ARC – Page 4 – Mithah Reads

#NotReadyToDie ARC Review

January 23, 2020January 22, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: #NotReadyToDie
Author: Cate Carlyle
Publisher: Common Deer Press
Publish Date: October 7, 2019
Pages: 200
Book Form: E-ARC
Genre: YA, Fiction, Contemporary
Dates Read: Nov 27 – Nov 29, 2019
Rating: ★★★

Thank you to Netgalley and Common Deer Press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

| Amazon | Goodreads |

Ginny’s life suddenly comes to a screeching halt one fateful Monday when a shooter shows up at Southwestern High School during first period. In lockdown with both the homeroom sub and her secret crush Owen badly wounded, Ginny finds herself teamed up with Kayla, one of the “barbies.” Together, they must try to keep their classmates alive amid terror and pain. As the chaos continues, Ginny is plagued with questions. Has she judged Kayla too harshly? Will she ever have the chance to ask Own to prom? Will the fight she had with her mom before school been their last interaction ever? With the uncertainty of everyone making it out alive growing with every minute, there’s only one thing Ginny knows for sure: no one is making it out unchanged.
– Goodreads

I don’t know why I love such tragic books. I love true crime. I love disaster books. So when I saw this book on Netgalley, I wanted to read it. It goes through the harrowing hours while a high school in Canada is on lock down due to a school shooting.

It was interesting that this was set in Canada. They have much different laws than we do – which are shown in the book. I know their gun control is much stricter.

The novel is told through the eyes of Ginny. She’s a typical teen girl. She had a blow out fight with her mom before school. Honestly though, what teen girl doesn’t? It normally wouldn’t matter, the fight would be forgotten about by dinner. Only today, it does matter. What if Ginny never gets to see her mom again?

Throughout the story, you are told of teens texting their parents and loved ones. Last ditch efforts to say they love them. You are told of the killer at the door. Will he get in? Teachers are trying everything they can think to save the kids. It’s honestly a haunting novel. My son is 2.5 years old. I can’t imagine him going through this. It’s getting all too common in America. During the story, you are shown parts of Ginny’s past. It was a nice reprieve from the horror that was occurring.

#NotReadyToDie was a quick read. At 200 pages, I could have read it in an afternoon if someone wasn’t so distracting -cough-child-cough-. The novel moved at a nice pace, it never seemed rushed. You got to know all the kids in the class with Ginny – including her crush and a girl she thinks hates her. They both have surprising ends. However, I did have a problem with some of the dialogue. The actions of the teens totally fit, but I felt their conversations were somewhat juvenile.

I do wish the ending gave me a little more. You didn’t find out who the killer was or the motives. As a true crime buff I just HAD to know! I think that was my biggest gripe about the book.

If you are like me and are a fan of true crime/tragedy books, I think #NotReadyToDie is definitely worth picking up!

Have you read #NotReadyToDie? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, Five Star Book, ya

Don’t Read the Comments ARC Review!

January 13, 2020March 22, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: Don’t Read the Comments
Author: Eric Smith
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publish Date: January 28, 2020
Book Form: E-ARC
Pages: 368
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Dates Read: Jan 10 – Jan 12
Rating: ★★★★★

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

Divya Sharma is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world, she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling single mom pay the rent.
Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V.
At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds…and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line…
And she isn’t going down without a fight.
– Goodreads

Omg yall. This book. It’s my first 5 star read of the year and so deserving of every single star it gets. Don’t Read the Comments is a great look at the sexist nature of the video gaming community. That just because you are a female, you automatically aren’t as good as a male. Like, honestly. What do genitals have to do with gaming skill? NOTHING.

I’ve been gaming since I was 15. I started with Halo online, then went to World of Warcraft. I’ve tried various other MMO’s, FPS’s, everything. And no matter how good I am, if I speak, I’m either just trying to find a boyfriend or I’m a boy who hasn’t hit puberty yet. It’s so annoying, so I felt what D1V did. I knew how it was – people saying nasty things about you because they think you don’t belong. It was so nice to have that rep. To have a strong, GOOD female gamer, who didn’t let them see her break. She was so brave and so strong. Even when she got doxxed. If you don’t know about doxxing, check this out. It happened to a lot of females in the gaming/geek world and it it SO.SCARY.

Okay, now you see why the books means so much to me. I imagine it will mean a lot to the female gaming community who are also readers. Let’s get into this book review, shall we?

