The Silence Between Us

Silence between us Author: Alison Gervais

Publisher: Blink YA Books

Release Date: August 13, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

At its core, The Silence Between Us is about learning to listen with more than just our ears. Once we learn that, the space between us can close beautifully.

After losing her hearing in her early teens due to meningitis, Maya has had learned to adapt to the deaf world. Things get complicated though when her mom moves her and her brother to Colorado and Maya’s senior year is spent being the only deaf girl at a hearing school. Even though she is deaf, Maya has hopes of getting into the right college to help her get into the medical field. It doesn’t matter to her if she is the only one that feels she can accomplish this, she is determined to prove that the only thing she can’t do is hear. After arriving at Englemann High School Maya meets Beau Watson, student body president and one of the only students who attempts to learn sign language to communicate with Maya. With each passing day, Beau and Maya’s feelings for each other grow but staring them in the face are their differences. Even though Maya knows what it is like to hear, she has no desire to get a cochlear implant. She is proud of being deaf and doesn’t want to change. Beau doesn’t understand why Maya wouldn’t want to hear again and Maya doesn’t know if she can be with someone that doesn’t accept her for who she is and always will be.

The Silence Between Us is a perfect young adult novel that teaches acceptance in a way that may not always appear to most of us. Hearing loss is not something that is easily noticeable, especially if the person doesn’t have a hearing aid or cochlear implant that is visible. I loved the way Alison Gervais made it relatable to anyone of us that could find ourselves in the situation Maya and Beau did. The writing is easy to follow with all the signing in all caps so the reader can differentiate between signs and other communications. Maya has had some hardships in her life, she has lost her hearing, her brother has cystic fibrosis, and now they have moved to a new town and she must attend a hearing school after years being at a deaf school. Maya is uneasy to trust any of the new friends she makes at her new school. She appreciates the effort Beau makes to communicate in her language, but she can’t see them as ever being anything more than friends with her being deaf. She takes her only limitation and sets it up to be her failure until she is presented with the option of seeing it in a new light. I loved how every obstacle was a chance to look at things in a new way. Every reader will come away from reading this with a new-found respect for the deaf community. I highly recommend this book to young adults and even adults that want to learn a little bit about a different culture and how they can hear us, but we need to see them.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Lost Vintage

Lost Vintage.jpg Author: Ann Mah

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: June 18, 2019

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fantastic story that is not easily put down until it is finished!

Kate has set her life to achieve one goal: become a master of wine. Given three opportunities to pass the exam, she has already failed twice. Now she is more focused than ever, but seems to be continually outfoxed by French wine, which happens to be her native homeland even though she hasn’t been there in years. As the head sommelier at a local San Francisco restaurant, there isn’t as much time as she would hope to dedicate to studying. But when the restaurant unexpectedly closes its doors, Kate suddenly has time on her hands. At her mentor’s urging, she reaches out to her cousin in France to see if it would be ok to come for a visit. As it is time for the grape harvest, he happily agrees and looks forward to seeing her soon.

Being back in France brings back difficult memories. She and her cousin’s wife were college friends that visited France during a semester abroad. One thing led to another and her friend stayed behind while she returned home. Now she is helping clean out the family cellars under the house. While much of it is junk that has been stored throughout the years, she stumbles upon some photographs in a trunk of a young woman she has never heard about but bears a striking resemblance to herself. As she begins to pry into the family history, her uncle shuts down the investigation at every turn. One day, she discovers a hidden cellar behind a false wall that contains numerous bottles of rare wine. But will this discovery open a door that can never be closed?

This book taught me more about rare wine that I had thought possible. I had no idea all the different requirements for storing, handling, and more that must be taken into account. However, this wasn’t the most interesting part of the story. That was the time slip portion set back in occupied France during World War II. I love these stories and all that it brings out historically. There is always more to learn and Mah did a great job on researching this topic.

The character development was spot on as well. Kate was instantly likable and felt like a close friend, even though she tends to shut people out. I enjoyed getting to know her better and was really pulling for her relationship to blossom. All the supporting characters fleshed out great as well. Nothing felt forced and even though there were some antagonists, it played out like a great story.

There is some very mild language throughout the book, but nothing that would take away from the story. I recommend this book to people who love time-slip novels concerning World War II and those that just enjoy a great story.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Deadly Intentions

Deadly Intentions Author: Lisa Harris

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 6, 2019

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

With suspicious murders and random deaths that don’t seem random once the pieces are put together, Lisa Harris has crafted a great thriller that readers will enjoy from beginning to end.

