Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for the advanced copy of this book!

A powerful story of teenage sisters in the Netherlands who joined the Resistance during WWII. I simply could not put this down: it was such a compulsive read, full of moments that made me gasp and made my heart swell in a perfect balance to make this an exceptional and emotional historical fiction read. If you like strong female characters, enjoyed Noelle Salazar's last book The Flight Girls, or are into WWII historical fiction at all, this book is for you.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy of this book.

Oh my goodness, my heart. If you read Sadeqa’s previous book, The Yellow Wife, you know she can pack an emotional punch, and also write a very compelling story. I devoured this book despite the hard content and already know it’ll be on my top historical fiction list for 2023.

Told in dual perspective from Eleanor and Ruby, we find out what it’s like to get pregnant unexpectedly as a teenager and college student, and what it’s like to not be able to live up to the expectations of an elite Black family in 1950s Philadelphia. If you read The Girls Who Went Away, one storyline closely follows the experiences described in that book about women who were sent away to “quietly” have their babies - in other words, pay penance for their sins and be forced to give up their babies. The other storyline follows the dynamic of classism amongst Black people in this era. The two stories intertwine perfectly, and also tie back back into The Yellow Wife that ends up being the cherry on top. Sadeqa is an auto-buy author for me at this point, and this is an excellent and important read.

3.5 star
Thanks to HarperCollins for the copy of this ARC!

In a Groundhog Day-like scenario, Gwen keeps experiencing Christmas day over... and over... and over... and over. She's just lost her boyfriend and her job, and needs to figure out what she really wants out of life. I loved the sweet (and some sour) family and small town that she spend Christmas with, and watching Gwen readjust her thinking during her Groundhog Day experience. My only drawback was the sudden onset of the romance - it felt a little undeveloped and then like it just suddenly popped in with a bit of the book left. This is a typical British romance, and a good holiday read!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the copy of this book!

Someone Else’s Life is a twisty thriller with an unknown visitor who seems familiar, a tropical storm, and family drama. While this was fast-paced at the end, the conversation was a little dragged out in the beginning in the middle - it was pretty repetitive. I liked the journal entry element and how that was used toward the plot of the whole story, and I thought the ending was good in general. While this was twisty and I wasn’t sure what was going on at first, there were lots of red flags, and eventually what I felt like were some pretty major clues to figure out the plot twists. Overall, this was a quick read and the idea was really great, but the execution maybe needed a little more editing.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for this ALC.

Karissa Vacker is just THE BEST thriller audiobook narrator. While this story is really compulsive, Karissa definitely just elevated the experience even more.

What Lies In The Woods revolves around a 22-year-old murder, and we quickly find out the case isn't quite as nicely wrapped up as it was thought to be. There's a cast of shady characters, and while I found myself wanting the best for our MC Naomi, she definitely also made her own mistakes. Dark and haunting, this is a great thriller read with multiple twists and a fast-paced ending, and I definitely think audio is the way to go!