Contemporary – Page 3 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Things They Didn’t See

Title: The Things They Didn’t See
Author: Angela Shaeffer
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher: Wander Lane Press
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 4, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Raised on sunny days at Lake Koda, Jill piloted a speedboat long before driving a car. Her husband and three boys share her love for boating—until a surprise storm and tragic accident change everything.

As grief settles in, Jill and her family are drifting apart. Her relationship with teenage Jake grows strained when everything she says or does seems to be wrong. Her husband, Matt, takes Jake’s side, and even her sweet youngest child doesn’t trust her judgment.

Jake is trying to be a good kid but doesn’t know where to turn when his head and heart are constantly racing, and Matt just wants peace between his wife and son. Tensions build as they bump and bang into one another. There’s too much extra space for a family of four living in a home built for five.

Emotional and ultimately hopeful, The Things They Didn’t See is the story of a family’s love for each other clouded by misunderstandings, guilt and blame as they struggle to overcome unprecedented loss and find connection again.

Review:

This was a tragic story with an uplifting ending. After losing one of their sons in a boating accident, everyone in the family had to figure out how to grieve together. For most of the book I didn’t think the family would ever recover. The story also dealt with teenage rebellion and self harm. It was a heavy read, but it had a positive ending.

The Things They Didn’t See is a tragic family story.

Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Content warnings: death of child, boating accident, self-harm, attempted suicide

Have you read The Things They Didn’t See? What did you think of it?

Review: Beyond the Light of the Willow Tree

Title: Beyond the Light of the Willow Tree
Author: Daniel E. Chambrello
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Publisher: The boy. The dragon. & the cherry tree swing. A Publishing Company.
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 20, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the deepest dark, there is only light.

With each new generation, precious souls are called upon to serve a higher purpose. But each calling is forged in challenge and fear, and every journey hinges upon the choices made.

In present-day North Carolina, Gabriel is devoted to his wife, Jennifer, and their five rambunctious kids… until the day tragedy strikes the Connor household, setting in motion a chai of events that will transform humanity.

In ancient Rome, young Gabrielus leaves his humble village to become a protector of the emperor. He dreams of bringing glory and wealth to his family and returning a hero to his love, Jennamine. But the path ahead is steeped in grief and vengeance, and Gabrielus will be forced to make a choice that echoes through the ages.

One soul. Infinite journeys. A universe of possibilities.

In Beyond the Light of the Willow Tree, Daniel E. Chambrello crafts a guidebook for the human condition via a profound story of enduring love. Compelling perspectives of time, purpose, and mysticism reveal unique and life-changing truths for every reader

Review:

This was an emotional read about fate. It followed two timelines, one in present day North Carolina, and the other in Ancient Rome. The same members of a family were reincarnated throughout time. In the present day they had to deal with the deal with the tragic deaths of three family members. Each member of the family dealt with their grief in a different way, which shows how different people can be, even within a family. The family was deeply religious, and found comfort in their religion during that tough time.

Beyond the Light of the Willow Tree is an emotional and religious story.

Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: car accident, death, child death (off page), death of parent, kidnapping

Have you read Beyond the Light of the Willow Tree? What did you think of it?

Review: Cadence (Lyrical Interludes #3)

Title: Cadence (Lyrical Interludes #3)
Author: Claire Davon
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From a young age, aspiring musician Jessica Baker has made it a point to never rely on anyone other than herself. After all, in her experience, people, along with success, are both fleeting. However, when Kai Halara joins her tour, all of her preconceived notions are demolished.

Kai is a failure in the eyes of his industry. Intending to use Jessica’s tour as a distraction while he determines his next move, he’s soon at war with himself. His mind tells him to stay away, but his heart—and body—demand the opposite.

Can their happiness survive when misunderstandings collide with electric attraction, and past drama resurges to threaten to destroy all they have created?

Review:

This was a steamy, fast-paced romance! It’s part of a series, but I read it as a standalone and I didn’t have any problems. It’s a short book so it didn’t take me long to read. I felt like the ending was kind of rushed though. The way the romance ended didn’t feel realistic to me.

Cadence is a great music-themed romance!

Thank you The Wild Rose Press for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: alcoholism

Other books in the series:

Reprise (Lyrical Interludes #1)
Overture (Lyrical Interludes #2)

Have you read Cadence? What did you think of it?

Review: Haunted Gem

Title: Haunted Gem
Author: Gabriella Lucas
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 24, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

She talks to ghosts. He talks to God.