Caitlyn Lindsey has seen her team members dying off one by one. What seemed as random accidents or murders at first are now turning into a pattern that is anything but random. As a research scientist, she knows that the work they do is very sensitive and if it falls into the wrong hands the outcome could be disastrous. Once she starts connecting the dots, she reaches out to one of the first victim’s husbands, Josh Solomon. Josh thought the men responsible for the death of his wife were behind bars but when Caitlyn comes to him with her concerns, he wonders if justice has really been served. Together they must try to find out who is after her and what their end game really is before it is too late.

I have read a lot of Lisa Harris’s books, as well as a lot of romantic suspense in general, and one of the nicest things about Deadly Intentions was the connection I felt between the characters. There is a true connection between Caitlyn and Josh; the way they have a history back when Josh’s wife was alive helped me to believe she would actually come to him and not make it seem a random connection. There is a great pace to the novel that keeps the story moving and readers will easily be able to follow. I read this in two days and thought it was the best one of Harris’s books I have read yet. There was lots of great suspense to go along with the romantic aspect of the story, especially towards the end. Caitlyn was a great protagonist, strong with plenty of weaknesses, able to ask for help but also help others along the way. My only negative issue would be the tie up at the end, which seemed a little rushed and I would have liked a little more backstory on one of our bad guys as to how he actually fit into the role he was playing. I do recommend this to readers that love romantic suspense novels and are looking for a great fast paced read.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Vow of Justice

Vow of Justice Author: Lynette Eason

Series: Blue Justice #4

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: August 6, 2019

Rating: 5 Star

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

By far the best book I have read by Lynette Eason and easily one of the best I have read all year!

Linc St. John has had some tough cases being a special agent with the FBI, but nothing prepared him for the heartache off finding out Allison, the woman he loves, is dead. Torn between revenge and justice, Linc works every angle he can to track down the killers. In his search, he finds something he never expected to find, Allison is alive. Linc is greatly confused as to how she is alive and what it all means. With no time to find answers to his questions, he and Allison must work together to stop a killer from her past.

Vow of Justice is the fourth book in the Blue Justice series and easily the best. The St. John family is a great group of characters that have been developed beautifully throughout the series. Readers have been waiting a long time to read Linc’s story and it is well worth the wait. Lynette Eason has crafted her best story yet. The emotional connection I felt with the characters is what kept me plowing through the story at warp speed. I know this is Linc’s story but I have to say I fell in love with Allison, the empathy she showed for the others around her and the way her empathy was used as a weapon against her was brilliantly done. I absolutely loved that aspect of the story. The character development and story arc is one of the very best I have read all year. Readers will without a doubt love the action, suspense, romance and overall story of Vow of Justice.

I have so much more I want to say but can’t without giving more of the story away and it is too good to spoil anything. Even though this is the fourth in the series it can be read as a stand alone, reading the whole series gives the reader backstory that makes each installment more enjoyable but it isn’t necessary for new readers to still get a great read. Fans of Lynette Eason’s will love this latest release and readers looking for a new author to add to their shelves will not want to miss this one, I highly recommend Vow of Justice.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Killing Tide

Killing tide.jpg Author: Dani Pettrey

Series: Coast Guardians #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: August 6, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

In this fast paced and energetic thriller, Dani Pettrey delivers her best book yet! Readers will not want to miss this one!

Finn Walker, special agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service, has spent years doing the job he loves, trying to save others. But when a member of the Coast guard is found dead and another goes missing, he has his work cut out for him. With very few clues and even less to go on, Finn must stretch the limits of his investigative knowledge to solve the case. When his old flame, investigative reporter Gabby Rowley, comes back into town, it makes things even more complicated. To make matters worse, Gabby is in town because a ruthless crime boss she helped put away has put a price on her head. Gabby came home to wait until things blow over; she doesn’t want to put her family in jeopardy, so she stays in Finn’s guest house. Gabby can’t ignore her investigative instinct and works together with Finn to try to solve the case, stay alive, and keep her feelings for Finn under control.

Dani Pettrey set the bar pretty high with her Alaskan courage series. I was skeptical she could top it. I am pleased to say she blew me out of the water with The Killing Tide. This is a story fans will not want to miss. At first, I was a little unsure how I felt about Gabby but I quickly developed a strong connection with her and couldn’t deny my strong feelings for everything she went through. Her backstory and all that lead up to her becoming the person she is at this moment really made me root for her to succeed in all she attempted. Finn was an easy character for me to connect with. He left his feelings dangling from his sleeves and readers will find it hard to keep from connecting with him. I loved the ending and the way the suspense built up to a maximum at just the right moments. This is a perfect blend of romance and suspense to make an absolutely great story. This book is an exceptionally quick read, the story flows beautifully with short chapters and different point of views giving readers a full scope of how the story plays out. I highly recommend this to fans of Pettrey’s previous works as well as new readers to her, this will be a great place to start and get hooked on a wonderful new author.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Recursion

Recursion Author: Blake Crouch

Publisher: Crown Publishing

Release Date: June 11, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fast-paced, mind-bending thriller that could only come from the likes of Blake Crouch!

