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The Night She Disappeared
The Night She Disappeared
Lisa Jewell | 2021 | Mystery, Thriller
9
8.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
An intricate, twisty, page-turner of a thriller
Tallulah and her boyfriend, Zach, go out on a date, leaving their young son Noah behind with her mom, Kim. Kim waits up for Tallulah, but she never comes back. As Kim tries to find out what happened to her daughter, whom she knows would never leave Noah behind, she learns she was last seen at a party at house in the woods, called the Dark Place.

Two years later, Sophie moves to a boarding school where her boyfriend, Shaun, has just started to work as head teacher. As she explores the woods, she sees a note reading "Dig Here." A writer, Sophie starts investigating. Her sleuthing will take her into the world of the Dark Place and Tallulah's disappearance.

"With a racing heart and a sickening swirl in the pit of her stomach, she calls the police and she files a missing persons case."

This is an excellent thriller, hands-down. I read the second half in one sitting, because I was completely and totally sucked in. This is a mystery, but it has a ton of character to it--because the characters, ha, are real and vibrant people, with their own quirks, issues, and struggles that add an an extra element to the story. Tallulah, especially, is a nuanced character, a young mother struggling to find her place in the world, with her boyfriend, her friendships, and as a parent and student.

NIGHT is quite twisty--this read will keep you guessing. It's well-written, extremely dark (be prepared), and just well-done overall. It balances thrilling and characterization perfectly. I often hate when a "regular" character decides to be a sleuth, but Sophie, as a crime writer, was fine in the role. I loved Tallulah (extremely great, because she's missing, so Jewell gets us attached to a character who is gone and whose POV is told through the past). The book is complex, giving us insight into motherhood, relationships, friendship and more.

Overall, this was a winner for me. 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Atria Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
  
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Merissa (12051 KP) rated Boldly (Breakers Hockey #2) in Books

Aug 31, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)  
Boldly (Breakers Hockey #2)
Boldly (Breakers Hockey #2)
Elise Faber | 2021 | Contemporary, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
BOLDLY is the second book in the Breakers Hockey series and hold onto your hats, folks, because you're in for one helluva ride!

Oliver was the Captain of the Breakers. Yes, he'd made mistakes along the way, but he had the respect of his teammates and the management team. But then one foul tackle and he's out. A shattered leg and an infection that won't go leaves him with a prosthetic and his dreams on ice are gone.

A year later and he's back, although not as he would wish to be. He finds himself attracted to Hazel and immediately works on making her his own. Of course, Hazel isn't prepared to just sit there and take it. Trust me, she makes her own stands too. Together, these two are sappy, hot, and crazy for each other.

I read this book in one sitting - simply unable to put it down. I really respected and admired Oliver's way of thinking, which helped him move forward after such a devastating thing happened to him. He hadn't had it easy but, with his mindset, he was able to make the best of a bad situation. Hazel is simply stunning. I loved her go-get-em attitude and how she thinks outside the box if she thinks it will help her boys. Both of these know how to communicate and the book is so much better for not having oodles of misunderstandings and hurt feelings caused by not speaking to each other!!!

This story made me smile and laugh out loud. I adored the scene with Luc, Lexi, and Noah! Those babies sure know how to run a parent ragged!

Oh, and fair warning - if you're like me, you just might need a Kleenex to help you through the last part of the book. I will admit to tears streaming down my face during the epilogue, and I'm not ashamed!

Absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 31, 2021