Dark, disturbing, twisted. Wanted but did not want to stop reading it. One of these books that you hate but love at the same time. A fantastic piece of a thriller, loved the writing style. A very unique thriller that I enjoyed a lot.

Every time I thought I had it figured out - I didn’t. If you’re looking for a twisted psychological thriller for a beach read this is it. I finished the book unable to decide how I felt about the characters. I had grown to care for some and despise others. Now I’m not sure who is who on that emotional scale. Interesting story and very well done. Highly recommended.

Jar of Hearts has been fairly hyped up, and for the most part, I think the attention is deserved. Even though I guessed the twist well before it was revealed, I found myself racing through this book, eager to see how it would conclude and if my suspicions would be confirmed. The pace was fast, the writing taut and the setting eerie. I did think it could have used a little more polish (I cannot tell you how many times I rolled my eyes at ANOTHER use of the word 'sonofabitch' for example), but all in all, this was a satisfying, engaging thriller by an author I would like to read more of in the future!

Jennifer Hillier delivers another knock-out book! Three best friends in high school are at the center of this story, one ends up dead, one in prison, and one became a cop. Angela is the beautiful girl in high school who goes missing only to have her bones discovered 14 years later. Geo was her best friend who is now a powerful business woman engaged to the CEO of the company she works for and Kaiser is a cop in search of a serial killer. It was gripping, chilling, twisted, and I could not put it down! Read it in 3 days

Very dark psychological thriller that will keep readers guessing. I love thrillers that are not easily solved by readers. This is one that we'll keep readers on their toes. I did not care for the explicit sex scenes. The twists and turns led the way to an unexpected ending. Recommended.

Oh my goodness!!! This book was everything! The story is told in 5 parts with alternating POVs between Geo, aka Georgina, and Kaiser, a detective and an old friend. The chapters are mostly in present day but we also have flashbacks of Geo and Kaiser’s high school years.

Right in the first chapter we know Geo, a successful business woman, is on trial. Fifteen years ago, Angela, Geo’s BFF, had gone missing. Now, at age 30, Geo is on trial for helping her ex boyfriend, Calvin, hide Angela’s body. She gets hit with 5 years while Calvin gets sentenced for life.

I was getting all types of Orange is the New Black vibes while Geo was in jail. She gets smart real quick learning who to stick with during her sentence. It quickly passes and Geo is about to get out and start a new life. The day before she gets released she sees on the news that Calvin has escaped!

Kaiser and his partner are called to a scene that’s eerily familiar from Angela’s case. Kaiser is certain it is Calvin’s doing. He must find him immediately before more bodies show up.

I don’t want to give any more away. I loved this. I loved that some of the main characters were mixed. I love that Geo was smart and never had doubts. I also loved Kaiser. I loved everything! Ugh so good. I am not doing this book justice by my words. Just do yourself a favor and read this book. Out in June!! 5 awesome stars!! Highly recommend!

Holy moly! Loved this way more than I thought I would! Excellent book with great characters.

What I liked: The characters, all of them, even the ones you are supposed to hate, I just really enjoyed the story.

What I didn’t like: This may be nit-picking, but the overuse of the word “compartmentalize.” I also felt the ending was a bit rushed, but I’m not sure if that’s just because I looked down and realized when everything clicked that I only had like 50 pages left, or if it really was just a rush ending.

What I loved: The story!!!! Great storyline. Really just sucked me right in and I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Jar of Hearts turned out to be not what I expected (possibly because I didn’t re-read the synopsis). I thought it would be a Serial-style mystery of what happened to Angela Wong. Instead, it was a thriller – the reader knows who was responsible for her death when years later, after a trial, new bodies start turning up.

I didn’t like these characters as much as I wanted to. Maybe that was the book’s intention. But I did find this book a compelling read with an interesting plot twist. At the very end, things got a bit cheesy and melodramatic for my taste. (You can read my full opinion on that under spoilers in my Goodreads review.)

But overall, this is a solid thriller for those who like serial killer stories, and stories about people in the thrall of serial killers (think Killing Eve or Silence of the Lambs).

Geo, Georgina, finds herself falling out with her popular high school cheerleading friends and in love with the older, and abusive, Calvin. Both surprised by his attention and struggling to understand his version of 'love', Geo becomes increasingly isolated from her peers. Then one fateful night, she is encouraged by her closest friend Angela to attend a high school party and the girls, both end up stumbling to Calvin's apartment where Geo dazedly witnesses her boyfriend rape Angela and then strangle her. Forcing Geo to assist him, they find a place to hide Angela's body, in a most horrific way. Calvin knows he must run, but returns to Geo's house one more time to encourage her to leave with him. When she refuses, he rapes her. 
Her return to high school is brief when Geo discovers that she is pregnant and the community continues to search for her missing friend. To hide her pregnancy, she completes school at home with the support of her father and determines that she should put the baby up for adoption. 
Eventually, Calvin is captured and imprisoned for the murder of Angela, whose body was found dismembered and buried in the woods close to Geo's house. Geo is also imprisoned for withholding information and helping to hide the crime. But when new women, also dismembered, and their children, begin showing up dead again it is Calvin they look to again for the crimes as he escapes prison. Certain that Calvin's real target is Geo, a childhood friend, now a cop, tries to protect her. 
The truth behind the murders and all of your beliefs about who is truly responsible is truly a shocking surprise, as is Geo's last move to save herself.

