The Book Of Laney - Myfanwy Collins

I picked up this book as I was scrolling through the Young Adult section of my local library late last week, and I'm so glad I did.
The Book Of Laney tells the story of 15-yr-old Elane (or Laney, as she's known), as she struggles to come to terms with the shocking murder-suicide her older brother West was involved in.
After the terrible tragedy, Laney is left orphaned, so she is taken by her social worker to live with her grandmother in Adirondack Mountains - a place that is very isolated. 
Her grandmother's property has no running water, phone reception, or electricity, and Laney struggles initially not only with her grief, but with her surroundings, and her relationship with her grandmother Meme, whom she barely remembers from her childhood.
However, in time, Laney learns to adapt to it all, in a way that is really admirable. She comes to learn many life lessons from Meme, and they form a bond that's unbreakable and very special.
My only criticism (and it's only a small one), would be Laney's relationship with Marshall (a young guy who also resides in the town). It was rather predictable and somewhat fake. 
I love Laney's character, and the hope she exudes, even after the most tragic of circumstances.
Even though this book is targeted at Young Adults, I would recommend it to older adults too, as it is a very emotionally gripping story from the beginning to end. 
It is less than 200 pages long, making it ideal as a weekend read. 

Ink And Bone - Lisa Unger

Finley Montgomery is a 20 year-old young woman who has psychic powers that she has inherited from her grandmother Eloise. Struggling with her parental relationships, she now resides where Eloise does, in The Hollows, which is a town  located in New York.
Finley and Eloise are given the task of helping out in an investigation of a girl called Abbey, who vanished from the Hollows months ago on a family vacation. 
Abbey's family (mother Merri, dad Wolf, and brother Jackson) are desperate for answers, and Finley does her best to provide them.
This book, with it's paranormal storyline, isn't usually the type of book I go for, but I did really enjoy it. Finley is such an intelligent, likeable character, and the story is mysterious and interesting all the way through. This is a book that you can just breeze through in a couple of sittings.
I hadn't read any books by Lisa Unger prior to Ink And Bone, but I have just picked up a couple of her other novels from the library after reading this! I would recommend it for those who enjoy mysterious and/or paranormal stories. I reviewed this on netgalley.

The One Who Got Away - Caroline Overington

I picked up this book a couple of days ago from my local library after having placed a hold on it a month or so ago. 
Now that I have finished it, I can say that The One Who Got Away is a really fantastic read, and definitely worth waiting for.
The book begins with a character named Molly telling the story of her step-sister Loren Wynne-Estes, as she learns from their father that Loren has gone missing whilst on a cruise ship with her husband, David Wynne-Estes.
Immediately, there are so many questions the reader faces: What could have happened to Loren? Was it an accident, or something more sinister? Did David play any role in Loren's disappearance?
The book is told from different perspectives (much like Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl), and there were other similarities to Gone Girl throughout, which wasn't an entirely bad thing in my opinion.
Whilst Loren's marriage to David seems perfect initially, as the reader delves deeper into their relationship, we discover a lot of lies, mistrust, and betrayals.
The story is highly entertaining, and I finished the book within a couple of days as I simply had to know what had happened to Loren. 
The twist at the ending was so unexpected that I had to go back and re-read the last couple of pages as I just didn't see it coming!
This is a really clever psychological thriller that draws you in and keeps you riveted until the last page. Even the title of the book is clever, and it's true meaning is discovered right at the end.
I would highly recommend this book, particularly for fans of Gillian Flynn.

Fool Me Once - Harlan Coben

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben has been on my 'to be read' list for a little while, and I finally got around to reading it recently.
Its fast-paced plot and gripping storyline proved to be a real page turner, however, I must say that by the end of the story, it was just an ok read in my opinion.
The story begins with the main character, Maya Burkett attending the funeral of her husband Joe, who was murdered three days earlier. Maya was witness to the murder, but things get a little confusing when Maya thinks she sees Joe on her nanny cam (she has a two-year-old daughter Lily), days after his death.
Maya's sister was also murdered a few months prior to Joe's death, and Maya, who is a retired helicopter pilot, tries to piece together the final stages of both her husband and her sister's lives.
There are so many twists and turns throughout the storyline, as well as a few dodgy characters that added to the suspense.
Without giving too much away, I must say that the lead up to the ending was a bit of a let down, but I did enjoy the epilogue (which was set 25 years later),  as it concluded the story well.
Overall, Fool Me Once is a rather enjoyable read, even though the ending was slightly disappointing.
If you like books that keep you on the edge of your seat, then this is ideal for you.

Daughter Of Australia - Harmony Verna

Hi, and welcome to my first book review on the blog! 

I’ve just finished reading Daughter Of Australia, a debut novel by Harmony Verna.
I was given an uncorrected proof copy of the book to review through http://beautyandlace.net/
This book had me hooked from the first page. 

With a little girl left abandoned in the harsh conditions of desert Western Australia, my heart was immediately drawn to her. She becomes one of the main characters in this story, later named Leonora after the town she is taken to by Ghan, a man with vulnerability, tragedy and kindness etched deep in his soul. His role continues on throughout the story, and ties in beautifully toward the end.

The other main character is James, who befriends Leonora when she is sent to an orphanage where he resides, and their bond is strong from the get go.

Both are sent to different parts of the world to experience life with new families but years later, they are reunited in trying circumstances.

The descriptions of vivid landscapes and characters are written so well, and the story travels over the years comfortably.

I found myself thinking of the characters and the story when I wasn't reading the book throughout various parts of the day.
I finished the story within a few days (the book is over 450 pages).

I love the book cover of Daughter Of Australia. 

I’d definitely recommend this book as it is a beautiful Australian story that captures your attention and emotions long after the last page has been read. I look forward to reading more from Harmony Verna in the future.