Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I liked the premise of this book and how it conveyed a non-nuclear family. The story was also fast-paced and quite twisty.

Unfortunately, the story also stigmatizes mental illness. Stigma aside, it's never fulfilling when a character's mental illness IS the twist -- it borders on a deux ex machina.

I have liked Liao Butler's other books and won't write her off, but this one was not for me.

As a mom, What is Mine pulled me in from the beginning. I have not been this emotionally invested in a book in a long time. It is a story full of emotion, both heartbreaking and heartwarming, so it was impossible not to become emotionally invested. The multiple layers of mystery that flow throughout the story are written in such a way that you cannot help but continually turn pages to satiate your curiosity.

What a wild and twisty ride! Luca gets kidnapped from his aunt’s house a few months after his mom dies. This story is told from dual POVs - Luca’s aunt and Luca’s kidnapper. This was a slow burn to me. There was great character development and buildup to the climax. This book really picks up the last 40%, and doesn’t slow down until the end. The ending was completely unexpected and all my questions were answered. Very good book!

Nancy Wu was the narrator, and I have realized that her narration doesn’t work for me, especially when it comes to thrillers. I find her pacing and intonations to be off from what’s happening in the story. I would recommend reading this as opposed to listening to the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This might be one of my favorites this year. A missing boy and dog with no trace. A slow burn, engrossing domestic thriller.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I did find the first part of this novel a bit slow. Then, something clicked into place, and I did not want to put this book down. I loved how everything unfolded in a way where I expected none of what happened. I look forward to reading more from Lyn Liao Butler.

What is Mine was a delightful surprise to me, after giving a three star review to the author’s previous novel Someone Else’s Life. During the first half of this book, the tension builds, but I did start to be irritated by the MC Hope’s actions. Once we got to part two, things kicked up, and this became a book I couldn’t put down! I found myself completely on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together. And just when I thought everything had been resolved, there’s another whole bombshell thrown in! Stick it out through part one, and I promise this will be a hit with fans of family dramas and mysteries!

Lyn Liao Butler had me enthralled throughout this engaging read. I fell in love with Luca and his kindness towards animals. I do not want to reveal any of this plot to those who have not had the pleasure of reading it but it is so well done. The topics involved can be very sensitive and Butler handles them in such a respectful but compelling way. Hope also grasped my heart with her love for Cassie, Luca, and her husband.
Although many of the twists were not surprises Butler kept the pacing so perfect that I literally could not put it down.
Many many thanks to Lyn Liao Butler for a most enjoyable curl up with a fabulous read day, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for providing me with the pleasurable opportunity to read an arc of this family drama/thriller!

Hope and her husband, Shaun, have recently taken in her nephew, Luca. Hope’s sister - Luca’s mother - died of an overdose after a long battle with addiction. The nine-year-old is now staying with his aunt and uncle he never really knew, struggling to find his new normal.

One day Hope is making dinner while Luca is outside playing basketball, when suddenly she realizes she hasn’t heard the ball for a few minutes. She runs outside to find Luca and his dog, Mochi, missing. After a search of the house and street, and calling the few people who know Luca, they realize that he’s really gone. Someone has taken him, and Hope is feeling like she’s losing her sister all over again…

Meanwhile, the person who has him is taking him (and his dog) on a road trip, for the strangest reason: to save her husband and their marriage. She has her reasons, and she also has her own rationalizations that allow her to believe her actions are justified. Now she just has to hide from the country, which is riveted by the story.

The mystery/thriller part of this was relatively average, but this story did touch on some sensitive subjects like addiction, death and mental health, and handled them well. Luca was a sweet character, I really enjoyed him. This didn’t blow my mind, but I definitely liked it! 3.5 stars.

(Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Lyn Liao Butler and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

I read Lyn Liao Butler's first thriller Someone Else's Life last year and loved the constant twists and turns. However, What Is Mine fell a bit flat for me since once we get the big 'aha' moment, the story gets dragged out for a dozen or more chapters. I would say this book is more suspenseful than thrilling. Overall, I do love Butler's writing style and how she represents Asian Americans in her work.

Thank you to the publisher Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this book! This book is out now so check it out!

