First of all I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Since I saw the beautiful cover of “Jar of Hearts” pop up all over Instagram I got pretty curious.
Luckily my wish to read was granted and before I new it I was absolutely immersed in the story.

I really liked the way the author began this book with the murder trial and consequent 5-year jail sentence of main character Georgina (Geo) Shaw.
14 years earlier her beautiful, popular and wealthy teenage friend Angela Wong disappeared of the face of the earth.
Until now nobody knew what happened to her. However once her remains are dug up just a couple of yards away from Georgina Shaw’s childhood house things start to unravel. Enigmatic Calvin James (aka the Sweetbay Strangler) was found guilty of the horrendous killing and Georgina Shaw, his girlfriend of that time, is sentenced for being his accomplice.

Although we get the basics of what happened all these years ago we don’t know exactly what took place that faithful night and what could have possibly lead up to the murder and Georgina being involved.

The book jumps from the present to the past and follows several characters.
This gives the story a great dimension. Also the pace of the book is just right.
The first chapters depict the trials and tribulations that come with Georgina’s prison life.
The way she’s surviving in there shows a lot about her character.
However when Geo sets foot out of prison tension really starts to rise…

Without giving away too much I just loved the characters in this book.
Some were incredibly messed up, others were utterly sympathetic.
The plot is just briliant. There are so many unexpected twists and turns, it got me on the edge of my seat.
I loved how the story developed and how everything fell into place in the end.

Furthermore it's a story that caused me to feel shocked, sad and hopefull all at once.
It's unlike any other book I read in this genre and, in my humble opinion, destined to be a huge success!

Fourteen years ago, Geo's 16 year old best friend, Angela, disappeared.

Alternating between the past and the present, Jar of Hearts explored both the sometimes complicated relationship between Geo and Angela, as well as the tumultuous relationship between Geo and her first boyfriend, Calvin James. Could Calvin, who is now a convicted serial killer known as the Sweetbay Strangler, have had anything to do with Angela's disappearance? If so, why didn't Geo speak up? Where has Angela been all this time and could Geo have saved her?

"In every story, there's a hero and a villain. Sometimes one person can be both."

After Angela's disappearance, Geo moved on as best she could, living her life to the fullest, knowing full well that:

"You carry the past with you because it transforms you. You can try to bury it and pretend it never happened, but that doesn't work ... Because buried things can, and do, come back."

What happened when Geo's past finally came back to haunt her? Read this shocking, dark, and downright chilling story to find out!

I'd recommend this for fans of the Orange is the New Black TV show!

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Location: Seattle, Washington

The story of Geo and the murder of her high school best friend was a twisted page turner with compelling characters and plenty of twists.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review I was hooked from page one. This is an exciting psychological thriller with twists and turns galore! The characters are well developed. Very entertaining.

Highly enjoyable!

A book only Hillier could write. She deftly characterizes the elements of young love, the misunderstanding that ensues, the complexities of compartmentalization, and the impact of buried secrets.

Fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing. I've enjoyed Jennifer Hillier's books and this one did not disappoint.

This book was a bit much for me. I guess I wasn’t prepared for the story. I could see it as a movie though... which says something. It definitely kept me awake and the story moved at a fast pace.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review."

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #JarOfHearts!!

I loved this book! This is the first book I’ve read of Jennifer Hillier and it won’t be the last! The story kept me guessing and wanting more the entire time. I couldn’t wait to get finished just so I could find out what was going on. I also love the back and forth between the present and 19 years ago explaining what happened the night one of three best friends up dead, one of the other friends in jail for being involved! Highly recommend!

This was an interesting, dark story of teenage love, murder, and rape and the lifelong consequences of immature acts. I’m not sure why I didn’t love this book because I usually do go for the darker, serial killer type stories, but something seemed to be lacking. It came across as a bit cheesy and juvenile, but maybe that’s because part of the story is told from the aspect of a 16 year old. The ending felt rushed and melodramatic.

OMG is this a good book!! Jar of Hearts is a can't-put-down thrill of a read. A caution: this book is dark and disturbing, so if that bothers you, steer clear of this one. There are monsters aplenty ahead!

The story is of three close (BFFs) high-school friends: Angela Wong, Georgina Shaw and Kaiser Brody. Angela Wong went missing when she was 16. Fourteen years later, her body is found near the home of Georgina (Geo), and forensics prove she was murdered by Calvin James, a serial killer known to have killed at least three other women since in the same manner. Twist #1 - Calvin was Geo's boyfriend at the time. Older (21) than Geo, he was her first love; a love that was obsessive from the beginning.

