First time I've read a novel by Jennifer Gillies and i really enjoyed it. Geo was involved in the cover up of her best friend's murder when she was sixteen and now fourteen years later she has to deal with the consequences.
I loved the twist but also that we can see everything isn't black and white and that we can have complicated feelings about horrible people

Feedback given already, this was duplicated on my list, so hopefully that review comes through for you to see.

This book was given to me to read by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own and are not linked to NetGalley.

This book is the first book I’ve read by this author and it was very good. I would recommend this book and this author.

The book is about a young teenage girl who has two best friends and still at school, she is on the cheerleading team and is best friends with the most popular girl in school. Geo is the type of girl who is always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

After a chance meeting she starts seeing an older boy and starts to miss school, cheer practice and hanging out with her friends, typical teenage parties etc.

One weekend in an attempt to change all this and catch up with her friend she goes to a party with her best friend and yet this night does cause change. Just not the kind of change she ever expected. This causes her whole life to change, she no longer talks to herb other best friend Kaiser because she finds it too difficult. She breaks up with her boyfriend and gets herself a part time job while sticking in at school

Fast forward 10+ years and she’s engaged, has a top job in a career she enjoys and yet again her life is changed from underneath her this time with even more drastic changes.

This book is atmospheric, keeps you wanting to read on and find out more! I read this book a few books ago and I still remember it. I think this book would make a brilliant film or series and would also love a follow on book because of the big reveal at the end this book was shockingly crazy but unexpectedly so.

Read Dec 18

So, this is the convoluted story about Georgina, her high school best friend Angela who disappeared, her dodgy older boyfriend Calvin and their adjacent friend Kaiser. The story jumps around a lot going back and forth in time, skipping time, random chapters from a different point of view and parts named after the five stages of grief.

When Angela’s body is discovered near her house Georgina is convicted of… Being an accomplice? Withholding evidence? I can’t remember now, but she’s sent to a very unrealistic prison where everyone lives in one room. She does eventually get out so the story can progress, some of the twists were not hard to work out, other points were just a bit strange.

A wonderfully dark and complex thriller that has a healthy dose of twists and turns. I enjoyed this story from start to finish.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

Ooohhhh.... as a reader predominantly of thrillers, its exciting when a book comes along that doesnt follow the usual formula. Which is exactly why I devoured this book in only a couple of days. What an amazing book. Cant wait for the next one!

Jar of hearts was a fantastic read that kept me hooked throughout. Some great twists throughout and although this was my first book by this author it definitely will not be my last.

This book was all kinds of messed up, and I loved it. I enjoy a crime thriller that’s chilling, dark and twisted, and this one is definitely twisted but in the most delightful way. I should mention that there are some violent and stomach churning scenes in this book which won’t be to every readers taste, but the scenes never felt unnecessarily graphic.

Geo, Angela and Kaiser have grown up together and become best friends. Then, 16-year-old Geo meets Calvin James and everything starts to changes. Her first real boyfriend...and he turns out to be a killer. He’s older, controlling, and manipulative...not the type of boyfriend you bring home to meet your parents. One night of partying and poor choices...and none of their lives will ever be the same. It may take years...14 to be exact...but past mistakes always come back to haunt you.

I love a character who evokes strong emotions in myself, and the author did that with Geo, on one hand I felt sorry for her, her relationship with Calvin was toxic and damaging, and yet as he was her first love it was easy to see how she was sucked in by Calvin. On the other hand there was the secretive Geo who during some scenes appeared cold and calculated and then I found my dislike of her growing. Each of the characters in Jar Of Hearts was well depicted, some more likeable than others, the dynamics between the three friends felt very credible, as to the relationship between Angela and Geo it’s a complex one, but it’s also a fascinating one. The relationship between Geo and Calvin made for an uncomfortable read, as the author reveals more about the couples turbulent relationship you can see the warning signs, you know something awful is going to happen, but as to the “what” you just have to read on to find out.

Jar Of Hearts alternates between Geo and Kaiser, told in the present Jennifer Hillier captures the past in flashbacks which slowly but deftly reveal a complex story of buried secrets shrouded in toxic relationships, abuse, and jealousy. There were so many aspects of this book I enjoyed, the pace is perfect, the writing concise, each chapter turns into just “one more”. Even though I worked out part of the story, (although it took me a while to get there I must admit!) It didn’t matter one iota as I was so immersed in the story, and the author still surprised me a couple of times which is always a bonus. Definitely one I would recommend to those who love a crime thriller with a dark heart and those who aren’t averse to some violent and disquieting scenes.

This is a good modern thriller. I am only giving it four stars as I felt the excitement fizzled out half way through.

Jar of Hearts is a fast paced psychological thriller about a young woman released from jail after serving time for a crime she committed as a school girl. I was hooked from the start and enjoyed the twist at the end.

I was hooked to this story from the beginning. This is a brilliant thriller novel.

The main character, Geo is well written. Even she isn’t nice parson, I like her how she tries to be good. People can be a hero and a villain. It’s so true.

The story is a gripping page turner. Some part you will see it’s coming but it was still thrilling for me. Its last few pages are ever so darkly fascinating.

I couldn’t put down this book.
I marked as 4.5 out of 5.0 stars!