It’s 2007 and Alzheimer’s disease is becoming more prevalent with no apparent cure in sight. Helena Smith’s mother is a victim of the disease and she has made it her life’s work to combat the disease with science. As a researcher, she hasn’t made much progress, but all that changes one day when a stranger walks into her lab and offers her an open checkbook to build the contraption that she dreams of: a memory chair. Now secluded on an abandoned oil rig that has been outfitted into a secret laboratory, Helena is making advancements on her chair light years ahead of where she was at Stanford. Once her team finally manages to capture and recreate memories, Helena can’t wait to use it for her mother. But the chair’s mysterious benefactor seems to have other plans for the chair’s use, plans that she never saw coming or thought possible.

Ten years later, New York City cop Barry Sutton is called to a potential suicide jumper. As he tries to talk her off the ledge, she confesses that she has FMS or false memory syndrome. Becoming more prevalent, people are stricken with a second set of false memories of a completely different life that they never lived. In many cases, it drives the person crazy until they commit suicide to escape from the madness. Although Barry tries to persuade her, he is unsuccessful, and she jumps to her death. Experts aren’t sure how the disease is transmitted nor is there any known cure. He only hopes that he hasn’t contracted it from this woman. As Barry investigates what loose ends there are, he finds something that doesn’t add up. What Barry doesn’t realize is that this investigation will set forth a series of events that will change the world as he knows it, and possibly several other alternate worlds too!

Only the mind of Blake Crouch could conjure up a thriller this mind-bending. His previous novel Dark Matter was such an intense read that it stayed with me for days and I kept telling people about it. This was just as intense and will be sure to make my top list for the year. Crouch has a way of making his reader’s question what they think they know. Sure, it’s science fiction, but just think about it if it were true. Disrupting the space-time continuum would cause all out chaos. Where his previous novel dealt with string theory, this one focus in on actually traveling back in time and the ramifications of even living the exact same life over again. He makes theoretical physics fun to read about and will hopefully inspire some future minds to continue developing this type of science. I also just learned that this is going to become a movie on Netflix in 2020, so I highly recommended getting your copy now so that you can digest this awesome read.

There is quite a bit of strong language throughout the book as well as implied sex scenes that is more appropriate for mature audiences.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Flowers From Afghanistan

Flowers

Author: Suzy Parish

Publisher: Harbourlight Books

Release Date: August 10, 2018

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A compelling redemption story for both self and marriage.

After his two-year-old soon is killed in a tragic accident, Mac McCann signs up for a year long stint for overseeing security in a camp at Afghanistan. Mac sees this as a way to get away from his troubles. His wife is distraught that he is leaving but he is hoping that this will be a way for them to heal. But he harbors a secret. He feels that his son’s death is his fault and he doesn’t want to face his demons. Once in Afghanistan, he meets other security workers that are there for a myriad of reasons, but many are there to escape problems. However, the problems never really go away, they just seem to get worse. As Mac continues his tour, he begins to view life from a new perspective and realizes his mistakes and that he must confront them in he wants to heal and move on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it was a clean read with redeeming qualities throughout. Parish did a great job of weaving a story of a grieving couple struggling to heal. But this book went way deeper than that. She also brought to life many of the struggles that the both the locals in Afghanistan face as well as those that are over in an attempt to help rebuild the village life so that people can protect themselves. Parish did a great job setting different scenes between Huntsville, Alabama and Afghanistan. Her descriptive settings took to me each location in detail but didn’t detract from the story. Mac and Sophie were wonderfully developed characters. I could feel the hurt that they both carried and the anger between the two of them. I could sense what was happening in their relationship before they could, which is the sign of a truly talented author. I highly recommend this debut novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Just One Kiss

Just One Kiss Author: Courtney Walsh

Publisher: Independent

Release Date: July 23, 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A beautifully written story about love, redemption and how strong family relationships can be.

Carly Collins has spent the last sixteen years raising her son Jaden by herself when his father, Josh walked out on them. Josh was her fist love and broke her heart when he left them. Leaving Harbor Pointe and his family was the hardest decision Josh Dixon ever had to make. After a hard upbringing with an abusive father, Josh feared he would turn out like his father and hurt the ones he loved. Now he is a highly successful tech mogul and should have everything he wants, except his heart is empty. When Jaden’s health is in danger, Carly and Josh are brought together in the most difficult circumstances and have to decide if they can be a family again or if the second chance at love they are being is worth the risk of heartache all over again.