I first featured this book on my First Impressions Friday post. I read the first chapter and was immediately hooked. I was so interested in Divya, or D1V as she is known online. I immediately felt a kinship with her and her best friend, Rebekah. They were part of the streaming community, which is something I so desperately wanted to do back in the day.

In the next chapter you meet Aaron, a casual gamer who also plays Reclaim the Sun. The descriptions of the game make it sound like No Man’s Sky. Which I immediately had to play. I’ve logged three hours since finishing the book. Anyway…

A doxxing group attacks D1V and her armada of followers. She has to start over in game. She happens to meet Aaron when grinding to level back up. They end up playing together a lot, growing a friendship, then something more.

The romance was definitely in the background of this book. The main focus was D1V and Rebekah and how they have been attacked over and over. Both physically, verbally, and mentally. I think a lot of people don’t understand what it’s like to be in their position until they’ve been there. No, I’ve never been physically attacked, but I have been verbally and mentally.

There were so many great references in this book. All kinds of games, gamer news sites, and pop culture. I think I highlighted about 10 of them! It was so fun to read! The dual POV was so fun, too. I loved getting both sides of the friendship and romance.

I feel like I just rambled at the beginning of this, but this book is so important to me. I was so fortunate to get an ARC. I would recommend this to anyone in the gaming community or who loves geeky things!

There’s also an amazing pre-order incentive going on! Check it out here!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, mystery, three star book, ya

The Center of the Universe ARC Review

January 11, 2020January 10, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: The Center of the Universe
Author: Ria Voros
Publisher: KCP Loft
Publish Date: April 2, 2019
Book Form: E-ARC
Pages: 506
Genre: YA, Mystery, Contemporary
Dates Read: Jan 6 – Jan 10
Rating: ★★★.5

Thank you to Netgalley and KCP Loft for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

Grace Carter’s mother — the celebrity news anchor GG Carter — is everything Grace is not. GG is a star, with a flawless wardrobe and a following of thousands, while Grace — an aspiring astrophysicist — is into stars of another kind. She and her mother have always been in different orbits. Then one day GG is just … gone. Cameras descend on their house, news shows speculate about what might have happened and Grace’s family struggles to find a new rhythm as they wait for answers. While the authorities unravel the mystery behind GG’s disappearance, Grace grows closer to her high school’s golden boy, Mylo, who has faced a black hole of his own. She also uncovers some secrets from her mother’s long-lost past. The more Grace learns, the more she wonders. Did she ever really know her mother? Was GG abducted … or did she leave? And if she left, why?
– Goodreads

I don’t know what it is with me and 500+ page books this month. First Grey, now this! After this I will read some shorter books for sure.

I’ll admit, I stalk reviews for books before I read them. I like to know what I’m getting into. I used to be scared that they influenced me into liking or not liking something I normally would. I read so many 5 star reviews for this book, but it just fell flat for me.

Gracie, the main character, was somewhat flat to me. A lot of people said she was relateable because she was normal. Sure, she was normal, but there wasn’t anything special about her. And I’m not talking about powers, or being super pretty, or anything like that. Just, nothing sticks out to me about her. I thought her best friend, Iris, and her boyfriend, Mylo, were way more interesting. I think Mylo should have his own book, but I won’t tell you why because ~spoilers~.

The Center of the Universe takes place in Canada and is written by a Canadian author, which I think is awesome! This past year I have become really good friends with some Canadians in Words & Whimsy. It was nice to read a story set in their lands! I think this is the first book set in Canada I’ve ever read.

So a little about this book. It’s 506 pages. It has 100 chapters. It’s a little intimidating. I mean, the chapters are short, which is great since I like to stop reading at the end of a chapter. However, some chapters were only half a page or so long, and I couldn’t really find a reason for them being there. There were also 7 space analogies in chapter 1. Yes, I counted. Yes, I thought it was a little much. Like, I understand this is a space book. I promise. That did get better throughout the book. There were less, but I still didn’t really understand them since I don’t know much about space.

However, there were some great things about this book! It did not read like a normal 500-pager. It was a quick read. I loved the mystery of why her mom was abducted. Or did she go voluntarily? Some of the descriptions were so.beautiful. Like this one –

“Mylo talked into my ear, his voice rolling and pitching like a sea made of sound…”

It’s so beautiful and romantic! Also, this book features a real astrophysicist, Dr. Elizabeth Tasker. There is even a Q&A with her in the back of the book! I love that it brought in a real astrophysicist.