Gemma Martelli knows where all the bodies are buried—and she talks to their spirits to help detectives solve cases. All she needs is a piece of jewelry from the deceased to make contact. When a detective asks for her help on a cold case, the unsolved murder of Judith Walsh, she’s eager to get involved … until she finds out who the young woman was engaged to—Reverend Luke Bailey, the man Gemma is crazy about.

Luke wants to move on from the tragic loss of his fiancé, and he’s falling for Gemma. But how will he feel when he discovers that it’s Judith’s spirit she’s talking to?

Review:

I’ve always loved stories about people who can talk to ghosts. I liked the premise in this story, that Gem could communicate with ghosts through their jewelry from when they were alive. It was the perfect technique for a jeweler. The mystery she had to help the police solve was intriguing and fast paced. I really enjoyed reading this mystery!

Haunted Gems is a great mystery!

Thank you The Wild Rose Press and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: death, stabbing, gun violence, parental abandonment

Have you read Haunted Gem? What did you think of it?

Review: The Sun’s Shadow

Title: The Sun’s Shadow
Author: Sejal Badani
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Source: iRead Book Tours
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 28, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Storyteller’s Secret comes an unflinching exploration of betrayal, forgiveness, and the healing power of a second chance.

Celine’s life is spiraling out of control. She’s in danger of losing the beloved equestrian farm that was her childhood home. Her distant husband, Eric, is devoting a suspicious amount of time to a stunning new colleague. Then her young son, Brian, receives a devastating cancer diagnosis. How much worse can things get?

Felicity has uprooted her career and her teenage son, Justin, to get closer to Eric. She’s tired of keeping his secrets—that Justin is his son, and Eric’s frequent “business trips” have been spent playing the good dad with him. Felicity is determined to get her happily ever after, even if it means confronting Celine at a delicate time.

But when Brian’s prognosis worsens, and a transplant from Justin becomes his best chance at survival, Felicity must make a wrenching decision about her son’s well-being—and Celine must accept that the “other woman” is her only hope.

In another life Celine and Felicity might have been friends. Can they put aside the pain between them to do what’s best for their families—and their own futures?

Review:

This was a fast paced and emotional read. Even though this isn’t a thriller, the fast pace and intensity of the plot made it feel like a heart pounding thriller. I had a hard time putting it down! It was also quite emotional. Celine’s son was diagnosed with cancer, and she also had to deal with the discovery of her husband’s past infidelity. There wasn’t time to process everything at once, since her son’s treatment was urgent. This was such a great novel!

The Sun’s Shadow is a thrilling and emotional read!

Thank you iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Content warnings: cancer, infidelity, parental abandonment

Have you read The Sun’s Shadow? What did you think of it?

Review: Spirit Service (Spirit Service #1)

Title: Spirit Service (Spirit Service #1)
Author: Sarena and Sasha Nanua
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ghostbusters meets The Baby-Sitters Club in this supremely sweet and spooky story about four seventh graders who start a small business helping their local neighborhood spirits pass on to the other side.

All Raveena wants is to bring back her school’s beloved arts program. It’s been six months since her music-loving grandmother passed, and four since Hollows’ Peak Middle School cut its entire arts budget. Now Raveena has no way to practice music, and worse, no way to honor Grandmama’s memory.

But Raveena’s world turns on its head when she and her friends stumble upon an otherworldly discovery: an old-fashioned telephone with the ability to contact ghosts!

With her newfound possession, Raveena devises the perfect plan to raise funds for the arts program: Spirit Service, an agency that guides deceased townspeople to the afterlife by reconnecting them with their living loved ones. The best part? There are tons of spirits in need of assistance—and people willing to pay big bucks to communicate with them.

But not all spirits are interested in peacefully moving on…

To keep their neighborhood safe, Raveena and her friends must dive into the history of their town and the mysterious phone, and in the process, uncover secrets that are much closer to home.

Review:

When I heard about this book I was so excited! The main characters have a business called Spirit Service, which is like the Baby-Sitters Club but instead of babysitting they reunite people with the ghosts of their loved ones. This book was as great as I expected it to be. There were some emotional moments, since they were talking about their loved ones who they had lost. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!

Spirit Service is a great middle grade story!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Spirit Service? What did you think of it?

Review: Give Up the Night (Moonstruck #2)

Title: Give Up the Night (Moonstruck #2)
Author: P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with the astonishing conclusion to their new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Since becoming Moonstruck on her eighteenth birthday, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magick was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions―some want the ritual completed and their freedom―and others are so terrified of change that they’re willing to end Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ritual Selene ruined can be completed.

