Under My Skin by Lisa Unger

I like Lisa Unger's books and was excited to read this advance copy, thanks to NetGalley. 

Poppy's husband Jack, has been murdered in Central Park. A year later, she still doesn't know what really happened and/or why. She has vivid, sometimes violent dreams where she doesn't really know if they are dreams or memories. 

Poppy just can't move past all the unanswered questions surrounding her beloved husband's death and the more dreams/memories that flash before her, the more frightened she becomes. There are secrets in Poppy's life that she has been kept safe from and ones she may not want to know the truth about. 

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was fast paced and interesting. I really wanted to see what happened! The only part I thought kind of was odd was Poppy's relationship with Noah. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the tie in to The Hollows, the fictional neighborhood seen in other books of Lisa Unger. 

This book releases on or around October 1, 2018. I really do recommend it! Lisa Unger never fails to disappoint! 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

The Hope Jar by Wanda Brunstetter

Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp live a simple live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Their daughter, Rhoda, however, left the community many years ago and unbeknownst to Mary Ruth and Willis, Rhoda had a baby. 

Sara Murray is grieving her mother, Rhoda at home. Rhoda recently died from an illness and Sara is devastated. While going through her mother's things, she finds a note explaining to Sara that her grandparents, Mary Ruth and Willis live in Lancaster County, grandparents Sara never knew. Sara immediately wants them to know that Rhoda has passed away and hopes for the chance to go and visit to get to know the grandparents she has never met. 

Mary Ruth and Willis are thrilled. They go to the bus station when they think Sara will arrive and see a young woman that Mary Ruth is convinced is their Rhoda's daughter. Unfortunately, that woman is Michelle Taylor, a woman who is down on her luck in more ways than one. Seeing the chance of having a place to stay, Michelle jumps at the chance and starts posing as Sara. 

How long can this charade go on? Won't the real Sara turn up? Well, I won't get into in where I give anything away, but Michelle starts living a life full of love and laughter. This is something she has never had and she finds in difficult to give it up or come clean to the Lapps.  While there, she makes new friends: Ezekiel, a young Amish man, trying to come to terms with his place in the Amish community, Brad, who is driving for the Amish but getting ready to leave for seminary school, and with Lenore, who is actually the real Sara's cousin. 

The reason it is called The Hope Jar, is because Michelle finds two jars on the Lapps' property filled with thoughts, scriptures and words of the heart. She doesn't know who wrote them, but she finds comfort in them, even in the middle of her charade. 

I liked this book. I am a little biased because I automatically read anything by Wanda Brunstetter. She is my favorite author of Amish fiction. I thought this book was a good story of one of the most important things we can offer one another and that is forgiveness. This is book one of a set, and it is a good thing because there were unanswered questions at the end. This book is due out August 1st, so pick it up then! I think you will enjoy this easy flowing story, but also appreciate the lessons in it. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy. My review and opinions are my own. 

As the Tide Comes In by Cindy and Erin Woodsmall

If you like Cindy Woodsmall, you're in for another treat. I think this book had an original premise. Tara is thrown into a situation that she doesn't want to be in. She has been asked to step in as guardians for her two half brothers, Darryl and Sean, siblings she has never been close to. All three were not close with their mother, who battled drug addiction. 

Tara hesitantly steps into the role of mom to the boys and over the years, realizes that she was meant to do this. Then, just when the boys are leaving the nest, an unimaginable tragedy happens and Tara's world is thrown into upheaval once again. 

Tara, in her grief, takes a trip to Saint Simon's Island, Georgia, where she knows she has some roots. While there, she meets Gavin and his mother, Julep, along with Julep's three other friends who have dubbed themselves the Glynn Girls, after the county they live in. 

Tara can't imagine making a new start after all she's been through. But, she finally allows herself to be helped through her grief by Gavin and the Glynn Girls, who are going through their own troubles. Can they help each other back to a more solid path? 

I won't go too much into the whole link to Saint Simon's Island. I don't want to give too much away. This book is pretty heavy hitting with pulling the heartstrings and some parts are heartbreaking. Haven't we all been through something? Something we don't think we are going to come out the other side of? 

That's one of the things this book is good for. Anyone can really relate to going through personal tragedy. Don't we always ask God sometimes why? Don't we even wonder if HE is doing something TO us when things go bad? Well, one of my favorite conversations in the book is when Gavin tells Tara that God IS love, and if He is love, love doesn't do or cause bad things to people. I took great comfort in that. 

So, all that said, this book comes out August 21, 2018. I was so honored to be part of the launch team for this book from WaterBrook Multnomah. However, all opinions are my own. Thank you to WaterBrook and to Cindy and Erin Woodsmall. 

A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo

Where do I begin with this! First, a recap. 

