I honestly did not like this book at first, but the more I read the more I was pulled into the story of Georgina and her poor choices. Georgina is in high school when she meets Calvin James and is drawn to his “bad boy” attitude. Calvin is older than Georgina and seems to take over her life. She sacrifices friendships so that she can have a relationship with Calvin. She is a good girl gone bad in this tale dark choices and redemption. I enjoyed reading the description of Geo’s life in prison and the way she managed to survive there. It was important that Geo was presented as a real person, a kind of “this could happen to anyone” girl. Readers who enjoy psychological thrillers will enjoy this book. It had a kind of magnetic pull that made me want to keep reading the Geo’s story in order to find out what really happened to her best friend Angela and how Geo would finally resolve her issues with Calvin. The book was definitely worth reading and would make a good movie!

Stephen King meets Jonathan Kellerman and TV’s Criminal Minds in “Jar of Hearts,” a new thriller from Jennifer Hillier.

Not for the faint of heart, there are scenes of violence and other reprehensible acts that are the usual fodder of television’s famed FBI drama, Criminal Minds. Now that you have been warned, I would like to say also that if you decide to read this psychological thriller, you will not be disappointed. Jennifer Hillier showed mastery of her craft as she developed flawed characters that there are times that we did not know who the hero was and who was the villain. Or, are they interchangeable?

Lots of OMG moments that are actually gasps, I suggest that you don’t read this before bedtime because a bedtime story it is not. The book’s description summarizes the story very well. If I add more, there will be spoilers. Let me just say that the author told a good yarn. It’s a little bit creepy at times that is so evocative of Stephen King. Then again, you will notice that in the first few chapters.

“Jar of Hearts” is Rated M for Mature due to violence. If you are into thriller, then it should be in your summer’s reading list. If you are looking for a new author, then you should give “Jar of Hearts” a try. It’s a notable release from an emerging author.

This thriller just didn't meet my expectations. However, as a lifelong thriller fan, I tend to have high standards. Therefore, I would still recommend this title to others. I thought the plot had an interesting premise but not necessarily carried out to maximize the suspense. The flashbacks seemed a bit forced at times, but the plot twist was a great touch. Overall a good book, just not among the best in a highly competitive genre.

NO SPOILERS!!!!!A overall great suspense thriller with all things gruesome and violent. Didn't really know what to expect when I started Jar of Hearts, because I never read anything by this author before.... but I was not disappointed! The story is well told and gives some unexpected twist... just when I thought I had it all figured out , I realized I Didn't , and for me, that makes for a great read. I will read more of Jennifer Hillier's books in the future.

I am so torn on this one. I find myself leaning towards 3.5 stars, I liked it, it just inst my favorite. Jar of Hearts is true to it's synopsis, the premise is interesting. The pacing is rather fast and sometimes I felt the twists were telegraphed. That dint take too much away from the entertainment value for me. The one thing that I am not fond of was my inability to connect to any of the characters. I can usually find some redeeming quality in most characters, but Jar of Hearts left me disconnected. If you like suspense kind of on the harsh side, the graphic scenes in this book might appeal. The story comes to an acceptable if swift conclusion. I think the author's writing style and use of flash backs of sorts just didnt appeal to my reading style, which is why I rounded up my rating, I will not punish a writer for my preferences.

Okay. I just finished Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier. This one is going to stick with me for a while and I feel like it will be one of my favorite reads of 2018.

From the book description: “This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who's been searching for the truth all these years...”

I love the different perspectives and the pace of the book as it navigates many years. I was able to predict the twists, but I believe that is because thrillers are my jam. This didn’t make the book any less enjoyable AND I was still dying to finish it....Excuse me while I go see check out other books written by Hillier.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Great buildup of tension and the twist at the end. I will admit I figured it out (sort of) before the big reveal but it was still entertaining.

My only complaint is as we were given more information about how the night Angela died really went down, I was pissed that Geo only got 5 years. I understand completely why she didn't say anything, she was ultimately as guilty as Calvin. But I didn't quite believe the shift from friend to accomplice in disposing the body. She's just as evil as Calvin really, if she could do what she did to her friend's body

And considering the very end, I assume Kai never knew the FULL story. I wonder how much he'd want to be with her if he knew.

This book reminded me of Her Pretty Face, another novel dealing with a female involved in a murder and we never truly know how much involvement there was.

This book kept me engaged and at the edge of my seat. I seriously did not want to put it down! There were so many twists in this book it kept me on my toes.

A white collar woman is in prison for being an accomplice in the murder of her best friend, chopping up her body, burying her in the backyard and covering it up for years. What we don’t know is the abuse and manipulation that Geo was facing from her boyfriend Calvin who rapped and murdered her friend Angela. The book goes back and forth between then and now. geo is released from prison and discovers Calvin has escaped and similar murders are occurring near Geo’s childhood home where they buried Angela. Is Calvin behind these murders or is it a copycat? Is Geo in danger?

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Debbie Krenzer
Debbie Krenzer's Reviews > Jar of Hearts
Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
Jar of Hearts
by Jennifer Hillier (Goodreads Author)
12691311
Debbie Krenzer's review Jun 21, 2018 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: ebooks, net-galley-books

Wow, wow, wow. Talk about your dark and twisted. This one certainly hits the mark. At one point, I had to quit reading the book because I was going gambling. However, the part I left it at . . . the most twisted part. I wasn't even sure I wanted to go back to it. It left me with all kinds of shivers (severely grossly sick). But, of course, I had to find out what happened.

