I've read quite a few Colleen Hoover books, some I've loved and some I've hated. Heart Bones lands right in the middle of the pack for me.

Beyah comes from a life of poverty and neglect. When her mother dies of an overdose, she goes to live with the father she barely knows. Once there, she feels an immediate attraction to Samson, the handsome guy next door. Beyah recognizes something in him that makes her think they are kindred spirits. Before the summer is over, all their secrets will be revealed to each other.

Even with the main character's unusual backstory, this feels more like a regular new adult romance than anything else. And to be fair, that's really what Colleen Hoover does best. She has this way of pulling you into the romance and keeping the book firmly glued to your hands until the very last page, even if the main couple does come across as somewhat cringey and angsty.

Still, I need a little bit more than just a straightforward new adult romance in order to really enjoy it, and this didn't have that. Colleen Hoover's books usually elicit such strong emotions in me, melting me into a puddle of snot and tears. But not this one. It lacked that all-important emotional punch. I didn't cry, my heart remains unbroken, and my tissues are dry.

Maybe I'm finally outgrowing the new adult genre. (Say it ain't so!) At the risk of dating myself, it's been almost two decades since I was the age of the characters in this book. And even though I'd like to think I remain young at heart, I suppose there is a limit. My reading preferences can only remain that young for so long, especially when it comes to angsty romances.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

I know fiction is called fiction for a reason. But this is so far from reality that it's almost bordering on science fiction.

Caz is on board the luxury cruise liner RMS Atlantica for a well-deserved vacation with her new boyfriend, Pete. When she wakes up after a night of fun and delicious food, Pete is not there. She steps out of her cabin to investigate and soon realizes that everyone is gone. There is not another soul on board, and that is only the start of her nightmare.

Dun, dun, dun!

Ah, that premise is so good. It makes it seem like this is a locked-room mystery/thriller, and I love those! So of course I dug in with gusto. And the initial 100 pages were exactly what I wanted. I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages as fast as I could, trying to figure out what happened to Caz. Could it be aliens, or ghosts, or interdimensional visitors?! What could it possibly be?

But then we reach a turning point about a third of the way through, and it took all the wind out of my sails. (See what I did there? Sorry, couldn't resist.) I thought I was reading a thriller, but it turned into a survival/gory horror story, which I'm just not into.

And from then on, it became more and more bizarre, to the point where it wasn't believable anymore. The more I read, the more incredulous I became. Sure, I didn't see the developments coming, but that's because they don't really jive with reality. I had a hard time investing in the story because it felt like someone was pulling my leg the whole time.

Also for a thriller, this really dragged on. Every time there is an action scene, we take a detour inside Caz's mind as she ponders about her parents and sister, their problems, and how that follows her around everywhere. It feels like 100 pages could've easily been cut out and we would still have the same story.

Oh, and right when I thought it was over, we were smacked with one last parting shot at the very end. Talk about pulling someone's leg. Not only did it not make sense, but it felt like the biggest troll of all.

I'm so disappointed. The beginning of this book was amazing, and I thought I had a 5-star thriller on my hands. But as I read on, slowly but surely, I came to enjoy it less and less. It feels like I was deducting a star for every 100 pages, until I arrived at the ignominious 2 stars.

Still, I applaud the author for trying something different. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. In fact, this is one of those books that's so crazy, I hope everyone reads it just so we can all talk about it.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

I usually have a lot to say about a book (shocking, I know), but this one left me a bit befuddled. Did I enjoy it? I think so. And yet, I wanted more than what I got.

Daphne has an unusual quirk—every time she meets a new man, she gets a piece of paper with his name and the exact amount of time they will be together. Until one day, she gets a piece of paper with just a name: Jake. It seems all her waiting is over, and she has finally met the one. But as their relationship continues, Daphne starts to wonder what it means to be with someone she isn't entirely truthful with.

With a premise like that, I was expecting something, well unexpected. To know the future before it happens is a double-edged sword. Do you forge your own destiny or do you let yourself be steered by what you know your destiny to be? Ah, a subtle but important distinction and a quandary to be certain. So I settled in for what is sure to be an interesting read.