I’ll definitely check other books written by this author.

WOW, this book is so different to my usual type but I was absolutely hooked from the beginning.

Definitely a bit gory, a gripping page turner with lots of twists - some you will see coming & some will shock the hell out of you!

Will definitely be looking out for more books from this author

This book is dark, twisted, gritty and a thrilling read - and I loved it!!

The story is well woven and it drew me in right from the first few pages. I loved the characters and I was completely engrossed as the plot unravelled. I thought they were well developed, had complex back stories and worked so well together. There were a few bits that made me cringe but it was all in keeping with the plot and style for the book. The pace was spot on for the story and the writing style was superb.

I loved how the book almost creeped forward, you were taken one way in the plot only for there to be a twist which took you in a completely new direction.

This is the first book I have read by this author so I will definitely be looking to check out her previous books now - five stars from me, a highlight of the year so far!!

This is a brilliant thriller about a young woman, Geo. When Geo was 16 her best friend Angela disappeared without trace, and Geo knows something about that night but she’ll never tell. Calvin, Geo’s first love, has been revealed to be a serial killer, he’s escaped custody and is now on the run and more women are being murdered! This novel is so dark and twisty and I found it near impossible to put down. It’s fast-paced and kept me on my toes throughout.

Jar of Hearts was a fabulously addictive page-turner of a read.
A psychological crime thriller that I was glued to from start to finish.
Starting almost backwards we begin far along in the timeline when Angela Wongs mutilated remains are finally discovered in the woods by Geo's childhood home.
An axe that Geo has been waiting to fall on her head for the past fourteen years.
With her high powered career destroyed and her CEO Fiancee abandoning her to face her fate, Geo prepares for a lengthy stay incarcerated behind bars.
This is a tale told in flashbacks and we get to hear first from Geo herself then later from her and Angela's other BFF Kaiser who is now a detective in the Seattle PD: during there school years he had strong feelings for Geo: more than just friendship but she never reciprocated his affections instead obsessing in a toxic relationship with the much older and dangerous Calvin James.
The same Calvin who later went on to murder three other women and earned himself the moniker The Sweetbay Strangler.
Now Geo has paid her dues and is trying to forgive herself and put her awful past behind her.
But there are now victims who bear a striking resemblance to Georgina being killed and disposed of in exactly the same way as Angela Wong was and Geo finds herself right at the centre of this new mystery.
So, This was a definite read in one sitting story and though I did kind of see the twist coming a mile off It didn't really take away from my overall enjoyment of this.
This is a book I highly recommend and it really was such a heart-pounding, satisfying read.
Full of twists and turn throughout this has so much going for it.
A massive thumbs up from my camp.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc of Jar Of Hearts.
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

A gripping well paced psychological thriller with twists and turns right up to the end. Thanks for the ARC Net Galley.

I really struggled to get through this book. I found the pacing too slow and the characters were too one dimensional.

Georgina "Geo" Shaw is flying high in life. She's the youngest executive at Shipp Pharmaceuticals and engaged to its CEO. But then she's arrested for the murder of her best friend Angela Wong who has been missing since they were at high school. The truth is Geo didn't kill Angela but she has known who did and has kept quiet for fourteen years. The man who did murder Angela went on to kill more women was Calvin James, Geos first love. After giving evidence against him Geo serves five years in prison for her part in covering up Angela's murder. Calvin meanwhile escapes. When she gets out all she wants to do is start over but before she even gets out there are two bodies found almost on her childhood homes doorstep. Has Calvin come back for her? And will anyone discover the secrets from that night that Geo still hides?

This is a tale of jealousy, obsessive love and some very very dark secrets. It goes from being a prison story to a mystery thriller whilst throwing in some flashbacks that reminded me very much of Heathers. Which is definitely a good thing. However, if you have a delicate constitution this is not the book for you. There are some pretty tough scenes to read throughout the book. On the whole, they are handled well but are still quite graphic. I've said it before but I'll say it again British thrillers are gritty and American are gruesome. This doesn't buck the trend. Geo, despite her actions, is easy to like and in an odd way admire. She's a complete survivor, even in prison she carves a niche for herself. Having her as the main protagonist edges this a step above many of these books. She's no victim.

For me, this is one of the best American thrillers I've read in a long time, so I'll certainly have to start on Jennifer Hillier's back catalogue as soon as possible.

Plot: Angela Wong disappeared in high school, and now, 14 years later, her body is found and it’s discovered she’s a victim of killer Calvin James, then-boyfriend of Georgina (Geo) Shaw, who has been keeping the secret all this time. Geo is a successful career woman who is pulled out of her workplace and sent to prison for withholding the information. While everything thinks they now know the full truth, is that really correct? And how long is it before a secret really catches up with you? When new bodies begin to turn up, the real truth begins to come out.

My thoughts: This was a very good thriller with characters that were well-formed and a story that was exciting. The relationship between the two girls before Angela’s disappearance is very true to teenage real life, and throwing in a relationship with a “bad boy” that adds a layer of envy to that is even more interesting. I also really loved the character of Kaiser, the police chief who was also in their friendship circle at school – it adds another element to the story to make it all the more confusing in terms of emotion, but throws in further twists to the tale. All in all, it was a really enjoyable read and one I would definitely recommend.