4 Creepy, Grimm-esque Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Melanie Golding's Little Darlings

Little Darlings is inspired by those dark and creepy fairytales that I love to be scared by! The idea of changelings, a child secretly substituted by fairies in infancy, has always fascinated me. I knew I had to read this book as soon as I heard what it was about and it definitely did not disappoint!

Golding did an amazing job setting the scene in this thriller. It was creepy, dark and suspenseful and kept me furiously turning the pages. Lauren gives birth to twins Morgan and Riley and like all new mothers finds herself barely able to cope. It's an endless routine of feeding, changing, soothing and lulling to sleep only to have the cycle repeat again as soon as she thinks she will have a moment to rest. Exhausted and overwhelmed, Lauren soon finds herself also in a desperate fight to save her babies from a woman who wants to take them. Only, no one else sees this woman and soon Lauren is also fighting for her sanity.

What I loved was how Golding keeps the reader guessing throughout the book. Is there truly evil, dark magic at play or is Lauren herself mentally unstable and dangerous? I thought the ending was well done, clever and satisfying! I enjoyed the excerpts throughout - they added valuable insight to the fairy tale angle and definitely upped the creepy factor.

This was a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to seeing what Melanie Golding's imaginative mind comes up with next! Thank you Melanie Golding, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book.

Guilty is a psychological thriller about uncovering the secrets behind the disappearance of 13 year old Constance Lawson. After an argument with her parents, Constance sneaks out of her house never to be seen again.

Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson, is under suspicion and their close relationship comes under negative scrutiny. The disappearance causes family turmoil when no one knows what to believe and leaves Karl's life torn apart.

I don't want to give too much away although the "why" to Constance's disappearance is shared early on. The rest of the book focuses on the aftermath. How the disappearance affected the lives of various characters. This was a problem for me as I just never really connected with these characters. I especially disliked the reporter, Amanda and her self serving actions. Having so much of the book focusing on her was a definite negative for me.

I initially felt bad for Karl but his actions during the latter part of the book were pretty vile. That was probably what kept me turning the pages despite my strong dislike for Amanda. I really enjoyed watching him go from misunderstood good guy to bad guy. What does it take for someone to cross that line from good to bad? How much is too much when you have essentially been a wronged victim too?

The beginning of the book which detailed Constance's disappearance was fast paced and definitely kept me turning the pages quickly. It was the best part of the book for me. Then it got decidedly slower and at times I had to really force myself to stick with it. This definitely was not the typical mystery/thriller format I prefer.

Overall Guilty was for me an ok read. The pacing could definitely have been better in my opinion. The twists were interesting at the onset but my failure to connect with the characters made enjoying the last part of the book difficult. I honestly didn't care what happened to Amanda.

Gwen Proctor is a magnet for evil and a force to be reckoned with in Rachel Caine's Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake #3)!

Melvin Royal might be dead but his notoriety as a serial-killer continues to haunt Gwen and their children. All she wants is to try to provide her children with some sense of normalcy but a group of internet vigilantes who believe she is as evil as her ex-husband are seeking their own brand of justice and simply won't allow it.

Seen as a fighter and a survivor to some, there are people who have begun to seek Gwen out for help facing their own demons. When Gwen receives a series of desperate calls hailing from Wolfhunter River from a woman and then her daughter, it's not something she can simply ignore.

Wolfhunter River proves to be a secluded, eerie town with rules all their own. It's the kind of town where the inhabitants are not keen on outsiders and they have no problems expressing their hostility. Gwen and her family find themselves putting their lives at risk to help the daughter of the deceased woman who initially called her. Soon Gwen finds herself fighting against a town of pure evil. Can they make it out of Wolfhunter River alive?

I appreciated the directional leap this book has taken as we move beyond the initial Gwen versus Melvin storyline. Gwen and Sam's relationship is tested once again in this book with the truth being bared once and for all. I look forward to seeing where they go from this point.

Gwen is an intelligent, strong, courageous and determined character. I enjoy watching her battle evil in all its forms via this series and look forward to continuing to do so with future books.

Thank you Rachel Caine, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book. I'm already looking forward to #4!

4 twisted stars for J.P Pomare's suspenseful psychological thriller Call Me Evie

Evie is having trouble remembering her recent past. She has figments of memories, moments she fleetingly recalls but everything is hazy. What she does know is that she is being kept far from her home in Melbourne, in a remote cabin by a man she calls Uncle Jim. Why is she so far from home? Is Jim helping her or are his motives more sinister?

