The One by John Marrs

The One by John Marrs, 438 pages

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you'll be matched with your perfect partner-the one you're genetically made for. That's the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soulmate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love. Now five very different people have received the notification that they've been "Matched." They're each about to meet their one true love. But "happily ever after" isn't guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others.......

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden

 

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden - 397 pages

YouTube baking sensation April Masterson knows the secret to the perfect gooey brownies. Or how to make key lime squares that will melt in your mouth. But if you keep watching her offline, you may find out some other secrets about April. Secrets she’d rather you didn’t know.

Like where did her son go when he snuck out of the house? What was she doing with the local soccer coach behind fogged windows? And what’s buried in her backyard?

Everyone has secrets. Some are worse than others. April’s secrets are enough to destroy her.

I’ll make sure of that.

Oh man, what a ride!  A lot of the story is from April's POV, then we switch to Julie's and April's mother's.  There are definitely two sides to each story, and the ending-WOW.  Well done Mrs. McFadden!

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

 Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose-249 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐✩

I absolutely love this cover! I hadn't previously read any of Rose's novels, but was intrigued by the premise of this one. I heard that she was going to be in St. Louis and decided to go to her author event at the Grant's View branch. It was a blast. At the beginning of the book, Beth Thomas is taking care of her mother, Laura, who is dying of cancer. Laura's final words to Beth are "Your father didn't really disappear. Don't trust..." and that's how this story really gets going. Laura dies before she can tell Beth who not to trust. Beth's two siblings, Nicole and Michael arrive home to help make funeral arrangements and settle affairs, or so it seems. As the siblings sort through the stuff in their parents' house they find a VHS tape that shows their parents standing over a dead body and discussing getting rid of it. Are there literal skeletons in the closet of this family? I encourage you to read this book to find out. I really liked this book and intend to read another of Jeneva Rose's novels The Perfect Marriage. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries/thrillers.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

 The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

336 pages

It all started at a dinner party. . .

A domestic suspense debut about a young couple and their apparently friendly neighbors--a twisty, rollercoaster ride of lies, betrayal, and the secrets between husbands and wives. . .

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family--a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads because it was so good. I have read several books from this author and she is quite amazing. She has a knack for moving you one direction and then slipping the rug out from underneath you. I highly recommend this book if you love thrillers. I won't give out any spoilers, but the way this book ended it couldn't be real life. Except it would be something that you could watch on a true crime documentary.

Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines by Jennifer J. Chow

 Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines by Jennifer J. Chow - 397 pages

When a local teacher is found dead, LA’s newest pet groomer Mimi Lee finds herself in a pawful predicament—with her younger sister’s livelihood on the line.

Mimi Lee is on top of the world. She has a thriving pet grooming business, the sweetest boyfriend, and a talking cat to boot. When she arrives at the elementary school where her sister Alice works, she's expecting a fun girls' night out—but instead finds a teacher slumped over in her car, dead.

Alice was the last one to see Helen Reed, which instantly marks her as the prime suspect. Unable to sit quietly and let the authorities walk all over her sister, Mimi starts snooping and talks to Helen’s closest contacts, including one jumpy principal, a two-faced fiancé, and three sketchy teachers. With the help of her sassy but savvy cat, Marshmallow, and a cute kitten named Nimbus, the clock’s ticking for Mimi to get to the bottom of yet another case before her sister gets schooled.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

 Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn - 466 pages

Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother for… well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret… and fears she doesn’t know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of the neverending sameness of his life, and, most of all, tired of everyone’s preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can’t seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad, he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same—especially Penelope Featherington! The girl who was always simply… there is suddenly the girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide… is she his biggest threat—or his promise of a happy ending?

The Beginning by Beverly Lewis

 The Beginning by Beverly Lewis - 344 pages

Susie Mast's Amish life in Lancaster County has been shaped by events beyond her control, with the tragic deaths of her Dat and close-in-age brother casting long shadows. Now twenty-two, Susie remains unmarried despite her longtime affection for friend Obie Yoder. 

Unfortunately, her concerns are soon multiplied due to her mother's worsening health and her younger sister's urgent desire for answers about her adoption. Once again, Susie faces the possibility of loss. Will long-held family secrets and missed opportunities dim Susie's hopes for the future? Or is what seems like the end only the beginning?

