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The 10 Best Books I Read in 2015

12/29/2015

 
I have read so many wonderful book this year that I wanted to narrow down a list of the top 10 and post those to share with you.  This list has a little bit of something for all tastes.  My reviews are linked to each title to give you more information.  In no particular order, here are my Top 10:

1.  The Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris.  
2.  The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy
3.  The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
4.  The Time Between by Karen White
5.  The Patriot Threat by Steve Berry
6.  The Flying Circus by Susan Crandall
7.  The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro
8.  Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova
9.  The Mask by Taylor Stevens
10.  Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

12/28/2015

 
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Pretty Girls is a perfectly executed, edge of your seat psychological thriller!  

Claire and Lydia's sister Julia disappeared over 20 years ago and her disappearance left an indelible mark on her entire family.  The sisters are now estranged but Claire's husband's murder brings their paths back together as they find something is a miss in Claire's husband's life.  

This book is one you absolutely will not want to put down and will keep you awake late into the night.  This book is not for the weak stomached as portions are gruesome, but necessary to develop the plot.  I had not read any books by Karin Slaughter before but will definitely be adding to my "to read" list.  Pretty Girls is full of twists and turns, worthy of the most ambitious roller-coaster.  I highly recommend putting this book on your must read list.  

I received this book as part of the FRC2015 from BookSparks in exchange for an honest review.  

The Word Game by Steena Holmes 

12/28/2015

 
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Alyson is a highly protective mother for her daughter Lyla and she reluctantly has agreed to let Lyla have her first sleepover at her sister Tricia's house assuming she will be safe there.  The event doesn't quite go as planned and now Alyson and Tricia both have a whole different situation on their hands.  Now both of their pasts have come back to haunt them and influence their decisions.  

The Word Game was a quick and suspenseful read.  The author delves into family struggles and the secrets many families harbor.  The different perspectives were handled well in the story and hefty issues were explored with the right amount of detail.  If you enjoy mysteries, I would recommend picking up this book.  

I received this book as part of the FRC 2015 from BookSparks in exchange for an honest review.  

The Song of Hartgrove Hall by Natasha Solomons

12/16/2015

 
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The Song of Hartgrove Hall is the story of Harry Fox-Talbot's life.  In 1946, Harry Fox-Talbot and his brothers are trying to save their struggling estate.  Singer Edie Rose enters the scene and creates an even bigger struggle between the brothers.  While that story is unfolding, we also are learning more about Harry's life fifty years later as he deals with the grief of losing his wife.  

While I enjoyed this book, I felt that parts of the book were a bit sluggish.  Normally, I have no problem with books that switch back and forth in time but for me about the time I would get involved in one time era, the novel would switch back to the other time frame.  I became more interested in the present day setting with Harry Fox-Talbot as grandpa to Robin, the piano prodigy.  The themes in that portion of the book resonated more with me.  I felt the author did an excellent job of portraying the role of grief in Harry's life.  

Overall, the book was enjoyable and the detail on song collecting was interesting.  I received this book through Penguin's First to Read Program in exchange for an honest review.  

The Black Velvet Coat by Jill G. Hall

12/9/2015

 
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Weaving back and forth through time, The Black Velvet Coat tells the story of Anne McFarland, a struggling artist trying to make her own way in the San Francisco art scene, and a fifty years earlier, the story of Sylvia Van Dam, a young heiress, who finds her fiancée isn't exactly who she thinks he is.  What ties the two ladies together is a beautiful black velvet coat, originally owned by Sylvia and recently purchased by Anne from a thrift shop.  

The Black Velvet Coat definitely kept my interest as both characters were well developed and I wanted to see where their journeys would taken them.  I felt the ending was a little rushed, but otherwise I truly enjoyed this book.  

Vintage clothes certainly have stories to tell and The Black Velvet Coat was an intriguing book showcasing how certain paths converge in life.  I look forward to reading more stories by Jill G. Hall.  

I received this book from SheWritesPress through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

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