Evie is an unreliable narrator. She cannot tell the difference between memories, dreams and Jim's suggestions. She in a constant struggle to fight the fog and holes in her memory and we are along for the ride. J.P. Pomare had me second guessing everyone - including myself!

The story is told in two alternating timeframes - before and after. Things are revealed slowly, almost teasingly. I devoured this book because I had to know what really happened the night everything changed. The night that was the precipice to Evie's current situation.

This book was a wild ride of secrets and suspense that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading what Pomare writes next.

"This will be great. A few hours out. A slice of freedom...Nothing we'll regret. Just one drink."

This story had me reading through the night. It was full of twists & turns and secrets & lies. Trying to unravel it all was difficult because the story is told via various (unreliable) points of view. At times it was difficult to tell where 1 character's thoughts began and another's ended. Things jumped from person to person but honestly, I felt that it added to the overall frantic pacing of the book.

The plot centers around a group of new mothers who form a friendship over the internet to share the joys & pressures of motherhood - the May Mothers. They decide to have a "Mom's Night Out" only to endure a mother's worst nightmare - one of the babies, Midas, goes missing.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the frank portrayal of motherhood. The sleepless nights, the uncertainty, the love, the hormones and the pressure to be the perfect mother. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between these group of women. It was portrayed realistically - the desire to fit in, the need to be accepted, wanting to have someone who gets it but also fearing being judged. These are all real emotions many new moms have & face in today's society with so much emphasis being placed on being the "perfect mother".

Molloy did a wonderful job layering this story. Everyone had secrets, told lies and added to the twists. I had suspicions about who was responsible but I hadn't figured it all out which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a suspenseful read that grabbed my attention from page 1 and kept it throughout.

In The Things We Cannot Say Kelly Rimmer has penned a heartbreakingly powerful and hopeful love story set amidst the backdrop of war, loss and the unimaginable atrocities of WWII. Simply put this is the kind of book that grabs hold of you, envelopes you within it pages and holds on long after you have finished reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Rimmer told this story via a dual narrative - effortlessly weaving historical fiction with a modern day story. Alina's story is set amidst the harrowing timeframe of Nazi occupied Poland. Through her narrative we experience unimaginable atrocities of war, loss of family and friends and the heartbreak and joy of true love. I was completely drawn in by Alina's story. Her strength and capacity to love and remain hopeful in such a dark time was as heartwarming as it was heartbreaking. The second narrative is set in present day. Alice is dealing with a stressful homelife - an autistic son, a gifted daughter, a marriage in crisis and her beloved Babica's (grandmother) stroke. Knowing her time on this earth is coming to an end, Babica tasks Alice with returning to her childhood country of Poland to find people from her past.

The journey Alice embarks on for her Babica was so poignant. As she uncovered her story, a story her Babica could never share, she not only uncovered her grandmother's truths but also discovered her own truths along the way. This story was filled with amazing relationships. Rimmer is not afraid to explore family and all the complications that come with it. This is not about perfection. It's messy, complicated, filled with arguments, strife and doubt but at its core its solid and founded on love.

This is my second book by Kelly Rimmer (the first being Before I Let You Go) and she has unequivocally captured me as a fan. She captures human emotion with such heart and unflinching honesty. I urge you to add this one to the top of your must read list. You will not be sorry.

A huge thank you to Kelly Rimmer, Harlequin, Graydon House Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this amazing book.

Boy Swallows Universe is a coming of age story like no other. Dalton's beautiful prose, compelling characters and emotionally tragic story was tinged with mystical elements that gave the book an almost otherworldly feel.

Eli and August are brothers being raised amongst drugs, violence and poverty. Yet amidst all these dangers these boys have such a special bond and connection, helping each other through heartache and tragedy. Eli is the story's central character and his life is anything but easy. His older brother August is a selective mute, his mother and her boyfriend are drug dealers, his babysitter is a notorious ex-criminal and his drunken father is non-existent in his life. Despite all the violence and wrongdoing around him, Eli has big aspirations for himself to become a journalist and above all be a good person.