Between his overbearing father’s arrival, Rottingham delegating him more and more responsibility, and Celeste taking a special interest in him, Lee Young has been struggling to find his own path. As much as Lee wants to take his place in the Moonstruck hierarchy, he knows something’s not right at the Academia de la Luna. He thinks if he can talk some sense into Wren and get her to return to the Academia, that everything will turn out alright.

As Wren and Lee both battle for what they believe is right, they’ll have to uncover who their true allies are…and if they’re even on the same side of this magickal fight.

Review:

This was an exciting sequel to Draw Down the Moon. It didn’t take long to get right back into the action. I liked the reminders of what happened in the last book because it’s been a while since I’ve read it. The beginning and ending were exciting and action packed, but throughout the middle of the book, the pace slowed because the two main characters were in separate places. I would have liked the ending to be longer so that we can see what happens after the final battle. However, the main plot had a great ending.

Give Up the Night is a great conclusion to the Moonstruck duology!

Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parents (off page), death, blood, burns

Other books in the series:

Draw Down the Moon (Moonstruck #1)

Have you read Give Up the Night? What did you think of it?

Review: True Beauty, Vol. 2

Title: True Beauty, Vol. 2
Author: Yaongyi
Genre: Graphic Novel, Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 30, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Episode 14 – 26

After binge-watching beauty videos online, a shy comic book fan masters the art of makeup and sees her social standing skyrocket as she becomes her school’s prettiest pretty girl overnight. But will her elite status be short-lived? How long can she keep her real self a secret? And what about that cute boy who knows her secret?

Review:

This is a great sequel to True Beauty! Jugyeong has to keep the secret of how different she looks without makeup. People treat her differently when she wears makeup and looks traditionally pretty, from when she looks like her natural self. I think she’s starting to understand the problem with becoming someone she’s not, just to conform to society’s standards.

True Beauty, Vol. 2 is a great graphic novel!

Other books in the series:

True Beauty, Vol. 1
True Beauty, Vol. 2
True Beauty, Vol. 3
True Beauty, Vol. 4
True Beauty, Vol. 5

Have you read True Beauty, Vol. 2? What did you think of it?

Review: Missing Clarissa

Title: Missing Clarissa
Author: Ripley Jones
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a gripping novel perfect for fans of Sadie and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, two best friends start a true crime podcast—only to realize they may have helped a killer in the process.

In August of 1999, dazzlingly popular cheerleader Clarissa Campbell disappears from a party in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington and is never seen again. The police question her friends, teachers, and the adults who knew her—who all have something to hide. And thanks to Clarissa’s beauty, the mystery captures the attention of the nation. But with no leads and no body, the case soon grows cold. Despite the efforts of internet sleuths and true-crime aficionados, Clarissa is never found—dead or alive.

Over twenty years later, Oreville high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural urban legend. In the process they uncover a nest of dirty small-town secrets, the sordid truth of Clarissa’s relationship with her charismatic boyfriend, and a high school art teacher turned small-town figurehead who had a very good reason for wanting Clarissa dead. Such a good reason, in fact, that they might have to make him the highlight of their next episode…

But does an ugly history with a missing girl make him guilty of murder? Or are two teenage girls about to destroy the life of an innocent man—and help the true killer walk free?

Review:

This is a suspenseful thriller! It really kept me guessing until the end. I couldn’t figure out what could have happened to Clarissa or who could have killed her. I really liked Cam and Blair. They were a fun pair of best friends to read about because they were similar but also different in a lot of ways. The ending was very fast-paced and exciting! I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!

Missing Clarissa is a suspenseful and exciting thriller!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page), kidnapping, stalking, grooming (off page)

Other books in the series:

The Other Lola

Have you read Missing Clarissa? What did you think of it?

Review: Miss Match

Title: Miss Match
Author: Susan Hughes
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 15, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Thirteen-year-old entrepreneur Polly Corbert has a good idea―no, a great idea―for the upcoming end-of-year dance at her middle school.

While almost everyone in the seventh and eighth grades has a crush, none of them are brave enough to ask anyone to the dance. That’s where Polly and her friends’ matchmaking service comes in. But setting up dates for middle-schoolers isn’t as easy as it seems. Polly and her friends face unexpected obstacles and uncomfortable truths as they discover the ups and downs of running a business and dating.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Review:

This is a fun middle grade story about a girl and her friends who start a matchmaking service at their school. This story brought back so many memories of middle school. My friends and I had our first relationships in middle school, so I could relate to these characters. This story was also quite short, so I think it is accessible to reluctant readers. Despite the story being short, all of the characters were well developed!

Miss Match is a fun middle grade story!

Thank you Orca Book Publishers and Susan Hughes for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Miss Match? What did you think of it?