So, this book got 3.5 stars from me. I felt there were a few too many space references when other things could be used. However, it was a quick read with a great mystery! I’d recommend it to anyone who likes ya mysteries and especially anyone who loves space!

Until next time…

ARC, contemporary, ya

First Impression Friday!

January 10, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Hello everyone! I am so bummed I didn’t get to post yesterday. Wednesday morning my internet went down and they weren’t able to fix it until today! And we have no cable so there was NOTHING to do around my house. Well, for my husband and child. I got to finish The Center of the Universe by Ria Voros, so that review will be up tomorrow!

Today I’m doing a new post! I first saw this idea on Kristin Kraves Books, who got it from JW Martin! Here’s what Kristin said about the post:

“First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther.

Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.“

Just so happens, I started Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith today! So here’s my first impression and prediction!

Divya Sharma is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world, she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling single mom pay the rent.

Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V.

At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds…and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line…

And she isn’t going down without a fight.

Okay, so first, this is an ARC. I requested it because I have been a gamer for 15 years. Damn. I have mainly played online RPGs, so this is like me in a book. Also, what gamer hasn’t dreamed of being a top streamer? I know I have! I even streamed some WoW and Hearthstone WAY back in the day.

So I’ve just gotten finished reading chapter 1. This is a dual POV book, told from Divya and Aaron’s voices. Chapter 1 was Divya. I had so many highlights – 5! Which may not sound like much, but I don’t highlight a ton.

Divya talks about her best friend, Rebekah, and how she is big into bookstagram. So there’s a point for this book. She also names all her ships after books she has loved. Her current ship is Heart of Iron. This is by Ashley Poston, who was one of our Words & Whimsy chat authors last year! Exciting to see her get this shoutout!

Now, back to Divya. She is a gamer, who has a stream with over 100,000 viewers. And she’s female. So that’s like, the dream. Super awesome to see that rep because a majority of streamers are guys.

There were two quotes that stuck out to me. I’ll show them here, but keep in mind this is an ARC copy, and these quotes may change by the time of publication on Jan 28, 2020.

“Because that’s my life. Plenty of social notifications, but zero texts or missed calls.”
Okay, I have felt this. felt like all my friends were online but no one wanted to hang out irl. I feel you D1V!

“Hey, anonymous bro, I’m not here to be sexualized by strangers on the internet. It’s creepy ad disgusting. Can’t I just have fun without being objectified?”
Okay, I started playing WoW at the tender age of 15. I didn’t have any online gaming experience until then, and it was another world. Kind of literally. Anyway, my guild was sharing pictures left and right, and talking on ventrillo. My pictures along with my southern accent sent some guys crazy. So I also know how this feels.

So my predictions. I think this will be my first five star read of the year! I haven’t read Aaron’s pov yet, but the reviews about both pov’s are great. I’m already loving all the girl gamer rep and feel a kinship toward Divya. She’s going through alot – I’ll talk more about that in the actual review. I am so excited to get this book read. I predict I’ll finish it tomorrow!

Have you read this book yet? Did my first impression make you put it on your TBR? Let me know!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, contemporary, Four Star Book, mystery, Romance, three star book, ya

WWW Wednesday!

January 8, 2020January 8, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

What did I just finish reading?

Grey by EL James

My review is posted here. Safe to say the first book of 2020 was long and disappointing.

I’m a Therapist and my Patient is Going to be the Next School Shooter by Dr. Harper

The title is a mouthful but a much better book. I thought this was a true story – it isn’t – but it was so entertaining.

What am I currently reading?

The Center of the Universe by Ria Voros

This started off iffy, but once the mystery picked up I haven’t been able to put it down.

Call Me God by Jim Clemente

Trying out nonfic audios again this year and I’m really enjoying this one! It’s the story of the DC Sniper. I am loving all the FIB Profilers in this!

What am I reading next?

Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith

This is an ARC I received that is releasing on Jan 28! I love that it features an online game and streamers!

What is your WWW Wednesday? Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts? Let’s get to know each other in the comments!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, contemporary, Erotica, fantasy, Memoir, middle grade, Sci-Fi, thriller, ya

January 2020 TBR

January 4, 2020 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Hey guys! Here’s my TBR for January! I have two books off my TBR list, a libby book, some arcs and other ebooks to read!

I said I was going to try to read 15 books a month, so here is what I plan on reading! 11 are for Book Battle criteria, and four will count as freebies – if I read them before the 26th! That’s when Battle ends.