The community is stunned when Geo is arrested for having played a part in the murder of her best friend (twist #2). Sadly, it is Kaiser, now a detective for the Seattle PD, who has always carried a torch for Geo, who makes the arrest. (By the way, these two twists are not spoilers as they are in the book description.)

The book begins with Calvin's trial, during which Geo testifies that she knew Calvin murdered Angela since the night it happened and had helped him bury her. For fourteen years, she kept this secret, watching her best friend's parents suffer, wondering what happened to their beloved daughter, while she went to college, had a very successful career, and was engaged to be married. For her part of the crime, she is sentenced to 5 years in prison. Calvin is sentenced to 4 consecutive life sentences. The families and community feel that justice has been served.

EXCEPT Calvin James escapes prison, and after Geo serves her time and is released, killings with similar MOs begin again.

Hillier tells the story from multiple points in time: the high school years, Geo's time in prison, and current day, after Geo is released from prison. She does it so skillfully, that the reader is never confused. This technique allows Hillier to tell the story bits at a time, giving hints and clues as she wishes. It also enables the readers to feel as if they are part of the action, privy to what was going on each step along the way. I also enjoyed the author's wonderful ability to make you hate and yet feel compassion for Geo at the same time. Yes, what she did was horrible, but should her life be ruined for a bad decision made when she was 16?

There are twists that I never saw coming, and the ending was a COMPLETE surprise! A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked on this book from the moment I read the first page. I literally couldn't wait to find out all the outcomes but there were parts where I was playing "detective" and figuring out what was going to happen. I found the main character intriguing and I loved how the author flashed back between the present and the past to tie the entire story together. I would love to see this book turned into a movie or a series because honestly, it would do so well.

The wrong choices can change your life's trajectory. When Geo (short for Georgina) makes a terrible choice involving her best friend, Angela, her trajectory is set for disaster. This is an intense mystery, filled with turns and an unexpected twist at the end. You won't like some of the characters, who reveal themselves as violent psychopaths--but those who eventually earn your sympathy will pay for their actions. Recommended for those who like their thrillers on the dark side.

***4.5 ‘Wait. Hold Up Just One Second’ Stars***

That ending...what...when…*big heavy sigh*

Okay, the ending is not the best place to start a review, especially when it will probably be all kinds of vague-non spoilery-verbal vomity (Warning you now) but, but I have so many questions now (please note that I am actually pouting while laughing as I write this)

Because seriously?!? WTF?

***Takes deep...DEEP breath...holds it...and let’s it out slowly***

Okay. Let’s do this semi-properly.

I don’t normally do mystery/suspense nowadays, but I’d been waffling over going for Jar of Hearts for a minute ~ I couldn’t get the cover out of my head and the blurb definitely peaked my curiosity ~ Then I saw the early reviews rolling in from other blogger/reviewers I follow and who tend to swim in the same opinion pool as myself and decided to give it a go because why not?

And I was hooked from the first page.

HOOKED.

I was in that weird limbo where I wanted to devour it while wanting to savor each detail because there was still so much unknown that I didn’t want to miss that ‘lightbulb’ moment when all of the innuendos and off handed thoughts and comments finally made sense ~ and let me tell you, when they did the lightbulb almost burst.

While I won’t give away much of the of story line I will say that I was absolutely fascinated by Georgina aka Geo. Experiencing all that she went through and watching her reinvent herself throughout the story was, for lack of a better word, fascinating. I loved watching how she adapted to her surroundings and still held on to pieces of herself along the way. And regardless of how you may end up viewing her, you cannot deny her strength.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even when the pacing dragged for me, which, despite how this review started, is my only real gripe. I’ll admit that the drag could very well be because of my need to know what the truth was, but it is what it is. But this one kept me on my toes and when all was revealed at the end, it was a total “Whoa” moment. But outside of the mystery and Geo herself, I thought all of the characters were well written. They were all unique and added layers to the story that gave it the depth that gave insight to the overall story without taking the focus off the main issue at hand. And as for the ending, it may just be me, but I have questions, this isn’t to say that the big plot questions aren’t answered, it’s just that kind of ending.

