The Mourning Hours by Paula Treick DeBoard

About:

A family's loyalty is put to the ultimate test in this haunting and unforgettable debut.

Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in years-not since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnny-the high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believe-not even those closest to Johnny-but the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion. 

Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives. Tautly written and beautifully evocative, The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness.


Thoughts:

Paula Treick DeBoard is one of the most talented authors on the market today. I could not put The Mourning Hours down; which is a big deal for me when I choose a novel over sleep. From the moment that I read the first sentence I was hooked and transported into Kirsten's world where her hero of an older brother is suspected in the disappearance of his bubbly, popular girlfriend.

I was unsure of how the book would transpire and with every turn of a page I needed to know more, more, more. The question that this book made me wonder is what would I do if my family was in the same situation as Kirsten's. Would I have faith that my son would be innocent? Or would I have even the slightest bit of doubt in his innocence?

If you are looking for a page-turning, cannot be put down book, look no further. Grab this book and lose sleep just as I did last week.


Where to buy:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble


About the author:

Paula Treick DeBoard lives with her husband Will and their four-legged brood in Modesto, CA. She received a BA in English from Dordt College, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine and a practical education from countless students in her English classes over the years. The Mourning Hours is her first novel.


A huge thank you to NegGalley for the chance to read and review the above novel. All opinions expressed above are my own. I was provided with the ebook in order to read and facilitate my honest review. No other compensation was given.

Cocktail Hour by Tara McTiernan

About:

What if your friend - someone admired, envied, and fervently sought after by everyone who knew her - was really a dangerous sociopath? In her latest novel, Cocktail Hour, women's fiction author Tara McTiernan answers that question as she takes you on a wild roller coaster ride of thrilling highs and terrifying lows in this gripping novel about friendship gone horribly wrong.

Spring in glamorous uber-rich Fairfield County, Connecticut is a time of beginnings: a new diet for the approaching summer spent out on the yacht, fresh-faced interns being offered up at the office as the seasonal sacrifice to the gods of money, and corporate takeovers galore. Five women in their thirties have a brand-new friendship, too, one that's fed and watered regularly at local hotspots over cocktails. With all of their personal struggles - Lucie's new catering business is foundering due to vicious gossip, Kate's marriage is troubled due to an inability to conceive, Chelsea's series of misses in the romance department have led to frantic desperation, and Sharon's career problems are spinning out of control - the women look forward to a break and a drink and a chance to let their guards down with their friends. And letting their guards down is the last thing they should do in the kind of company they unknowingly keep with the fifth member of their cocktail-clique: Bianca Rossi, a woman who will stop at nothing to have it all.

As each woman's life is affected by this she-wolf in sheep's clothing, the truth starts to come out, but will they see it before it's too late? Or will their doubts about their own perceptions and gut feelings stop them from protecting themselves in time? Exciting, chilling, and emotionally charged, Tara McTiernan delivers a delicious page-turner that will change your view of everyone you think you know.


Thoughts:

I loved this book. As in love-loved it. Tara McTiernan has a creative mind which results in this page turner. Each chapter is told from one character's point of view--I loved how each chapter would let me dive deeper into each character.

The plot was fun, the plot was juicy, the plot was different than other books that I have read in the past. If you are looking for a book with strong female characters this is the read for you! Perfect for your last minute beach vacation before the weather starts to cool down.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 


Where to buy:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords


About the author:

Tara McTiernan grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and spent most of her childhood summers on an island in the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York - both of which are the settings for her novels, Barefoot Girls and Cocktail Hour, and her short stories. She currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband, Ash. Visit the author's website at http://www.taramctiernan.com for more information including upcoming book releases and events.



I was given an e-copy of Cocktail Hour in order to read and review this book. All opinions expressed above are my own and no other compensation was given.