I have found a new favorite author in Jennifer Hillier. She writes flawed characters perfectly. And the suspense is well-crafted. Although I was able to fairly closely predict the whodunit before the ending, I was impressed with how Hillier spun the web. And I was particularly impressed with how she created Calvin's character. It takes a good writer to create a better than one-dimensional villain and she did a really good job.

This is one of the BEST thrillers that I've read in a quite some time. Talk about a page turner. It left such a lasting impression, I'm eager to get my hands on more of Hillier's work.

Angela Wong was 16 when she disappeared 14 years ago. Now her remains have been discovered. Geo, who was Angela’s close friend, is sentenced to 5 years in prison for aiding Calvin, the murderer.

There was some foreshadowing that gave away the twists, but this was still an entertaining story. The character of Geo was fully fleshed out, but that was not really the case for Angela or Calvin. I particularly liked the prison section. My least favorite part was the ending, which I found abrupt and unsatisfying. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I really enjoy books by this author. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy crime fiction/thrillers.

This is a perfect summer read. Another book I think should become a movie. Jennifer Hillier did a great job with the development of the characters and the story.

I recently read my first book of Hillier's, Little Secrets, which absolutely blew me away and I eagerly jumped on this one, having had it recommended to me from a friend.
It did not disappoint. Just like "Little Secrets", this book is incredibly well-written, the plot awesome and I really had no idea who, when and what was about to hit me. Exactly my kind of story, one that keeps me guessing to the end.
I have already started recommending Hillier to all my fellow book addicts. This book is seriously awesome.

I just realized I never posted my review!!!

Compelling, Engrossing, 😍 Chilling!!!

Jennifer Hillier is the "queen" of thrills, and JAR OF HEARTS seals the deal. I have been a huge fan of hers since her first book and she continues to WOW me and readers worldwide! Top books of 2018.

Cleverly crafted, razor-sharp, JAR OF HEARTS is an emotional page-turning riveting psychological suspense thriller that will keep you reading long past your bedtime. Not sure you will be able to sleep after reading, though.😜

A 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 . . .

The Sweetbay Stranger (Calvin James). The trial. The disappearance of Angela Wong fourteen years ago. Now Angela's body has been found. Was she the victim of Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.

Geo and Angela were best friends. Geo was a popular cheerleader with a future until she met bad older drop out boy, Calvin James.

He was her first love. They had an obsessive and dysfunctional relationship. Dominance and control. Things turn violent.

Now she is engaged to someone else but Calvin is still on her mind. Does Geo know what happened to Angela? Who is she protecting and why? Can she live with her past? She now has a successful life.

Now, in Seattle years later, Geo is to testify at the murder trial of her old love, the Sweetbay Strangler, a serial killer.

Geo goes to prison for five years. What was it like to do something years ago and fall in love and things you do which have consequences?

What is the truth? There are secrets and lies. These two have a secret. They have a jar of hearts. (not sure you can ever look at candy hearts in the same way). 💘 Would Calvin be her first love and her last? What was love? Is love supposed to be demented and monstrous? The line between love, hate, and obsession.

Wow, this one grabs you by the heart and never let's go. It is terrifying. Plot-driven and character-driven, JAR OF HEARTS is heart-wrenching. Once again, Jennifer delves into the human psyche to explore the intimate and emotional feelings of two teenagers in love.

This book is loosely based on the story of Paul Kenneth Bernardo, also known as Paul Jason Teale, a Canadian serial killer, and serial rapist. Bernardo is known for initially committing a series of rapes in Scarborough, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, between 1987 and 1990.

Watch Video. The most sinister account in Canada. He and his wife, Karla Homolka were The “Ken And Barbie Killers.” Paul Bernardo had met Karla Homolka in 1987 when he was 23 and she was 17. Did she share the same psycho personality? On the exterior, these two were the all American couple. It is chilling to read. I spent a lot of time Googling and watching videos and documentaries about this couple and it is scary and terrifying. Do you really ever know anyone? I this case she gets out of prison after cutting a deal and now she is rebuilding her life and living among everyone as a normal person.

I urge you to WATCH Jennifer's powerful Videos before reading the book. (below and above). It will enhance your reading experience. JAR OF HEARTS is Deep. Intense. Extreme! It will chill you to the bone.

You will learn the inspiration behind the book, as she dives deep into the mind and the 5 stages of grief (5 sections) —of a sixteen-year-old-girl and her troubled relationship with a killer. All teens make mistakes. However, this is a big one.

The five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one we lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. "But they are not stops on some linear timeline in grief."

Her best book yet! (that says a lot since I have read every book of hers, and they are TOPS). She is a "Thriller" writer like no one out there. She is genuine and enjoys connecting with her readers. It is time she is finally receiving the "applause" for her talent. It will be a killer movie. Congrats! Winner: Best Novel, 2019 ITW Thriller Award.

Read My Reviews:
Wonderland
Top Books of 2015

The Butcher
Top Books of 2014

Freak
Creep

Congrats, Jennifer! Can't wait. Greatly- deserved. A huge fan of her writing.