Geo had been puking all through this book and at that point, I thought I was going to, as well. Had I not had to leave the book at close to that defining moment, I think I would have dealt with it a lot better. I would not have dwelled on it and wondered - did he?

The first part of this book had me thinking one way then slowly it had me thinking another way. I just knew what was going to happen. Yep, I was wrong.

This was an excellent read and one that I will not soon forget.

Definitely dark, sinister and twisted.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I really liked this book. It was a solid thriller and kept me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep. The only caveat was the end was a little to tidy for me. I like a gritty ending with this kind of story. I definitely will be looking for more from this author.

This book was an impulse request on NetGalley. But between that cover and the book description I knew I had to read this one!

And WOW .. what a book this was! I was on the very verge of a reading slump and so I set aside the book I was currently reading to pick up this one and I was hooked practically from the first page! I flew through this one … it was that good!

There were twists and turns that I saw coming and then there were twists and turns that I never saw coming! It was really fun to watch the story unfold as the book progressed. It was a perfect blend of what was told present-day and what was revealed in the flashbacks. The pacing was great. The storyline was strong. The characters were well-developed.

Just a really great book that I would highly recommend to hard-hitting thriller lovers! It’s not an easy book to read at times, dealing with some pretty nasty stuff, but still a great book in my opinion!!

A well written, complex story with flawed characters that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. This story may not be for everyone due to the subject matter but if you can handle reading about rape and murder, don’t pass this one up. I dare say you won’t be disappointed.

Jar of Hearts
by Jennifer Hillier
St. Martin's Press

Minotaur Books
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 12 Jun 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Jar of Hearts through St.Martin's press/Minotaur Books and Netgalley:


Angela Wong was the most popular girl in her school-disappeared Without A Trace when she was sixteen. Nobody could have imagined her friend Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Pharmaceutical company in Seattle. Kaiser Brody, was close with both girls back in High-School.


Now fourteen years later Angela's Wong's remains are discovered in the woods near Geo's Childhood home. Kaiser is now a detective with Seattle P.D finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of a man named Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.

Calvin is a serial killer but to Geo he was her high school sweetheart. But the relationship was turbulent and often volatile , it was a relationship that was more of an obsession from the moment they met until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.


Everyone thinks they finally knows the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. What happened that fateful night is darker and more sinister than anyone could have imagined.


I give Jar of Hearts five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This was an absorbing book - fourteen years ago Angela Wong was murdered. Her best friend Geo knew, but never said anything about it for fourteen years. As the truth about that night is slowly uncovered, and as new events occur, it kept me worried and super interested in what what happened, and what would happen next.

The characters were good - they were flawed but believable. It was a great book for those who like psychological thrillers.

Note: this book should have all the trigger warnings.

I was given an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This book was so very well written. It captivated me the entire time!

To look at Georgina Shaw one would not imagine she had been involved in a horrific crime . A crime with searing repercussions. Jar of Hearts, a novel by Jennifer Hillier, is the masterfully crafted psychological thriller in which there is much that is not what it seems. The multi-layered story unfolds slowly and is meticulously detailed. The characters are well defined and often terrifying. Just when we think we understand them, we find that we don't. Jar of Hearts is an intense, riveting and totally engrossing story. It is a must read! Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was amazing. I could not put it down, but sometimes real life events get in the way. The characters are memorable and the plot was great. I would recommend this book to anyone out there.

Dark secrets abound in this thrilling read of psychological suspense that will keep every reader on the edge of their seat !
This is a fantastic thriller. I was unable to put it down as the authors writing style captured my attention and was so well crafted throughout . As a recipient of a ARC for review I was pleased to review this book for my personal opinion as I am a fan of the authors work.
This is a psychological thriller built around the stages of grief. We learn what the characters encounter and feel, always in part only while the story moves from forward to back in time. As the story continues the reader is swept into the plot with a multi linear plot so brilliantly well crafted that even the most avid reader will not figure it out. There are many twists. There are gruesome underlying murders you may have to skip over but it does not predominate the book. The book captures absolute intensity and complexity of our ability to process our past nightmares. Highly recommended . Cross posted review.

This story begins with Calvin James (The Sweetbay Strangler) on trial for the murder of four women, including Angela Wong, Georgina Shaw's best friend in school. Georgina (Geo) is a witness who has made a plea bargain, and after she’s finished giving her testimony, she will be sent to Hazelwood (Hellwood) to serve a five-year sentence. What part did Geo play in Angela's death fourteen years earlier? If she had told the police what she knew then, would three other women be alive today? As Geo went on with her life, she always lived with the guilt and fear that someone would find out what happened to Angela.

This book is written in an engaging, addictive manner and I was immediately pulled into the complicated friendship between Georgina, Angela, and Kaiser. When Calvin enters the story, all their lives are changed forever. The story is told predominately by Geo with parts by Kaiser (Kai). There are two time frames in the story, the past dealing with the relationships of the friends and the details of the actual death of Angela and the aftermath. I found myself quickly turning the pages as the story unfolded with the clues and information sprinkled throughout the story. Life in prison is described realistically and is a bit unnerving, but it was essential to the story. It showed us what Geo was really about and how she was able to deal with those five years of her life. It was interesting that the story was broken into five main parts entitled denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, the five stages of grief. This story was well written and if you are looking for a thriller that is a bit creepy, this is the one to pick up. Well done Jennifer Hillier.

Hillier keeps besting herself with every new book she writes. This is the great psychological thriller for this summer!