Just One Kiss is a sweet love story of redemption, love, and how some mistakes are worth forgiving. I loved the family dynamic and how that played out pulling at the heartstrings of not only the characters but also the readers. The parents love for their child helps them put aside their differences and do what is best for him no matter how hard it is. I loved the way these relationships played out, being a mother, it felt raw and real, just as it should. Carly was the perfect character for me, she loved her son and would do anything for him, even if it meant dealing with the man that completely shattered her heart. Even though Josh was a little rough around the edges, I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. The backstory that gives readers a glimpse into Josh’s history with his family helped to flesh out his reasoning for leaving and why accepting the fact that maybe he did deserve a family wasn’t so hard to believe. Even without a suspense element to it, which is what usually drives a book for me, the pace moved quickly with the tension between the characters and the uneasiness of what was happening with their son. This is quality writing and one I want more of. I can’t wait to read the next novel Walsh publishes. I recommend this to fans of romance writing that will give you all the feels and tug at your heartstrings at all the right moments.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Last Summer

Last Summer Author: Kerry Lonsdale

Publisher: Lake Union

Release Date: July 9, 2019

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A thrilling read that will leave readers guessing until they finally know the truth.

Ella Skye wakes up in a hospital to find that she has been in a car accident. Initially, she can’t remember what happened but begins to remember some details of her life. The one thing that she can’t remember is being pregnant for the last five months. She can remember what happened five days ago, but no memory whatsoever of carrying a child. She returns home to find a nursery that she decorated and all sorts of plans she had set up for a child. Even her husband Damien, who never wanted children, seems to be devasted by this loss. She and Damien’s relationship has been strained since the accident, but they seem to be finding some sort of new normal. Then she gets a call from the magazine she works for to pick up where she left off on an interview with a world explorer named Nathan Donovan. Amazingly, Ella can’t remember a thing about this man either, even after spending two weeks in solidarity with him. With her husband begging her not to go interview him, Ella decides she must take the chance to find out if he can trigger anything about her lost memories. What else can she lose?

If there is one thing that I’ve learned from Kerry Lonsdale, it’s that her books will always give you a dose of the unexpected. Another thing is that the antagonist is always very crafty. I loved getting to know Ella’s story just as I have her previous books. This one had a bit of a twist to it at the end, which I had a feeling was coming, but still had me pleasantly surprised. Ella is a strong confident woman, who must become very vulnerable to try to find out what happened in her past. Having carried two children, I can’t imagine waking up to not being able to remember them. That would an earth-shattering moment, which is obvious in her behavior. I’m not sure I would have made the same choices in her place, but then again, I don’t share her past either. Needless to say, this book stayed suspenseful, but not in a murder thrilling kind of way, just in a way that made me have to find out what happened. The ending also leaves a potential opening for a follow up, but we will have to wait and see on Lonsdale’s intentions!

There is some strong language throughout the book as well as some sex scenes that make this a read for mature audiences only.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Love and Other Mistakes

Love and other mistakes Author: Jessica Kate

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: July 30, 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A debut that will leave readers content and smiling throughout.

Natalie Groves thought she had her life all set until her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, breaks her heart and leaves town with no explanation and not even a glance back. Shortly thereafter, her father gets diagnosed with cancer and she has to drop everything to help her family. Feeling lost and alone with no way out or up, she lets the next seven years go by without pursuing her dreams. Now, Jeremy has returned to Charlottesville and he is not alone. He has brought his infant son with him along with all the regrets he has lived with for the past seven years. Natalie is working towards an internship at her dream job but must find a way to make money in the meantime. Together, the two must find a way to put aside their differences and help each other. The more time they spend together, the more feelings from the past collide with feelings from the present and they must decide if staying together or staying apart is the bigger mistake.

Jessica Kate has poured her bubbly Aussie personality into every page of her debut novel. Lots of charm, romance and sass to be found throughout every page. Both Natalie and Jeremy are very well written and the chemistry between the two is undeniable. At times, the relationship teeters on the edge of unbelievable but does work itself out pretty well. The story line of how Jeremy became a single dad needed a little work for me. As a mom, I find it hard to just want to give up a child, it would take a lot for me to not want to be with my kids. I did enjoy the storyline of Jeremy helping with his niece to get the of the whole family involved without that feeling forced. For me, the writing is well done but that of a first-time author, well written but not as fully polished as a seasoned writer. I am sure that will come with time. For a debut author, I can’t say with certainty that she put in her time and effort and really made this story what it should be even if at times I thought the storyline didn’t flow as smoothly as it could. Overall this was an enjoyable read leaving me looking forward to more from Jessica Kate. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy a clean romantic comedy with a little bit of sass and a lot of heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.