I love a good thriller and this book kept my interest and had me continue reading so I could find out what would happen next. I liked that it was divided in parts to add suspense and so you may not have had any idea of who had taken Luca. I did not see some of the twists that were coming, especially with the woman who took Luca and it made me speed read a bunch of the book because I had to find out what would happen next.

This is the first official book by this author that I have read, although I have had some on my TBR that I haven't read yet.

Definitely recommend to anyone who likes thrillers and who is intrigued by the synopsis of the book!

This was my first book by this author and I appreciate the early copy for review.

This thriller deals with mental health issues and child abduction, so be warned if you are sensitive to these topics. The story starts with Hope and her husband having recently taken in their nephew Luca after his mother (her sister) dies of an overdose.

Luca’s father is unknown and the boy becomes the target of a mysterious kidnapper. Letters show up at the house indicating there may have been someone with a sinister plan against her sister. The kidnapper is revealed pretty early on, and their mental health issues have them going down a destructive path. Will Hope and her husband get Luca back and unharmed? And who would have taken him to begin with and why?

The plot had a surprising twist in the middle that caught my attention, but the ending was felt rushed and a bit disjointed. It was a quick twisty read though, for those who appreciate a twist that may throw you, it may be for you.

Really loved the family dynamic of this thriller and a sister willing to do what she needs to in order to preserve her sisters memory.

I have to say this was truly a beautiful and wild story and I loved every page. It started slow but quickly picked up pace. I was very immersed in the story and it held my interest throughout.

I appreciated how many twists this book had. It was completely unexpected. It had twists up until the very end. I can’t wait to read more books by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This story grabbed my attention immediately as it starts with the female main character realizing her nephew and dog are missing. The first part held me captivated as the search began and I could feel the tension as time went on and desperation set in. The second part was a bit of a jumble for me as the story switches to a neighbor's point of view and the twists seemed a little too complicated and the issue of mental health not complicated enough. Overall it was a good read and I enjoyed it.

Oh, this was so good. I could not put it down and stayed up two hours past my bedtime!

Hope and her husband Shaun are raising her nephew Luca after his mom (and Hope’s sister, Cassy) died from an overdose. Hope is cooking dinner and Luca is playing basketball when she notices that it’s gone quiet outside. Hope goes to check and Luca is gone.

Hope receives letters in mailbox from Cassy about someone who has warned Cassy to stay away from Hope. Now Hope is wondering what happened to her sister and why she disappeared so many years ago.

This was so good. The twists were jaw dropping and I could not turn the pages fast enough! A great thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go until the very last sentence.

RECOMMEND

Thank you #netgalley for the complimentary copy of #whatismine in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story also read like two separate stories, with the two different perspectives. The first one about the missing boy. The second one about the kidnappers. It tied very well together, and kept me wondering till very end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this read. This is a quick and interesting read that keep getting more and more interesting to the end. The book was heart pounding as they searched for her missing nephew. Well written.

WHAT IS MINE is the kind of story that grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go long after the conclusion. Author Lyn Liao Butler masterfully uses layers of nuance and detail until the picture is fully developed in a breathtaking reveal. Brava!!!

This fun suspense thriller was told from a different POV for the first and second thirds; and then told from both POVs in the last 3rd. An aunt adopts her nephew after her sister dies from an drug overdose. A couple months later her nephew just disappears from the drive way playing basketball. The fear is real when you read about a missing child, even if fictionalized. This book had such a fantastic build up in that first 1/3 with a bomb drop leading into the next third of the book which I read with my jaw open. Then that last 3rd is where things get crazy and I was there for it! I actually read Someone Else’s Life last year by this same author and wasn’t fully invested in that book but damn she wowed me in this one. It just goes to show, never judge an author based on one read! This was such a twisty thriller and I loved it!

What is Mine is a dark, twisty and tense suspense novel centering around family, secrets and lies. The book was definitely engaging and kept me the pages, but while it was entertaining enough, I don’t think this will be one that sticks with me. The characters were a bit underdeveloped and I didn’t find myself relating to or rooting for (or even really against) any of them as I just wasn’t that invested. The whole story was far-fetched and unbelievable and definitely requires a bit of suspension of disbelief.

Still, it was enjoyable, if forgettable. If you are in the mood for a popcorn thriller and can just go with the plot, this might be a good, fun read to pick up.