This book introduced me into the complex, but fictional world of Geo (Georgina) Shaw which was a captivating read from the very first page through to the last. It has also introduced me to a very capable writer who has a style that draws you in and won't let go until the story is finished. Geo got involved in some very foolish and criminal activities whilst still at school leading to a prison sentence years later. But that's only the start of a tale that the author has woven for this character. I can recommend this book and suggest that before you start, find a quiet spot where you won't be interrupted as you will not want to put the book down again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for gifting me an ARC of this book!

Geo's Ex boyfriend also known as the sweet boy strangler is on trial. Geo's best friend, Angela, was murdered fourteen years ago and there's finally been a break in the case. Calvin is known as a serial killer but in the court room he's not the only one speaking to the court, so is Geo.

How could anyone think Geo is part of this and needs to testify in court? She's a super successful woman who has a lot of money and is about to marry a very successful businessman. The police must have gotten it wrong, right? The funny thing about her warrant is that her other best friend from fourteen years ago is the one who has to take her in...

This book not only dives into the murder case but also what it's like to be a convicted felon and how to work with it. The chapters continuously hop back and forth between fourteen years ago an present day. So we get to know who the characters were in the past and how they've evolved in present day.

Trigger warnings: if you don't like abuse, rape, graphic violence or sex then I wouldn't suggest this for you. The acts are very detailed in this story.

Overall I would recommend this book, especially for thriller lovers! It comes out June 12th!

This was an extremely fast-paced dark psychological thriller !! The characters were hard to like but I was quite interested in getting to know them and see where their life were going, I wanted to keep turning the pages even though I was scared !!
This would be a great pic for a book club and something to read wrapped up in a blanket with the fire going.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended read! Thanks for providing through Net Galley. Five Stars *****

For forteen years successful Geo had held a deep, dark, horrific secret .
Her best friend Angela had gone missing when they were sixteen. The same year she totally pushed her other best fried Kaiser away.
It all started when she fell madly and blindly in love with Calvin , an older good looking bad boy who charmed her . Their relationship became very dysfunctional with violence , possessiveness and control.
But you can't keep skeletons in your closet forever and buried secrets come out. Or can they?
Jar of Hearts is fantastic read if you do not mind some graphic details and and are not weak of heart. I loved it , I recommend this for all mystery, thriller and crime lovers! It has it all!

So many books are written with the switch between the drama of the character's early years and the repercussions they feel decades later, so I liked that the narrative included Georgina's prison years. That's what moved Geo into the realm of likability for me versus just being the same cardboard character from any old thriller. I was worried Hillier was going to try too hard for Orange is the New Black, thank goodness she had her own ideas.

This rollercoaster thriller had a twist coming every time I was pretty sure where the story was going. The final resolution may not have been completely unexpected, but I didn't see it coming from that angle. Hillier writes the climax of the final scenes with just the right level of tension and humor. It left me feeling the same way I do watching a horror film, wanting to yell, "It's him, Geo! It's him!"

The book is open-ended and ripe for a follow-up...

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

The past never remains in the past. It follows you and shows up when you least expect it. Before you start this thriller make sure your schedule is clear, as you will not be able to put it down! I have read several very good psychological thrillers over the last month but this one sure left an impact on me. The engrossing plot is gripping and suspenseful, with twists and turns and cliffhangers that leave you having to read more to figure out what is going to happen next. I love the way Jennifer Hillier used alternating points of view with flashbacks to guide us along this rollercoaster ride complete with moral dilemmas and various conflicts centered around love (or lack of it) between friends, families, and lovers. The characters seemed very real, although several are not very likable. I will never look at a cinnamon heart without remembering this book...powerful! Many many thanks to Jennifer Hillier, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I will be recommending this book to everyone. Watch for it on bookshelves on June 12th. Don’t wait to pick it up as I am sure it will be the book of the summer!

Gripping thriller could not put it down characters are well developed plot moves along nicely.a real edge of you seat thriller

Creepy Good!

“In every story, there’s a hero and a villain. Sometimes one person can be both.”

A murder, a coverup, and a twisted relationship are at the forefront of Jar of Hearts. This book is not only about what happened the night a young girl is murdered, but also about the after effects on the perpetrator of a crime.

14 years ago, Angela Wong was murdered. Her remains have been recently discovered, along with evidence pointing to her best friend, Georgina Shaw. Georgina is sentenced to 5 years in prison for her role in Angela’s murder. Bits and pieces of the how and the why behind Angela’s murder are slowly revealed, along with buried secrets and lies. Georgina's point of view adds a layer of depth to this novel.

This is a fast-paced psychological thriller that kept me riveted. The dark, sinister characters were my favorite part of reading Jar of Hearts. There is an underlying element of creepiness throughout, which made me uneasy and kept me on my toes. There are some moments that are extremely disturbing (including a pretty descriptive rape scene), which resulted in me having to take reading breaks.

I was expecting this book to be focused on why the murder happened and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's about much more. There are flashbacks to the past to expose what really happened the night Angela was killed, so the reader is able to gradually understand the part Georgina played. This element also serves to provide an interesting juxtaposition of Georgina’s character. I found the ending to be seriously disturbing, but I wasn’t fully sold on the epilogue. Overall, I would recommend this to psychological thriller fans!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's/Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

A standout addition to the thriller genre, with truly complex characters and marvelous plotting. A must buy for all collections.

THIS BOOK!!!! The writing the storyline the characters... all of this had me totally hooked.

Geo just had me all over the place. I loved her and (cant say hate) felt strong negative emotions for her at times. With that said I can kind of get her decisions throughout the course of the book. The last 70 percent of the book I read with my mouth wide open in a permanent wtf state of mind.

This book is one of my favorites of the year and I cannot wait to recommend it.