Break Through the Noise by Mia Reyes

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An all-encompassing social emotional learning and self-help book!

An all-encompassing social emotional learning and self-help book! Includes personal stories from the author, other individuals and celebrities about their struggles and experiences with anxiety and social issues and how they cope and overcome the problems they’re personally dealing with. Calming activities are found throughout the book, such as a mandala to stop and color. Several techniques are offered to control reactions and explained in a concise way, such as Vipassana, an ancient meditation technique with roots back to 500 BC. I love this book full of self-help and self-care techniques written by an author who is understanding, compassionate and wants readers to succeed by sharing what has helped her and others. 5 stars!

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter

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Disturbingly creepy!

Delta is a professional photographer who assimilates quickly to her surroundings, especially when she decides she wants to be part of the group. She meets Natalie at her eleventh birthday party and meets her parents also. Delta decides she wants to befriend them. Little by little, she inserts herself into their lives, to the point of moving in. The problem with Delta is that she’s delusional and no one knows how far she’s going to go to belong. This mystery is tamer than I was expecting but still enough to be disturbingly creepy, 3 stars!

Wish You Were Gone by Kieran Scott

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Told in several points of view by Emma and her friends. The story opens with a crash in her home, late at night. Her son, Hunter, rushes into Emma’s room to ask her about the noise. The two venture through the house and find her husband and Hunter’s father dead in his car, that’s been crashed through the garage. James had been known to drink and drive, so that’s what everyone assumes happened to cause the crash. Little things come to Emma’s attention that don’t add up to James causing the crash on his own. The landscaper finds James’ necktie in the bushes and Emma finds his briefcase behind baskets of fruit from well-wishers. He would have had his tie on and his briefcase in the car with him. His phone is also missing and when Emma calls it, a young woman answers. The story grows more complex as it is told, with more variables coming to light. This was truly an unpredictable story for me and a very satisfying mystery! 5 stars!

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

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A man is discovered murdered on his houseboat. A neighbor lady finds his body. Several characters are added into the mix, each with a connection to the murdered man, Daniel. We learn about Daniel, his mother Angela, his Aunt Carla and Uncle Theo, his one night stand Laura, all alternating with snippets from a killer’s point of view. The writing is impressive in the way everything and everyone connects and once the characters were all introduced, the storyline fell into place and flowed through to the ending. A very interesting mystery involving a few different timelines that’s worth every minute spent reading, 5 stars!

I’m with the Banned by Marlene Perez

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Paranormal fun!

Tansy is trying to adjust to being the Vampire Queen. She lives with her granny, who she trusts more than anyone else in the world. Tansy discovers more about her estranged mother and the father she’s never known. Her boyfriend Vaughn is dealing with life changing issues on his own. The book starts out recapping the events from the first book and moves onto more intensity. I enjoyed the mix of characters and events which made an enjoyable read, 4 stars!

They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

Posted on by lynndellwatson

The Steckler sisters are on their high school cross country running team. They live in Edgewater which is known for a string of murders of young adult women runners. The town’s name was changed to Deadwater in the papers because of these unsolved murders. Nothing fatal has happened recently and the town is booming with tourism once again. Ellie and Stella Steckler are both keeping secrets from each other but they eventually realize that they are there for each other to lean on and have each other’s backs. A runner goes missing and the town goes into lockdown mode once again until safety can be ensured. Secrets are revealed and eyes are opened in this small tourist town, 4 stars!