Book Battle Reads

Freebies

So far, I am only 43% into Grey. It’s one of my TBR books and my libby hold came in, so I wasn’t thinking it would be my first book of the year. So far I’m not loving it. Grey makes me aggravated with this thoughts. But I feel like I’m too far in to DNF. So a more thorough review to come when I finally finish it.

I have a blog tour coming up for Cub on Jan 6. Be sure to come back and check it out!

Halfway to the Grave was recommended to me by my friend and fellow Book Battle and Words & Whimsy modmin, Jordan. I’m excited to read it! She always gives the best recs.

My ARCs for this month are: The Weight of a Soul, Every Other Weekend, Cub, Second Star, Lost Boy, Don’t Read the Comments, The Weight of the Stars, Center of the Universe, You Too?, A Beginning at the End and Say Something.

Here are the Goodreads links to the books I plan on reading this month!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, contemporary, fantasy, Five Star Book, Memoir, thriller, ya

My top 5 reads of 2019!

December 31, 2019December 30, 2019 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

I cannot believe it is the last day of the year! What?! This year has flown by. I’m noticing the years are going faster since I joined book battle and since having Mylzs!

Here I am going to tell you my top reads of 2019. There were some great ones!

Let’s dive right in.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House was my top read of the year! Yes, Leigh is my most favorite, but man this book was good. It was dark, it was creepy, there was romance. Let me tell ya, I’m ready to go to Hell! In book 2, that is.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Next up is The Grace Year. Such a powerful read. The ending left me sobbing and hoping for a brighter future.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

So Verity was my first CoHo book and honestly, I’m not sure I want to read her others! I know this wasn’t her normal genre, but it was SO.GOOD. I was thinking about the ending for weeks after.

Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

Girl power seemed to be a theme with me this year. I think because I have found some amazing friends in Words & Whimsy! This was another powerful tale of what happens when girls stick together.

Over the Top by JVN

Last but certainly not least, is Over the Top. I love JVN. He’s a self care QUEEN. I loved learning from him and learning about him. Still hoping he’ll be my bff one day.

Well guys, there’s my top 5! What were your top 5 reads this year? Did you like any of these? Let me know in the comments below! I would love to discuss!

Until next time…

ARC, dystopian, Five Star Book, ya

The Grace Year ARC Review

December 30, 2019December 29, 2019 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: The Grace Year
Author: Kim Liggett
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publish Date: October 8, 2019
Book Form: E-ARC
Pages: 416
Genre: YA, Sci-FI, Dystopian
Dates Read: Nov 23 – Nov 27
Rating: ★★★★★

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

A speculative thriller in the vein of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Power. Optioned by Universal and Elizabeth Banks to be a major motion picture!
SURVIVE THE YEAR.
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.
– Goodreads

Oh man. This book. Top 5 reads of 2019 for sure. It blew me away with all the emotions and feels and I just loved it. I have recommended it to everyone.

The Grace Year was a beautiful, tragic and desperate tale of female empowerment and fighting back when you know the way you are living is wrong.

Each year when girls turn 16, they are released in the wild to let out their ‘magic’. They only have each other and have to find a way to live this long, long year. The girls’ magic makes men do terrible things – or so they say. Not all the girls will make it home alive, and those that do are forever changed.

This is a story about sticking together, building women up, and the knowledge that female friendships are the strongest bonds. The girls went through a lot during their Grace Year. They were tricked, manipulated, turned against one another. No one expected them to turn toward each other. Bit by bit they try to change the way of life and make it better for their future girls.

There was romance involved, but it was really the backdrop. The story had twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The ending had twist after twist after twist. It was wrapped up in a beautifully tragic way.

There is no happy ending here, however, there is hope that there might one day be.

I recommend every girl and woman read this. It really rings true in times like these.

Until next time…

ARC, fantasy, Four Star Book, mystery, ya

Songs from the Deep ARC Review

December 16, 2019December 15, 2019 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: Songs from the Deep
Author: Kelly Powell
Publisher: Margaret K. Elderry Books
Publish Date: November 5, 2019
Book Form: E-ARC
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mystery
Dates Read: Nov 16 – Nov 19
Rating: ★★★★

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

A girl searches for a killer on an island where deadly sirens lurk just beneath the waves in this gripping, atmospheric debut novel.
The sea holds many secrets.
Moira Alexander has always been fascinated by the deadly sirens who lurk along the shores of her island town. Even though their haunting songs can lure anyone to a swift and watery grave, she gets as close to them as she can, playing her violin on the edge of the enchanted sea. When a young boy is found dead on the beach, the islanders assume that he’s one of the sirens’ victims. Moira isn’t so sure.
Certain that someone has framed the boy’s death as a siren attack, Moira convinces her childhood friend, the lighthouse keeper Jude Osric, to help her find the real killer, rekindling their friendship in the process. With townspeople itching to hunt the sirens down, and their own secrets threatening to unravel their fragile new alliance, Moira and Jude must race against time to stop the killer before it’s too late—for humans and sirens alike.
– Goodreads

“Twillengyle is a place to be embraced with one arm, with a dagger ready in the other hand.”