We follow Daphne as she meets Jake and their relationship grows. And through flashbacks, we see some of her other relationships in the past, including her three-month romance with her now best friend, Hugo. As time goes on, she can't help but be cynical as relationship after relationship ends, exactly as the papers predict.

But then as the story continues, I started to realize that it isn't what I was expecting. Or rather, it is, but I thought there would be more. For such an fascinating premise, this seems more like a romance or women's fiction rather than the profound read I was hoping for.

Yes, we do spend a little bit of time contemplating Daphne's unusual issue, but otherwise, this story unfolds along the same vein as any other fictional relationship. In fact, the story focuses a lot of time on another thing altogether, which while worthwhile, feels a bit like a bait-and-switch to me.

It doesn't help that Daphne and Jake lacked chemistry together. They feel rather bland, so it was hard to invest in their relationship or to understand what they saw in each other. The only chemistry was between Daphne and Hugo, which made this a somewhat confusing read because I wasn't sure who to cheer for.

But that isn't to sell the story short. There were definitely moments when it got ahold of me and I felt its emotional pull. And its message of living your life to the fullest because it's the only one you've got is a worthy one, even if it got a little muddled in the tale.

So yes, I did enjoy this, even if it didn't end up being as profound as I'd hoped for. The undeniably fascinating premise and little nuggets of emotional moments left me with some interesting food for thought. For that, I'll round it up to 4 stars.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

I can't count the number of times I go into a book with high expectations, drawn in by a heck of a premise, only to end up sorely disappointed. So imagine my surprise and delight when I encounter a book that's so much more than I thought it would be.

Lou is part of a serial killer survivors group. But she didn't really survive a serial killer, did she? Rather, she's a clone brought to life by a government program after her other self was killed. And she's grateful for this second chance at life with her husband and her young baby. But she's not really sure how she's supposed to feel, being a clone and all. And there seems to be mysterious circumstances surrounding her murder.

Going in, I really wasn't sure what to expect. On the surface, this seems to be a mystery/thriller, but Book of the Month put it in their literary fiction category. So whatever it was, I knew it wasn't just going to be your standard thriller. And indeed, it turned out to be something more.

If I were to put a label on it, I think it would be character-driven speculative fiction. Even though the book's title and blurb would have you thinking that the murder investigation was the focus of the story, it really was just a small part of it. Instead, the focus is on Lou and how she's doing and coping given her unusual circumstances.

You guys know me, I love anything science fiction related. And so of course I found the parts around cloning and what it means for Lou to be particularly interesting. This isn't the first time I've encountered the concept of cloning a person to bring them back from the dead, but it's the first time it's really made me think. If I were a clone of Yun, would I be Yun to others and myself? Or would I feel that the original Yun and I are actually two separate entities, and that I'm really an interloper in her life? It's quite fascinating to contemplate.

I also really enjoyed this book's portrayal of motherhood. I'm a new mom myself, and Lou's baby and mine are about the same age, so it particularly resonated with me. The feelings of uncertainty and wanting to run away, but also the fierce love and devotion, they all rang true to me. The only part that didn't ring true was how much time Lou had to meet with her survivor's group and nose around about her murder. But then we wouldn't have a story otherwise, would we?

As for the mystery itself, I found it interesting, but I didn't focus on it. And when the reveal came, I really enjoyed the way the story chose to go. It was both surprising and thought-provoking. Based on all the upset reviews out there, I can see why it might be polarizing, but it totally worked for me. [view spoiler below]

I'm glad this didn't turn out to be a standard thriller. I've read so many of those, it's hard to distinguish one from the other. As soon as I've finished with one, it passes from my mind. This one though, this one I'm going to remember. I feel like it came into my life at the right moment and was exactly what I needed.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

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In fact, in the early days of motherhood when I was so overwhelmed and exhausted, wondering what I had gotten myself into, I remember thinking I could run away from this life if only there was another me who I could trust to love and raise my baby as I would. A clone would certainly do the job. But then don't all mothers think every once in a while about running away, even as we love our babies fiercely?