assumed name when she arrives at the all-girls Good School after her parents die under mysterious circumstances. Ash is excited to get a fresh start, but her classmates soon suspect that Ash is hiding more than grief. Why are so many people around Ash dying?


Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
Click here to purchase Good Girls Lie from your local indie bookstore.

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The Other People by C.J. Tudor

The Other People by C.J. Tudor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gabe's wife and daughter were murdered in a home invasion, only Gabe is convinced his daughter has actually been kidnapped and is still out there, and spends his days driving up and down the service roads looking for the car he believes he saw her in.
This is fast-paced read, which is pushed along by multiple perspectives and cements C.J. Tudor as a go-to for thrillers that weave supernatural elements out of human suffering.


Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
Click here to purchase The Other People from your local indie bookstore.

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The God Game by Danny Tobey

The God Game by Danny Tobey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The God Game starts with a cool premise and totally delivers. A group of high school nerds receive an invitation to play a game with an AI chat bot that purports to be God. They're quickly sucked into this action-packed virtual reality game, where they get points in the game for doing things in real life. But are the friends playing on the same team, and is God in control, or are the other players? And who else is playing?
I was sucked in from the first page, and loved all the action and high school drama blended with philosophical and religious musings.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

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Follow Me To Ground by Sue Rainsford

Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainsford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was captivated by the beautiful writing in Follow Me To Ground, which offers a glimpse into the mind of a childlike woman who was birthed from the ground and heals the humans around her. We also get to hear what the townspeople think of this mysterious father-daughter duo that is unbothered by human concerns. I wish there was less attempt at a plot, because I didn't care for the whole Samson plot or the ending, which I don't think had quite the impact that the author intended.
I still really enjoyed it and the writing style.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

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Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Rewind, a creepy inn proprietor in a desolate seaside resort town has been recording his guests, while an Instagram star has begun to suspect her husband of cheating on her at that very inn. When she spontaneously drives there to collect evidence, she steps into the cross hairs of a killer, exposing secrets of the town's residents along the way.

This book moved along nicely, I loved the Irish seaside setting, and the ending was satisfying without being too out there.

Click here to purchase Rewind from your local indie bookstore.

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The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood


The Reckless Oath We Made has all the hallmarks of a Bryn Greenwood novel: messed up families, memorable characters, and glimpses of hope and humor in dark places. Through the story of independent but loyal Zee and chivalrous Gentry, Greenwood explores whether an oath is always worth keeping.

The Reckless Oath we made is out August 20th. Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

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Gods of Jade and Shadow

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia


I was immediately drawn to Gods of Jade and Shadow by the colorful and gorgeous cover. Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done a great job infusing Mayan mythology and Yucatan culture into the story of Casiopea, who is used and abused by her extended family after the death of her father, and crosses paths with a death god who needs the help of a mortal. Bound to his side through a dark journey, Casiopea starts to discover her worth, identity, and the very origins of her society, as well as her place within it.
This story had great potential, but the writing was bloated with clunky syntactical choices such as repeated adverbs and explanations of the actions of characters.

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Mother's Day Faves

I just remembered I was going to post about some favorites related to mothers for upcoming Mother's Day. Here are some books I've read in recent years that highlight the unique experience of being a mom or being loved by one:

Best Boy By Eli Gotlieb
The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain
Where The Missing Go by Emma Rowley

What other books about moms do you love?

The Curiosities by Susan Gloss

The Curiosities by Susan Gloss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the heartwarming, albeit somewhat corny, story of Nell, an art historian who has suffered a miscarriage and wonders if her life can ever be complete without a child.

I enjoyed the structure of this book, which follows Nell and the new artists at the colony, as well as the past of Betsy, the woman who bequeathed her home and art to the colony before she died. Each alternating chapter begins with a description of a piece of art, connecting Betsy's rich history to the artists presently living in the home, and opening Nell's eyes to new possibilities in life.

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A Raw Book of Poems

The Twenty-Ninth Year by Hala Alyan


This powerful book of poems reads almost as a memoir, dealing with growing up, straddling different cultures, and trying to come to terms with society as a whole. Alyan succeeds in weaving jarring snapshots of trauma with haunting, and often hopeful, poetry.

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