Once again, Beverly Lewis has come through with a thoughtful, yet realistic book about life. Her ability to speak to her readers about life, and keeping their faith, that God has a plan and if we follow His lead, he will be faithful to us, astounds me everytime I open one of her books.    

It All Comes Back to You by Beth Duke

It All Comes Back to You by Beth Duke - 288 pages

Alabama, 1947.

War's over, cherry-print dresses, parking above the city lights, swing dancing.
Beautiful, seventeen-year-old Violet lives in a perfect world.
Everybody loves her.
In 2012, she's still beautiful, charming, and surrounded by admirers.

Veronica "Ronni" Johnson, licensed practical nurse and aspiring writer, meets the captivating Violet in the assisted living facility where Violet requires no assistance, just lots of male attention. When she dies, she leaves Ronni a very generous bequest―only if Ronni completes a book about her life within one year. As she's drawn into the world of young Violet, Ronni is mesmerized by life in a simpler time. It's an irresistible journey filled with revelations, some of them about men Ronni knew as octogenarians at Fairfield Springs.

Struggling, insecure, flailing at the keyboard, Ronni juggles her patients, a new boyfriend, and a Samsonite factory of emotional baggage as she tries to craft a manuscript before her deadline.

But then the secrets start to emerge, some of them in person. And they don't stop.

Everything changes.

Alternating chapters between Homecoming Queen Violet in 1947 and can't-quite-find-her-crown Ronni in the present, IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU is Southern Fiction at its hilarious, warm, sad, outrageous, uplifting, and stunning best. In the tradition of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and Olive Kitteridge, Duke delivers an unforgettable elderly character to treasure and a young heroine to steal your heart.

This book keeps you guessing until the end, and the twists and turns that it takes keeps you rivited.  

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

 

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway - 343 pages

Emmy and Oliver were best friends . . . up until the day he disappeared in second grade.  Life completely changed with Oliver gone.  Then one day, Oliver is back.

This has been on my list of books to read for a while.  I'm glad I finally got around to it.  I really enjoyed the book.  I liked the characters and that they had several different dimensions to them.  I hope to read more books by this author.

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino - 438 pages

An introverted high school boy discovers the secret of popular classmate Sakura.  She is dying of pancreatic cancer.  They slowly become friends as he is the only one outside of her family to know her secret.

I really liked this manga.  The relationship between the two friends is interesting.  The character growth of the boy is believable.  I would highly recommend this to fans of realistic manga stories.

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey - 341 pages

Rosie and Dominic have been together since seventh grade.  They were the perfect couple . . . until they weren't.  Now they barely speak to each other.  So Rosie gives Dominic an ultimatum -- they attend extreme marriage counseling or she leaves forever.  She never thought Dominic would agree but he did.  Now they are learning to speak to each other while completing ridiculous "homework assignments" for therapy.  Will this work or will they split up?

This is the second book in the This Series by Tessa Bailey.  I really loved the first book with all of its humor.  While the book was good it didn't seem to have as much humor as the first.  It's a more serious romance.  Still, I am definitely looking forward to the third book.

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton - 390 pages

Long ago, the town of Three Graces made a deal.  Every seven years during the Slaughter Moon they must sacrifice a young man of the town to the devil in the forest.  In exchange, the town suffers no ill -- illness, famine, premature death.  But something has changed.  It's only been three years since the last Slaughter Moon.  Now sacrifice Rhun, witch Mair, and outcast Arthur will learn the secrets behind the deal and what must be done to restore balance.

I was surprised to enjoy this book.  When I started it I didn't think I would like it.  But about halfway through I discovered I couldn't put it down.  I was invested in the characters and wanted to know what happened to them.  I would highly recommend this book to teens who enjoy fantasy or even dystopian fiction. 

These Gentle Wounds by Helene Dunbar

These Gentle Wounds by Helene Dunbar - 308 pages

Gordie is living with his half-brother Kevin.  Kevin is the only one able to keep Gordie safe and focused on getting his life on track after the horrible day their mother tried to kill Gordie by driving into a lake.  But just when things seem to start to be getting better, Gordie's father comes back into the picture.  Now Gordie is falling into a tailspin . . . .

While this was not a happy book to read, I did enjoy it.  It was well written.  I think it does a good job of showing the aftereffects of abuse and how it stays with a person forever. 