EXCLUSIVE: Cinelou Films has secured the film rights to Jennifer Hillier’s novel, Jar of Hearts, which is slated for publication June 12 via Minotaur Books. The announcement was made today by Cinelou co-CEOs Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon, both of whom will produce the project with Danny Davids, Neil Canton and David Hopwood. Hillier will serve as exec producer. Read More

#JDCMustReadBooks

A special thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

Look for my Q&A with the Author coming April 2020 - LITTLE SECRETS!

I devoured this book. It was the most intriguing thriller I've ever read.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

This isn’t my typical genre of books. Suspense/thrillers are more my mom’s flavor.
I really enjoyed this one though. I’d heard good things about it from my book friends, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and went for it. I’m really glad I did.
It wasn’t too gory, or gruesome, and there was just enough suspense to keep me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for a copy of Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier. Georgina (Geo) Shaw, Angela Wong, and Kaiser Brody were best friends in high school until the night Angela disappeared. Years later when bones are found in the woods behind her home Geo, and her boyfriend from high school are arrested for Angela's death. The books goes back in forth in time from high school to the current day as Geo is getting out of prison. Lots of secrets and twists are revealed as the story progressed. I wish there was a bit more at the end of the book with a few more details of what happened to everyone, but overall it was an exciting read.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

Jennifer Hillier is a fantastic author. Jar of Hearts is one of those books you just don't want to put down. Have to go to work? I will read one more page.......only one more page is completely impossible.

The none stop action makes this book intense just as with all Jennifer's books. If you have never read anything by this author boy are you missing out.

I finally got around to reading this book and I'm not sure what to make of it. It was suspenseful and well written but there was a lot of disturbing content and just a lot of plot holes. The author kept trying to make Geo likable and while you could feel sorry for her, she was still a terrible person.

Jar of Hearts is a very creepy, psychological thriller, and I loved it.

I’d never read a thriller that had such an interesting and unpredictable plot twist because I can normally figure out the ending, but this one caught me by surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, how complex the story became especially with the flashbacks, and the different characters + their developments. I didn’t particularly like Geo or any of the other characters, but I enjoy reading about them and wanted to see where the story went.

I was completely satisfied with the ending, even if it was more of a happy ending than I thought the characters deserved, but that’s okay. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Not the moment for me and this book. I will come back to it later and update when I'm in the right frame for a darker book.

Loved this book. Hillier had my attention from the first page and never lost it. Can't wait for her next!

My first book by Jennifer Hillier and definitely not my last. Loved this thriller, my favorite read of 2019. Read this within 2 days as I could not put it down.

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier is a 2018 Minotaur Books publication.

Electrifying Suspense!

Georgina Shaw’s past finally caught up with her. She had made a pretty nice life for herself, until the body of Angela Wong, her best friend in high school, is found fourteen years after she went missing.

For her role in the crime, and her connection to the infamous serial killer, Calvin James, Geo is rewarded with a five -year stint in prison. But, once her time is up, Geo's attempts to rebuild her life hits one snag after another as Calvin’s shadow still looms large over her life, and more buried secrets bubble to the surface. But, when a new string of murders, bearing Calvin’s MO, takes place, law enforcement is sure Geo knows more than she’s telling…

The story flips back and forth between the past and the present, as Geo recounts her high school days and what eventually led to Angela’s demise. The tension during these flashbacks is very intense, so much so, I squirmed in my seat, dreading the inevitable. But I never would have guessed the way it all played out. The teenage angst morphing into full blown obsession is riveting.

The present -day segments are also very suspenseful as Geo still harbors a few shocking secrets, and the reader is not sure if she can be fully trusted. The tension mounts as more bodies turn up and Geo could very well be the killer’s next target.

This is one of those books everyone was reading back in 2018. I wanted to read it while it was hot and trendy, but I was also starting to burn out on this genre, so I put it on the back burner for a while.

I never completely lost sight of it though, because I had a feeling that when the time was right, I would really like this one. I’m glad I followed my instincts. I had such a bad attitude towards serial killer tropes and psychological thrillers when this book was released, I’m not sure it would have had the same impact on me back then. Now that my attitude has been adjusted- somewhat- the book really packed an enormous punch!

This is a very taut, atmospheric novel, not only chock full of suspense, but also a compelling drama, which toys with one’s emotions. As a prolific reader of suspense novels, I had an inkling where the story was headed before the ‘big reveal’, but it didn’t lessen the jolt once it hit me.

I thought the book was well constructed and unique, with just the right amount of twists, revealed at just the right time and place. It was hard to put down, and I found myself thinking about the characters long after I finished the book.

Overall, this is a superb thriller worth w

Wow, what a twisted story of crazy events!🌟 This novel had me gripping my chair, craving more. I read this book within a day because it’s quite the page turner! There are many twists and turns and I definitely was surprised. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping thriller that will make you want more!

Wow. This book kept me reading and reading until the end. When Geo is sent to jail, I thought the whole story would be about her incarceration. But it's not; she is released after serving five years and that's when the fun begins. What a twisted, macabre story........I mean that in a good way.