What an atmospheric, beautifully detailed novel. Twillengyle is dark, gloomy, cold. It is the perfect backdrop to the events in a novel. A small boy is dead. Sirens are to blame. They have one champion, Moira, who knows the sirens couldn’t have done it. Will she be enough to bring them justice?

Very, very seldom do I see images in my mind as I read. Usually I’m just reading the words. The characters have voices, sure, but no faces. Nothing that makes them stick out. I could never do fan art. However, as I was reading I saw a movie playing in my mind. I could probably fan cast it. This is SO unusual for me, but I loved it!

The mystery was intriguing. I didn’t guess who did it. The ending was so shocking! All the events leading up had my guessing. My guesses were all wrong, of course.
In addition to the mystery, there was also a love interest! It was a will-they-won’t-they, which is honestly my favorite kind. I love to see the back and forth!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries or crime books. It sucks you in and you won’t want to put it down!

Until next time…

adult, ARC, Four Star Book, thriller

The Kill Club BLOG TOUR!

December 14, 2019December 12, 2019 Courtney/Enchanted.to.Read.You

Title: The Kill Club
Author: Wendy Heard
Publisher: Harlequin
Publish Date: December 17, 2019
Book Form: E-ARC
Pages: 368
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Psychological
Dates Read: Dec 4 – Dec 8
Rating: ★★★★

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A haunting thriller about a woman who attempts to save her brother’s life by making a dangerous pact with a network of vigilantes who’ve been hunting down the predators of Los Angeles.
Jazz can’t let her younger brother die.
Their foster mother Carol has always been fanatical, but with Jazz grown up and out of the house, Carol takes a dangerous turn that threatens thirteen-year-old Joaquin’s life. Over and over, child services fails to intervene, and Joaquin is running out of time.
Then Jazz gets a blocked call from someone offering a solution. There are others like her, people the law has failed. They’ve formed an underground network of “helpers,” each agreeing to murder the abuser of another. They’re taking back their power and leaving a trail of bodies throughout Los Angeles—dubbed the Blackbird Killings. If Jazz joins them, they’ll take care of Carol for good.
All she has to do is kill a stranger.
Jazz soon learns there’s more to fear than getting caught carrying out her assignment. The leader of the club has a zero tolerance policy for mistakes.
And the punishment for disobeying orders is death.

Yall, Harlequin Trade has some GREAT thrillers coming out this winter! I’ve been in a thriller mood and these have not disappointed!

This twisty murder-for-hire had a unique take that I loved. Let’s say you need to be rid of someone. Easy. This secret group contacts you, offers to take them out while you have a rock solid alibi. The only thing you have to do is take someone out for someone else.

Jazz is willing to risk this to save her brother from the evil foster mom. Her journey takes her through so many twists and turns, in the end I didn’t know who I was rooting for.

The characters were all very believable. From Jazz, who had some legal issues but will do anything to save her brother. To her kid brother, Joaquin, who is a Type 1 Diabetic. To Carol, the crazy, snake-charming-religion-following foster mom who isn’t doing what’s best for Joaquin. I felt like I had met all of these people before in my life. The actions, words and feelings seemed to jump right off the page to play a movie in my mind.

The story was fast paced. I didn’t want to put it down. I had to know what would happen. Would she save her brother? Would she get the girl? Would the secret program find her and kill her?

This is a must read for ever thriller lover! I’ve already recommended it to my friends! It will be a perfect Christmas gift!

Wendy Heard, author of Hunting Annabelle, was born in San Francisco and has lived most of her life in Los Angeles. When not writing, she can be found hiking the Griffith Park trails, taking the Metro and then questioning this decision, and haunting local bookstores.

Special thanks to Harlequin Trade for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour! I am so grateful for the opportunity. Look for my next stop on the blog tour featuring Good Girls Lie on December 23!

Happy Holidays! Until next time…