A young Amish man is found dead in a barn that was on fire. Let me add this: the fire was set on purpose.  Who would want to kill an Amish man and why? It is up to Chief Kate Burkholder to find out what, when, why, what and how. This is the 10th book in a series, but you could really read it as a stand alone. However, it made me immediately want to start book one in the series. 

I am a huge fan of Amish fiction. However, a word of warning. If you like Christian/Amish fiction, you may like this, but be forewarned, it is darker than most Amish fiction. There are curse words and Amish folk that have left the fold and are quite bitter, most for good reason. 

The other interesting aspect of this is the main character, Chief Burkholder used to be Amish herself. So, she sometimes struggles between her current life and her past roots. 

I am so excited that this is a series and I have the opportunity to go back and read 9 other stories in this series. This book is due to release next month, July 2018. I highly recommend it. I read it in a very short time. 

I received an Advance Reader's Copy from Minotaur books (just love them!). No review was required. 

Dreams of Falling by Karen White

I was so happy to win this book from from Berkley Publishers. I have read a few books by Karen White before so  I couldn't wait to dive in. Plus, look at that gorgeous cover! 

Larkin was raised sometimes by her mother, Ivy and sometimes by Ivy's mother's friend, CeeCee. Also a big presence in Larkin's life was another friend of her grandmother, Bitty. Larkin's grandmother, Margaret died before Larkin ever knew her. This book takes place in the Lowcountry, but years prior, Larkin fled to New York to start a new life, dismissing her roots. 

When Larkin is called back to her hometown after her mother, Ivy gets hurt, old wounds are reopened and the past comes calling. Larkin learns about her past, where she came from and has to face relationships she thought she had left behind for good. 

This book claimed to have secrets waiting to be revealed as well, but I didn't feel that this was a mystery. I thought that's what I was getting and was just a tad disappointed when it turned out it really wasn't one. 

However, I saw another reviewer say that it needs to be viewed as a story, not a mystery and when I look at it that way, it became better. There is a HINT of mystery, but I am not a big fan when the reader knows what the "secret" is before the character. I always feel that I am sitting here knowing it and then there is no big "reveal" when the character finds out. 

That aside, this was a good story. Karen White writes with, and gives her characters a depth that is not commonly seen in books today. I would definitely recommend this book. 

No review was required even though I won an Advanced Reader Copy. 

The Heart's Appeal by Jennifer Delamere

Hello! 
Welcome to my post about The Heart's Appeal by Jennifer Delamere. This is a Christian Historical novel and the second in a series. I didn't read the first one but found out that they are linked but not enough to where you can't enjoy this as a stand alone. 

If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend this book. It takes place in London in a time when women are just starting to attend medical school to become doctors. Julia is one of those women. Her dream is to become a physician and travel to Africa to follow her calling. 

A subway accident brings Julia and a lawyer named Michael Stephenson together.  Julia helps Michael and then finds out that he is the lawyer whose client is trying to shut down the medical school Julia wants to attend in a libel lawsuit. 

Julia is undeterred! She approaches Michael a few weeks after the accident to see how he is. He, in turn, is so grateful that she helped him that he wants to repay her somehow. Julia asks for his help in Latin and the two begin weekly lessons. However, will Michael and Julia be able to stay civil in light of the lawsuit?

This sounds like it might be a simple story, but there are side plots and other interesting characters as well. I thought the story was well written and very interesting. It is written with enough but not too much description and, in my opinion, smartly written as well. It definitely made me want to read the first one and, even better, I found a new author I like!  

Thank you to Bethany House for the copy. No review was required. 

Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh

I don't even know where to begin with this. I stayed up late finishing this last night and I can't even tell you the last time I stayed up late to finish a book. I wish I could tell you everything about this book, but that wouldn't be fair. You need to experience this slow burn that ratchets up into a full blown four alarm fire. I hardly ever give 5 stars to books, but this one gets it on Goodreads! 

I have not had this much fun with a book in a long, long time. I also pick up books to read that promises a "twist" and never get them.  Not only THAT, but I would have bet money that I knew what was coming, with one part I did, but certainly not the other. This was my face when I finished the book: 

via GIPHY


I really don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, so here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The police say it was suicide.
Anna says it was murder.
They're both wrong.

One year ago, Caroline Johnson chose to end her life brutally: a shocking suicide planned to match that of her husband just months before. Their daughter, Anna, has struggled to come to terms with their loss ever since.

Now with a young baby of her own, Anna misses her mother more than ever and starts to question her parents’ deaths. But by digging up their past, she’ll put her future in danger. Sometimes it’s safer to let things lie…

Okay, so there you have a synopsis without me blowing it. Three words: READ THIS BOOK! 

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. No review is required.