Wow, be prepared for a fast paced can't put down ride. Geo goes to prison for her part in her best friends murder, her ex-boyfriend Calvin is a serial killer and Angie was his first kill. Now Geo is out of jail, Calvin has escaped custody and the killings are happening again, only this time in a bizarre twist its not just women being murdered but children as well.

This is a really well written story, its not just about serial killers and murder but also about abusive relationships. Its clever plot gives you a glimpse inside prison, what its like to try to reconnect once a prisoner has been released and tries to move on with their lives and how teenage infatuation can change the whole course of your life.

Georgina, known as Geo, is a 30-year-old rising executive when her world comes crashing down. Her high school boyfriend has been identified and arrested for a series of serial murders, including Angela, Geo's best friend in high school. Angela disappeared without a trace at 16 and her body has just been found. Now Geo is under arrest for helping her then-boyfriend cover it up. And it's one of her other close friends from high school, Kaiser Brody, who arrests her.
Geo spends 5 years in prison. When she gets out there are more murders but now children are being killed too. That isn't like her ex boyfriend's MO. The neighbors don't like Geo living in her family home again and things happen to the house and her car.
I was surprised a little bit by the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is my first book by Jennifer Hillier and I am hooked. This was dark, gritty and realistic. The three central characters Geo, Angela and Calvin are all flawed people and when their worlds collide chaos ensues. This is a tale of teenage angst and devotion.

It is told in two different timelines going between when Geo is 16 and then when she is a successful 30 year old businesswoman engaged to be married.

This book is violent and details rape and murder so may not be for everyone.

The ending felt somewhat rushed and a tad unrealistic hence the one star reduction.

This was a riveting and addicting read! Ms Hillier has woven a world that is all-too real but yet so foreign and it sucks you in. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Raw and fascinating account of a murder among 3 friends. Rousing crime thriller. Can't put the book down

Georgina Shaw was involved with covering up the murder of her high school best friend, Angela, by her boyfriend, Calvin. When the truth comes to light years later, she goes to prison for five years for her role, and Calvin gets a life sentence but soon escapes. When it’s time for Geo to be released, more bodies start turning up, killed the same way as Angela, and it seems as though Calvin is on the hunt again and coming back for Geo. All is not as it seems in this suspenseful novel though. Told in alternating timelines between present day and the days leading up to Angela’s murder, the truth slowly and eerily unravels. Complicating matters is Geo and Angela's other best friend, Kaiser, who still carries a torch for Geo but was responsible for sending her to prison. Can they reconcile and move forward, or will Geo's past and her terrible deeds haunt her forever? The final ‘denouement’ is rather sad, with Geo having to make a heartbreaking but necessary decision. A worthy “summer” read!

Georgina was just a teenager when her best friend disappeared. No one knew what happened to Angela Wong. Except Geo. For fourteen years, she’d harbored a horrible secret. Until her old friend, Kaiser — now a detective for the Seattle PD — shows up to arrest her for the role she played in her best friend’s disappearance.

When Calvin James came into her life back then, Georgina was smitten. A love bordering on obsession, she ignored the signs — his jealousy, the anger, and abuse — until he raped and strangled her best friend right in front of her. The PD names him the Sweetbay Strangler — a serial killer. But Calvin escapes from prison long before Geo’s 5-year sentence is over.

As Geo adjusts to life on the outside, it seems clear that Calvin is back to his old murderous ways as more bodies turn up, murdered in the same way as Angela Wong. And Geo’s been withholding information that could help them catch the killer.

How long can a person keep a secret, and bury the guilt, before it completely decimates them? “Like an invisible piece of rotting garbage underneath your bed that won’t go away no matter how many attempts you make to clean it. Because that smell — of rotting flesh, of rotting soul — is you.”



I think some of my favorite books to review I end up not having much to say about, because they’re done in a way that leaves little to be said. There’s not much to critique. The writing was spot on, the characters rich, the plot fascinating. Put Jar of Hearts on your To-Read List, and Jennifer Hillier as an author to watch. I would definitely check out her other books and read more from her in the future.

5/5 stars. I don’t give out fives easily. And Jar of Hearts didn’t knock my socks off, but so too, I really can’t think of anything that detracted from this novel to not give it 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books, and author Jennifer Hillier for the advanced review copy of this novel.
For more insights on this book, including spoilers, check out the discussion page at Grey Kat Reviews.