Rise & Shine Benedict Stone by Phadera Patrick

Rise & Shine Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick - 361 pages


Benedict Stone is a mild-mannered, risk-averse jewelry maker who runs a shop originally owned by his late father in a town called Noon Sun. Much to his dismay, Estelle, his wife of 10 years, has left him, partly due to the couple’s unresolved feelings about their childlessness. Lucky for Benedict, his plucky 16-year-old niece, Gemma, suddenly appears, on the run from her family in the States. Gemma takes her uncle in hand, helping him spruce up his shop and turn out more creative pieces of jewelry. She also prods him to woo back his wife. (While clearly meant to be amusing, some of Benedict’s ploys—one involving a sword; another a llama—are deeply cringeworthy.) 

Gemma, meanwhile, is clearly harboring a secret; but so, it turns out, is Benedict—a secret that has alienated him from his brother, Gemma’s father, Charlie. The latter eventually arrives on the scene, and family fireworks ensue. Still, the ending is never seriously in doubt. And though the book is eventful, much of it is plodding; the pace only picks up toward the end. Throughout, there’s much talk of gemstones—each chapter heading bears the name of a different stone and a brief description of its potential powers (e.g., Emerald: equilibrium, patience, honesty). Yet despite the attempt to confer a magical aura on the proceedings, the book remains stubbornly earthbound.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare - 701 pages
The Dark Artifices - Book Two

A rescue attempt in Faerie.  A risen Shadowhunter who was dead.  The search for the Black Book.  Will Emma and Julian be able to endure it all to save their family and friends?

This is the second book in The Dark Artifices series.  I am growing to like the series more and more with each book.  I can't wait to read the third book.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare - 706 pages
The Dark Artifices - Book One

Emma Carstairs is considered the best Shadowhunter of her generation.  With her parabatai Julian she patrols keeping mundanes safe from demons.  When dead bodies are discovered bearing the same runes as those found on her dead parents five years ago, she is determined to finally discover what happened to them. 

This is the first book in The Dark Artifices, the sequel series to the Mortal Instruments.  I really enjoyed this book.  While the focus on different main characters from the original series, they do appear throughout the story. 

The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky

The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky - 149 pages

The class at the top of the stairs often goes to the park to think, to draw, and to write.  The eleven little girls in the class are led there by their teacher Mrs. Renshaw to meet with the poet Morgan.  Then one day Mrs. Renshaw takes the little girls to the park but only the little girls return to school.  What happened to Mrs. Renshaw?  Where did she go?  And will she ever return?

I listened to this on audio.  It was an interesting look at how secrets and how they affect those who keep them.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg - 345 pages

Max is a chill guy with great friends who know he is gay.  However, he has a secret about an encounter with an older guy.  Jordan is uncomfortable around anyone other than his mom and two best friends.  He's hiding the fact that his mother is spiraling out of control and that they might lose the house.  Now Max and Jordan are working together on a food truck trying the save the house.  Over the course of the summer, they'll have to face these secrets and decide what to do about them.

I read this book as I wasn't sure if it should go in the teen or adult collection.  I believe that it is a teen book.  However, due to its subject  matter I also believe that it is definitely for older teens. 

The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis

The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis - 306 pages

With her Amish parents' twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across a surprise--the old brass tinderbox her clockmaker father keeps in his Lancaster County shop has been left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life. 

Sylvia's bewilderment grows when her father confronts her about snooping in the box. To her amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order reacts as if he has something to hide.

Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller decides he must reveal the details about his past to his beloved wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family, jeopardizing Earnest and Rhoda's relationship, as well as threatening Sylvia's recent engagement to the preacher's grandson.

Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and acceptance?

Perfectly Good White Boy by Carrie Mesrobian

Perfectly Good White Boy by Carrie Mesrobian - 304 pages

Sean's life doesn't seem to be heading in a great direction.  His father has left the family after an incident last spring that caused them to move to a rundown rental house on the outskirts of town.  His girlfriend has just broken up with him before leaving town for college.  And he has no plans for after high school except to maybe join the marines, which his family opposes.  The only bright spot in his life is his new co-worker Neecie who is quickly becoming his best friend.

I enjoyed this book.  It was nice to see the teen characters figure out their lives in a realistic way.  I would suggest it for older teens as it does focus on sex quite a bit and with some detail.