The characters in this story were wonderful, probably because they were loosely based on people in Dalton's childhood. You can tell he fleshed them out from the heart. They were vivid, engaging and integral to the storyline. Eli and August completely stole my heart - what amazing boys! Their sense of family and their desire to do something good was so strong. You can't help but to root for them to finally have the kind of life they so desperately desire.

Thank you to Trent Dalton, Harper Collins and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book.

A fast-paced, riveting read! Book 2 definitely lived up to my expectations and has solidified my readership for Caroline Mitchell's DI Amy Winter series.

In The Secret Child DI Amy Winter's latest investigation finds her in a cat and mouse race against time with a kidnapper bent on revenge. The story opens with four year old Ellen being kidnapped from her bedroom. Her mother receives a package containing four vials from "Luka". She must drink one in order for the kidnapper to contact the police with information on Ellen.

It's not long before we find that her father the esteemed Dr. Curtis is the real target. Why? What secrets are the people connected with the Curtis Institute hiding? Who is behind this devious plot to destroy them?

When a second child is abducted, Amy's team are in for a fight against time to uncover deeply buried secrets in order to save them.

The story was fast paced, filled with secrets and twists and made for a gripping read!

Thank you to Caroline Mitchell, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book. I can't wait to see what book 3 brings our way!

"The world is a turntable that never stops spinning; as humans we merely choose the tracks we want to sit out and the ones that inspire us to dance."

Elizabeth Acevedo has done it again! This sophomore novel is vastly different from Poet X, yet it is equally filled with boriqua pride, strong familial love and characters that ooze diversity. And that cover - breathtakingly gorgeous!

Emoni is a (part Puerto Rican, part Black) teenage mom who was raised by her 'Buela (grandmother) after the death of her mother in childbirth. How I adored her abuela and their strong relationship! Emoni's love and devotion for her daughter was everything. She wants so much for Emma and is willing to work hard and do whatever it takes to make something of herself.

Emoni has magic hands when it comes to cooking. Her food literally evokes physical emotion in all who eat it as she essentially pours a bit of herself into every dish she makes. This dash of magical realism woven into the story was perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed the recipes and the emails to her aunt about food sprinkled throughout. Food plays as important a role in the story as poetry did in Poet X.

Emoni struggling to find her way and working towards realizing her dreams was front and center here. It never took a back seat to the love story woven in which I absolutely appreciated. There were many strong secondary characters that impacted Emoni's life and added richness to the story. Her relationship with her best friend reminded me so much of my own that I couldn't help but smile each time they were together.

A lot happens in this book and I happily followed along with Emoni's life with every turn of the page. The short chapters made it feel hard to put the book aside - I kept thinking "just one more chapter" and found myself done before I was ready to let go.

Thank you to Elizabeth Acevedo, Harper Teen and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review this emotional and empowering story.

Kate's 16 year old daughter Sophie is missing. It's been two years since she left, leaving her parents a note asking them not to worry and that she just needed time. Aside from a few postcards sent home to let them know she was ok, no one has seen or heard from Sophie. Kate is stuck - becoming immobilized from her daughters disappearance. Her marriage has ended in divorce and she doesn't socialize with anyone except the elderly neighbor she looks in on from time to time. While it seems everyone has moved on, accepting that Sophie was a runaway, Kate can not come to terms with the loss of her daughter. Why did she leave so suddenly? Why won't she come home?

Working as a volunteer for a runaway hotline, Kate gets the call she has been waiting two years for. Sophie calls in to say she is alright and despite a poor, static filled connection Kate knows it's her. She is talking barely above a whisper and she sounds scared. Kate's determination to find Sophie becomes frenzied, yet no one else believes it was her. Despite the lack of support, Kate is determined to take matters into her hands and find out what really happened to Sophie.

This book was a bit hit and miss with me. Part 1 seemed to drag on endlessly and I had to make an effort to stay with it. While I definitely felt for Kate's plight as a mom - the first 40% of the book was just too slow and dare I say, a bit boring. I figured out what happened very early on (and proved to be correct). Despite some plausible red herrings Rowley tried to throw in, there were simply no surprises here for me as a reader.

Parts 2 and 3 definitely picked up the pace with the introduction of Sophie's point of view alongside Kate's. I tore through the remainder of the book in a few hours, appreciating the last 2/3 of the book much more than the first part. Overall, it was an interesting story, there just wasn't anything spectacular that made this mystery/thriller stand out amongst the many out there.

Many thanks to Emma Rowley, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book.