Books To Get Your Heart Pumping

Hello readers! Well, today I found out that the schools here in Hawaii are closed for the remainder of the school year. I completely support this decision, because it keeps my beloved students safe, but I miss them! I miss going to work, I miss seeing my students and interacting with them. Since school is closed for at least another month and a half, that leaves me even more time to read. I started browsing my Kindle library, scouring my titles for the right book for my mood today. I don't know about you all, but above all else I feel BORED. I could use an adventure! A mystery! Anything! So today I decided to compile a list for those of you who feel the same! I have made a list of five books that fit into the thriller/mystery genre. I didn't stick too tightly to genre, I mostly wanted to give you guys options of books that will make you feel something, really get your heart beating! Some are spooky, some fit squarely into the "suspense" genre, and others just have a twist or story line that I found intense. I hope you guys enjoy these five titles that are sure to get your heart pumping! (In no particular order)


 Deep Dark Secrets by Keri Beevis

 Lizzie Kent wasn't supposed to be babysitting the night she was killed during a home invasion. She was covering for her best friend, Nell. Nell is drowned with guilt and leaves her hometown soon after. Eighteen years later, she must return to the area in order to escape an abusive relationship. Not everyone is glad to have her back, some still hold her accountable for the death of young Lizzie Kent, especially Lizzie's brother, Sam. When strange things start happening at Nell's home, it becomes obvious that someone is trying to scare her. Is it Sam, enacting revenge against the person he hold responsible for his sisters death? Or has Nell's abusive ex-fiance found her at last? This book was very suspenseful and kept me engaged through the whole story.


  



When She Returned by Lucinda Berry

Kate Bennett disappeared from a parking lot eleven years ago, leaving behind a husband and young daughter. When she suddenly reappears in a gas station parking lot, holding a baby and screaming for help, police begin to suspect she may have been abducted. Kate's return spins her whole family's world upside down. Her husband is remarried, her daughter hardly remembers her, and Kate seems skittish and traumatized. While attempting to reintegrate Kate into the real world, family secrets will be revealed. This book was very engaging, and has a twist ending that I didn't see coming. 






It All Comes Back To You by Beth Duke

When Ronni, a practical nurse and aspiring novelist meets Violet, a captivating woman who lives in an assisted living facility (despite needing no assistance) they become fast friends. When Violet passes away, she leaves a large sum of money to Ronni, which will be given to her only upon her completion of a novel about Violet's life. As Ronni delves into the journals and stories of a young Violet, secrets start to emerge and everything may change. This book was one that didn't really fit into the "suspense" genre that I was going for, but it has a twist ending so wild that I just had to include it! If you're worried that some of the other books on this list might be too intense for you, this would be a good choice. It's light and romantic, but it has an intense twist that I never saw coming.




The End Of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb

Eleanor Harper becomes the director of an artists' retreat held at an old tuberculosis sanitorium and is immediately thrust into mystery, intrigue, and a possible haunting. When the art fellows arrive for their retreat, the sense of impending doom only grows. For those readers who took my "What Book Should You Read Next?" quiz, this book was one of the options.(If you haven't taken the quiz, feel free to scroll down and take it!) I included it here as well because I WANT you to read this book. If you're faint of heart, I would suggest reading it during broad daylight while possible snuggling a pet and listening to cheery Disney music in the background. Some "ghostly" books are a little too cliche for my taste, but this book was so well-written, I had to sleep with a nightlight. If you enjoy horror movies and campfire ghost stories, this is definitely the book for you.




In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn

Life is over in an instant for sixteen year old Finn when a car accident throws her and ten others over the side of a mountain. Trapped between worlds, Finn watches helplessly as those she loves fight for their lives and futures. This is another book that doesn't really follow the genre criteria I was looking for, but it definitely made my heart pound. I want to warn you before you possibly choose to read this story; this book made me feel so many emotions I was exhausted by the end. I cried, I got angry, I cheered, I felt everything. I was a little hesitant to recommend this book because it is so emotionally raw. There are elements to this story that touched me on a personal level, so some of you may not have as emotional of a reaction to this book as I did, but I think that everyone who reads it will feel something. While the book was a major emotional roller-coaster, the ending pulled everything together in a way that feels complete. It's a book about redemption and hope, even when those things seem impossible.





I hope that everyone finds something on this list that they enjoy! If you decide to read one of the books, let me know what you thought! If you have a genre that you would like recommendations for, let me know! I hope to hear from you guys!