1. Silent Child – This was good – not great, but really good. Emma’s six year old son goes missing from school one day during a horrible rainstorm. Shortly after, his coat is found in a nearby river and it was assumed that he drowned. Nearly a decade later, Aiden, her son returns unexpectedly and with no explanation. He is horrifically traumatized and doesn’t seem to be able to tell anyone what happened or where he has been this entire time. Emma is determined to find out for herself in order to help her son heal and bring the monster to justice who took him. It’s definitely an interesting thriller that kept me guessing but I figured out the ending about halfway through though I really wanted to find out how Aiden regains his speech again. Rating: 8

2. When She Returned – I recently read another Lucinda Berry book and was OBSESSED but sadly this one was not a hit for me. Kate left behind her husband and daughter unexpectedly and for seemingly no reason. She just walked away from her life. She comes back a decade later with a newborn baby and a family that has had to move on without her. There is talk that Kate was abducted by a cult though some believe she could have joined it willingly. And when it seems that the cult is looking for Kate, her family wonders whether she will go back to them or not. Rating: 6

3. The Prisoner – This book starts from the present day and works backwards to Amelie’s kidnapping. Amelie is a prisoner and doesn’t know why though she suspects it has something to do with her new husband. Ned Hawthorne is not a good man and the circumstances surrounding their marriage make Amelie believe that their kidnappers are after Ned and she was just collateral damage. I do love B.A. Paris’ books but this one was good but not amazing. Rating: 7.5

4. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow – I wasn’t sure about this one from the start but there was SO much buzz surrounding it so I decided to give it a shot. Meh. It was not a hit for me though I can understand why many may have loved it. Sam and Sadie first meet as kids in a hospital where Sam is there for a badly injured leg from a car accident and Sadie is visiting her sister who has cancer. They form an instant bond over their love for gaming and become friends. Their lives take them in different directions as they get older, but when Sam sees Sadie in a subway station in Boston he takes it as a sign to possibly come together again and revisit their love of gaming. Sam asks Sadie to design a video game with him and the story is their journey through this process. The trials and tribulations they face, the evolution, demise and development of their relationship and the heartbreaks they endure along the way. I’m not into gaming but this story is more about friendship, relationships and the complicated nature of it all. Rating: 7.5

5. The Lion’s Den – YESSSS! This mystery thriller was everything! I thought it was so good and the ending was really satisfying. LOL Belle and Summer have been best friends since they were teenagers so Belle is excited to celebrate her friend abroad a yacht in the Mediterranean. Summer has a billionaire boyfriend that has invited all of Summer’s friends aboard this yacht but things quickly turn from fun and exciting to weird and stressful. Summer’s boyfriend is controlling, monitors everything the friends do on board and locks them in their bedrooms each night. Belle is worried something more sinister might be going on yet doesn’t know how to get help in the middle of the Mediterranean. Rating: 9

6. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell – This has got to be one of the best books I read ALL YEAR!!!! It started off quite slow for me and I was not into it, but it quickly turned around and I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY!!!! I never wanted the book to end and loved Sam Hell so much. Sam was born with a rare type of ocular albinism and his eyes are red. The kids at school call him “Devil Boy” but his mother says it is “God’s Will” and has faith he will live an extraordinary life. He finds his tribe in two other misfit kids and they form lifelong friendships. But along with these friendships, come horrible bullies that follow him his entire life. Sam struggles with obstacles he faces throughout his life and it really tests his faith. He doesn’t understand the unwavering devotion his mom has to the Blessed Mother and feels angry that she doesn’t seem to be rewarded for that devout faith. However, Sam goes on his own journey halfway around the world in search of meaning behind it all and ultimately finds peace in the answers. I felt so much emotion reading this book and didn’t want the story to end. Rating: 9.5